Welcome!
Welcome back to everyone and we hope you had a great summer break. We are looking forward to working with you all again this year.
A special welcome to Junior Infants and their parents to the school.
We also extend a warm welcome to the children who have joined us in other classes.
Congratulations to Ms. Lisa Dunne and Mr. Eugene Heffernan on the birth of their baby son Iarlaith Patrick!
Staff for September 2018:
6th Class: Mrs. Imelda Burke
4th & 5thClass: Mrs. Maude O’Doherty, Deputy Principal
3rd & 4th Class: Ms. Orlaith Ruane
2nd & 3rd Class: Ms. Aisling Gibney
1st Class & Senior Infants: Ms. Mary Doyle
Senior Infants & Junior Infants: Ms. Ursula Walsh
Special Education Needs Teacher: Ms. Eileen Byrne, Principal
Special Education Needs Teacher: Ms. Úna Gallinagh
Special Education Needs Teacher: Ms Sarah Fitzgerald (Part-time)
Information Booklet:
All families have a copy of the information booklet. Please keep it in a safe place and refer to it if you have questions about any aspect of school life. If you need anything clarified please ring the office. Ann, the school secretary, may be able to help you or you may set up a meeting with the class teacher, at a time that suits you both. Sometimes a return call from a teacher, when she is available, can sort out many issues. Your courtesy is appreciated at all times, when speaking to any member of staff. Please do not delay teachers from class, with queries, in the morning as they are responsible for all the children in the room. Ring Ann and she can pass on a message.
You can view the school information booklet online.
Parental Involvement:
We encourage parents to get involved throughout the year. We value the whole school working together for the betterment of the school and ultimately, the children. Some activities with which parents have helped in the past – field trips, school tours, walks to the beach, sports events away from school, some maintenance (carpenters, electricians, landscapers etc.) arts and crafts (knitting and embroidery), giving talks to children on a parent’s work, music, setting up stages, preparation for Holy Communion, projects on science and local history, making bird boxes and putting them up, gardening and fundraising.
If you can help with any of the above or have other skills from which you think the children may benefit please get in touch with AAnn I the office and she can provide a form to fill out. The school may call on you at some stage during the year. All parents helping in the school must have Garda Vetting (form available in school office).
Please ensure we have an up to date email address as we send correspondence by email. There will be Newsletters, like this one, throughout the year which will give you an insight into school life in all classes.
Reminder!
Please do not leave children in the yard before 8.50 am. Always accompany children to the door if for some reason they are being dropped after 8.50 am.
Absence Notes: When your child is absent from school, please send in a note on their return to school. All notes must be dated and have a reason for absence.
Labels on Coats/Sweatshirts: There were a number of coats and sweatshirts left in the school at the end of the school year. Please ensure all coats and sweatshirts are name-tagged, so as to avoid this happening in the future.
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations)
Under the new GDPR guidelines, schools have to get consent notes for all school related outings and activities.
School Garden
On Wednesday 12th September Wendy Nairn came to do harvesting in the garden. The children had a look at all their produce. We harvested potatoes, French beans, onions, beetroot, pumpkins, strawberries and tomatoes. The children enjoyed the sweet cherry tomatoes best. We are further ripening our pumpkins on the window sill for Halloween. Many thanks to Wendy and to Rebecca Pallas for helping. We will cover our beds now for the winter and await spring. Meanwhile our sunflower heads will provide food for the birds over the cold weather. Hopefully our wildflower garden will drop plenty of seeds and we will have a wonderful display of wildflowers again next year. Thank you to everyone.
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, 18th September:
Mr. Somers, Principal of CBS College, Arklow will visit the school to talk to 5th and 6th classes to invite the boys to their open day and to tell them about CBS.
Tuesday, 26th September:
Tree Day: Ms. Ruane’s 3rd and 4th Class and Ms. Gibney’s 3rd Class have been invited to take part in Tree Day in Glendalough.
Tuesday, 23rd October:
Accord will visit the school on Tuesday 23rd October, and give a talk to 5th and 6th classes on growing up.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
The school will be closed on Friday, 26th October as the school will be used as a polling station for the Presidential Election and referendum.
Parent-Teacher meetings will be held on Thursday, 8th November after school hours from 4pm-10pm. Individual timetables will be given out before this date.
School will be closed on Friday, 9th November as all teachers will be attending an in-service day.
Christmas Carols/Nativity Play will take place on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th December in school in the evening, times to be confirmed.
Thank you for your support and we look forward to meeting you.
Scoil Mhuire Réalt Na Mara
Brittas Bay National School 