Update 1 2014-2015
September 5th 2014
Dear Parents,
Welcome back after our great summer. We are looking forward to another successful and positive year in Shanbally NS. Best wishes in their studies/progress to all our former pupils who have transferred on.
A warm welcome to Marion O’Donovan who is with us on a Teacher Exchange programme for the year and is in Junior Infants. A big welcome also to Karen O’Donovan who is teaching Second Class while Ms. Ryan is on maternity leave.
We had happy news over the summer with the safe arrival of a baby boy, Aidan, for Mr. Clifford and a baby girl, Aoife, for Mrs. Ryan. Congratulations to the new parents.
School calendar
October 2014
Monday 27th to Friday 31st October inclusive- all schools close for mid-term
December 2014
Friday 19th All schools close for Christmas Holidays.
January 2015
Monday 5th All schools are back after Christmas.
February 2015
Thursday 19th to Friday 20th Closed for mid-term
March 2015
Monday 16th to Tuesday 17th Closed for St. Patricks Weekend.
Friday March 27th All schools close for Easter Holidays
April 2015
Monday 13th School opens after Easter Holidays
May 2015
Monday 4th to Tuesday 5th incl. Closed for bank-holiday weekend
Saturday 16th May First Communion
Friday 29th Closed for bank-holiday weekend
June 2015
Monday 1st to Tuesday 2nd incl.Closed for bank holiday weekend
Friday 26th June Closing for summer holidays
Please note that our February mid-term is just 2 days but the May bank holiday weekend has been extended from the end of school on Friday 1st May to re-open on Wednesday 6th May. Similarly the June bank holiday weekend has been extended from the end of school on Thursday 28th May to re-open on Wednesday 3rd June.
School Uniform I would like to remind you that certain flexibility around the school uniform can be introduced at this time of the year i.e.the month of September, given the warm weather we are having.
It is permissible to wear grey polo shirt on school uniform days. I’d like to remind you that school uniform days for Junior/Senior Infants are Monday and Tuesday and Monday to Wednesday for the other classes. Tracksuits must then be worn on other days. Grey pants/skirt can be interchanged with tracksuit shorts/ tailored grey shorts. No other additions or variations are acceptable.
Carrigaline Community School: We have been notified that children in 6th Class will be bussed to and from an Open Day in the school on Friday September 26th. CCS is launching their new campus and 6th children are invited to attend from 11.30 am to 2.30pm. An Open Showcase Weekend will take place on that Friday from 6-9pm and on Saturday September 27th from 11am-2pm for the wider community.
Starting up again is GAA coaching with Declan O’Neill (Shamrocks Schools Coach) who has commenced training with our 3rd class pupils every second Tuesday. Also we are pleased that our Tag Rugby Coach, Vincent will be with us again this year and begins next Friday with 5th class.
We are currently organising a number of after-school activities
Guitar Lessons (through our 5th Class Teacher Claire O’Connell) for 3rd class up to 6th will be held on Mondays after school. A number of guitars are available in the school for the children taking part. A note has already been sent out by Ms. O’Connell regarding same.
Speech/Drama Classes available from Olive Vaughan. Classes cover speech work, diction, vocal technique, mime, role play, improvisation, communication skills, drama/acting technique and musical theatre. You should have received her flyer (Studio Olva). These will be after school on Tuesdays, starting next Tuesday 9th September from 2.30pm to 3.30pm. You can contact Olive at 4894793.
Italian classes after school are being offered by Marcella Natale for children of all ages. This is an opportunity for children to learn a new language and aspects of Italian culture. A flyer is attached with additional information. Please contact Marcella at 087-6331375 if you’d like to learn more. With sufficient numbers we hope this will take place on Wednesdays from 2.30pm.
Art Classes are being organised at the moment and will hopefully start on Thursdays towards the end of September. Details to follow.
*All after school activities are dependent on sufficient uptake*
We have been asked to let you know that Shamrocks GAA are holding a Children’s Multi-Sport Weekend on September 20th and 21st from 10am to 2pm daily. All boys & girls between 5-13 are welcome. The cost is €20 per child or €30 per family. Further info, contact Susan on 087 1127922. Closing date is on Sept 16th. Book early to avoid disappointment
Best wishes are extended to all our past pupils who are playing for Shamrocks in important hurling championship games in the next week. Our minors play Lisgoold on Saturday 6th in Ballinlough at 1.45pm in the East Final. Our u16 team play in the County Final against Killavullen next Friday 12th in Pairc Uí Rinn at 6.40pm. Please come out in large numbers to support the teams.
