Diary
This evening, Thursday, 5th November: Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Annual General Meeting, 7.30pm. The evening will include a tour of the newly finished school buildings. All are welcome and invited to become involved. A new organising committee will be elected.
Monday, 9th – Friday, 13th November: ‘Book Week’ at Gorey Educate Together. Includes Book Fair, visits by authors, costume day (dress up as a book character,) and readings by parents and grandparents.
Tuesday, 17th November: PTA Table Quiz, details to follow.
Other news
Optional ‘Easy-Pay’ facility for school booklists: Example – pay €5 (per child) every Friday until the end of May = €120 approx.
1. Send payments on Friday mornings only, in an envelope marked with child’s name, class and amount.
2. On arrival, the children should give the envelope to their classteacher. The school secretary will collect the envelopes from the classrooms.
3. No small change: notes or €1 and €2 coins only.
4. Families with more than one school-going child: please send your entire payment in one envelope.
The school will send statements to parents at the end of January and again at the end of May.
Hurling and football: GAA coaches John and Mick will return on Friday for a 6-8 week block. Senior Infants-6th class. The children should wear suitable clothing and footwear. Please wear runners with non-marking soles in the new PE Hall.
Breakfast Together: Many thanks for all the help on the day. €345 was raised for Childline. Thank You!
French: The Board of Management has arranged for 4th, 5th and 6th classes to take a weekly French lesson with Mikael Allain. Merci!
Old Mobile Phones for the Jack and Jill charity: This charity provides home nursing care to 300 babies who are born with or develop brain damage and who suffer severe intellectual and physical developmental delay as a result. Collection box for old mobile phones on the groundfloor hallway. ‘Phones for Boards’ scheme: if we collect 500 old phones, Jack and Jill will give us an interactive whiteboard for one of the new classrooms.
This evening, Thurs 5th: 7.15pm at the school. Information talk for parents on Spanish/English summer camp 2010. (Two weeks in Ireland, 2 weeks in Spain. Drama and Language activities.) Private arrangements-organised by some Gorey Educate Together parents.
Book Week 2009
Monday, 9th November: Parents/Guardians storytelling in classrooms 9.00a.m. Sign-up sheets are posted on the classroom doors: please sign-up now! Bring along a favourite story or use a book from the school library.
Tuesday, 10th November: Parents/Guardians storytelling in classrooms 9.00a.m. Book Fair open for browsing and sales (New Building): 8.30-9.00am, 1.15-1.45pm and 2.15-2.45pm.
Wednesday, 11th November: Parents/Guardians storytelling in classrooms 9.00a.m. Book Fair open for browsing and sales (New Building): 8.30-9.00am, 1.15-1.45pm and 2.15-2.45pm.
Evening event in new School Library – Author Brianog Brady Dawson will do a 1-hour storytelling session for parents and children.
Thursday, 12th November: Parents/Guardians storytelling in classrooms 9.00am. Book Fair [Last Day] open for browsing and sales (New Building): 8.30-9.00am, 1.15-1.45pm and 2.15-2.45pm.
Optional Dressing-up Day: The children can dress up as a character from a story. (Please don’t spend a cent on any clothing or accessory. The children can improvise. Keep it simple. The children still need to spend a full day in school and participate in a normal day’s work.)
Friday, 13th November: Parents/Guardians storytelling in classrooms 9a.m. Authors Oisin McGann and Sarah Webb will visit the classes for storytelling and workshops.
MS Readathon continues until Friday, 13th November: leaflets were sent home earlier this week.
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 – ‘Swine Flu.’ The school is following the advice of the Department of Education and Science, as follows:
1. Raising awareness: information posters regarding Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 are displayed on the hallways and in all bathrooms. Some classtime and/or assembly time will also be given to the issue.
2. Respiratory etiquette: the school will promote the following advice – covering the mouth and nose with a paper tissue when coughing or sneezing; disposing of that tissue after one use; and regular hand-washing using soap and water. Paper tissues are available in all classrooms – however, we ask that parents also provide the children with their own tissue packs.
3. Hand Hygiene: the recommended hand-washing facilities are available throughout the school (water, liquid soap dispensers and paper towels.) Providing the children with hand gels is not necessary.
4. Routine cleaning: daily cleaning of the school (bathrooms, floors, desks, worktops, etc.) will continue as before, with extra attention being given to the cleaning of door handles (as recommended in the advice.)
5. Recognize the symptoms and plan response: In most children, the symptoms of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 are similar to the symptoms of regular flu. They include: Temperature over 38 ºC/100.4 ºF that begins suddenly and some of the following: Dry cough; Sore throat; Muscle aches and pains; Headache; Runny nose ; Severe weakness and fatigue; and, Vomiting/diarrhoea (in some cases.) If a child develops flu-like symptoms at the school, his/her parents will be contacted and asked to take the child home. (Arrangements will be made for the child to wait in an office or support room until his/her parents arrive.) The child should not return to school until 7 days from the onset of symptoms have passed. In the event of a cluster of flu cases the School Principal will seek the advice of the local Department of Health, and relay that advice to parents and staff.
All parents and guardians are asked to be aware of the symptoms of flu-like illness and to seek medical advice, as necessary. Children who are sick should always stay home from school. If they have Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza they should stay away from school for 7 days from the onset of symptoms. Parents are asked to keep the school informed of all such cases. The requirement that parents explain all school absences with a written note remains in place. HSE Flu Information Line Freephone 1800 94 11 00 or check www.swineflu.ie
Swine flu update 5th November: 6th class 2 cases & 3 suspected cases. 2nd class: 1 case. Junior Infants (Fergus) 1 case. (Information provided to the school office by parents.)
