Newsletter 9.9.16

Newsletter

9^th September 2016

Dear parents, carers, staff and friends,

Welcome back!

We have had a great start to the year, with lots of happy and well-rested children ready for an exciting term ahead.

A special welcome to our 45 new Junior Infants who have started school with Ms. Todd and Ms. O’Donovan and to a number of children who have joined us in other classes across the school. We welcome you and your families to St. Mary’s and look forward to working with you.

Welcome back to Mr. Carney, Ms. Conlon and Ms. McDevitt who have returned to work with us this year and we welcome Ms. Bourke, Ms. Sheridan and Ms. McBride who join our staff team. We will be arranging welcome meetings for each class group over the coming weeks so that you can meet your child’s new teacher and find out more about their learning in their new class and how you can help them at home.

Holiday Works

We were delighted to receive funding from the Department of Education to upgrade our electrical systems and lighting over the summer. A huge amount of work was completed over the month of August, with brand new, modern lighting and electrics fitted in every classroom and office in the building. We also have new emergency lighting and a new fire alarm system.

The works are almost finished, but you may have noticed that the Hall is still out of use and the Computer Room is also a work in progress. The electricians are working in the evenings to finish this work and we hope to have the building back to ourselves by the end of the month.

I must say a huge thank you to the whole staff who worked incredibly hard to prepare the school in a very short space of time and transform it back to the lovely learning space you see today. My biggest thank you is for Colm, our caretaker, who as always, was on hand throughout the works and worked so hard to ensure the school was ready and safe for children last Thursday.

As the hall is not in use, we cannot open it in the mornings if it rains. Please note that if it is raining between 8.40 a.m. and 8.50 a.m., we cannot open the hall. Children are welcome inside to breakfast club instead.

Home-School Community Liaison

Sile McDonnell is our new Home-School Community Liaison teacher this year. Sile’s office is right beside the school office and she is available to support parents and families with any concerns or questions you may have. Sile will be contacting you soon with details of parent classes and other activities you can get involved in – please do come along!

Cookery class for parents takes place at Mount Carmel Secondary School on Tuesday mornings – please talk to Sile if you’d like to join.

Supervision in the Morning

A reminder that children are welcome at school for breakfast club and to wait in the playground from 8.40 a.m. Children should not arrive to school before this time and we ask that children are not left waiting unsupervised at the gate before this. We have staff outside and inside to look after the children from 8.40 a.m. but the school cannot take responsibility for children before then.

School Books and Tracksuits

Thank you to all families who have already paid the €60 for books, copies and school resources. If you have not made this payment or have only made a deposit, please call into the school office and see Liz. We are happy to take money in instalments if this is easier for you. Tracksuits can be ordered with Liz and cost €21 each.

Dates for your diary

13^th September – 5^th and 6^th Class to Dun Laoghaire Library for Roald Dahl Day

4^th October – 3^rd and 4^th Class to National Concert Hall for ‘Music in the Classroom’

12^th-19^th October – Book Fair

28^th October – School closes for Mid-Term Holiday

7^th November – School re-opens at 8.50 a.m.

Attendance and punctuality

Many thanks to the many parents and carers who brought their children back to school on the right day and in good time. We talk to the children about having excellent attendance and have a target of at least 95% for each child (this is no more than 9 days of absence across the year).

Please let us know if your child will not be in school by calling the school office on (01) 8300841, emailing office@stmarysprimaryschool.ie or filling out the absence form on our website.

A big well done to Miss Dolan’s 1^st Class who have a 100% attendance record so far! Well done too to Ms. O’Donovan’s Junior Infants, Ms. McDevitt’s Senior Infants and Ms. Calvey’s 1^st/2^nd Class who are all at 99% – that’s super!

Please remember that school starts promptly at 8.50 a.m. every day.

Junior and Senior Infants finish at 1.30 p.m.

1^st – 6^th Classes finish at 2.30 p.m.

Term dates for 2016-2017

Have a lovely weekend!

Éadaoin Kelly – Principal

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