Active School
Our Sports Day Winners
Active Week 12th June -16th June 2017
Our Active School Committee
Our Whole School Dance
GAA
Ms. Byrne’s class enjoyed their GAA training!
Tag Rugby
Active Maths Week
National WoW Day 17th May 2017
Special Olympics
Congratulations to our Special Olympics Athletics team who travelled to Kilkenny on Friday, 12th May for the two-day Regional games. Four athletes qualified for the competition following their success at the area games last year. Our four athletes, Alanna, Alex, Becky and Oliwia competed in one field and one track event each. Our training schedule obviously paid off as altogether, they won six medals – four golds, one silver and one bronze. In addition to our weekly PE sessions, the whole class trained at the Harriers Athletics club each Friday along with our TY volunteers from Tullamore College.
Community Games Medals
Zumba Classes for Parents
In St. Joseph’s NS on Thursdays starting May 25th for 5 weeks from 9.30-10.30. NO CHARGE! If you are interested please text Zumba to Leonie on 087 121 3737
Athletics
Miss Doyle’s Class getting Active!
Aerobics for Parents
In the Tullamore Court Hotel starting Tuesday 9th May for 7 weeks at 10 am. NO CHARGE. Use of the facilities before and after class. Swim hats must be worn. Please text Aqua to Leonie on 087 121 3737 if you are interested.
Active Rap!!
In St. Joseph’s we’re proud to say,
That we are active every day,
We walk, skip, jump and run,
Every day we have good fun
Active School during Seachtain na Gaeilge
Senior Infants walk in local Charleville forest collecting bluebells
Active within the Environment with Dale Treadwell
Dance class with Trish
Walking to the Town Library
Outside learning the Safe Cross Code
Zumba with Tanya
Rith Ghlas and Active school line during Seachtain na Gaeilge
Out and About at Easter
First Class GAA training
Horse Riding
This year for the first time ever in St. Joseph’s, twelve children’s names were lucky enough to be picked out of a hat to go horse riding in Annaharvey Riding School for six weeks. The children not only got to ride the horses, they had to look after their ponies before, during and after their lessons. They learned how to groom, feed, tac and un-tac their ponies. Before this experience, some of the children had never been on a horse and they really overcame some initial fears. We may see some future jockeys from St. Joseph’s! The children described their experiences as “fun,” “cool” and “I loved grooming the horses!”
The Peace Run
On Thursday, 27th April, St. Joseph’s took part in the Peace Run.
We are an Active School!
Zumba with Dorinda
At St. Joseph’s NS from Thursday, 26th January for four weeks from 9.30-10.20. If you are interested in attending these classes text your name to Leonie on 087 121 3737. NO CHARGE FOR THE CLASSES.
Be Active ASAP
What is it?
Be Active ASAP is an after school physical exercise programme designed to broaden children’s exercise experiences and to involve parents in these experiences.
When does it happen?
Sessions take place in six week blocks on Mondays at 3 o’clock until 4 o’clock. The current sessions are running from 6th March until 3rd April.
Where does it happen?
Sessions take place in the P.E hall or in the yard (weather permitting)
Who is Be Active for?
The sessions are available to second class children.
New volunteers are always welcome! Please contact Miss McCabe if you would like to get involved!
Here’s what some of the children said about the Be Active sessions:
“I liked passing the ball different ways, it was fun!” – Lee
“I liked playing hockey”- Avrit
“Tennis was fun!”- Alex
“I enjoyed tennis”- Odhran
“I had fun playing tennis”- Patrick
“I enjoyed passing the basketball”- Kaitlyn
“I enjoyed tennis and being outside”- Nia
“I liked hockey”- Caitlin
“The tennis was fun!”- Holly
“I liked playing tennis with my mammy”- Silbhi
“I liked tennis!”- Hanah
Newry Floorball Day
Congratulations to Moira, Becky, Alex, Abbey and Oliwia from Áthas who travelled all the way to Newry to take part in a fabulous day of Floorball. The guys got to play against teams from Special Olympics Ulster region and they did extremely well. You were a credit to your class, your school, your families and to Special Olympics! Everyone is so proud of your achievements. Special thanks, also, to the parents who travelled so far to make sure their child could take part. We had great craic and were thoroughly entertained by the great sport we saw.
Get Fit Classes with Tanya
In St. Joseph’s from Tuesday, 24th January for 5 weeks from 9.40-10.30. Please bring exercise mat if you have one – there will be some available at the class.
P.E
All classes participate in two thirty minute classes each week. Classes take place in the P.E. hall or outside when weather permits. Class teachers teach all the curriculum strands. In addition we fund swimming lessons in the Aura Swimming Pool for second classes in terms one and two, tennis coaching in the local tennis club for first and second classes in term three.
Contemporary dance classes for all age levels are taught at varying times throughout the year. In addition to this GAA coaches come in to teach football skills to the children from Senior Infants to Second class in terms one and two.
