Today, the senior room had the pleasure of welcoming local artist Tom Meskell to Cloonlyon NS. Tom, who is leading the Sleeping Giant Art Project in Charlestown, spent time with the children discussing the importance of environmental awareness and how small actions can lead to big changes.

Tom shared his personal journey in creating eco-friendly art and explained how he had to research and select biodegradable materials for the Sleeping Giant project. The children were captivated by his stories and inspired by the way art can be connected to caring for our planet. He encouraged everyone to think about how they can make small, positive changes in their daily lives to protect the environment.

​It was a fantastic visit, and we’re grateful to Tom for sharing his wisdom and passion with us!

Be sure to visit Tom's website to view his excellent work

​click here to visit the website

We are thrilled to have started our Foreign Languages lessons in the senior room today with our wonderful Spanish teacher, Mónica. The children had an exciting introduction to Spanish and were eager to begin learning!

​In today's lesson, they were introduced to the basics, starting with counting numbers from one to ten. They also learned how to say hello in a few different ways, ask and share their age, and talk about where they are from—all in Spanish! To make learning fun, Monica used a mix of songs and games, which had everyone participating enthusiastically.

It was a fantastic start to our Spanish lessons, and the children are looking forward to building on their new language skills in the weeks to come.

Today was a busy and exciting day in the senior room as the children worked together to cover their 3D leaves! The classroom was filled with energy, teamwork, and a bit of mess as the students tackled the next step of the project: covering their willow leaf frames with paper coated in PVA glue.

It was all hands on deck as the class formed a production line. Some children were in charge of preparing the paper, others coated it with PVA glue, and a team was assigned to deliver the sticky, glue-covered paper to each leaf station. From there, the paper was carefully secured onto the 3D leaves, making sure every bit of willow was covered adequately.

Though things got a little messy, the children thoroughly enjoyed the process, and their teamwork made the job much easier. It was fantastic to see everyone working together so well and having fun at the same time.

​The leaves are really starting to take shape, and we can’t wait to see how they look in the next stages of the project!

At Cloonlyon NS, we believe in starting the day on the right foot—literally! Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, when the weather is kind, our pupils take part in Mile with a Smile.

First thing in the morning, the children head outside for a brisk walk down our neighbouring country road. It's a fun and refreshing way to get moving, and it's amazing how a little fresh air and exercise can help wake up our brains and get us ready for the school day ahead!

We love seeing everyone smiling and energised as they complete their mile. It’s the perfect way to kick off a productive and happy day of learning!

Our senior room pupils continued their creative journey today as they moved on to the next stage of their 3D leaf construction. Building on the foundation they set last week, the children worked on creating the supports that would give their leaves a true 3D effect.

​In this lesson, the focus was on precision. The children crafted rectangular supports that would hold up their willow leaf outlines. To ensure uniformity across all the leaves, they used an A4 piece of paper as a guide. This helped them measure and build supports that were consistent in size and shape. The room was buzzing with concentration as everyone carefully aligned their supports and brought their 3D leaves to life.

​It’s incredible to see the progress being made, and we’re excited to watch the project evolve as the weeks go by!