Category: Newsletters

Sports Activities
In another return to normality, we are glad that basketball (for 3rd & 4th Classes), rugby and swimming have resumed and we plan that all classes will get some sessions during the year. This year’s Cumann na mBunscol competitions are ongoing (although postponed this week due to the ploughing). We aim to resume football coaching after Halloween. Swimming has already begun for 2nd Class. Your child’s teacher will let you know in advance when swimming will be, so that you can be prepared as regards gear and also costs – each class will have six sessions each at €9 per session. If you wish, view our proposed swimming timetable.

Smart Devices
A reminder that phones, tablets etc. are not necessary for children during the day. In exceptional circumstances if they need to be brought, they must be turned off and handed to the class teacher in the morning.

Labels
It’s a good time to ensure that your child’s name is on all clothing. We can have some difficulty identifying jumpers/tracksuit tops in the playground. Please check now! We have plenty of lost property; please ask at the office.

Primary Language Curriculum Inservice
Teachers are required to undertake inservice on the revised primary language curriculum. This will take place on Friday, 28th October, the day before the Halloween break. School will finish for all pupils at 12:30 (12:15 for infants) on that day.

Road Safety
Please continue to remind your children to be extra careful when walking or cycling home in the afternoons. Thank you.

Parking
Please remember when parking to the rear of the school at the Athy end to reverse into your space. This ensures you don’t have to reverse out where there could be children walking. Please continue to take care, thank you.

Covid Reminder
Public health advice remains that your child should not attend school if they are unwell or have Covid symptoms. If you are unsure, please contact us. Thank you for your cooperation.

Collection
Our school is one of the nominated charities in Tesco Portlaoise to which you can donate a ‘blue token’. If you or anyone you know is shopping there, please do consider us! Thank you very much.

Starting and Finishing Times
Welcome back to all our pupils and their families and in particular to our new pupils.
School starts in the mornings at 9:15 p.m.
(Junior Infants will start at 9:30 a.m. for the first two weeks.)
School finishes each day at 3 p.m. and 2 p.m. for Junior & Senior Infants.
(Junior Infants will finish at 12:30 p.m. for the first two weeks.)

Please note that the Board of Management provides supervision for pupils who have to wait in lines (at the rear of the school) for up to ten minutes before the school starting time, but not before then.

Parking
A reminder to parents that the junior playground is open for parking before 3 p.m. to facilitate collection. Please remember that the drop-off area is only for that purpose in the mornings; no parking in that area is allowed. Thank you for your cooperation.

School Uniform Reminder
Green jumper/cardigan, white shirt, grey trousers/skirt/pinafore.
School tracksuit is available through the school and is to be worn with a white polo shirt on P.E. days only. Replacement navy legs (plain only) may be purchased in any shop. In warm weather, plain navy shorts of an appropriate (knee) length may be worn. Grey, tailored knee-length shorts with the main uniform are also acceptable. Football shorts etc. are not acceptable. Please ensure your pupil’s name is on his/her jumper. We recommend practical footwear, preferably in a dark colour.
Click here for examples.

School Tracksuits
Tracksuits ordered during the summer are now due for collection. Tracksuits will be given as payments are received through Aladdin. If you have any queries please contact the school. PE days will be notified by the class teachers in due course. Thank you.

Book Rental/School Contribution (Costs)
Thanks to everyone who has paid. Through the book rental scheme we try hard to keep costs as low as possible. The school contribution pays for the services provided for your children such as materials for art/science, assessment tests, photocopying, 24 hour personal accident insurance, etc. As we have to pay many of these costs in advance we appreciate prompt payment. If you wish to discuss payment please contact the school in confidence. Thank you.

Book Grant
Families who qualify for the “Back to School Clothing Allowance” are also eligible for the book grant. Please let us know if this concerns you.

Healthy Lunches
We encourage the eating of healthy lunches. Please do not send sweets, crisps (and similar snacks), chocolate, fizzy or energy drinks to school please. We also ask you to be careful about the quantity of food as children may feel they need to finish everything but that is not always the case.

