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Newsletter 16.12.16

Newsletter

16^th December 2016

Dear parents, carers, staff and friends,

News this week

On Tuesday, we had a visit from Jason Killeen, a professional basketball player from Basketball Ireland. Jason led some workshops with our classes and got everyone very enthusiastic about sport and being active. Thanks to Ms. O’Callaghan who leads our ‘Be Active’ team for organising.

On Thursday, Miss Dolan’s 1^st Class visited the Ilac Library for a special reading and performance of ‘The Snowman’. The children came back with their own beautiful snowmen decorations and full of excitement about the Christmas season.

Over the last few weeks, several children from 5^th and 6^th Class have been reading with a volunteer from a company called BBH each week, organised by the SUAS charity. The children were invited to visit the BBH offices today and were even treated to lunch. The children and volunteers spoke about how much they enjoyed their reading sessions and each child received a book as a gift to take home. Well done!

Christmas Fair

Our ‘Christmas Fair’ will take place during the school day on Tuesday, 20^th December.

Children will be in class as normal all day. You are invited to join your child at the fair at the times listed below:

Infant Classes – 11.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m.

1^st and 2^nd Class – 12.30 p.m. – 1.30 p.m.

3^rd – 6^th Class – 1.30 – 2.30 p.m.

We have had two beautiful hampers donated by Glanmore Foods for our raffle. We have also been supported by a number of local businesses and stalls in the area – our thanks to them for their generous donations and prizes.

Dates for your diary

Sunday, 18^th December – Parish Carol Service

Tuesday, 20^th December – Christmas Fair

Thursday, 22^nd December – School Closes for Christmas Holiday at 12 noon

Monday, 9^th January – School Re-opens

Attendance and punctuality

Thank you to all the families who have ensured their children attend school every day. Best attendance this week was 3^rd Class. Well done!

And finally….Parish Carol Service

Don’t forget – THIS Sunday, 18^th December, the parish carol service will take place at 3.30 p.m. The school choir will be singing and all are welcome to come along.

Enjoy your weekend,

Éadaoin Kelly

Principal

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Newsletter 9.12.16

Newsletter

9^th December 2016

Dear parents, carers, staff and friends,

News this week

On Sunday, the First Communion Children had their Enrolment Ceremony during the Family Mass. They did a great job!

On Tuesday, 5^th Class had a visit from author Dave Rudden. The children have been reading Dave’s book ‘Knights of the Borrowed Dark’ in class and were very excited to have a writing workshop with the author himself. Thank you to Mr. Carney for organising this visit.

On Wednesday, 3^rd and 6^th Class visited the Sean O’Casey Theatre to see a performance of ‘The Games They Played’ about events from 1916 performed by students from Marino College. The children were beautifully behaved and really enjoyed the acting.

On Thursday, some children visited the church for Mass and to have our Advent Penitential Service. We saw the advent wreath lighting and talked about preparing for Christmas.

Parish Carol Service

Next Sunday, 18^th December, the parish will host its annual carol service at 3.00 p.m. The carol service is a wonderful event to help us get ready for Christmas and share some music, stories and poetry reminding us of the story of Christmas.

The school choir will be singing along with the other parish choirs. It is a lovely event and all are welcome to come along. It is a busy time of year but do put the date in your diary if you can!

Christmas Fair

Our ‘Christmas Fair’ will take place during the school day on Tuesday, 20^th December. The children are busy preparing songs to sing and stalls to entertain you!

How can you help?

1. Mr. Kerr is looking for bakers to make mince pies or seasonal goodies. Let him know if you are able to help.
2. Ms. Brophy is collecting prizes for the raffle – if you have any unwanted gifts at home that would make a good prize – we would be delighted to take them.
3. 4^th and 5^th Class have been busy making crafts and small items to buy. Let them know if you have anything to add to their homemade stall.

We will send more information about timings for the day early next week.

Dates for your diary

13^th December – Basketball Ireland visit

15^th December – 1^st Class to ‘The Snowman’ in the Ilac Library

Sunday, 18^th December – Parish Carol Service

Tuesday, 20^th December – Christmas Fair

Thursday, 22^nd December – School Closes for Christmas Holiday at 12 noon

Monday, 9^th January – School Re-opens

Attendance and punctuality

Best attendance this week was 4^th Class with 100%! Well done everyone!

