Confirmation: The boys and girls of 5^th & 6^th class are preparing for their Confirmation on February 22^nd and will attend a retreat in Glenstal on Monday afternoon, February 12^th. 

Pancake Day: The school assisted by members of the Parents’ Association will hold its annual Pancake Day next Tuesday February 13th, Shrove Tuesday.  We ask each child to bring €2 which will be collected by the class teacher.  Funds raised will be used for the benefit of the children. 

Ash Wednesday: Our two priests will distribute ashes in the school on Ash Wednesday, February 14^th. 

Mid-term break: Thursday, February 15^th and Friday, February 16^th.

Le gach dea ghuí,
Marie Griffin (Principal)

Second class busy weaving St Brigid Crosses on 1st February.

And the finished products. Well done!

Parent/Teacher meetings

Thank you to all the parents who attended the parent/teacher meetings.  It is a very important opportunity for parents and teachers to exchange information regarding the education of your child. 

Enrolment 2018

Enrolments are now being taken for September.  The closing date is January 31^st and places will be offered in February. 

Spikeball

6^th class pupils competed in the Limerick Spikeball Blitz which was held in Villiers School on Tuesday 23rd January.  Two mixed teams were fielded and the boys and girls showed very good spirit and teamwork.  They competed very well and were most unlucky not to progress from their group.  Great fun was had by all and the boys and girls look forward to participating in further competitions in the future.  Thanks to Mr. Donal Neville and Ms. Patricia Griffin.

Analog Devices Primary Schools Robotics Competition

6^th class had a workshop on robotics on Wednesday January 24^th.  This is part of the Analog Devices Primary Schools Robotics Competition.  During the workshop 6^th class worked in teams building and programming a robot.  At the end of the workshop the robots which the boys and girls had built competed against each other and a class winner was declared.  The children on the winning team were: Eoin Callanan, Emmett Crowe and Logan Omusi.  Runners up were: John O’Brien, Joe Shanahan and Ivan Kondratenko.  The winning team from our school will go forward to participate in a Primary Schools Final.  This will involve a more advanced robotics workshop allowing each team an opportunity to build a new robot ready to face the new challenges that await them.  The final will be held in the Analog Devices Sports & Social Facilities in the grounds of Mungret College, allowing parents of the selected team members an opportunity to cheer their children through the Final Challenge.  The date of the final has yet to be confirmed. 

[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”33″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_basic_thumbnails” override_thumbnail_settings=”0″ thumbnail_width=”240″ thumbnail_height=”160″ thumbnail_crop=”1″ images_per_page=”18″ number_of_columns=”0″ ajax_pagination=”1″ show_all_in_lightbox=”0″ use_imagebrowser_effect=”0″ show_slideshow_link=”0″ slideshow_link_text=”[Show slideshow]” order_by=”imagedate” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

Head lice

Please check your child’s hair regularly and treat if necessary. 

Le gach dea ghuí

Marie Griffin
Principal

Christmas concerts

Congratulations and thank you to pupils and their teachers on their concerts last week which were enjoyed by all.  Third & Fourth presented The King’s Breakfast and Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, First class presented A Little Nativity, Senior Infants presented A Baby Born in a Barn and Junior Infants presented When Santa Got Stuck Up the Chimney. 

Buddy Bench

Our thanks to Mulcair Men’s Shed for the Buddy Bench which they made and delivered to our school last week.  This project was sponsored by Ulster Bank.

Astroturf

Some of our classes have been down to play on the Astroturf which is part of the Murroe Field Project.  This is a wonderful amenity in our village and we hope to make much use of it.

Parent/Teacher Meetings 2018

These will take place after school on Monday, January 22^nd from 3.15-6.00 pm and Wednesday, January 24^th from 3.00-5.45. 

Please note that there will be early closing at 2.45 on Wednesday January 24^th.

Christmas Mass December 22nd

The whole school will attend the 10.00am mass on the morning of the holidays on December 22^nd and sing traditional Christmas carols.  Parents may like to join us at that mass. 

Christmas Holidays

School will close for Christmas holidays at 12 noon on Friday December 22^nd.  We will reopen on Monday, January 8^th 2018. 

 Le gach dea ghuí i gcóir na Nollag agus na hAth bhliana,

Marie Griffin (Principal)

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Friday December 8^th is a Holy Day of Obligation and we attended mass at 11.30. 

IT Kidz

Yesterday every pupil in the school had the opportunity to work with Scratch.  Scratch is a programming language and an online community where children can program and share interactive media such as stories, games, and animation with people from all over the world. As children create with Scratch, they learn to think creatively, work collaboratively, and reason systematically. 

Parent/Teacher Meetings 2018

These will take place after school on Monday, January 22^nd from 3.15-6.00 pm and Wednesday, January 24^th from 3.00-5.45. 

Please note that there will be early closing at 2.45 on Wednesday January 24^th.

Board of Management Report

• Our Enrolment policy has been reviewed. 
• For meetings other than the annual Parent/Teacher meetings referred to above parents are reminded of the procedure regarding arranging meetings with teachers.  Teachers are happy to meet with parents to discuss any issues or concerns which parents may have.  A note in the journal to the class teacher requesting such an appointment is required.  Alternatively a parent may ring the school and request a meeting.  It is also necessary that the purpose of the visit be stated so that teachers may undertake any necessary preparation.  Careful supervision of the pupils is undertaken by the teachers at all times during the school day.  The measure of duty placed on the teacher is “to take such care of his/her pupils as a careful parent would of his/her children” (in loco parentis).  It is very important that parents understand that a teacher will not be able to consult with a parent while the teacher is responsible for supervising a class or a group of children.  The cooperation of parents in this matter will be much appreciated. 
• Christmas concerts for parents of children in Junior Infants, Senior Infants, First class and Third & Fourth class take place next week.  As invited guests parents are requested not to share any photos or videos of these concerts on social media. 
• The Board requests all parents to park safely and to be mindful that the car park opposite the school is private. 
• For health & safety reasons dogs are not permitted on the school grounds. 

Christmas Holidays

School will close for Christmas holidays at 12 noon on Friday December 22^nd.  We will reopen on Monday, January 8^th 2018. 

Le gach dea ghuí
Marie Griffin (Principal)

Team Hope Christmas Shoebox appeal

Many thanks for the 86 shoeboxes donated to this cause.

Pantomime

On Tuesday next, December 5^th the West Midlands Children’s Theatre will come to our school with set, costumes, props, lighting and plenty of exciting music to present Dick Whittington to our pupils from Junior Infants to Fourth class.  The cost per pupil will be €3. 

IT Kidz

On Thursday, December 7^th two instructors from IT Kidz Mobile IT will deliver Scratch computer lessons.  Scratch is a visual programming language which makes it easy for children to create their own animations.   Cost per child will be €1. 

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Friday December 8^th is a holy day of obligation and we will take the pupils to mass at 11.30am.  This feast celebrates the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  It is celebrated on December 8th, nine months before the feast of the Nativity of Mary, which is celebrated on September 8th.

Christmas Activities

December 13^th

The pupils of Third & Fourth class will present The King’s Breakfast and Little Red Riding Hood at 11.30am to their parents.

First class will present A Little Nativity at 11.50am to their parents.

December 15^th

Junior Infants will present When Santa Got Stuck Up the Chimney to their parents at 1.05pm

Senior Infants will present A Baby Born in a Barn to their parents at 1.30pm

Christmas Mass December 22nd

The whole school will attend the 10.00am mass on the morning of the holidays on December 22^nd and sing traditional Christmas carols.  Parents may like to join us at that mass. 

Le gach dea ghuí,

Marie Griffin (Principal)