All in Shanbally NS are very proud of past pupil, Rory Horgan, who lines out for Munster Rugby u19s in their Inter-Provincial game versus Leinster this weekend. Best of luck, Rory!
Parents Association It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the wonderful events which took place towards the end of the school year which were organised by the PA, in particular, our 6th Class Leaving Day and Graduation Night. These were very special occasions and will be remembered by everyone who attended. Thank you to everyone who contributed towards the evening, especially our then 5th Class parents who baked superbly and exhaustively!
Our school community is extremely thankful for the work which the PA has put in to our Book Rental scheme this year again. I know at first-hand how much organising, collecting, checking and double checking needed to be done to put this in place successfully, even through the summer. They deserve huge credit for its smooth operation.
I will be meeting the current PA to plan for the year ahead and to finalise AGM details in due course.
Parents Contributions
We will be writing to you shortly regarding parent’s contributions for the coming school year. When I meet with the Parents Association, it will be one of the items on the agenda. Parents of Third and Fourth classes should note that they will be attending 6 swimming classes in the last term of the school year. You might like to budget for this now.
School Drop-off and Collection
Gates are open by 8.35 a.m. If pupils arrive before then with the gates locked, they must wait at the front or side gate until opened by the Principal or a Teacher. The Board of Management accepts no responsibility for unsupervised children in the morning.
Children are requested to follow our “Meet and Greet” policy as they line up in their appropriate class lines. Official supervision begins at 8.35am.
All children should be on time in the morning to enable them to participate in the line-up of classes at 8.50 a.m. to hear various school announcements etc.
Parents are welcome to accompany their children in the mornings. To develop independence and self-management skills, we would encourage children, from an early age, to enter and prepare for class independently.
The normal hours of finishing are
(i) 1.30 p.m. for Junior and Senior Infant classes. Junior Infants finish at the earlier time of 12 noon until Friday 12th so from Monday 15th they stay until 1.30pm. For the moment, in the mornings you should continue to bring Junior Infants directly to their classroom from 8.35am.
(ii) 2.30 p.m. for 1st to 6th classes
Parents should come to the area in front of the main door to meet their children in Junior & Senior Infants. Parents can wait at the front or side gate for the rest of the classes. If some parents would like to come in, that’s acceptable too.
Car-pooling is encouraged and has huge benefits.
All children should be off the school premises by 1.35 p.m. (Juniors + Seniors) or 2.35 p.m. (rest of school). If there is a genuine reason for being late, this should be explained to the Principal. If a phone call is made ahead of time, Ruth in the office will inform the class teacher who will assist in making arrangements until the parents arrive.
No responsibility will be taken for children who are collected at 1.30pm and who remain on school grounds after that time. Please note that children are not allowed play anywhere on the grounds at this time. At the 2.30 p.m. finish time children awaiting collection should remain on school grounds outside main door. No responsibility will be taken for children who leave the school grounds after 2.30p.m.
Parallel Teaching
We are continuing our parallel teaching in Literacy and Maths this year as it proved very successful last year and indeed was highly commended by the WSE Inspectors. Your child has probably already experienced “Parallel Teaching”, which is a form of teaching that involves a number of teachers working together with smaller groups of students from one class. This initiative had a very positive effect on learning and teaching in the classroom and was hugely beneficial for our students. Children get the opportunity to work in small groups, their difficulties are dealt with promptly as the teacher has more one-to-one contact and they are more likely to be attentive in this setting.
With parallel Teaching and smaller groups, children at all levels benefit:
- Children who struggle with literacy/maths will continue to get the attention and support they need.
- Some children, who might find difficulty in certain aspects of literacy/maths but don’t require continual support, receive more attention in smaller groups and make good progress.
- Higher achievers may be challenged and encouraged to further reach their full potential.
Your child will be regularly withdrawn for group work with a teacher in the areas of Maths and Literacy. The content of the Maths / Literacy lesson will be discussed and planned with the team of teachers assigned to your child’s class for that subject. The class is divided into a number of groups and each group will be assigned a teacher. Essentially, the class teacher will always know the content of the class and is always your first reference should you need to discuss your child’s progress.
Thank you,
David Nolan