Have a lovely weekend,

Éadaoin Kelly

Principal

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Newsletter 2.12.16

Newsletter

2^nd December 2016

Dear parents, carers, staff and friends,

News this week

Yesterday, the children from 1^st to 6^th Class were surprised with a very special theatre performance. Arty-Fact Theatre brought their set, lights and wonderful actors and puppets to tell the ‘Grimm Tales’ stories. It was just what we needed to get us into the Christmas spirit!

Primary Language Curriculum

School was closed on Monday so that teachers could attend a training session on the new Primary Language Curriculum. This new curriculum is for all children in Ireland. Our focus for this year is on ‘oral language’, how children listen and speak in English and Gaeilge.

We spent time thinking about the aspects of teaching and learning that are working well in our school, the challenges we have and ways we can overcome them. Our facilitator from the Primary Development Service for Teachers (PDST) shared resources and good practice with us. Our teachers will be beginning to implement the new curriculum in oral language for Infants, 1^st and 2^nd Classes over the coming months.

Christmas Celebrations

We will be having a very special ‘Christmas Fair’ on Tuesday, 20^th December this year. There will be games and stalls, food and drinks, an enormous raffle, performances from the children and maybe even a visit from Santa! Look out for more information over the coming week.

Dates for your diary

4^th December – Family Mass at 11.45 a.m.

7^th December – 3^rd and 6^th Class to Sean O’Casey theatre – Marino Institute

13^th December – Basketball Ireland visit

15^th December – 1^st Class to ‘The Snowman’ in the Ilac Library

Sunday, 18^th December – Parish Carol Service

20^th December – Christmas Fair

Thursday, 22^nd December – School Closes for Christmas Holiday

Monday, 9^th January – School Re-opens

Attendance and punctuality

We had a great end to November, with overall attendance across the school of 95.9%. This means we have reached our target of 95% every month so far this year – well done to everyone who is making such a big effort to come to school on time each day.

The best attendance this week goes to 3^rd Class with 100% – two weeks in a row! Well done children!

In second place were 2^nd and 5^th Classes with 98.9%, and a whole string of classes on 97% – both Junior Infants, Ms McDevitt’s Senior Infants, Ms. Calvey’s Class and 4^th Class!

And finally…

As the days get colder, please continue to remind your child to wrap up warmly when going outside to keep colds and coughs at bay.

Enjoy your weekend!

Éadaoin Kelly

Principal

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Newsletter 25.11.16

Newsletter

25^th November 2016

Dear parents, carers, staff and friends,

Parent Teacher Meetings

Thank you to all the parents and carers who came along to meet with their child’s class teacher this week. We had an excellent turnout and it was lovely to see so many smiling faces leaving the building with lots of good news shared.

The value of good relationships with families is so important and we have enjoyed having the time to spend with each of you to talk about your child’s strengths and how we can work together to support them.

My thanks to all of the staff who have worked so hard to prepare for these meetings. It is a tiring week, meeting with families early in the morning before school and staying late in the evenings. We appreciate your commitment and diligence and wish you a restful weekend!

If you haven’t yet had your appointment, please speak to your child’s teacher to arrange a suitable time.

News this week

5^th Class attended a writing workshop at the ‘Fighting Words’ centre on Tuesday. The children worked with volunteers to write their own story, which was then published for them to bring home.

Time to Read Launch

On Thursday, we launched the ‘Time To Read’ programme with eight 2^nd Class children and a group of volunteers from ‘Business in the Community’. We look forward to developing our partnership over the coming weeks.

Dates for your diary

28^th November – School closed for children due to Primary Curriculum training for staff

1^st December – Jolly Grimm Tales performances for 1^st – 6^th Classes

4^th December – Family Mass at 11.45 a.m.

7^th December – 3^rd and 6^th Class to Sean O’Casey theatre – Marino Institute

Health Checks

The nursing team were so impressed with our Junior Infant children who had their vaccinations this week. They were so brave!

Attendance and punctuality

It’s been another super week for attendance!

Well done to Junior Infants, 1^st, 2^nd and 6^th Classes on 96%, to 5^th Class on 97%, to 4^th Class with 99% but there was no beating 3^rd Class this week with a fabulous 100% – well done!

