Dear Parents,
Many thanks for your understanding and cooperation during the enforced closures endured since returning after the Term 1 holidays. While it is our policy at Scoil Iosa to keep the school open if at all possible, we have a legal obligation to ensure, (a) the health & Safety of all children and staff (b) that all children will be accommodated in classrooms heated to 18 degrees Centigrade and (c) That sanitation and water is adequate to ensure the health of all children including those with special needs and ongoing illness. As such we had no option but to close the school on Monday January 27th as we had no water supply. We apologise for any inconvenience to parents in this regard.
With term 2 well under way and as we move ahead, I would like to bring the following notices to your attention:
Internet Safety.
Today, Tuesday February 11th has been designated as National Internet Safety Day. This is viewed as being a very important day in the school calendar as it allows us to look at the way in which the internet and associated devices have come to influence our daily lives in both positive and negative ways. In listening to media reports pertinent to the whole area of internet access and exposure over the past couple of days, we have been made aware of some stark and alarming data and statistics around internet usage. What has especially struck a chord with teachers and staff here is the unfettered and unsupervised access given to children to the internet by parents/guardians etc. It appears that nationally, over 80% of children over the age of 8 own a smart phone. In a survey taken in our own school in early 2024, we established that over 95% of children attending Scoil Iosa either had their own smartphones or had unsupervised access to a device. If we are to take national surveys of internet viewing into account, this raises the possibility of a proportion of our children having viewed inappropriate content including pornographic sites. We have regularly come across situations where children have smartphones in their bedrooms and spend time viewing content or interacting on social media well past midnight.
As part of our work around Internet Safety Day, the teachers will discuss internet safety with the children. Unfortunately, unless we get buy in from parents in terms of supporting our position, our efforts will be futile.
We ask parents to consider the following:
- Make yourself aware of your child’s internet interactions, Ask yourself what they are viewing?, ask yourself who they are interacting with?, are they party to or involved in cyberbullying?
- Put an end to children taking phones to their bedrooms. The lack of sleep where this occurs is alarming and impacts negatively on schoolwork, participation in sport and ‘real’ social interaction.
- Monitor gaming sites accessed by the children. Are such sites excessively violent or do they promote negative stereotypes.
- Be especially aware of platforms such as TikToc or any site that involves the ability to upload videos. With the advent of AI, images uploaded can be manipulated to produce deepfake pornographic images of the subjects of videos not just on Tiktoc but on other social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram etc. Even something as simple as a video of children dancing or singing can be misused.
- Make sure that your children never interact with strangers looking to share personal pictures. It is well documented the devastation this can cause. (C.f Alexander McCartney case Northern Ireland – available on Google search).
I cannot understate the duty of care which parents have in terms of restricting/controlling/monitoring children’s use of the Internet. We all have a duty to keep our children safe. It is too easy to give children access to devices which may buy quiet time for parents but, at what cost? I am not at all suggesting that all children are putting themselves in danger but if this is true for even one of our children, isn’t that excessive?
Consider taking out membership for your child in any one of the sports clubs in the Ballyhaunis area, let them play outside, promote physical activity in the children.
School Calendar Term 2
Thursday 21st & Friday 22nd : School closed for Midterm break
Saturday 1st March: Peace Proms Choir Festival Limerick
Tuesday 4th March: First Confessions (In Scoil Iosa Hall)
Thursday 13th March: Confirmation at 12p.m.
Friday 14th March: No school for all 5th & 6th class pupils
Monday 17th March: St. Patrick’s Day
Tuesday 18th – Friday 21st March: School Closed, St. Patrick’s Day Break.
Tuesday 8th April: Staff Maths Inservice (School Closed)
Friday 11th April: Final Day of Term.
Monday 28th April: First Day of Term 3
Peace Proms.
Over the past couple of months, our choir team of Ms. Scully, Ms. Freeley and Ms. Cunnane have been preparing our children’s choir for the Peace Proms concert which takes place in The University of Limerick Sports Arena on Saturday March 1st at 2p.m. This is a fantastic spectacle in which choirs from all over Ireland will entertain the audience with a prescribed repertoire of songs. Parents are welcome to attend the concert with tickets available from tickettailor.com or search Google Peace Prom tickets Limerick 2025.
Enrolment
Enrolment of new pupils for the 2025 -2026 school year has commenced. Please note that it is not necessary to re-enrol pupils currently attending Scoil Iosa. The enrolment formalities will continue until Friday May 2nd when places will be allocated.
Swimming.
Swimming commences for pupils in Third class on Monday February 24th. This is financed under the DEIS scheme and is free of charge to the pupils. Please note that it is expected that all pupils will participate in what is a very important facet of the school curriculum. The final day for swimming for pupils in Fourth Class is next Monday, February 17th.
After School Activities
After School activities will continue for another two weeks and will finish on Monday 3rd March. Thanks to parents for ensuring that the children have been collected on time.
Quiz
Congratulation to our Junior Quiz team of Fionn Finnegan, Alessia Palumbo, Fatima Jan and Emily Lynch who finished in a very creditable 3rd place in the Castlebar district Credit Union Quiz. This was a great achievement for the children. Thanks to Ms. Elaine Burke for preparing the children. Well done.
Friary Talks : Roots & Renewal
I have been asked to draw your attention to a talk/workshop taking place in the Friary on Saturday March 8th. I am attaching a poster below with the relevant information:
With Thanks
K Dennedy