S.I.P.22

Progress Report. Clonown N.S.June 2000

As soon as we started working on S.I.P.22 we put the names of the schools we were working with on our notice board in grand print. Our first emails were proudly displayed. Soon pictures of the pupils and teachers we were working with appeared and also pictures of the school buildings.

Visitors to the school were interested to see the stories of field trips and stream trips, trips into the past in imaginative activity and always stories of work and life in the garden. We were very interested in the trips ourselves and the time came when we too could move out. One misty morning we went Clonmacnois courtesy of Duchas Free Educational Visits to Schools Scheme where our guide painted a great picture of monastic life. We relayed our stories to our friends and some people thought we were lucky to live near such a wonderful place.

We decided to update our website to include our Green Schools activities. We prepared the text and typed it with the help of a past pupil, Mary, who was back on work experience. We got a friend to scan photos for us but this was taking too much time so we bought a scanner and emailed the images to our web design friend Hugh. The update was complete and the counter started to fly. In January it was at 600,in June it has passed the 1200 mark.

Visitors came to our school in connection with the project. Our co-coordinators Greg and Helen called and their assistance was much appreciated. Teachers from Dublin called one Saturday morning in May together with our local inspector. Fifth class gave a guided tour of the garden. Paddy Madden called in May and pupils thought it was the best day ever! He brought us to the Norman Castle at Clonmacnois. We followed this wonderful trip up with a visit to Roscrea Castle and Birr Caste on our school tour. We are currently recording these visits.

We had made out a plan of work for the year but sometimes we took flight with the butterflies or the birds or the river or with stories from our friends. All classes in the school were involved and all teachers participated even though there was a change over of teacher in the junior room.

Direct communication via email broke down when lightening struck our modem. Having installed a new modem the fault is also in the line. A technician from Eircom is attending this at the moment. We have also had the assistance of a past pupil who works as a technician for a major company.

A web design workshop which I was attending, run at the Athlone Education Center was also interrupted by the same lightening flash. Work had started to update our website independent of our web design friend. However we know that help will be at hand from all our friends and also from the newly appointed I.T. co-coordinator at Athlone Education Center who has expressed an interest in the S.I.P. project.

S.I.P.22

Progress Report. Clonown N.S.June 2000

As soon as we started working on S.I.P.22 we put the names of the schools we were working with on our notice board in grand print. Our first emails were proudly displayed. Soon pictures of the pupils and teachers we were working with appeared and also pictures of the school buildings.

Visitors to the school were interested to see the stories of field trips and stream trips, trips into the past in imaginative activity and always stories of work and life in the garden. We were very interested in the trips ourselves and the time came when we too could move out. One misty morning we went Clonmacnois courtesy of Duchas Free Educational Visits to Schools Scheme where our guide painted a great picture of monastic life. We relayed our stories to our friends and some people thought we were lucky to live near such a wonderful place.

We decided to update our website to include our Green Schools activities. We prepared the text and typed it with the help of a past pupil, Mary, who was back on work experience. We got a friend to scan photos for us but this was taking too much time so we bought a scanner and emailed the images to our web design friend Hugh. The update was complete and the counter started to fly. In January it was at 600,in June it has passed the 1200 mark.

Visitors came to our school in connection with the project. Our co-coordinators Greg and Helen called and their assistance was much appreciated. Teachers from Dublin called one Saturday morning in May together with our local inspector. Fifth class gave a guided tour of the garden. Paddy Madden called in May and pupils thought it was the best day ever! He brought us to the Norman Castle at Clonmacnois. We followed this wonderful trip up with a visit to Roscrea Castle and Birr Caste on our school tour. We are currently recording these visits.

We had made out a plan of work for the year but sometimes we took flight with the butterflies or the birds or the river or with stories from our friends. All classes in the school were involved and all teachers participated even though there was a change over of teacher in the junior room.

Direct communication via email broke down when lightening struck our modem. Having installed a new modem the fault is also in the line. A technician from Eircom is attending this at the moment. We have also had the assistance of a past pupil who works as a technician for a major company.

A web design workshop which I was attending, run at the Athlone Education Center was also interrupted by the same lightening flash. Work had started to update our website independent of our web design friend. However we know that help will be at hand from all our friends and also from the newly appointed I.T. co-coordinator at Athlone Education Center who has expressed an interest in the S.I.P. project.