Sustrans Big Pedal
The Sustrans Big Pedal has got off to a flying start and continues to gather momentum. Thank you to everyone who has taken time to cycle, scoot or walk to school this week. Don’t worry if you haven’t had the chance to get involved yet as the Big Pedal will continue to run all of next week! Portstewart Primary has entered the five day challenge, so only our top five active travel scores will be submitted. We are currently 22nd in Northern Ireland, sitting behind Harpurs Hill and St.Colum’s Primary schools. Let’s get active next week and work our way up the leader board!
Eco Day
On Friday 5th April, to celebrate the end of the Big Pedal, we are holding an Eco Day. The children will participate in an exciting range of activities to raise awareness of environmental issues and also help reduce our impact on the environment. This whole school eco event will also contribute towards our next Eco School flag. Your support would be greatly appreciated.
Walking Bus
On Friday there will be two walking buses. One leaving from the Warren, Old Coach Road, and the other from Manina, Coleraine Road. The children will meet at 8.15 am at the ‘bus stops’ and walk together to school, accompanied by adults. The Walking Bus has been a great success in the past and we look forward to lots of children and parents joining us for the commute to school. If you are able to assist with supervision of the ‘walking bus’, please speak to your child’s teacher or Ms Murray.
The Daily Mile
For the first time ever, we will be having a whole school Daily Mile, weather permitting. All children, from Nursery to Primary Seven, along with staff will embark on a one mile walk. They will complete laps of the designated route, along Queenora, Garden Avenue and Central Avenue. Parents are welcome to join their child for this event.
Healthy Break
Children are encouraged to have a healthy break on Eco Day. Healthy Break percentages have fallen significantly this year, with the whole school average sitting in the 60% category. How fantastic would it be to have 100% uptake next Friday?
Plastic Free Zone
We hope that Portstewart Primary School will be a single use plastic free zone on Eco Day. Children are encouraged to bring their re-useable water bottles or reuse their single use bottles by simply washing them out and removing the label. Also, break could be sent to school in snack boxes instead of food bags or cling film.
Waste Free Packed Lunch
As an Eco School we regularly monitor the amount of waste that is produced throughout the school and in the canteen. On Eco Day we plan to have a Waste Free Packed Lunch. There are simple ways to reduce the amount of waste produced by our children’s lunch.
- Plastic food boxes instead of cling film, foil or food bags.
- Re-useable drink bottles
- Remove your child’s food e.g chocolate bar from the wrapper before school and put the plastic in your Eco Brick.
- Metal spoons instead of plastic
The waste produced in the canteen on Eco Day will be weighed and compared to that of an average Friday lunch time.
Eco Bricks
Many children have been working hard on making their Eco Bricks with non-recyclable plastic at home. Please bring your completed Eco Brick to school by Friday 5th April. The National Trust will collect the bricks from school the following week and deliver them to Dominican College to be used in the sculptures.
There will be a range of other activities taking place throughout the school and in classrooms on Eco Day, including No Power Hour and litter picking.
We appreciate your support. Let us all work together to create a cleaner, greener, healthier Portstewart Primary School.