merrion street

Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, TD, supported by the Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, TD today urged all schools to get on board with Active School Week which takes place from the 25th April next.
“Active School Week is going from strength-to-strength each year and I would encourage every school, primary and post-primary to get on board this year. We know how important it is to be physically active and this week of activities across the country underlines how important this is as part of a healthy school community,” according to Minister O’Sullivan.
Jointly sponsored by the Department of Education and Skills and Healthy Ireland, Active School Week will take place from 25th to the 29th April this year. All schools, primary, post primary, special schools and Youthreach centres are encouraged to include the Week as part of their annual school calendar. It is also an integral part of the Active School Flag initiative which recognises schools that strive to achieve a physically educated and physically active school community. To date 714 schools have been awarded the Active School Flag. ASW provides an opportunity for schools to collaborate with students, parents, local community and national agencies on a wide variety of activities. Get Ireland Walking and Rowing Ireland are encouraging schools to get creative as well as active, during Active School Week.
Highlighting her support for the project, Minister O’Sullivan said, “Over the years schools have devised a range of great activities to energise the school day and mark Active School Week. These include replacing school uniforms with tracksuits for the week, giving physical activity tasking rather than traditional homework and early morning activity bursts, entitled “Wake Up – Shake Up”. The week really is driven by schools and the range of great ideas increases each year. Active School Week 2016 promises to be a great event and every school should take part.”
The Minister concluded, “The recent launch of the National Physical Activity Plan is a game changer in how we promote and value physical activity. My Department has committed to ambitious goals as part of that plan and work has already begun on implementation. For instance my Department are committed to the roll out of the ASF Programme to an additional 500 schools. Active School Week fits into this important agenda and is a great initiative.”
The Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar TD also urged schools to get involved saying “we all know how important it is to look after our mental and physical health so I encourage all schools to take part in Active School Week. The Week should be about being active and having fun but is a very important initiative for improving health and wellbeing of all of our school communities and for all of us working together for a Healthy Ireland.”

The Active School Flag is administered and based in Mayo Education Centre, Castlebar, Co Mayo. For further information on Active School Week go to www.activeschoolflag.ie
Links :
National Governing Bodies of Sport
Get Ireland Walking
Active School Flag
#RowToRio
Mayo Education Centre