Nut Allergies
A number of children in the school have an allergic reaction to nuts. Since this condition can be life threatening, all teachers are asking for your help in minimising the risk to these children by:
1. Avoiding giving children nuts in school lunches;
2. Avoiding giving peanut butter sandwiches, other spreads containing nuts such as Nutella and other products labelled “may contain nut traces” in school lunches;
3. Asking children not to share their lunches.

Due to the severity of the problem, it is important that all parents carry out the suggested measures and reduce the risk of allergic reaction to these children.

Thank you very much for your co-operation.

School Calendar 2022/23

Covid
We await updated guidance from the Department of Education but for now the advice remains the same; please ensure that your child does not attend school if they are unwell or have Covid symptoms. We all fervently hope that we will have less disruption this year.

Homework
Homework will resume for pupils over the coming weeks.

The Coming Year
There is a special, happy atmosphere in our school that pupils, parents and school staff have all developed and nurtured over the years. Thank you as parents and guardians for playing your part and we really appreciate your continued support during the coming year.

Covid
For the first time in many weeks, we have been notified of a case of Covid. This is an opportune time to thank you all for your excellent cooperation with public health measures during the past couple of years. We know that it was difficult at times for all concerned and we appreciate in particular those parents who informed us of cases. It is unclear how the next school year will be affected but for now,  public health advice remains that – tested or not – if your child has symptoms, s/he should not attend school. Thank you all again.

6th Class Graduation
This will take place next Wednesday, 22nd June at 7:30 p.m. in the school. More details to follow.

School Reports
This year’s school reports are available on Aladdin. Regarding standardised test results, as in previous years it is important to note that the test is not an examination and it is unfair to make direct comparisons. Teachers gather information about your child’s learning all the time and this is part of the process. It is an indication of your child’s achievement in English (reading) and Maths.

Booklists 2022/23
Click on the class links below to view booklists (PDF format):

Junior Infants  (Ms. Twomey)

Senior Infants  (Mrs. Donnelly)

1st Class    (Ms. Goff)

2nd Class   (Ms. Cunningham)

3rd Class   (Mrs. Moriarty)
3rd Class   (Mr. Curry)

4th Class   (Ms. Hogan)

5th Class   (Mrs. Sukprasert)
5th Class   (Mr. Sweeney)

6th Class   (Mr. Sweeney)
6th Class   (Ms. Lacey)

IMPORTANT:  Morning Arrangements
Please read the following carefully, as for some of our parents this will be the first time that our normal morning arrangements will be in effect:

Starting on Wednesday, 8th June – after the coming long weekend – we are glad to be able to revert to our usual (pre-Covid) arrangements as follows:

School starts at 9:15 a.m. which is unchanged. However, children who arrive early (i.e. before that time) will line up in designated areas in the yard to the rear of the school. If it is very wet, children will be brought into the hall. Please note that the Board of Management does not accept responsibility for children who arrive more than ten minutes before the school starting time as they will be unsupervised.

As usual, please remember that the drop-off zone in the mornings is only designed for you to drop and go. If you need to get out of your car at all or if you need to wait for any reason, please use the designated parking spaces.

As some parents may now choose to arrive a little later, it’s possible that traffic will be more grouped together at times and we ask for your patience and understanding particularly for the first day or two as the renewed arrangements settle in.

Thank you for your cooperation as always, we really appreciate it.

Incoming Junior Infants
Our new pupils (with their parents) visited us on the afternoon of Wednesday, 25th May. We were happy to meet them and look forward to seeing them after the summer (or at our summer camp, see below).

SNA Appointment
The Board of Management has appointed Ms. Andrea Woods to the position of SNA in the school, replacing Mary Kehoe who retired during the year. Mrs. Kehoe worked in the school for 20 years and we will all miss her greatly. We thank her for her dedication to the pupils in her care and wish her many years of health and happiness to come.

Superstars Summer Camp
We’re delighted that our camp is making a return this year. It will take place in the school from 27th June – 1st July for incoming Junior Infants upwards. If you wish to book, please contact the school. Thank you.

Calendar 22/23
After the summer, school will reopen for all pupils on Wednesday, 31st August.

Upcoming Closures
Please note that inservice required by the Department of Education will take place this Friday afternoon (3rd June) so school will finish at 12:15 for infants and 12:30 for all other pupils. School will be closed as planned next Monday and Tuesday, 6th & 7th June.