Diary
Friday, 24th September 2010: Staff Meeting. Infant classes finish at 12.15pm, other classes finish at 12.30pm. The 15-minute separation helps the traffic-flow. Do not obstruct the school buses. (Families with siblings: infants will be supervised until 12.30pm. Infants using school buses will also be supervised until 12.30pm.) All buses depart at 12.30pm. No after-school supervision session on days when classes finish early.
Sunday, 26th September: PTA Sponsored Walk, 2pm, Forest Park, Courtown. Sponsorship cards were distributed last week. Spares are available from the office. Meet in main car park (by the playground) at 1.50pm. Return sponsorship monies to the school next week. Proceeds will go towards equipment for our special classes for children with autism. All support greatly appreciated.
Thursday, 30th September, 1pm-1.25pm: Parents and Guardians of the new Junior Infants are invited to attend a short information meeting with Jacinta and Chloe (daily routine in the infant classroom, lunches, clothing & footwear, homework.) The Junior Infants will be supervised by other staff during this meeting.
Fridays, October 1st and 15th: PTA coffee mornings (‘the 1st and 3rd morning of every month.’) 9am. All are welcome.
Tuesday, 5th October: ‘Open Classroom’ events: Fergal and Aideen’s classrooms – 11.30am-12noon. Chloe’s class: 1pm-1.30pm. Laura’s class: 2pm-2.30pm. Parents are invited to spend some time in their child’s classroom.
Thursday, 7th October (3rd & 4th classes) and Thursday, 14th October (5th & 6th classes:) Gorey Credit Union quiz nights for local schools. 7pm sharp, Amber Springs Hotel. A number of the children in our older classes will participate in the events.
Friday, 8th October: (New Date) ‘Breakfast Together’ event in aid of the ‘Childline’ charity.
Wednesday, 13th October: Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Annual General Meeting, 7.30pm. Includes guest speaker. Hear about all the work over the past year. Elect a new organising committee. Further details to follow.
Friday, 15th October: Staff Meeting. Infant classes finish at 12.15pm, other classes finish at 12.30pm.
Wednesday, 20th October: Traditional games associated with the harvest/Samhain/Halloween will be played (e.g. pass the orange, snap apple, bean race, apple bobbing, etc.) Parent helpers will be needed. PS, This is not a costume/ dressing-up event.
Friday, 22nd October: Mid-term break. Classes finish at the usual times. School reopens 8.50am Monday, 1st November.
Teachers and Special Needs Assistants, September 2010:
Special class for children with autism: Fergal Twomey, Edel Hogan (SNA,) Katyrna Maciulskyte (SNA)
Special class for children with autism: Aideen O’Donnell, Mary Kinsella (SNA,) Pauline Carroll (SNA)
Junior Infants: Jacinta Hayes
Junior Infants: Chloe Kenny
Senior Infants: Mary Foley
Senior Infants: Deirdre Flynn, Teresa Carey (SNA)
First Class: Andrea Maher
First Class: Laura Dagger, Paula Byrne (SNA)
Second Class: Grace Sexton
Third Class: Louise Redmond
Fourth Class: Brendan Breen, Niamh Murphy (SNA)
Fifth & Sixth Classes: Imelda Wright
Learning Support and Resource Teaching: Fergus Lacey, Andrew Murray, Cathy Roche, Emma Kinsella
English language support teaching: Kerrie Dunne
Principal: Raymond Swan
Optional after-school swimming lessons: This year, only one 6-week block of swimming lessons will be offered (as bookings were low for the past two years.) Details during February. No bookings accepted as yet.
Public Art Commission: The selection panel (staff, parent, County Council Arts Officer, along with input from the children on our School Council) has awarded the commission associated with our 2008 building project to Belfast-based artist Karen Nickell. Her winning submission, ‘Magical Reality Boxes and Illusion Wall’ will see nine light-box type installations placed inside our school. Some will hold the artist’s own embroidery work and some will hold (interchangeable) works by our pupils. Karen’s overall theme is ‘Place‘ and her work with the school will include face-to-face visits and an on-line forum. See www.karennickell.co.uk to find out more.
(Please note that a separate music commission, associated with our 2009 building extension, is currently advertised on the school website.)
Optional ‘Easy-Pay’ facility for school booklists: for example, pay €5 (per child) every Friday until the end of May = €130 approx. Send payments in an envelope marked with child’s name and amount to the class teacher or school office on Friday mornings only.
School Book Fair: October 8th-13th, details to follow.
Healthy Lunches: The children need balanced, healthy lunches each day. (Look out for the overall sugar and fat levels!) Chewing gum, sticky sweets, fizzy drinks, high-sugar drinks, chips and crisps are not allowed. (If you need to agree a treat with your child, please choose one of the following: scone, plain bun/cake, brack, plain biscuits, one small bar.)
The children need to be able to talk about their food allergies. Nuts are not allowed in the infant classes.
The children are asked not to share their lunches, and to take uneaten lunch home with them (so that parents are kept informed of their child’s eating.)
Demonstration Badminton and Hip-Hop Dancing lessons: Some of our older classes will participate in these lessons over the coming weeks. Families who find that their child has a special interest in or flair for a particular activity could then follow up with Gorey Badminton Club or Footworks Dance School (flyers will be distributed.)
Text-a-Parent
The school uses a ‘Text-a-Parent’ system to communicate general information to parents via their mobile telephones.
In general, we accept only one mobile number per family (to help keep costs down.) However, in cases where parents are based in separate households an additional mobile number can be added.
The school uploads text messages to the text-a-parent website before 6pm. However, on rare occasions, some parents report that their text message is delivered late at night. The school has no control over when the message is processed by the various phone companies. (Hence, see option below to remove your number from the system.)
Child’s name: _________________________________
Parent/Guardian’s name: ________________________
Mobile number to add to the system
________________________________________
And/or
Mobile number to remove from the system
_____________________________________________
Only return this form to the class teacher or school office if a change needs to be made.
