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Parents Information Meetings

On Thursday the 14th of October @ 7.30 p.m. the following Information Meetings will be held via Zoom:

• Junior Infants Information Meeting (Ms. Marie Forristal). This meeting is for new parents to the school also, or you may prefer to go to your class teacher’s meeting. At the meeting, Ms. Marie Forristal (Class teacher), Ms. Orla O’Keeffe (SEN teacher), Ms. Niamh Whelton (SNA), Mr. Mark Griffin (Parent’s Association Chairperson?) and Mr. Barth Harrington will speak.
• Senior Infants Meeting (Ms. Gillian Galvin)
• Rang 1 (Ms. Kathryn O’Shea / Ms. Karen O’Regan)
• Rang 2 (Mr. Paul Carmody) *** not confirmed yet.
• Rang 2/3 (Ms. Laura Connolly)
• Rang 4 (Mrs. Marie Hayes)
• Rang 5 A & B (Mr. Seán Daly and Ms. Marguerite Bradshaw)
• Special Class Meetings (Miss Therese Crowley / Ms. Rachel Hodnett) *** not confirmed yet.

Seniors / 1st Meeting is on Tuesday 20th of October @ 7.30 p.m. via Zoom.

Rang 6 Parent’s Information Meeting will be held on Thursday 4th of November @ 7.30 p.m. via Zoom. This meeting is being held later than the others as we are awaiting news of the restarting of Sciath na Scol and Orienteering. We won’t know until the 22nd of October.

Parent’s Association AGM will be held in October. Date to be confirmed. On the night we will also choose a parent – this time a mother – as a member of the Board of Management, as Mrs. Eileen Collins left the Board in June – as her son Michael went to Secondary School.

A Noticeboard Message will be sent out shortly before the meetings.  Soon after the meetings start – they will be locked – for security purposes.

For new parents and those not familiar with Zoom.  Please download Zoom (it’s free) on your computer / tablet or phone well in advance of the meeting.  Once you get the link then on Aladdin Noticeboard, just click the link and Zoom will open up.

SFI – Discover Science, Maths and Engineering Award

Good news! We heard this morning that we have been awarded the SFI Discover Science and Maths Award for the school year 2020/2021. In June we submitted our log of evidence which displayed all the science, maths and engineering work we completed last year. Although it was a challenging year we managed to do so much thanks to all the hard work of staff and pupils. Our plaque of excellence will arrive in October and it will be displayed for all to see.

Here is some feedback from the judges who awarded the SFI Plaque of Excellence to the school.

Congratulations to all in Scoil na mBuachailli , Cloch na gCoillte on receiving your SFI Plaque of STEM Award 2020/21
It has been a challenging year for all of us and has impacted on our work goals. You used remote learning time eg. Scratch and of course you enjoyed PHOTON, the robot. Walking on air was successful since no balloons burst, the space books were well received. You took part in The Tree Council’s excellent webinar for Tree Week. We missed not getting photos of your garden to show off your good work. We look forward to your Log in 2022. Well done, thank you and keep up the good work.

Many thanks to all the staff who worked so hard during lockdown and in school to complete science, maths and engineering tasks with the boys. Many thanks to Ms. Regina Fitzmaurice for all her hard work in compiling the log of evidence.

Many thanks to Ethan Mc Auliffe Aherne, Paulos White and Paddy Kavanagh who spoke so well on the school intercom to tell all the pupils about our award.

Well done to everybody! We all look forward to another year of science, maths and engineering this year.

Hallowe’en Fancy Dress Parade

Chess, Basketball, Orienteering and Sciath na Scol

• Chess is starting in the first week of October. 87 boys joined chess this year – the highest number ever. Due to Covid 19 protocols we will have to split the groups into 4 – 4th class, 5A, 5 B and 6th. We are unable to mix up the bubbles indoors.
• Basketball started on the 28th of September for Rang 5 and on the 29th of September for Rang 6. Thanks to Mr. Seán Daly and Mr. Paul Carmody for their help with Basketball again this year.
• Orienteering and Sciath na Scol: we have to wait until the end of October to see if these are going ahead this year.

School Fees – reminder

Please note: if  you have not paid your fees yet for Insurance, Rental Scheme, etc please do so as soon as possible.

We have noticed that a few parents have paid for Insurance twice –  the €6 and the €9.  We will refund the €6. f you make a mistake when paying and pay for the wrong thing, please let us know and we will fix it.

