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Competition winners

The names of those who returned their Active Home Week forms were put into a draw. Here is the winner:

The students with the highest steps in their class were as follows:

1. Grace Meehan
2. Roisin Fogarty
3. Clodagh Whelan
4. Méabh Arnold
5. Jack Foy

Well done to all six students. Your prizes will be posted out to you next week.

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Friday 1st of May

Hello everybody,

Well done for all the great work you have done so far. You have certainly not let the weather deter you from your activities!

Please continue to submit pictures or videos of your active work over the weekend to your class teacher for our Active Home Week video compilation.

Competitions- final reminder:

Complete and submit this form in full for your teacher by this Sunday at 6pm in order to be entered into the prize draw. Click here to download the form: 5. CHALLENGE Chart (Schools Working Towards ASF) ‘Fillable’ PDF

If you have been tracking your steps this week, take a picture of the highest step count you achieved in one single day and send this to your teacher by Sunday at 6pm. The student with the highest step count from each class will receive a prize.

Winners will be announced here on Monday. Good luck!

Here are today’s activities:

1. Plank challenge part 2

See if you can complete one round of this tricky challenge-

2. Indoor activities

These two activities can be completed indoors or outdoors.

3. Couch to 2k: 

Yesterday was a rest day from running.

Day 5 on the plan:

• Warm up
• 5 mins walking
• Alternate 1 minute easy running and 1 minute walking for a total of 15 minutes. (Within 2k of your home.)

Don’t forget to follow the fundamental movement skills we have been working on for running this year.

4. Rugby

Tag rugby is a sport we have really enjoyed doing in school this year with our  rugby coach. Here are the Whelans in action:

Mrs Gorman’s family are avid rugby players. They sent us a video challenge all the way from New Zealand!

Mr Galvin also has a rugby related challenge for you. An Haka Gaelach. Bain triail as!

Weekend activites

There are two days left of our Active Home Week. It is up to you now to come up with some activities of your choice.

Here are some ideas you may be interested in:

1. 30 second challenges submitted by Conall in 5th Class:

• Step up challenges https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHllf5Zd7hk
• Tennis challenge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDx2Pu2TVPQ
• Squat challenge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJObqwC5qPI
• Plank challenge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfLfXMwXXqI
• Speed bounce challenge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWHnVq5j3zo

  2. A selection of activities submitted by Ailish in 1st Class:

• Draw your own hopscotch grid and play hopscotch.
• Have a dance off with your siblings or your parents.
• Go to an open space with your siblings or your parents and take part in family relays and races.
• Skip a Mile: If you skip 1609 times, you have skipped 1 mile.
• Play a game of football with your family.
• Air Boxing: Stand with one foot in front of the other, elbows bent ready to box. Now throw imaginary punches, using both arms one after the other. How fast and how many can you do?
• Floor Sits: Can you go from sitting on the ground to standing upright, without holding onto anything? If so, how many can you do?
• Circle Arm Walk: Starting in a press up position, arms shoulder width apart. Can you walk your hands around in a circle until you reach your starting point again?
• Catch it If You Can: You can play this game on your own or with a partner. If you want to try this on your own, just throw and catch against a wall. Grab a ball and practice throwing to a partner/wall. Try an underarm throw, an overarm throw, one-handed/two-handed throw and one-handed/two-handed catch. How many catches can you get without dropping the ball? How many times can you catch in a row? Can you catch high and low? Try changing direction as you throw.

3. Active Home Week ideas cloud from https://activeschoolflag.ie/:

4. Couch to 2k: week two of the running programme.

Follow https://twitter.com/DcuHealthy as they progress through this programme.

 

Our final positive message of the week comes from Lieutenant Brian Clarke who is based in Custume Barracks in Athlone.

A word of thanks

Many thanks to all those who helped us over the past week, from Tullamore to New Zealand. It is with your passion and commitment to your work that you will continue to thrive in your chosen field as we navigate through these challenging times. Thank you kindly to the wonderful frontline staff for their words of encouragement. We cannot praise them enough for all they are doing for our community and beyond. Finally a huge well done to you, the children of Geashill N.S. You are doing a great job by staying home and keeping safe. Your parents, along with the staff in this school are incredibly proud of you.

Stay home, keep safe and BE ACTIVE!

