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Road Safety |
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Here at Castletown Girls' School we try our best to be Road Safety Aware. We have two representatives from Second to Sixth class on our Road Safety Committee. We meet regularly to discuss ideas and initiatives that will keep our pupils safe on our roads. More information on Road Safety campaigns can be found on the RSA website. Meet our Road Safety Committee for the school year 2019/20.
Seatbelt Sheriff 2020
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Congratulations to our First Class and their teacher Ms. Quinn for their fantastic poster 'Don't be a Clown, Buckle Down'. They have made the final five in this national competition. We need your help to win the RSA's Public Award which will be given to the poster with the most likes by 5th June 2020. Please click here to vote for our poster on the RSA's Facebook page. (To vote you simply like our poster!)
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Well done to First Class teacher Ms. Quinn for a great interview on local radio station Dundalk FM! Click on the link below to listen to Ms Quinn chat about the Seatbelt Sheriff Competition, Road Safety in her school, and what teaching is like during the Covid-19 restrictions.
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Road Safety Week 7th-13th October 2019
Well done to all our winners in our Road Safety Art Competition which we ran in every class from Junior Infants to Sixth class for Road Safety Week.
Here are our Junior Infant classes wearing their new hi-viz jackets to mark Road Safety Week. Don't they look good!
Congratulations to our Second Class and their teacher Ms. Larkin who were runners-up in the RSA's High-Glo Silver Campaign. Well done! The girls won €500 for their school and a trip to Dublin zoo. Check out their great poster below.
In May, our school joined the European Road Safety Charter. This is led by the European Commission and is the largest civil society platform on road safety. To date, more than 4,000 groups and societies have committed to the Charter and carried out road safety actions and initiatives to keep people safe on our roads. Together, we can share with other members' expertise and actions, inspiring and learning from each other.
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In April our school was invited to help launch the RSA's Safe Cross Code Dance competition. We got to dance outside UCD and Herbert Park in Dublin. We also featured on News2day. As last years overall winners, the girls were able to promote the Safe Cross Code Dance as a really fun competition and show off their dance moves at the same time!!
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Our preschool have been very busy this February learning all about Road Safety. We love their noticeboard!
We are LEADING LIGHTS in Road Safety and............
overall winners of the SUPREME AWARD!!!
On the 12th December 2018 our school was invited to Croke Park to receive a Leading Light Award in the Primary Education sector. We were thrilled to receive this award after being shortlisted last year. 5th Class, along with Principal Marion McNally and teachers Ms. Fearon and Ms. McMahon traveled to Dublin for the awards ceremony. We were treated like superstars for the day. We were even more thrilled when after dinner, we were announced as the overall winners of the Supreme Award for our car sticker campaign 'Keep Me Safe, Phones Can Wait'. The judges comments included that "there is a clear and tangible road safety culture in the school. Castletown Girls NS is innovative and at the forefront of road safety efforts in Ireland."
We were presented with our award by Shane Ross the Minister for Transport. We were featured on RTE's lunchtime show with Claire Byrne, Newstalk and the Six One News!
We were presented with our award by Shane Ross the Minister for Transport. We were featured on RTE's lunchtime show with Claire Byrne, Newstalk and the Six One News!
5th class were invited to Louth County Council offices to showcase their trophies and tell their local councillors all about their car sticker campaign and the Leading Light Awards .Cllr. Liam Reilly who is the current Chairman of Louth County Council came to visit us in our school. |
Our Car Sticker Campaign.
This year for Road Safety Week we launched our car sticker campaign 'Keep me Safe, Phones can Wait'. Its main goal is to highlight the dangers of using a mobile phone whilst driving. We ran a competition in the senior end of our school for the pupils to design a car sticker to highlight this issue. There were so many great entries but in the end Jade Dollard's slogan 'Keep me safe, phones can wait' and Kayleigh Owen's artwork were chosen for the final design. We chose a bright and colourful background that would make our sticker stand out and be noticed. It is our hope that drivers will see our sticker and think twice about texting or talking on the phone whilst driving. All students have taken on the role of 'Mobile Phone Sheriff' in the car reminding Mum and Dad to pull over before reaching for their phones.
We officially launched our car stickers on Friday 5th October during Road Safety Week and have been delighted with the response. We have received fantastic support and feedback and it is a campaign that the school as a whole is very proud of. The car stickers are available to buy directly from the school or in our local Londis shop on the Castletown Road.
We officially launched our car stickers on Friday 5th October during Road Safety Week and have been delighted with the response. We have received fantastic support and feedback and it is a campaign that the school as a whole is very proud of. The car stickers are available to buy directly from the school or in our local Londis shop on the Castletown Road.
