Who is on the EDT in 2022/2023?
2nd Class: Kevin Wei Cassidy &Saoirse Hannon
3rd class: Aoibheann Carty & Ruby Hogan
4th class: Ruby O'Sullivan & Adam Ryan
5th: Nathan Rooney
6th class: Ruby Stafford & Danny O'Brien
Here is our European Development Team this year:
What is the European Development Team?
We set up our first European Development Team (EDT) in 2019 in our school. Every September pupils from 2nd - 6th classes are asked if they would like to run for the election to be on the European Development Team. Pupils must put forward their plan/manifesto outlining all the things they want to do to be a voice for pupils on this team. Pupils in each class vote for and elect the pupils they think will make a difference.
The Principal works with the newly elected Student Council. She guides them on how a committee runs and the positions of Chairperson & Secretary are elected by the committee. The Committee meet once every month.
The aim of the EDT is to build awareness about European education and to develop European activities, events and policies in our school. A very small percentage of our pupil population in this school come from outside of Ireland so we want to build links with European schools to make our school a more inclusive and culturally diverse place.
Another aim is to help the school develop their Erasmus objectives. We have an Erasmus Plan for our school where we want to build links with European schools. We have received funding for Erasmus projects. In 2021/2022 12 members of staff travelled to visit schools in Europe. In 2022/2023 pupils and staff will travel to schools in Europe. There will be continued funding for projects like these so that, over the years, all classes will have a chance to travel when they are in 5th/6th classes. You can follow our Erasmus journey on our website here: http://ballymittyns.ie/page/European-Projects/82919/Index.html
Our EDT help to promote the aims and objectives of these Erasmus projects.
There are teachers and SNAs on the EDT team and it is led by the school Principal Audrey McCarthy. We also hope to get two parents involved at a later stage.
What will the EDT do for our school this year?
- Our EDT will sit and develop a committee with a Chairperson & Secretary elected. They will then plan the yearly events and activities which they will promote through this website, newsletters etc.
- The EDT will actively follow the staff and pupils who will go on different mobilities this year to France, Spain and Italy.
- The EDT will prepare a programme of events and activities for our Spanish Erasmus visitors in November 2022 (15th - 17th) and our Italian Erasmus Visitors in March 2023.
- The EDT team with 5th/6th class will develop a project on the eTwinning platform with Escola San Bernat Calvo school in Spain.
- The EDT will help to organise Safer Internet Week from Monday 6th - Friday 10th 2023 where they will promoted safer and less use of the internet through a motto that they will create.
- The team will also get ready to host our 3rd Erasmus School Week from March 20th - 24th 2023. We will host teachers from French schools to our school to see our school system. They will visit classes, go on school educational trips and meet with different groups of staff, pupils and parents. During this week the team will build an Erasmus corner where we can put up ideas about any special events in our school such as Erasmus School Week etc.
- The EDT will organise Inclusion and Diversity week from May 8th - 12th 2023 and organise activities, speakers, events and competitions to promote inclusion and to celebrate difference in our school.
- Our EDT team will organise a celebration around Europe Day on Tuesday May 9th 2022.
- At the end of term celebrations in the GP room the EDT Chairperson will prepare a parents' information session to promote Erasmus+ and to inform parents about what is happening in our school to promote Europe.
- Finally, our EDT will ensure that pupils and staff in Ballymitty NS are active participants in Europe!