Friday, 25th April: We’ve arranged for Magician Marvin to return, this time with a Green Schools show for 1st-5th classes.  (Funded by Wexford County Council.)Wednesday, 30th April: Staff Meeting, all classes finish at 12.30pm.Mid-Term Break: School closes 2.30pm    Friday, 2nd May.  School reopens 8.50am Monday, 12th May.Thursday, 15th May: Paired Reading Project.  The project will run for senior infants and first class for three weeks (Thursdays and Fridays, 8.50-9.40 approx.) Parent volunteers needed (from any classroom.)  Please sign up as a Thursday or Friday volunteer.  Sign-up sheet in Fiona and Andrea’s classrooms.  Guidance will be given.Monday, 26th May: Department of Education School Development Planning Day.  No classes.Friday, 30th May: Trip to Gorey Little Theatre (Puss-in-Boots.) Infants and 1st class.Monday, 2nd June: Public Holiday, school closed.  Thursday, 5th June: Trip to Irish National Heritage Park (Day in the Life of a Viking) for 2nd-5th classes.Wednesday, 11th June: Staff Meeting, all classes finish at 12.30pm.  Mid/Late June: Sports DayFriday, 27th June: End of Term, classes  finish at 12.30pm. The ‘Stay Safe’ Child Protection Programme will be taught in all classrooms over a five week period,       beginning May 12th.  The five Stay Safe topics are: Feeling Safe and Unsafe, Bullying, Touches,   Secrets and Telling, Strangers.  The children will take home a worksheet or other material each week for discussion with parents.  All families new to the school will receive copies of the Stay Safe Guide for Parents.  (The booklet will be inside a brown envelope, and will be distributed next week.  All other families received the booklet last year. )

School Savings:  Last day – Friday, 16th May.  The school will distribute booklists for ‘08-’09 towards the end of May.   (Savings totals (if any) will be noted on each child’s list.)

Looking Ahead:  Our school continues to develop.  Two groups of junior infants will join us in          September, when classes are expected to be organised as follows:    (subject to change)‘Room A:’ Junior Infants             ‘Room B:’ Junior Infants‘Room C:’ Senior Infants  ‘Room D:’ First Class‘Room E:’ Second Class  ‘Room F:’ Third & Fourth ‘Room G:’ Fifth & Sixth ClassesThe number of teaching hours dedicated to Learning Support will increase significantly.  The school will have an administrative (non-teaching) principal.The school has also secured sanction for specialist provision for up to 6 children with autism (an      additional teacher, special needs assistants, specialist equipment, etc.)The additional teachers and special needs assistants will be recruited during the coming months (the children won’t know who their ‘new teacher’ might be until mid-June.)

Work on the site of our new purpose-built permanent building has just begun (see photo below.)  Face-to-face meetings with the architect and builders are expected in the coming weeks.  Further information to follow….

80’s night: Over €1600 was raised and a great night was had by everyone.  Many thanks for all the support, and very special thanks to the dedicated organisers. Voluntary Contributions: The recent appeal raised over €1500 in lump-sum payments.  A number of families also signed up to our monthly standing order scheme: sincere thanks. No school uniform: The Board of Management would like to thank families for their responses to the PTA ‘uniform survey,’ carried out earlier this school year.  The Board, having considered the    responses [including some strong views for and against, but no overall wish for a uniform] and the wider issue of the ethos (characteristic spirit) of the Educate Together network, has determined that a uniform will not be introduced.

Relationships & Sexuality Education:  A six-person committee (2 teachers, 2 parents, 2 Board members) is currently preparing a draft of our RSE policy, (the RSE syllabus is a national one.)  Every family will receive a copy of the draft during the month of May, and feedback will be encouraged.  The Board of Management will consider all feedback during June/September, and redraft and adopt a policy.  The programme would be taught in all the classrooms from October/November.

Vision/Hearing Screening: The nurse will visit the school towards the end of the month.  She will work with the children of families who returned consent forms.After-school classes: Yoga and guitar lessons are now full.  Parents:  please check the supervision rota and please be punctual regarding collection times.  Many thanks to the parent coordinator.  Gaelic Football and Hurling coaching returns in mid-May.  Swimming lessons will be available to   Andrea, Roisín and Grace’s classes from 19th May.

Race Night: end of May.  All support greatly appreciated.  (Business owners: please book an ad in the race night booklet.)