We also featured on our local radio station LMFM which was a great opportunity to spread our message to the wider community. Abbie Higgins from 5th class did a brilliant job telling all the listeners of the Mid-Morning Show about our car sticker campaign. We even had calls from the public after the show enquiring where they could get their hands on one of our stickers!
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Pupils from 5th class promoting their Car Sticker Campaign in the local Marshes Shopping Centre. Thank you to all who supported us. The girls were fantastic!
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Recounts from Road Safety week
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Road Safety Campaign 2018
Ms Fearon, Ms McMahon and the senior girls of Castletown GS worked very hard to create a brilliant car sticker as part of our new road safety campaign. We created this sticker to remind people that you should never use your phone while driving. If you even look at your phone while driving you are four times more likely to crash and 23 times more likely to crash if you are texting . Why risk your life? If you crash you are not only risking yourself, you are also risking the people around you. Our sticker is super! I felt very excited and proud when we saw the finished product. It is bright and easy to read. We worked hard doing lots of different drafts to make it ‘pop’. Kayleigh created the face of the girl and Jade came up with the slogan it says “keep me safe phones can wait”. It looks great and sends a good message. Last Friday LMFM radio came in to talk to Abbie Higgins and Ms. Fearon about our fab sticker and road safety week. Abbie spoke so well on the radio! We are so proud of her! Also Last week a few girls from our class went to the Marshes with our teacher and Ms. Fearon to sell our new car stickers .They left after school and arrived back at twenty past four .We sold out of all our stickers and we were delighted .We are selling our stickers for one euro to the public and its sending a great message. A lady from the RSA also came to pay us a visit .We learned all about road safety and how dangerous it can be on the road. We were also reminded to always wear high vis jackets or draw string bags at night to be seen. Did you know you can also buy them for your pets? I have learned so much about road safety and how to keep safe on the road. Remember Mums and Dads to leave the phone while driving. “Keep me safe, phones can wait” By Grace Cooney. 
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Road Safety Week 2018 On Friday the 5th of October LMFM radio station came to record 5th class in Castletown Girls School. An RSA Speaker also came to tell us how to be safe on the road and how to cross it safely. Some photographers came to take pictures with the girl that made the slogan and the girl that made the design. The reason why LMFM came is because we made a car sticker to remind people about the dangers of using phones while driving- a split second is all it takes. We took a picture of a girl in my class, cut her body out and glued it to a piece of paper and drew a head on it. The slogan said “keep me safe phones can wait”. In fourth class we were nominated for a Leading Light award. We also made a Road Safety dance video and it got over 5,000 views. In fourth class we were on the news for a similar reason. It was because we tried to get a message out to people that they shouldn’t speed or get distracted on the road because again a split second is all it takes and its better late than never to arrive. I am really proud of my class especially Abbie Higgins who represented us on the news, Jade who came up with the slogan and Kayleigh who drew the head. By Peace Akinwunmi 
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Road Safety Art Competition Winners!
We ran our annual art competition for Road Safety Week and pictured are some of the prizewinners. Congratulations to all and a big thank you to Angela McCarthy from the RSA who provided goodie bags for the winners.
Interview with Patsy.
Patsy, our Lollipop Man.
Patsy is our school's lollipop man. For the past seven years, hail, rain or snow Patsy has been there to help us to get to school safely. We sat down with him for a quick chat, and to take the opportunity to thank him for his hard work and commitment to our community.
Do you like your job and why?
I love my job, for me the children make it, they are always so respectful. I enjoy meeting and greeting them every morning and evening.
What annoys you the most about working on the roads?
Speed. Some cars drive too fast and don't stop when they are meant to.
What is the worst part of your job?
The weather!!The heavy rain and low sun in the winter can make working conditions difficult.
What is your favourite hobby?
Dundalk Football Club.
What advice would you give to us school children about road safety?
Always cross the road at the zebra crossing with the Lollipop Man and if you are getting out of a car always try and get out the door closest to the footpath.
Do you like your job and why?
I love my job, for me the children make it, they are always so respectful. I enjoy meeting and greeting them every morning and evening.
What annoys you the most about working on the roads?
Speed. Some cars drive too fast and don't stop when they are meant to.
What is the worst part of your job?
The weather!!The heavy rain and low sun in the winter can make working conditions difficult.
What is your favourite hobby?
Dundalk Football Club.
What advice would you give to us school children about road safety?
Always cross the road at the zebra crossing with the Lollipop Man and if you are getting out of a car always try and get out the door closest to the footpath.
