The Amber Flag             

The Pieta Amber Flag Initiative recognises the individual efforts to create healthy, inclusive environments that support the mental well-being of the organisation. By joining Pieta's Amber Flag movement, you'll be part of a community across Ireland working together to break the stigma surrounding mental health. We are very excited to be taking part in the challenge of obtaining the Amber Flag this year.

Successful completion of the Amber Flag initiative involves the whole school community coming together in order to create a safe, positive and healthy attitude towards our general, physical and mental health wellbeing. It is so important to look after our minds. We must look after our minds like we look after our bodies.

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Our Journey

September 2023

We registered for the Amber Flag initiative.   We put posters around our school highlighting the importance of minding our wellbeing and promoting positive mental health strategies

October 2023 

We held a poster competition to pick members for our Amber Flag Committee. The children highlighted their understanding of wellbeing and what we can do to help our wellbeing.  We held a poster competition to pick members for our Amber Flag Committee. The children highlighted their understanding of wellbeing and what we can do to help our wellbeing. 


                                     


November 2023

One child from each class (1st to 6th) was chosen to join our Amber Flag Committee.

         1st Class -      Evana Abin
        2nd Class -      Ella Mai Power & Emma Kehoe                                            
        3rd Class -       Callum Foran & Edmund Murphy
        4th Class -       Anna McTighe
        5th Class -       Alex Morrissey
        6th Class -       Dylan O'Hanlon & Nessa Murphy
        Teachers -       Ms. Doocey & Ms. Burke   


                             

We had a fantastic response to the Team Hope Ireland Christmas Shoebox Appeal, with 144 shoe boxes donated.

                                      

December 2023 

We set up a ‘Wow Wall’ in each campus to display our extra-curricular achievements. We are going to keep this updated throughout the year. We had a small first meeting on each campus to chat about some of our plans and ideas.


                                                                                                                              

Ms. Phelan’s 2nd Class participated in the ArtEd schools programme over the last 6 weeks. They made some magnificent mosaics with the artist Kiri Tulloch. They also made some dreamy dream catchers to catch all their worries and bad dreams.  We choose the theme of 'Wellbeing' to coincide with our Amber Flag.
                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Mr. Lowth’s 3rd Class paid a visit to Mooncoin Residential Care Centre to spread some Christmas cheer and sing Christmas carols for the residents.

                                            


JANUARY 2024

We had our first joint meeting in the Senior Campus. We completed our ‘Amber Flag Audit’. When the committee started discussing what our school was already doing, we were pleased that we were already doing lots of things. We highlighted things we were already doing well, what we could improve upon and what we could introduce.

We really enjoyed meeting as a committee to share ideas on how to enhance our school’s wellbeing. We also had a look at our school calendar to pick a week for our ‘Wellbeing Week’.


The goals we have decided to focus on this year are:

1.       To hold a Wellbeing Week to promote positive mental health and wellbeing in our community.
2.       To hold a fundraiser to support Pieta’s work and increase awareness of Pieta’s services.
3.       To promote physical activity as an important part of positive mental health.
4.      To promote friendship and kindness in our community.


FEBRUARY 2024

We had a mini meeting on each campus and another joint meeting in the Senior Campus. At this meeting we finalised the date for our Wellbeing Week (4th – 7th March 2024). The children came up with lots of suggestions and together we discussed whether they would be suitable and if we could organise everything in time. We also decided on our Pieta House Fundraiser, on the last day of Wellbeing Week we are going to have a ‘Crazy Hair Day’.

Junior and Senior Infants have signed up for a webinar series ‘Live Student Wellbeing Workshops in Early Years & Primary Settings’. These are fun interactive workshops that can be done in the classroom to support the wellbeing of all pupils.


March 2024

We held our very first ‘Wellbeing Week’ from the 4th to 7th of March.
Monday –            Yoga teacher in the Junior Campus and a Hip-Hop teacher visited the Senior Campus.
Tuesday –            Mindfulness teacher completed a workshop with all senior classes.
Wednesday –       Mindfulness teacher completed a workshop with all junior classes. Drama sessions in the Senior Campus.
Thursday –           ‘Crazy Hair Day’ fundraiser held in aid of Pieta House.
All classes completed as many activities as they could from the wellbeing grid. Music was played on yard every day, playlist organised by the Amber Committee. K’nex boxes sourced from the teacher centre available to all classes 2nd – 6th

              
                           
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April 2024

3rd Class have been doing some lovely mindful colouring which they are going to put up around the school to remind us to mind our wellbeing.

                                       

We had a joint committee meeting in the Senior Campus to review how our first ‘Wellbeing Week’ went. The children were all very positive about the week and really enjoyed it. They loved having a part in the organisation of it all and in particular really enjoyed the ‘Crazy Hair Day’. We were delighted to have raised an incredible €621.50 for Pieta House. We would like to sincerely thank everyone for their donations.                                                      
                                           




More Photos are in under - PHOTO GALLERY - 2023-2024 - WELLBEING



TOGETHER WE ACHIEVE MORE