Important:  If you are experiencing any difficulty in paying the fees contact Barth Harrington (Príomhoide) at the school immediately for assistance. Music Lessons: If you would like your son to take lessons and the price is prohibitive please contact Barth Harrington in confidence and we will try to assist. 

Shoebox Appeal for Christmas

This year  you  can donate a shoebox online.  This is the address https://www.teamhope.ie/christmas-shoebox-appeal/

Support Teaching – explained

Literacy Lift Off has started.

Learning Support classes in literacy and numeracy have also started.  The teachers involved help boys who may be experiencing difficulty in literacy and numeracy.  This year the maximum number in a group is 4 – the SET rooms all have Perspex screens installed.

Our Reading Recovery teacher is able to take 4 children (each for approx. 20 weeks – 5 days a week).  These children are usually from Rang 1 and Senior Infants.

EAL: Our EAL teachers – support  children who have little or no English in all classes – depending on the needs of the children.

Resource: Our resource teachers support children with specific needs and we are implementing the new model at present.  It is proving to be very challenging as we have more children to cater for and yet our hours are the same!

Maths for Fun: for Rang 1 has started.

Dyslexia Groups: we have set up 1 group this year.

F.M.S. / G.M.S.: again this year we have set up Fine Motor Skills and Gross Motor Skills groups.

Wardens – note for parents

Dear Parents,
A Timely Reminder:

With the start of the new school year it is appropriate to be ever vigilant and conscious of road safety.

Please remind yourself and your child of the following, where appropriate-

The wardens will be on duty every evening at 3 ‘o clock unless conditions are unsafe or extremely bad.  If they are not on duty Mr. O’Driscoll will always try and be there to help an orderly exit and crossing.

There is a ZEBRA CROSSING there so always use it!

Children on their own, or with an adult, should never cross the road anywhere else.

Even if the wardens aren’t on duty, still use it.

If a child is on its own and is crossing at the zebra crossing and no wardens are on duty, they must still use the Safe Cross Code to be safe, a driver may not always stop to allow safe passage and remember that the crossing in itself does not guarantee automatic safety by walking or running across without due care.

Do not lead a child across from between parked cars, it is exceptionally dangerous and may encourage other children to do the same, on their own, with possible disastrous consequences. There are still a few adults doing this so please…..!

Never park on the double yellow lines and impede the view of the wardens. This could lead to an accident.

Sincere thanks and well done to all who have made the crossing at O’Rahily Street so much safer and more organised in recent years.

Remember also about road safety whatever route your child takes to or from school and by whatever means.

All classes will be taught and reminded of all aspects of road safety throughout the year.

High Vis jackets will be given out to the Junior Infants courtesy of the Road Safety Authority.

Many thanks to Mr. Tadhg O’Driscoll for training and looking after the Warden team on a daily basis throughout the year.  A special thanks to Mr. Chris Hinchy for his help in training the teams. Thanks to our SEN team, who are taking over the warden scheme in October, when Mr. O’Driscoll retires.

Roots of Empathy – looking for a baby!

Roots of Empathy is a primary school programme. The aim of the programme is to increase empathy. Children learn to care for each other, leading to less bullying and aggression.

As part of the programme, a baby with one or both parents visit the classroom, 9 times over a school year. Due to Covid 19 – these visits may be virtual.

If you have a new baby (aged between 2 and 4 months) or know someone who would be interested in taking part – please click here for further information or ring 023 8834487 to speak to Mrs. Elaine Connolly.

Rental Scheme

For the scheme to continue to be a success it is very important to take very good care of the books you rent.  These books will be needed again next year.  Parents should check up on these books regularly.  Any book that is lost or damaged will have to be replaced by the child. We have just spent over €5,000 on Rental Scheme books in September! So please, please take care of your books.

The Rental Fee this year and last year did not cover the cost of the books, as we had to buy so many new book schemes for the past 2 years.

Please look after the Literacy Lift Off books also and return on time.

PLEASE NOTE: CHILDREN JOIN THE RENTAL SCHEME IN RANG 1 AND ARE JOINED UNTIL RANG 6. YOU DON’T HAVE TO APPLY EACH YEAR.

Headlice

Now that children are back in school, please be vigilant and check your child’s hair regularly for headlice.  If you find any please notify the school and we will send a Noticeboard Message to all parents in that class.

