Let"s get physical...Laytown flies Active School Flag

Laytown National School reached a major milestone recently when it was awarded the Active School Flag 2009, one of only less than 10 schools in the country to get the award. School staff say that the school is rightly proud of its achievements over the years, which have included extra-curricular awards and sports competitions. The school was a hive of activity on 11th June as RTE cameras circulated the school capturing clips of the pupils in action performing various physical activities before the school was presented with the Active Flag. The teachers of the Active Committee, including Orla Sheridan, Sandra O"Connor, Marie Stafford, Robert Hayes and Sarah McLoughlin, worked tirelessly during the year and especially in the weeks coming up to the Active Flag in ensuring that the award was attained and the pupils benefitted from the activities. The Active Flag is a national recognition for exceptional levels of achievements in sporting events and activities. For this school, activities have included football, basketball, and spike ball, as well as salsa, golf, triathlon, and break-dancing. Students take part in these activities throughout the year, making them an integral part of the curriculum. To date, Laytown NS has received this recognition for the past two years and has also received €9,000 in prixe money which was spent on upgrading the PE equipment and school gym. Participation in the Active Week awards has enhanced links between the school and the wider community through the involvement of parents and voluntary as well as professional organisations. Parents have donated their time to provide salsa dance and martial arts lessons on the school premises while students also access community-based facilities such as the swimming pool, tennis court and the local golf course. Laytown NS pupils also use the wonderful natural facility on the doorstep, Laytown beach. The Active Flag Committee of the school comprises teachers, pupils, parents and members of the community who meet on a regular basis to plan events. They are very keen to point out that the active programmes serve to enhance the social, emotional development of students as well as the physical aspects specified in the PE curriculum. This culminating event of the school year coincides with the retirement of the long-time principal, Maurice Daly, who has been with the school since 1974 and has taught two generations of families in Laytown. He leaves behind a school and staff that is active, positive and energetic, as attested to by this recent national award.