Bawnmore National School, near Claregalway, has recently undergone huge changes and development, and as a reward at the end of a challenging year, the school’s pupils were rewarded with a ‘Fortnight of Fun’.
The old school hall has been reconditioned as a class for children on the autism spectrum, while the new hall was opened in the middle of June. Meanwhile the principal, Caoilfhionn Casey, put together a ‘virtual tour’ of the school which recently went live on the new Bawnmore NS website.
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Bawnmore NS senior infants and first class pupils during the Drumadore workshop.
The Covid-19 guidelines meant no school tour was possible this year, but the teaching staff wished to give the children a fun way to close the school year. The result was the recent ‘Fortnight of Fun’, which offered a range of activities, including circus, power soccer, zumba, and drumming.
“We have always had a strong tradition of arts education in Bawnmore national school,” said deputy principal Áine Carney. “We really felt for children missing some of these experiences due to Covid. We also wanted to reward our fantastic children for the positivity and dedication shown to virtual learning and for their commitment to Covid protocols and procedures after re-opening.”
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Bawnmore fifth class children showing off the T-shirt’s they printed.
Bawnmore NS staff collaborated with the Creative Schools Initiative to organise the events, and to use the remainder of the budget from Creative School Initiative’s and pool it with a sum of money from each child in place of a school tour payment.
The ‘Fortnight of Fun’ resulted in drama workshops, T-shirt printing, glass jewellery making, Zumba sessions, a drumming workshop by Drumadore, art workshops, baking, teddy-bear picnics, and a circus performer. There were also sports days with power soccer, astro bay soccer, and athletics.
Staff said they were “blown away” by the response of parents and children. “Each day was action-packed and the children got so much from it,” said MsCarney. “It was exactly what they needed and we feel ending the year on a high sets a good note for re-opening in September.”
