School Web Site
School Christmas Fair
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Council Awards Night
Summer Fair
KHA Special
KHA CELEBRATES 10 YEARS
Ballon National School’s Kenya Helpers Association fund raising group was set up by the 6th class children in 2003. Their aim was to fund raise for the SMG Nuns who work in Kenya. Every September since then a committee is formed by the children of 6th class. The children fundraise and write to the Nuns in Kenya and the nuns, in turn, write back and tell how the money is spent. All the money raised goes to Kenya – there are no administration costs. So far they have helped to build a health clinic, roof a street shelter, buy food and seeds and educate children. One girl is now a teacher, teaching street children.
Sr. Nora Doyle is home from Kenya at the moment and she will visit the school on Friday next, 31 May from 1.30 to approximately 3pm She will give a Power Point presentation on their work in Kenya. Everyone welcome, especially past pupils.
The school will hold a brown coin collection on the day, so gather up your small coins between now and Friday. Every coin is valuable – 5 cent will buy a small brick in Kenya. Coins collected can be left into the school. Thank you from Bernie Mullins and KHA secretaries, DJ Sinnott, Orla Cummins and David Lalor.
Garden Club enjoined with BIG
Ballon School Organic Garden
The Ballon School Garden Project has added a new dimension to the lives of all the pupils, teachers and local volunteers. The garden has become an outdoor class room. The Ballon Village Improvement Group aids the project and members partake in activities and workshops with the children.
Incorporated in the design of the garden are old Pallets, used Tyres, old floorboards, enamel bath, wood chippings. Scarecrows made by school children and their families added a fun element this year.
We Rethink, Renew, Reuse and Recycle.
Local Waste/Composting Company supplied compost mixed with good topsoil.
All the raised beds got a top dressing of this material together with some of our own homemade compost in early January 2013.
Various classes look after sections of the garden. In the month of May some of the teachers attended a practical organic gardening course organised through the local VEC.
These workshops in the School Garden proved very popular. As the garden was now in its third year special care had to be given to crop rotation.
Some seeds were sown directly and more were sown and raised on the school windowsills.
Onions, scallions, lettuce, thyme, parsley, rhubarb, cabbage, leeks, cauliflower, rainbow chard, French beans and beetroot have all done well this year.
Most of the produce this year was sold through our local Community Thrift Shop – ‘Siopa Glas.’
The proceeds from’ Siopa Glas’ are used to enhance the village, the school organic vegetable garden and the school wildlife garden.
The first activity after summer holidays was the digging out of the potatoes. The potatoes were scarce this year as there was not enough rain. In a huge old tractor tyre our sweet corn is almost ready for harvesting..
We are looking after our giant pumpkin and feeding it twice a week with our home made comfrey liquid manure. The school plans to have a Pumpkin Day at Halloween with Pumpkin mini pies, Pumpkin soup. Even the Pumpkin Skin will get used up. The skin will be cut into strips and weaved by the children into one big mat!
Members of Ballon Improvement Group have found the children’s enthusiasm for growing your own infectious.
www.ballonvillage.com with webmaster Michael Martin keeps everyone up to date with the local news.
Bernie Mullins is the teacher who co-ordinates the work and timetable for the garden workshops and activities.
Maire George is the Chairperson of Ballon Improvement Group. 087 2424934.
Scarecrow Competition
Leavers
Miscellaneous
