Music
We provide an extensive music programme at Kennedy Park School. All classes study music as part of the curriculum. In addition children learn glockenspiel at second and third class level, with fourth and fifth class students learning recorder. A selection of students learn violin, cello, flute, clarinet, trumpet and play in our school orchestra.
Many of our students take part in our vocal choir to perform in the annual Sing Out Loud concert, at our Christmas Carol Service, Confirmation and Communion ceremonies.
Individual class teachers direct class musicals each year and the pupils thoroughly enjoy taking part in these performances.
Sport
In Kennedy Park we recognise the many benefits of sporting activity for our children:
- Physical and health benefits.
- The learning of co-operative skills and attitudes in team sports.
- Character- forming effects of winning and losing with your friends. Friendships for life are often forged on the sportsfield.
- Fun!
Our boys and girls get the opportunity to play a wide range of sports, both competitive and non-competitive. Our emphasis, whatever the sport, is on coaching basic skills, teamwork, fieldcraft and all the elements that a child learns on the way to becoming a sportsperson.
GAA:
Our children receive coaching in hurling, football and camogie at all class levels through the school. We work closely with our local club, Clonard to ensure that any child who is interested in playing Gaelic games gets the opportunity to do so. Periodically many classes attend blitzes and fun days run by Wexford County Board / Clonard GAA Club. The senior pupils play competitively in The Rackard League hurling, football and camogie competitions and over the years we have brought a number of county titles back to Kennedy Park.
Soccer:
We participate every year the FAI five-a-side competition and over the years we have proved ourselves to be up there with the best in the region. Our senior pupils play an internal league every year in the Summer term. We co-operate with our neighbouring club, Wexford Albion, in whose grounds we hold our Sports Days each year.
Rounders:
Rounders has established itself as a very popular sport in the school, and we field boys’ and girls’
teams in The Rackard League competition every year . A brilliant sport for learning teamworking skills, it often offers opportunities to represent the school to children who mightn’t participate in other team sports.
Tag Rugby:
Different class levels receive coaching from qualified Leinster coaches and our senior pupils participate each year in a blitz organised by Wexford Wanderers RFC.
Swimming:
As part of the PE curriculum, our fourth classes make a weekly visit to the swimming pool for most of the year, where they receive swimming lessons.
Handball:
Our children participate in The Rackard League handball competitions, and have won All-Irelands.
Athletics:
The primary schools athletics competition in Bree is a big day on the school calendar and we participate every year.
Other:
We periodically have had coaching in other sports, such as tennis and golf. We firmly believe in exposing our children to as wide a range as possible of sporting experience so that each child has a chance to nurture their skills and physical well-being in a way that most suits them.
Science
Kennedy Park is an award-winning school in the area of Science. We have achieved a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Excellence Award eleven years in a row. Science is taught to all classes from Junior Infants to 6th class.
We mark Science Week each November with experiments, visiting scientists, “buddy” science activities and last year for the first time we held a science Open Day for parents, grandparents and the wider school community which proved to be a wonderful event!
Arts Week
Arts Week has been established in Kennedy Park School for over twelve years now. We run this week during Wexford Festival Opera, the week before the October midterm break.It is our way of bringing the festival to life for the children in our school. It is also a fantastic way to promote arts within the school. During the course of the week we aim to engage every child in , at least, three activities. Some of the activities included are art, clay, drama, dance, storytelling, drumming and design. The children have participated in an Orchestra Education Programme run by the National Opera House. Some have also visited the Opera House for a dress rehearsal and on another occasion attended a short works opera performance.
The week ends with a fancy dress day for all the children.
This week is a favourite among children and staff and there is always a buzz of excitement to be found in the school during that week. We believe that it is a week that is unique to Kennedy Park school.
