We celebrated World Book Day in St. Laurence’s on Friday, May 28th.

World Book Day is traditionally held in March but due to Government restrictions we were unable to celebrate it on the actual date.

We marked the day in true style! The children made a huge effort to dress as their favourite characters from stories, novels and comics. The day certainly highlighted the great love for reading around the school.

We were hoping to have an outdoor parade in both buildings but the weather had other ideas!

According to the seanfhocal, ‘Is olc an ghaoth nach séideann do dhuine eigin’ (It is an ill wind that blows no good for someone) and despite the rain, we were able to have a parade on zoom! It meant that all the classes could see each other dressed up.
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Maith sibh go léir!

On the 6th of May 2021, St Laurence’s N.S was awarded an Amber Flag for our efforts to promote positive mental health and well-being in our school. 
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It is well documented that positive mental health and well-being enables young people to lead fulfilling lives. Home and family are recognised as the primary source of nurturing and support for children. However, mental health and well-being are recognised as everyone’s concern. It involves the whole school community, parents/guardians and the many others involved in day to day life of the child. Positive mental health for children is part of their overall health and is inextricably linked with well-being.

In order to promote positive mental health and well-being we decided to take part in the Amber Flag Initiative. This involved the whole school community coming together in order to create a safe, positive, and healthy attitude towards our general physical and mental health and well-being.

Our Aim: To Promote Positive Mental Health at School

​Our school has an Amber Flag Committee made up of teachers and students. The Amber Flag Team was busy during the past few months planning and organising lots of activities to promote positive mental health in our school and help improve our overall wellbeing. 

We celebrated Science Week this year from April 26th - 29th and a lot of fun was had in both buildings. 

Many different experiments were carried out in all classrooms such as making volcanoes and explosions, making slime, making butter, using magnets, checking heart rate and investigating forces! A lot of STEM challenges were carried out both at home and at school where children built rafts, built bridges, made parachutes and built towers from spaghetti and marshmallows!

Lots of classes went outdoors and engaged in a 'Five Senses Hunt' or 'Science Hunt' and both buildings took part in a 'Science Table Quiz'. In the Junior Building all classes had to navigate the crime scene and investigate who took 'Sammy Science's' lunch!!!

Ms. Foley kindly shared with us daily videos of her chicks hatching much to the children's delight! We were all very surprised when two black chicks were born! We were also very lucky to have a visit from Robyn's (Senior Infants) mother. She brought in her six tortoises for the three Senior Infant classes to see. She gave a little talk about the tortoises and it must be said we learned a lot!

There was also of course a daily science riddle and many classes got to watch fascinating experiments by Phil Smyth (RTE Hub) and some videos from ESB Science Blast. 3rd class had an informative talk on animal welfare with the DSPCA and 5th and 6th had a virtual experience with the National Museum of Ireland on 'Cool Fossils and Facts'.

A very enjoyable week was had by all!