Community Games Successes:
Congratulations go to the following pupils who have had recent successes in the Community Games competitions: Saoirse Aylmer for art, Aoife Lee for handwriting and art, Sinéad McGuinness for solo singing, Lillian Houlihan for irish dancing and Lisa McGuinness for solo recitation.
Welcome:
We welcome Saoirse and Róisín Lee-Barrett to our school. We currently have an enrolment of forty pupils.
Family Masses:
Further Family Masses are scheduled for 6th March, 17th April and 29th May. Again, we thank Fr. Burns for his time and work in preparing these masses with the children.
Fourth Green Flag:
The Green Schools Assessor for our fourth green flag visited on Friday 15th January. He was most impressed with our efforts based on the theme of travel. Our written application was then submitted to An Taisce on Monday 18th January. We eagerly await their decision!
Credit Union Table Quiz:
Well done to Aoife Lee, Paddy Hourigan, Peter Savage and Catherine Beary who represented the school so well at the Credit Union Table Quiz in Pallasgreen on Monday 1st February.
Texaco Art Competition:
All pupils are currently busy preparing entries for the annual Texaco Art Competition.
Catholic Schools Week:
Catholic Schools Week was celebrated in our school from 1st-5th February; the theme of which was “Challenged to Proclaim God’s Mercy.” Pupils partook in related activities and discussion throughout the week. Grandparents’ Day was a celebrated on Wednesday 3rd and with a large number of families gathered, pupils took the opportunity to say thank you to and to pray for their grandparents. Pupils prepared a beautiful photo collage of their grandparents and an adjective tree portraying what grandparents mean to them. The parable of the Lost Son was also performed, along with instrumental music, song and poetry, before pupils extended a special blessing on their grandparents. Sincere thanks go to Fr. Burns who led our prayer service before refreshments were enjoyed in the support room.
Operation Healthy Lunchbox:
In line with our healthy eating policy, we are currently taking part in the “Operation Healthy Lunchbox” initiative, as seen on Operation Transformation. Pupils’ awareness of the importance of bringing in a lunch which contains the four main food categories has been heightened. We have also investigated the hidden sugars contained in some presumably healthy lunch options and findings have been most interesting!
Open Afternoon:
Open Afternoon will take place on Wednesday 10th February at 3pm. It will provide a chance for incoming junior infants to meet the teachers and also for parents to gather relevant information.
African Drumming Workshop:
All pupils will enjoy a most unusual treat on Tuesday 16th of February in the form of an African Drumming Workshop. The day’s activities will be divided into four sessions with juniors and seniors partaking in two each. Pupils are asked to pay €5 each as contribution towards the cost of same.
Mid Term Break:
The school will close for mid-term break on Wednesday 17th and will reopen on Monday 22nd of February. Please note that Wednesday 17th is not an early closure.
First Penance:
First Penance will take place for our two second class pupils, Anna and Saoirse, on Wednesday 24th February at 7.30pm in Nicker Church. Thanks to Ms. Hickey for all her work thus far in preparing the children for First Penance. Third and fourth class pupils are invited to sing at First Penance. All involved are invited to enjoy refreshments in the hall adjacent to Nicker Church afterwards.
INTO Handwriting Competition:
Pupils will shortly begin preparations for the INTO Handwriting Competition which is run in association with An Post.
World Book Day:
World Book Day will be celebrated on Thursday 3rd March. Pupils will partake in activities related to their favourite books and book tokens will be distributed.
Seachtain na Gaeilge:
Seachtain na Gaeilge will be celebrated in school from the 7th-16th of March. We plan for nath an lae, tráth na gceist, comhrá, dánta agus amhráin. On Friday 11th, our Ceilí Mór and green assembly will take place, while the most popular “Green, White and Gold Day” will take place on Wednesday 16th.
Proclamation Day and Bake Sale:
Proclamation Day will be held on Tuesday 15th March at 1pm. The tricolour received from members of our defence forces prior to Christmas will be raised and our national anthem will be performed. Pupils will give a presentation based on 1916 and will invite parents to view their vast 1916 Gallery containing all projects completed on the theme. The 1916 Proclamation will be read, as well as our “Proclamations for a New Generation”, as composed by each of the senior classes.
Refreshments will be served afterwards and the Student Council will run a St. Patrick’s Day/ Easter Bake Sale. All proceeds of the sale will further stock the graded reading scheme in the junior classroom. We kindly invite families and friends of the school to donate baked goods for the sale. We would sincerely appreciate if these bakes could be dropped into the support room as school opens on Tuesday 15th. We look forward to celebrating this special day with you all!
Easter Holidays:
School will close at 12.15pm on Wednesday 16th March and will reopen on Monday 4th April.
Maternity Leave:
Ms. Deirdre Ward will replace Ms. Jordan as teacher in the senior classroom as of Monday 4th April. Ms. Hickey will take the role of acting principal until Ms. Jordan’s return.
Clothes Recycling:
We thank our Parents’ Group, Michelle Butler, Donal Grace, Marie O’ Dwyer and Joanne Beary who have organised a clothes recycling event for Thursday 14th April. Bags may be dropped to the shed throughout the day.
Water Treatment System:
Our new septic tank and water filtration system are now in place and working efficiently. Barriers will remain at the entrance to the field until such time as the ground dries sufficiently for the contractor’s return to level and re-seed the field.
Cumann na mBunscoil:
The Cumann na mBunscoil Hurling Tournament will take a slightly different format this year, whereby the four two-teacher schools in the group will play a separate tournament. We are delighted with this announcement and feel that it will offer fairer opportunity to small schools like ourselves. It is provisionally proposed that the tournament will be played in blitz format in Kilteely on the 17th of May. The two top teams will then play the final at the Gaelic Grounds on the 7th June.
Sale of Small Helmets:
It is essential that all pupils have well fitted helmets prior to commencing hurling training after Easter. At this point, we cannot guarantee that small helmets will be on sale at a reduced rate through the school.
Event Dates – May and June 2016
The following is a list of additional important dates on the school calendar for the remainder of this academic year:
- RSE talk for 5th and 6th given by Mary Dillon (with parental consent)- 12th May
- Standardised Testing- Week of 23rd May
- School Tour- Friday 10th June (further information to follow!!)
- Reports to be distributed to parents- Thursday 16th June
- Active Week- 13th-17th June
- Sports Day- 17th June at 12 midday
- Graduation- Wednesday 22nd June
- Summer Holidays- Friday 24th June (12.15pm close)
Wishing all pupils and their families a most enjoyable mid-term break and thanking you all for your continued support of the school.
Kind Regards,
Heidi Jordan
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