Gaeilge
Tá sé mar aidhm againn sa scoil seo an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn ar bhealach spreagúil spraoíúil. Cuirimíd an-bhéim ar an dteanga labhartha, le go mbreathnóidh na páistí ar an nGaeilge mar mheán cumarsáide. Chun é seo a chur i gcrích, spreagaimíd na páistí pé Gaeilge atá acu a úsaíd agus í a mheascadh le Béarla más gá, a fhad agus atá foclóir agus struchtúr na teanga Gaeilge á fhoghlaim acu. Cuirimíd béim freisin ar Ghaeilge a úsaid go neamh-fhoirmiúil i rith an lae scoile, sa seomra ranga agus timpeall na scoile.
Bíonn ‘Frása na Seachtaine’ againn in aghaidh na seachtaine – frásaí comónta a chuirfidh le foclóir na bpáistí.
Tógaimíd gach deis stádas na Gaeilge a threisiú sa scoil agus is áis iontach í Seachtain na Gaeilge chun é seo a chur i gcrích. I rith na seachtaine seo bíonn ceardlanna san amhránaíocht agus sa rince, bíonn coirmeacha ceoil, tráth na gceist agus an iliomad eile gníomhaíochtaí. Cuirimíd béim, ní amháín ar an dteanga , ach ar an gcultur dúchais freisin.
Déanfaimíd ath-bhreithnú rialta ar an réimse leabhar agus áiseanna atá á úsaíd again sna ranganna éagsúla, ag cinntiú go bhfuil muid i gcónaí ag leanacht an chleachtaidh is fearr ó thaobh léamh, scriobh agus labhairt na teanga sa scoil.
Integrated Learning through Play
Kennedy Park School promotes playful teaching and learning in the junior classes. The children are provided with daily opportunities to learn in a playful manner and experience a very active approach to the teaching and learning of the curriculum. The teachers are incorporating the principles and guidelines for good practice of the Aistear framework in their planning and implementation of the curriculum.
All of the infant classes partake in ‘Integrated learning through play’ on a daily basis where there is a sharing of power between the teacher and the children as promoted in Aistear. The children lead their own learning during the integrated play session and are provided with many opportunities to enhance the language and concepts they have been introduced to by their teachers in earlier class lessons. Teachers don’t control what children do during the play session, but encourage learning to take place by providing appropriate resources and joining as a co-player.
Each month the class learning is integrated using a topic-based approach. This month’s topics are:
- School – Junior Infants
- Fire and safety / Health and Doctors – Senior Infants
Student Council
The Student Council of Kennedy Park is a representative structure which has provided opportunities for students in Kennedy Park to become involved in the affairs of the school, working in partnership with school management, staff and parents. The current Student Council is now in its second year and consists of two representatives from every class from fourth to sixth. Ms Flynn is the Student Council mentor and she is the link between students and staff.
The members of the Student Council in Kennedy Park have discussed, agreed and prioritised their main aims moving forward to be:
- To enhance communication between students, management, staff and parents
- To promote a caring environment in Kennedy Park
- To promote friendship and respect among pupils
- To support the management and staff in the development of our school
- To represent the views of the students.
Green School
Kennedy Park was the first school in Co. Wexford to be awarded the Green Flag in 2001. We have managed to win 8 Green Flags since under various themes including litter, water, energy and travel and biodiversity. We were awarded our last Green Flag in 2016 for Global Citizenship, Litter and Waste.
Over the next two years we will be working towards our next flag which is for Global Citizenship-Energy. This involves a lot of hard work and preparation from the whole school and in particular the Green Committee made up of children representing 3rd to 6th class.
We look forward to continuing with our green ethos in the school andfocusing new and exciting ways to review and improve energy use in school and create awareness about how to reduce our energy consumption and raise awareness of climate change issues.
Active Flag
Active Flag and Heath Promoting Schools Award
This year we intend to start the process of applying for the Active Flag and Health Promoting Schools Award. These are awarded to schools that strive to achieve a physically active school community. The main aim is to get the children more active as often as possible.
This will involve many initiatives such as “Get Ireland Walking Challenge”, music and dancing in the school yard, Active Playground initiatives, Active Schools Week, Run a Mile with a Smile and many more. We would like to ask that parents support these initiatives as much as possible and encourage children to be as active as possible