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Thursday 30^th April

Hello all,

It’s day four of Active Home Week; we are over half way there. Continue to track your steps, make note of your daily activities and keep up the great work!

1. Fitness challenge

John McDonald, a Tullamore based Personal Trainer, has kindly submitted today’s challenge. Give this a try and send us your photos and videos!

 

2. Plank activities

Today Eimear (EB Health and Wellness) is sharing some variations of core strengthening exercises based on the plank.

One of our 5th class students has been practicing her own variation of the plank:

Once you have become confident with these plank variations, challenge yourself even further! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFKjiVsMBkI

3. Hurling skills

Cormac Martin, a Tullamore senior hurler, kindly demonstrated some hurling skills for you to try at home.

One of our Junior Infants has been busy practicing his hurling skills out in the garden. Great work!

4. Foot dance challenge

Mr and Mrs Hyland have mastered this challenge. Take a look:

Now it’s your turn! Here’s a tutorial:

https://www.google.com/search?q=foot+dance+challenge+tutorial&rlz=1C1CHBF_enIE777GB777&oq=foot+dance+challenge+&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0l7.10688j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_YrqpXsuzMsqRkwWswYrICw47

 

Today’s message was kindly sent to us from Liam and Joe in Tullamore Fire Station.

“Stay safe, stay home and be active!”

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Wednesday 29^th April

Hello boys and girls,

Thank you for sending in your brilliant videos and photos of yesterday’s activities. Keep sharing them with us as we love to see all of your hard work. If you would like to share an idea for your own challenge for Thursday or Friday, send your teacher a video via ClassDojo or email.

Again keep tracking your steps daily and recording your activities on this form 5. CHALLENGE Chart (Schools Working Towards ASF) ‘Fillable’ PDF for your chance to win some active prizes.

Here are today’s activities:

1. Football challenge

One of our Junior Infants has been busy practicing her football skills at home. As you can see, all you need is a ball and a wall!

Eimear from EB Health Wellness Tullamore has very kindly sent us today’s football challenge. Using both feet, how many catches can you make in one minute?

2. Activity stations

Fiadh from 4^th class sent in this great idea. Make some activity stations outside using chalk.

Similarly, Eimear has suggested making an obstacle course outside- you don’t need much equipment for this. Be creative and use whatever you have at home!

3. Running: Couch to 2k

On Monday we received a brilliant post-run picture. Running is such a great way for families to keep active together. It is also one of the fundamental movement skills we have been working on this year.

Day 3 of the plan: (Yesterday was a rest day from running.)

• Warm up
• 5 mins walking
• Alternate 1 minute easy running and 1 minute walking for a total of 10 minutes. (Within 2k of your home)

4. Gymnastics

Gymnastics Ireland have posted a series of fun fitness workouts to their page.

Here is the first one:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwqHitlVPfk&list=PLe1I02KkrDG_9e7reCMJBVDtg_RwRmJ_q

Find more details and videos on Gymnastics Ireland’s page:

https://www.gymnasticsireland.com/news/2020/gymnastics-ireland-takeover-fitness-workouts-launching-next-week

Staff circuits

While you have all been exercising at home, so have we! Have a go at this:

You will have seen some familiar faces here- but have you noticed that two of our key staff members are missing? Mr and Mrs Hyland! I wonder what they have planned for tomorrow’s video…

 

Today’s message was kindly sent to us from two of the many wonderful staff members in Tullamore Hospital.

Have a great day everyone!

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Tuesday 28^th April

Maidin mhaith gach duine,

We have received some fantastic videos and photos of yesterday’s activities. Keep sharing these with your class teacher as they will be included in a video compilation of all your hard work at the end of the week.

Continue tracking your steps daily and recording your activities on this form 5. CHALLENGE Chart (Schools Working Towards ASF) ‘Fillable’ PDF for your chance to win some active prizes.

Here are today’s activities:

1. Warm ups

It is important to warm up before physical activity. Podge from Strength and Conditioning in Tullamore has kindly sent us a video with animal themed warm up activities for you to try at home. Which one is your favourite? Let your teacher know!

2. Skipping challenge

Today we have a skipping challenge from another member of our Active School Committee.

