Digital Schools of Distinction

Digital Schools of Distinction is a flagship programme which aims to promote, recognise and encourage excellence in the use of technology in primary schools.

Schools that successfully complete the 3 step programme will receive a nationally recognised Digital School of Distinction Award, accredited by the Dept. of Education. To date only 336 primary schools out of the 3,305 primary schools in Ireland have achieved this award.

Saint Kilian’s Junior School is now a Digital School of Distinction

St. Kilian’s Junior School applied for validation in the Digital Schools of Distinction Award, and the validation visit took place when Dr. Daithí Ó Murchú came to visit us.

Our staff and pupils showcased their digital work, their internet safety skills, internet project work, technology skills and digital camera work. Dr. Ó Murchú was taken through some of the digital work going on in the school, interactive whiteboard work, laptop and iPad use, digital camera work, visualisers, filming, sensory room digital technologies and coding work in our computer room. He saw individual work, paired work, group work and whole class use of our technologies.

Saint Kilian’s Junior School is now a Digital School of Distinction and our award is proudly displayed in our school hall.

See our Digital Schools of Distinction Report

Safer Internet Day 2020

St Kilian’s JNS  participated in Safer Internet Day 2020 on Tuesday 4th February. We revisited our internet safety rules and children were delighted to receive their internet safety bracelets.

Coding Initiative

At St. Kilians we are particularly proud of our “Coding Initiative”. We have a team in second class who worked hard to produce their projects for the annual Scratch competition 2020.

The team is acting as tutors to children in their classes during their computer time and facilitating their classmates in working with Scratch. Unfortunately the scratch finals were cancelled due to Covid 19 but the children did receive their scratch certificates for their participation.

The coding team are:

  • Room 9: Éabha Ryder, Alex Carroll, Darragh McCabe, Zach Flanagan
  • Room 10:  Jenson Stammers, Aoibheann Wright, Zoey Waine, Conor Sheppard
  • Room 11: Kaydee Roche O’Malley, Jake Stuart, Kevinas Kapacinskas, Leo Quinn

Well done to the coding team, their projects were outstanding.

“Hour of Code”

Ms. Carr’s class took part in Hour of Code in December with their two student teachers. Each child in the class received a certificate of merit from Hour of code on completing their hour.

More than 45 children from Junior Infants to Second Class took part in hour of code in December. Each child received a certificate and a special prize from Ms. Sweeney for their efforts.

Visit from Minister for Children Katherine Zappone

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone visited our school in October and the children were delighted to showcase their coding skills.

See photos of our digital work below: