Tá Scoil Raifteirí gnóthach ag obair chun an ceathrú Bratach Glas a fháil. To earn this fourth Green Flag, everyone in the school is working on the theme of transport. Táimid ag iarraidh gearradh siar ar an méid atáimid ag brath ar an gcarr. Our surveys indicate that a lot of children arrive to school each day by car. We hope to encourage more people to walk or cycle to school, in a safe and responsible manner. 

Tá a fhios againn go bhfuil roinnt daoine ina gcónaí an-fhada ón scoil. We have devised a means by which children who live outside the town can be dropped off at designated safe points, located at different places within a kilometre of the school. Tá súil againn go roghnóidh clannta an córas seo, park and stride. Parents that choose to drop off their children at these locations will avoid the heavy traffic in the vicinity of the school, and their children will benefit from the exercise. 

To inform people of these drop-off points, we sent out a letter with a map of the local area. Parents, children and teachers explored the designated routes to and from the school on our Action Day. Bhí an Lá Aicsean seo ar an Aoine, 26ú Meán Fómhair. Everyone enjoyed these walks. Further surveys will investigate the success of the scheme. 

Reporters from the local newspapers, MWR’s Theresa O’Malley, Noel Gibbons (Road Safety Officer for Mayo County Council), and town and county councillors, Seán Burke, Michael Kilcoyne, Eugene McCormack, Margaret Adams, Brendan Henaghan, Johnny Mee accompanied Eva Gannon, representative of An Taisce, on her visit to Scoil Raifteirí on Tuesday, October 7^th. Also present were Sharon Cameron and Mary Forde from the Environment Section of Mayo County Council. They met the Green Flag Committee and were brought on one of the walks. D’fhoghlaim siad ón gcoiste faoin obair atá an scoil ag déanamh. We hope the launch of this scheme will encourage other schools to consider introducing park and stride.