How many skips can you do in thirty seconds? Click on this video for your thirty second timer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2dhD9zR6hk

Why don’t you challenge yourself even further by trying this “side swing open” tutorial from SKIPnROPE Ireland. 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1250351784826032128

3. Ball clap

Practice some throwing and catching- with a twist!

Try the following before catching the ball:

• Clap your hands
• Clap behind your back
• Clap under each leg
• Do a 360 turn

Take a look at this video from FingalSports

https://twitter.com/i/status/1250017403074985987

4. Squat challenge

The final activity of the day is a tough one!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bql6sIU2A7k

Mrs Kearns has been practicing her squats at home. Send us your squat videos!

A special message

Tullamore Ambulance Service have kindly taken time out of their busy day to share some words of encouragement.

Keep up the wonderful work and remember: stay home, keep safe and BE ACTIVE!

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Hello everyone! This time of year we are usually busy preparing for our annual Active Schools Week. Unfortunately, because of Covid-19, it is not possible for this to go ahead this year. Alternatively, you are invited to take part in the “Active HOME Week” challenge.

Children need 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Participating in the “Active Home Week” challenge is a great way to reach this target and to find new ways of being active.

This week we will be giving you lots of ideas to keep active whilst staying within 2km of your home. Staff, students, members of the community and https://activeschoolflag.ie/ have come together to share daily challenges and activities. If you would like to suggest ideas for this week, contact your teacher via email or ClassDojo and they will be happy to share it online.

Competitions:

There is a form below to be filled in daily. Use this form to track the activities you have tried this week. All students who complete and submit this form in full for their teacher by this Sunday at 6pm will have their names submitted for our prize draw. You can send this form via email or send a picture of it to your class teacher. Click here to download the form: 5. CHALLENGE Chart (Schools Working Towards ASF) ‘Fillable’ PDF

Step challenge: you are invited to take part in a daily step challenge. Using a Smart watch, Fitbit or a free phone app such as “step counter” or “pedometer”, track your steps this week. Take a picture of your steps and submit your highest daily step count for this week to your teacher. The student with the highest number of steps in each class will receive a prize.

 

Monday 27^th April 2020

Good morning!

Feel free to share pictures or videos of your active work to your class teacher. They will be added to a slideshow video showcasing this week’s activities.

Here are today’s activities:

1. Handball

Peter Funchion is one of Ireland’s leading handball players. Click on the video below to see the challenge he has set out for you today.

GAA Handball have lots of coaching videos on their website. Take a look here: https://www.gaahandball.ie/coaching/coaching-videos

 

2. TikTok challenge

These three stars have sent in a great tutorial and demonstration of a popular TikTok challenge. Get practicing!

Mrs Gorman, her boys and Mrs Burns have all given it a go:

 

3. Couch to 2k: a two week running plan.

This is one you can get you parents and siblings involved in!

Day 1 on the plan:

• Warm up
• 5 mins walking
• Alternate 1 minute easy running and 1 minute walking for a total of 10 minutes. (Within 2k of your home.)

 

4. Boxing circuits

Irish professional boxer Katie Taylor has shared a series of boxing workouts to try at home without equipment. Give it a go!

https://twitter.com/i/status/1244297889939099655

The staff have been busy with their own circuits this week- all to be revealed in the coming days!

A special message

Finally for today I have a very important message to share with you from a member our incredible front-line staff.

Stay home, keep safe and BE ACTIVE!

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On Friday 10th of April the Minister for Education, Joe McHugh , announced that all schools are to remain closed until further notice.

We will continue to provide learning activities for the children each week.  They can be found in the Classes section of our website. A reminder that this work is there to help you and your children keep an element of routine and structure every day.  It doesn’t have to be done, you can dip in and out of it if you wish, but above all it is not there to cause any stress or anxiety in your family.

All our teachers can be contacted by email or by Class Dojo where it is being used.  Details are on the respective class pages.

Our support teachers are also very happy to be in contact.  Their details are below.

trishmcgrath2016@gmail.com

mrsdbell20@gmail.com

fwalshsen@hotmail.com

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Dear Parents,

A brief message again expressing our thanks to you for working so well with your children and us over the last three weeks. At a very difficult time for you all, your support and positivity has been a source of great encouragement for us.

Over Easter we will not be putting daily work up on our website and we would encourage you and your children to take a well-earned rest from school activities.