Croke Park Hours Usage

As part of the Croke Park Agreement schools are requested to publicise use of hours in the school year 2020/2021.  Usage was as follows: (All figures below are approximate)

School Planning 42%,

Policy Development 33%,

Staff Meetings 25%,

The staff stay after school –  usually on Mondays as part of the Croke Park agreement. 

Of course many staff members stay back after school on every other day of the week also planning and doing extra curricular activities but these hours are not shown above.

Christmas Magazine 2021

Work is just getting underway on this year’s Christmas  Magazine. 

As was the case last year, local businesses can place advertisements in the magazine.  Advertisements are priced as follows:

• Half-page: €20

• Whole page: €40

The magazine is in the same format as last year – that is A5 size.  Money raised by advertisements last year was spent on our computer network – used by all in the school.  This has become an invaluable source of revenue to the school – it was also used to repair and purchase computers  for the school.  This year the cost of running the school has increased considerably. Although we got grants for Covid-19, they won’t be enough to cover the costs.

Please place your advertisement by contacting Thelma at the school at 023-8834487/or send in a note with your child, as soon as you can and a space will be booked for you. 

Please order your copy today, it’s only €5.00 – we have 150 orders already!!

Confirmation 2021

Congratulations to everyone who made their confirmation on September 19th, 2021. Many thanks to Ms. Niamh MacAuley, Mrs. Elaine Connolly, Monsignor Aidan O’Driscoll, Fr. Fergus Tuohy and Mrs. Noreen Minihan. Well done to the choir and cajun player and sound crew – they did a great job!

Clon Guitar Festival

Thanks to Ray Blackwell and Kevin McAnally for organising the Guitar Festival again this year. It was on a big screen in the school yard. Scoilavision bands took centre stage!

Senior Infants – Sense tests

Senior Infants Making Sense! The boys in Senior Infants have been busy learning all about the different senses. Recently, they put their smell and taste senses to the test. They made some fantastic predictions in the smell test and were very eager to try everything in the taste test. 

First Day at School

Please see below photographs of new children to Scoil na mBuachaillí. Click on the image to enlarge.

Junior Infants and Older Children Montage

We have created a montage of your child’s first day at school. If you would like one (free) please tick the Permission App on Aladdin and we will print them out for you. Final date for ticking the App is the 17th of September. The montages will be available after that date. (see below)

Singing outside – Rang 2

Please click on an image to enlarge it.

Below you can see Rang 2 singing with their teacher Mr. Carmody, outside their classroom, due to Covid rules.

Rugby with Finbarr O’Regan

Please click on an image to enlarge it.

Lego in Rang 1

Please click on an image to enlarge it.

SnB return to the pool

We returned to Swimming Lessons on Friday 3rd of September for the first time since last September (2020). Although the children have to get changed on the deck, everything else was normal and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their first day.

Zumba with Flav returns – outside

Zumba with Flav started in early September. It was enjoyed by all – as you can see below. This year due to Covid – we did it outside.

Dates for your Diary

• Music – enrolling for the first term in this school year is now finished. Enrolment for Term 2 will be held later and a notice will be sent via Aladdin.
• Parent’s Meetings: Information Meetings for parents in October. These will be done via Zoom. See above for more details.
• The AGM of the Parent’s Association will be held in October. On the night we will choose a mother for the Board of Management as Mrs. Eileen Collins’ Michael has now moved on to the Secondary School.
• Mid-Term Break: Monday 25th to Friday 29th of October inclusive.
• Parent/Teacher meetings : hopefully Thursday 18th of November.
• Christmas Holidays: Boys will get their holidays on the 22nd of December at 12.00 p.m. Return 5th Jan.
• February Mid-Term Break: 24th and 25th.
• St. Patrick’s Day and ..: Wednesday 17th March and Friday the 18th of March
• Easter Holidays: Friday 8th of April at 12.00 p.m.. Return Monday 25th of April.
• School Closed: Monday 2nd of May.
• School Closed: Friday 3rd and Monday 6th of June.
• Summer Musical: 15th, 16th and 17th of June or the following week.
• Summer Holidays: Tuesday 28th June @ 12.00 p.m.
• Sixth Class Party: to be decided.

Facts of the Month

Gentleman & PenMan of the Month