Have a lovely weekend.

Éadaoin Kelly

Principal

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Newsletter 18.11.16

Newsletter

18^th November 2016

Dear parents, carers, staff and friends,

News this week

5^th Class attended a workshop in the Ilac Library for ‘Science Week’ on Monday.

We welcomed a theatre group from Axis Ballymun yesterday to perform ‘Stór’ for 4^th and 5^th Class, a play about 1916 told in two languages, English and Gaeilge (Irish). It was a wonderful performance and the children really enjoyed it.

Today, Eric and Troy represented our school at the ‘Comhairle na n-Óg’ event in Croke Park. They met with children from schools across Dublin City to discuss issues for children in the city and share ideas for improving children’s lives and opportunities.

Parent Teacher Meetings

Next week, all parents and carers will be invited to a meeting with their child’s class teacher. You should already have a time and day to come. Please let us know if this time does not suit you and we will try our best to re-arrange.

We understand that there may be a last-minute reason why you cannot attend. Please make sure you let your child’s teacher know if you cannot come by calling the school office on (01) 8300841.

Parish News

Thank you to the families who attended our Family Mass last Sunday. It was great to see so many children there. Well done to the children in 3^rd and 4^th Class who led the liturgy too.

Thanks also to the parents and carers of children making their First Holy Communion who came to our meeting on Thursday morning. We look forward to working with you in the coming months of preparation. Our next Family Mass will be on Sunday, 4^th December at 11.45 a.m.

Dates for your diary

22^nd November – 5^th Class to ‘Fighting Words’ writing workshop

22^nd/23^rd November – Parent Teacher Meetings

24^th November – Launch of ‘Time to Read’ programme for eight 2^nd Class children

28^th November – School closed for children due to Primary Curriculum training for staff

4^th December – Family Mass at 11.45 a.m.

Health Checks

Junior and Senior Infants have had their vision and hearing checked by the HSE nursing team this week. They will be in touch with families if any further appointments are needed. Next week, Junior Infants will have their vaccinations. The HSE team find that children respond better if they attend with their classmates and are all brave together!

Attendance and punctuality

It has been a super week for attendance! We celebrated lots of classes with attendance over 95% at assembly this morning.

Well done to 3^rd and 4^th Class with 98%, Miss Todd’s Junior Infants and 2^nd Class with 99% and our joint winners this week, 1^st Class and 5^th Class with a fantastic 100%!

Have a lovely weekend.

Éadaoin Kelly

Principal

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Newsletter 11.11.16

Newsletter

11^th November 2016

Dear parents, carers, staff and friends,

News this week

This week, Miss Collins’s 2^nd Class visited the Blessington Basin as part of their learning about water pollution and litter. They looked for litter around the pond and have been impressing Miss Collins with their interest in looking after our planet. I know our Green Schools team will be delighted to hear they are doing such fantastic work!

Sponsored Disco

Thank you to the many families who supported our Sponsored Disco before the break. We raised a fantastic €1,316.29! We are very excited to have this money to spend on new sports equipment and play resources for children for their PE lessons and to use at playtime and lunchtime. As you know, we are very close to achieving the ‘Active Flag’ for keeping children active and moving throughout the day, promoting exercise and a healthy lifestyle. This money will really help us to ensure teachers and children have everything they need. Thanks so much!

Parent Classes – HSCL Update

A group of parents and carers have begun our ‘Incredible Years’ course with Sile and Claire and I am told they are already really enjoying it and learning lots! We are delighted to be able to offer this programme which is funded through the ABC programme in DIT Grangegorman.

We also have lots of other classes running for parents throughout the week, including English classes and the very popular cookery class. I also hear that a salsa dancing class is in the pipeline – so keep an eye on Sile’s noticeboard on the ground floor corridor for more information  and let her know if you’re interested in joining any of the classes on offer.

Dates for your diary

Sunday, 13^th November – Family Mass at 11.45a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church

17^th November – Meeting for parents of First Communion children at 9.00 a.m.

22^nd November – 5^th Class to ‘Fighting Words’ writing workshop

28^th November – School closed for children due to Primary Curriculum training for staff

Attendance and punctuality

5^th Class have the best attendance of this week with 98.1%.