However we will have many ideas, suggestions and resources on our website if children still want to spend some of their day in that way. These can be found here.

Hopefully we will be back to normal school on April 20th, but if not, we will continue after Easter as we have been doing up to now.

Keep reminding your children to wash their hands and to practice physical distancing from those outside your household.

Have as Happy an Easter as you can in these circumstances.

Yours Sincerely,

Mícheál Hyland and all the staff.

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The Taoiseach has announced that schools will remain closed until April 19th.  See a statement from the Department of Education here.

Learning activities continue to be available from the Classes section of our website. This work is there to help you and your children keep an element of routine and structure everyday.  It doesn’t have to be done, you can dip in and out of it if you wish but above all it is not to cause any extra stress or anxiety in your family .

All our teachers can be contacted either by email or through Class Dojo.  Details are on their respective class pages.

Our support teachers are also happy to be contacted.  Their details are below.

Ms. Mc Grath’s pupils can contact her on trishmcgrath2016@gmail.com.

Pupils of Mrs. Bell can get in touch on mrsdbell20@gmail.com.

Ms. Walsh’s pupils can get in contact on fwalshsen@hotmail.com.

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Dear Parents,

Well done to all of you for doing such great work with your children last week.  Thanks also for keeping in touch with us by email or Class Dojo.

It has been really good to see all that you have been doing.  You can take a look at some examples of the work in the gallery below.

We will continue having work available for next week in the Classes section of the website.

Again, please understand that this work is there to help you keep some sense of structure in your child’s daily life.  It does not have to be completed in full or at all and you, as parents, should decide how much to do each day.

Please feel free to contact the teachers, as you have been doing, for feedback and I wish you all the best for the coming week.

Yours Sincerely,

Mícheál Hyland

 

Ms. Mc Grath’s pupils or parents can contact her on trishmcgrath2016@gmail.com.

Parents and pupils of Mrs. Bell can get in touch on mrsdbell20@gmail.com.

Ms. Walsh’s pupils and parents can be in touch by emailing fwalshsen@hotmail.com.

Dear Parents,

As outlined in my letter on Thursday March 12th learning activities will be available on our website so that children can begin to do some school work from Wednesday 18th March.

This work can be found in the Classes section of this site.

Please note that these learning activities are not intended to cause extra stress or worry so please just encourage your children to do their best.  You, as parents, should decide when they have enough done.

Please feel free to get in touch with any of the teachers via Class Dojo, where it is being used, or by email to geashillnsoffice@gmail.com.

Wishing you all the very best at this challenging time.

 

Yours Sincerely,

Mícheál Hyland

 

 

We have been very busy the past few months with football, tag rugby and swimming lessons.

This month we have started hurling sessions with Conor Langton.

 

Our “Run Around Ireland Challenge” is taking place for the month of March. Each class has chosen a destination in Ireland and recorded its distance from Geashill. Every day we will run 1km a day in an attempt to virtually run to our destination by the end of the month. If 18 children in a class run 1km each per day, we will count that 18km as the total distance for the class on the day.

**All children are asked to wear appropriate running footwear and tracksuits for the month.**

Run, skip, jump, play- let’s be active every day!

Playground Leaders from 5th and 6th class have been working hard to organise structured, fun games at lunchtime for pupils from Junior Infants up to 4th class. All children are enjoying the games and we could not be more proud of our thirteen playground leaders as they continue to model excellent team leadership qualities for the younger children.

Well done to our quiz team who took part in the National Final of the CUDA Quiz in Blanchardstown on Saturday 7th March.  While they performed well, there were no prizes this time out.  The team put in a lot of effort over the last few weeks preparing for both the quiz in Tullamore and Saturday’s final.

12 March 2020 – Statement from the Department of Education and Skills

Updated advice on how to talk about Covid-19 to children and young people can be found here.

We would also like to direct your attention to a child-friendly interview that Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn did with RTÉ’s news2day programme last week, that may also be a useful resource when talking about Covid-19 with children and students.  You can watch this here.

See the latest Coronavirus advice from the HSE website here.

See the latest advice from the Dept. of Education here.

See below some more good advice from the HSE.

 

A letter of advice to parents from the Chief Medical Officer dated March 2nd can be read here.

The posters below have important information on hand-washing and hygiene in general.