News to make you smile: The principal making sure his students are happy, every day

A Kerry school will be gifting its students a badge to honour how wonderful they have been since returning in September

News to make you smile, every single day.

Robbie O'Connell is principal at Blennerville National School in Tralee, Co Kerry and he thinks that children need to know that we all appreciate how much effort that they have put into navigating this new way of living. 

"I've watched them coming back to school and leaving their parents at the school gate," he said. "They line up for hand sanitising and hand washing multiple times a day, and they don't ever complain. They are getting on with it, and it has been heartwarming for us as a staff to see every day."

There is a lot being asked of our children, he says. "New routines, new yard times, sanitising - everything is different."

Robbie and his staff want to let their kids know that they appreciate everything that they are doing, but most of all, that they come to school every day with a huge smile on their face. 

That's why, when the students of Blennerville NS return after the midterm break, they'll be presented with specially commissioned badges to encourage them to 'keep smiling' and to let them know that their teachers and principal think that they are wonderful. 

"Each and every morning our students put a smile on our faces and we want to let them know that we appreciate them," says the principal.