Premises Update: The proposed permanent school building at Creagh has moved another step closer to fruition – Wexford County Council has granted    planning permission for the development (subject to conditions.)Our school’s Board of Management has formally agreed to relocate to the new site.  (This may happen as early as the coming September.)  The Board has also raised a number of queries with the Department of Education in relation to the design plans, including: facilities for children with special needs, parking and future expansion.  The Board awaits the Department’s reply.The design plans are now on display on the notice board inside the main (red) door.  Comments/suggestions are welcome — please use the mail box beside the notice board.School Photographs: Whole-school and classroom photographs will be organised in the near future (date to be confirmed.)  Parents will be given the opportunity to purchase copies.Voluntary Contributions: A fresh appeal for voluntary contributions was made before the       holidays: all responses greatly appreciated.  Spare standing order forms can be found on the notice board inside the main (red) door.Swimming: The imbalance in the number of younger/older children participating in optional swimming   lessons has necessitated the following reorganisation:  Imelda and Fiona’s classes: 5 Mondays, 7th April—12th May. Andrea, Roisín and Grace’s classes: 5 Mondays, 19th May– 23rd June.Imelda and Fiona’s classes – please pay €30 (in an envelope marked with child’s name and amount) by Friday.  Limited places: first-come-first served.  Participating children should travel to the pool on the bus.  All children who need help with dressing and undressing must be met at the pool by a parent or guardian.(The older children who missed out on one swimming lesson last term will be credited next time around.)St. Patrick’s Day parade: 1000’s of people lined the route and took pleasure in our wonderful piece of street theatre. Many, many thanks for all the planning, preparation and execution.Our school won the ‘Best in Parade’ award!Photographs of the event will soon be displayed around the school.PTA After-School Committee News:  Yoga classes: Junior and Senior Infants 1.30-2.30, 1st-5th Classes: 2.30-3.30.  Cost: €56 for eight weeks.     Guitar lessons: 1st-5th Classes: Cost €56 for eight weeks.  Enrolment: this Thursday, 3rd April at 8.30am in the kitchen.  First-come-first-served.  (Limited places.)PTA Race Night: Preparations continue – all help greatly appreciated .  See school noticeboards for details.  Science Day:  Next Wednesday, 9th April the children will participate in a range of special science activities such as ‘Who stole the cookie?’ ‘Build a Bridge,’ ‘Forgetful Teddy,’ ‘My Reaction Time,’ ‘Electric Quiz,’  ‘BeeBot’ and ‘Guess the Smell.’      Donations of €2 approx. are requested: the children will later present the proceeds to St. Aidan’s Services, Gorey.   Educate Together (National) General Members Meeting: this Saturday, 5th April.  Hilton Dublin Kilmainham Hotel.  See school noticeboards for details.  Please reserve places by tomorrow, April 1st.  (Speak with Raymond or contact the national office.)

Swimming: Lessons for the junior classes are now complete.  Swimming for Junior Infants/Senior Infants/First Class will be offered again during April/May.  Optional swimming for 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th classes: Monday, 18th February, 2-3pm.  Cost: €24 for four Mondays, includes one-way bus to Courtown.  Please book and pay before the mid-term break. Hurling/Football coaching continues Wednesday mornings.Fire Safety: Second and third classes were captivated by Tony Kennedy’s recent talk.  Tony works with the local fire service.  He also distributed ‘Safety Team’ packs to the children.  Quiz:  Well done to the two teams who took part in the ‘Schools Quiz’ at the Amber Springs Hotel.A warm welcome to Leela, who joined Andrea’s class recently.

Drama and Bodhrán: next week both after-school classes will run on TUESDAY (as the school is closed on Thursday.)

Preparation for Gorey St. Patrick’s Day parade, Sunday 16th March:  Last year the school had a super entry that was successful on several levels: it was a great piece of street theatre; the preparation got the whole school community, parents, relatives and friends involved; recycled materials were used; and, we won first prize in the group section.

This year the parade’s theme is ‘Festival Music’ and to kick-start the preparations for the school’s entry Music Workshops have been organised.  Jennifer Byrne, a local musician, will work with the children over the next few weeks getting ‘back to basics’ with music.  The music workshops are being funded in part by the PTA and donations.  Extra funds will be needed for this school     community project and we are currently looking at ways to meet this.

The Parent/Teacher Association will hold their Annual General Meeting this Wednesday, 30th January 2008 in the Loch Garman Arms (8pm.)  All parents of children currently attending the school are invited to attend.