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We had a ‘de-briefing’ session today (Wednesday) with our anti-bullying ambassadors after their very successful training day in Skerries. All of the pupils were full of enthusiasm and ideas after their day and are looking forward to their ‘next steps’ as ambassadors. Each of the pupils gave a synopsis of their day, which involved games, drama, drawing, brainstorming, group work and video, all with the aim of heightening their awareness of others, being aware of using positive words and positive behaviour, understanding feelings and the effects of bullying behaviour and helping them to look at the importance of being truthful. All of the pupils demonstrated an excellent understanding of the messages which were delivered at the training day and have some great ideas as to how to put their learning into action in our school. Some of the words used by the pupils to describe their day were:

Inspiring          different          interesting          informative          fun          great          exciting

Teachers who accompanied the pupils on the day were very complimentary about the behaviour and involvement of all the pupils. They said they were so proud of all the children and that they were real ambassadors for the school.

The anti-bullying ambassadors will meet again next week to prioritise their actions and make a start on carrying out their role as anti-bullying ambassadors in RETNS. They will be talking to the rest of the pupils over the coming days and weeks to outline their plans to help make RETNS a real Anti-Bullying School and to ensure that it is a happy place for all.

Anti-Bullying Ambassadors

Nine pupils from fifth and sixth classes in RETNS will be joining over 100 pupils and teachers at a very large Anti-Bullying event on Tuesday, 5th November in Skerries Educate Together National School.

This event is called the Diana Award Anti-Bullying Ambassador Training. The programme trains young people across Ireland and the UK to be Anti-Bullying Ambassadors in their schools.  The unique training will help young people to creatively explore and understand the issue of bullying, through interactive sessions.  They will network with other students, exchanging ideas and sharing good practice, and they will gain practical ideas and receive top tips on how to stop bullying. On their return to school they will share their learning and play an active role in preventing bullying in our school.

We want our school to be an anti-bullying zone, a place where all children feel safe and where we can all confidently say “no” to bullies. This is a unique opportunity for the students themselves to be involved in anti-bullying initiatives and to have a real opportunity to work with their fellow students to prevent bullying and ensure that everyone feels safe and happy in school. The pupils are looking forward to the event and will have a lot to offer our school after their day’s training.

 

Halloween Safety

Niall, from an Gardai, came into the  school on Thursday to talk to the senior classes about Halloween safety and he had some very clear messages for the children. He warned them about the dangers of fireworks and made it very clear that it is illegal as well as extremely dangerous for children to be anywhere near fireworks. He also told them to stand well clear of bonfires and to be sure that they are with someone responsible when out and about at Halloween. As well as Halloween safety messages, Niall also stressed other safety measures that children can take such as wearing a high visibility vest when crossing roads or walking in dim light, and he reiterated the “stranger danger” messages given to the children earlier in the term. We hope everyone has a great mid-term break and see you all back on November 4th.