Thanks to the ongoing support of parents and pupils, Ballyraine National School has operated a very successful 'healthy lunch' policy for the last couple of years. Staff at the school decided it was time to celebrate this success and Healthy Eating Week began to take form. By the time the week's timetable was complete, we realised that everyone needed to be in the whole of their health to survive it!!

Classrooms have been hives of activity as pupils explored the possibilities of porridge and prepared friendship feasts... and French feasts! Peanuts have been planted... and our potatoes have been dug up! Soup, sandwiches, smoothies... you name it , we've tasted it! Food chains, food pyramids, food surveys... if it's information you want, we have it! Fruit salad, orange juice, popcorn... is school meant to be this much fun?!

And after all that eating, it's important to keep our teeth healthy too. We heard about crocodiles who don't brush their teeth... and praised children who do! And those healthy smiles should stay bright in the future as each child brought home an information pack on looking after their teeth and a free toothbrush.

As with all learning themes, every effort is made to ensure that all relevant areas of the curriculum are addressed. We talked about fractions when cutting fruit. We painted still lifes and made collages of fruit and vegetables. We devised short mimes and dramas on the topic of food. We sang songs about food, heard stories about food, read poems about food. And in Irish, we learned about 'glasraí agus torthaí'.

Special events such as this at Ballyraine National School are always made so much more worthwhile and enjoyable because of the involvement of the wider community. Healthy Eating Week was no exception. A visit from Thomas and Luzia Becht from Glenties gave everyone in the school community an opportunity to try some organic fruit and vegetables. Thomas also spoke to our senior pupils about some of the principles of organic farming. The junior pupils were treated to a visit from Fibreman, courtesy of the Health Promotion Unit. Jane McGettigan (Eat Well, Be Well) advised parents on child-friendly recipes for smoothies. Food advisor, Maura Dufficey, talked to older pupils about healthy choices for their lunch boxes, while Brenda O'Mahony donned her chef's hat to talk to the younger children.

As well as bringing the community into the school, we used Healthy Eating Week as an opportunity to bring our pupils out into the community. Sixth class pupils went shopping for fruit and vegetables at Aldi, while Junior Infants took their custom to Tesco. Fifth class pupils finished the week with a visit to Letterkenny Library where they listened to Breezy Willows telling a story... while baking bread!!

Weeks such as this do not happen without a lot of work, a lot of support... and a lot of sponsorship!! We would like to take this opportunity to thank the children who worked so hard, the parents and members of the wider community who supported us... and as for our sponsors? Well, you know who you are... and so do our parents!! A list of all sponsors of this event has been prominently displayed at Ballyraine National School.
See below for more information on each class' activities, and photos

Fresh From the Field
Organic Fruit and Vegetable Market

We invited Thomas and Lucia Brecht from the Organic Farm in Glenties to set up a Fruit and Veg stall for parents in the school shelter on Monday. Many parents came along and, despite the bad weather, stopped to taste the difference !

Monday 24th @ 2.15

Junior Infant room
June McGettigan (eat well be well tutor) talked about healthy choices and offered advice on Healthy food choices.
Parents also learned how to make fruit smoothies and got to sample the juices.

3rd Class
Prepare for assembly
Fruity Fractions: record favourite veg
Talk with Ms. McGettigan
Tosta Phuca
O.S.P.S.: Food - making healthy choices
Liosta Siopadoireachta
Harvest Assembly
Science: food chains, school habitat diary
Cluiche ull
Drama : mime: In the kitchen