Yard activities
The playground is open plan but with zoned areas to ensure that the children have timetabled access to all areas during the week. The activities include: climbing/playground equipment, first class and second class football areas, Teddy Island (a soft play area with wall mounted interactive stimuli), general school yard with markings for games and trails and space to use small equipment i.e., hoops, beanbags and skipping ropes.
There is a large field at the end of the playground. This is out of use at the moment due to building works. It is hoped to be used again by the school in Summer 2017. It is a great resource and has been used during our annual Active school week and Fun day as well as timetabled access during the school year.
During friendship week in September playground/friendship games are taught and demonstrated by teachers and classes in the school yard. During the year children are actively encouraged to play these games with friendship tickets being awarded. There is a Friendship draw every Friday.
School trips
Regular walks to town are part of school routines at all class levels. We visit the town library each term and walk to the church, the Town Park, O’Connor Park , the tennis club, the GAA centre and St. Mary’s Youth Centre for shows/pantomime. Teachers plan school trips that encourage as much activity as possible. All classes visit Charleville forest for a biodiversity trail in autumn and spring. Lough Boora wild life Park, Clara bog and boardwalk and Mount Lucas wind farm are visited annually for activity trails.
Parent/Adult/teacher/fitness
Parent classes are organised by the Home School Liaison teacher. Operation transformation has taken place for the past four years. Activities included canal walks, zumba classes, salsa classes, aerobics, yogalates and aqua-aerobics in the Tullamore Court Hotel
Some teachers started a jogging group after school and have completed a number of 5k runs to date.
Sports Day
Sports Day in St. Joseph’s consists of a full schedule of activities. The Parents’ Association run this annual event. There are sixteen stations and children visit each station. Energetic activities and quieter activities are planned in the time table. Activities include skipping, races, parachute games, dance, pavement art, water races, obstacle races, bouncy castles, soccer, funfair activities, large jigsaw team game and musical chairs/keep fit are among the activities planned. Each year activities are reviewed and changed to provide the best possible learning experiences and to ensure the principles of learning through fun events are followed.
Be Active Programme
The Be Active After Schools Activity Programme was introduced to St. Joseph’s in 2016. This is an after school programme which aims to introduce children to fun physical activity in a structured setting with an emphasis on enjoyment, learning and a variety of activity. Stations are set up by teachers and parent helpers and children rotate between activities. Four staff members trained to set up and deliver the programme
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Green flag activities
To maintain our Travel flag the children are encouraged to walk/cycle to school as often as possible. Regular walks to town as outlined under School Trips are enjoyed every term.
Healthy Eating Talks
Every October our school lunch provider (Bradbury’s) give each class cucumbers etc. The food dude programme was very successful in the school year 2015-2016
Bradbury’s also donate two bicycles for our annual Christmas draw.
General Activities
During the many events planned throughout the year the active theme is encouraged, for example, Irish dancing workshops during Seachtain na Gaeilge, a Rith Ghlas around the school, maths trails and multi-cultural dance classes during our Multi-cultural week. The annual Easter Bunny trail organised by the Parents’ Association is a fun and active event as is the Halloween Parade around the local estate. We organise two whole school Nature Walks to Charleville in Autumn and Spring. During National Spring Clean week in April all the classes get out cleaning the school grounds. Our Active school week is in May and is a fun filled active week. Last year we introduced a Biodiversity Trail in the school grounds as part of our Biodiversity Green Flag.
Local sporting clubs are always welcome to visit with trophies or to encourage participation in sports clubs.
Information is given to all parents outlining sporting facilities in the locality
Special Olympics
St. Joseph’s is a very active place!! We take part in lots of different active events. At the moment, the senior children in Áthas are training for a new sport in Special Olympics – Floorball. This sport is a cross between hockey and ice hockey. It is a winter sport played indoors in a rink. There are four people in a team and the object is to score goals. Áthas have been learning the skills needed to play Floorball with the TY students from Tullamore College. They attended a talk by Paddy O’Reilly from Special Olympics Leinster who explained about the ethos of Special Olympics before explaining how Floorball is played. The TYs have attended four training sessions in St. Joseph’s and will be travelling with the pupils in Áthas to Portarlington to train on their rink in the new year. The children will be travelling to Newry in February to take part in a Floorball day. Once this project has finished, training will begin for the Regional Games in Athletics for Special Olympics in May. Áthas have four athletes competing in Kilkenny for this. In February, we will have our second indoor athletics event. This is an inter-school day where we take part in various indoor athletics activities with pupils from Ballinamere, Offaly School of Special Education and Daingean. We train and work with TY students from Colaister Choilm, Tullamore and get the luxury of using their state of the art sports hall for the athletics. This is organized by Aoife Byrne, the Sports Inclusion Officer for Offaly County Council.
Tractor Run March 2016
Be Active ASAP 2015-2016
Fun Day June 2016
Fun Day June 2015
Halloween Parade 2015
Wind Farm Visit 2014/2015
Indian Dancing 2014-2015
Clara Bog Visit 2014-2015