Please continue to make every effort to bring your child to school on time. We are seeing a lot of children arriving between 5 and 20 minutes late every single morning. They are missing the all-important start to the day where key messages are given and the plan for the day is shared by their teacher.

If your child is arriving at 9.10, they have already missed 20 minutes of learning. If they do this every day, they miss nearly 1 hour per week.

School starts at 8.50 a.m. Children should be waiting in the line for their teacher and entering the building together. Please look carefully at your morning routine and do everything you can to be on time. Thank you.

Best wishes for a lovely weekend.

Éadaoin Kelly

Principal

Autumn and Hallowe’en

Over the last few weeks, we have been learning about the changing seasons. We have visited parks to see the leaves changing colours for Autumn. Senior Infants even had a very special treat of hot chocolate on their visit! On the last day of term, we held our annual Sponsored Disco to raise funds for our school. Lots of children dressed up and we shared some of the old traditions of Hallowe’en in Ireland.

National Taekwondo Champions!

We are so proud of our two students who took part in the National Taekwondo Championships this weekend. They came home with two gold medals and two silver medals – congratulations!

Maths Week 2016

We were delighted to get involved in Maths Week Ireland this week. We’ve had so much fun!

We started with a Maths assembly on Monday. We talked about how maths can be seen in our environment – even on a football pitch or in a swimming pool!

Lots of classes went on visits. Ms. Calvey’s Class visited the Ilac Library and read some maths stories. 2nd Class went to St. Patrick’s Campus, DCU for a ‘Bubbly Maths’ workshop. 6th Class went to DIT Grangegorman for a problem-solving workshop while 3rd Class visited Cabra Library for a ‘Maths Eyes’ exhibition.

Our week finished with a giant Maths Trail in the Botanic Gardens. Every child from 1st Class to 6th Class went and worked together to find the answers to the puzzles set by Ms. O’Callaghan.

Newsletter 21.10.16

Newsletter

21^st October 2016

Dear parents, carers, staff and friends,

News this Maths Week

This week was national Maths Week and we have been involved in lots of activities in school and the local community to celebrate our love of Maths!

On Monday, Ms. Calvey’s Class visited the Ilac Library to have a look at some lovely books that are all about Maths. On Tuesday, 2^nd Class were invited to a very special workshop about ‘Bubbly Maths’ at St. Patrick’s College, DCU. Have a look at the photos on our Twitter page @stmarysdorsetst. Also on Tuesday, 3^rd Class had a look at an exhibition of maths photos in Cabra Library while 6^th Class visited DIT Grangegorman on Wednesday for some problem-solving challenges.

Today, all classes from 1^st to 6^th walked to the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin to complete a very special Maths trail designed by Ms. O’Callaghan. The children worked with partners from other classes to find the solutions and there was even time for a picnic lunch. We’re sure everyone will sleep well tonight after all that exercise!

Sponsored Disco

Today you will also receive a letter about our annual Sponsored Disco which will take place next Friday, 28^th October. We ask the children to raise money for the school for their dancing and they may dress up if they wish. Each child has a sponsor card to complete and we will collect money at the end of the week. Please support us if you can and we look forward to a very exciting day next Friday!

Active Schools Flag

You will remember that last year, we were working hard to be an ‘Active School’ and in June we had a visit from the accreditation team for the ‘Active Schools Flag’. We have received a lovely report from them this month and they are very impressed with the work we have undertaken so far.

They said ‘the activities in the yard were impressive’ particularly in a small space. They thought ‘the students were an absolute delight, particularly the committee members who were confident, enthusiastic and vocal about their likes, their dislikes and their involvement’. They said ‘the good humour, the sense of fun and that willingness to engage with the activities’ was everywhere in the school and they thought Ms. O’Callaghan was doing a fantastic job leading us all and getting everyone excited about being active.

Our job now is to show that we can continue to be active for a sustained period of time and we hope to be flying our Active flag very soon!

Dates for your diary

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

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

28^th November – School closed for children due to Primary Curriculum training for staff

Attendance and punctuality

Our winners this week are 4^th Class with a fantastic 100% attendance record – every child was in school every day – well done! Not far behind were 6^th Class on 98.4%, 2^nd and 3^rd Class on 97% and 1^st Class on 96%.

Have a lovely weekend,

Éadaoin Kelly – Principal

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