Our Safe Cross Code Dance!!
Thanks to 5th class for their creative input.
We won!! Míle buíochas!! Thank you to all who helped by watching the youtube video! We now are the lucky owners of 30 tablets and a lovely plaque!!
Check out our video for Road Safety here. Thanks to all the girls in 4th Class who helped out with the project.
Hannah Watters from 4th class who was our voice-over for our Road Safety Video. Great job! |
We made the news!Tommy from RTÉ's news2day came and spent a morning with our wonderful 4th class to find out more about their Road Safety video. It was a brilliant opportunity to appear on national television and we feel we have some budding television stars in the future!
And the papers....
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Road Safety Week 2017
We enjoyed lots of activities for Road Safety Week which ran from Monday October 2nd to Sunday October 8th 2017. Here are some of our prizewinners from our Road Safety Art Competition. Thank you to Lisa McGrenra from the RSA who provided lovey goody bags as prizes.
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Road Safety Recount by Kodi Myles 6th Class
On the third of October 2017, Lisa from the RSA Ireland came in to talk to us, about how important it is to be a safe pedestrian, cyclist and a safe passenger.
Firstly, Lisa showed us a video of two basketball teams throwing a basketball. We had to count how many passes the white team made. While we were counting, a moonwalking bear was walking in the background. Nobody noticed the bear! It was showing us to never distract the driver as they may not see a child crossing the road.
Then she told us how to be a safe pedestrian. Like to always wear a high-viz jacket especially in Winter. Always cross the road at traffic lights, with a lollipop man or at a zebra crossing. Also never listen to music while walking.
While you are cycling you should always wear a helmet, make sure it rests just above your eyebrow and just under the dent in your head. Don't listen to music while cycling because it distracts you from what you are doing.
Since she couldn't tell us to drive safe, Lisa told us the rules for the car.
1. Don't distract the driver.
2. Don't fight with siblings.
3. Do click and pull your seatbelt.
4. Do remind your parents that your life is more important than a phone call.
Did you know?
If a driver answers a phone call you are four times more likely to crash but if a driver is texting you are 23 times more likely to crash.
Did you know?
It is illegal to use a mobile phone while in the car unless it's hands free.
The 2nd - 9th of October is Road Safety Week but in Castletown Girls’ School it is Road Safety Month!
Remember, every time you get into a car, to go for a drive near or far, tell everyone for the good of their health, that the sheriff is here -so buckle your belt!
Firstly, Lisa showed us a video of two basketball teams throwing a basketball. We had to count how many passes the white team made. While we were counting, a moonwalking bear was walking in the background. Nobody noticed the bear! It was showing us to never distract the driver as they may not see a child crossing the road.
Then she told us how to be a safe pedestrian. Like to always wear a high-viz jacket especially in Winter. Always cross the road at traffic lights, with a lollipop man or at a zebra crossing. Also never listen to music while walking.
While you are cycling you should always wear a helmet, make sure it rests just above your eyebrow and just under the dent in your head. Don't listen to music while cycling because it distracts you from what you are doing.
Since she couldn't tell us to drive safe, Lisa told us the rules for the car.
1. Don't distract the driver.
2. Don't fight with siblings.
3. Do click and pull your seatbelt.
4. Do remind your parents that your life is more important than a phone call.
Did you know?
If a driver answers a phone call you are four times more likely to crash but if a driver is texting you are 23 times more likely to crash.
Did you know?
It is illegal to use a mobile phone while in the car unless it's hands free.
The 2nd - 9th of October is Road Safety Week but in Castletown Girls’ School it is Road Safety Month!
Remember, every time you get into a car, to go for a drive near or far, tell everyone for the good of their health, that the sheriff is here -so buckle your belt!
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Seatbelt Sheriff winners!!
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First class had a recent success in the National Seatbelt Sheriff Awards run by the RSA. They were thrilled to be named as the overall winners in the country in 2017.
It is a very worthwhile campaign to raise awareness among children about the importance of wearing a seatbelt at all times. Their class poster 'Secure our Future' highlighted to children, that their dreams and aspirations of growing up and becoming chefs, teachers, doctors and popstars is put at risk every time they travel without wearing a seatbelt. First class travelled to Dublin Castle on Tuesday, 4th April for the awards ceremony, where they took first place in the Seatbelt Sheriff Awards, a competition open to all first classes in the country. They won 2,000 euro for our school and their poster will be published in a national newspaper. The children thoroughly enjoyed the day which involved the prize-giving ceremony in Dublin Castle followed by a trip to Dublin Zoo. It was a fantastic day, one the children will remember for a long time to come. |
