Dear Parents,

As we approach the midterm break, I would like to bring the following to your attention:

24 Hour/School Activities Insurance

The deadline for receipt of premiums for the Allianz personal Insurance scheme is Thursday October 24th. The price this year stays at €6 for school only activities and €8 for 24 hour cover. While we strongly encourage parents to consider this cover, it is not compulsory and is at the parents discretion.

Childline Fundraiser

We will hold our annual breakfast fundraiser for Childline on Friday next October 18th. The children will be asked to wear pyjamas/dressing gowns and make a €3 donation towards the appeal. The school will provide the children with a breakfast cereal, kindly sponsored by Nolan’s Supervalu Ballyhaunis. This has proved to be a very popular event in our school calendar, and we thank Ms. Olivia Burke for organising the event again this year. Childline is a very worthy charity providing incredible support to vulnerable children nationwide. It is staffed by volunteers and depends on public donations for survival. We as a school are delighted to support this charity as one of our chosen annual charities and we ask for your support with the breakfast fundraiser.

After School Activities

This year, our after school programme will take place during term 2 from January to March. This is due to ongoing building work and also as the hall will be used, once available for preparation for Christmas performances and for the school choir.

Parent Classes.

I want to draw your attention to a free parenting course starting on November 6th. Please see attached poster for details.

Head Lice etc.

Please use the midterm break to carry out head checks on the children for nits, headlice etc.

Calendar

Friday 25th October: Midterm break. School closes at 12 O’clock. Please arrange for collection at this time.

Monday November 4th: School Reopens

Monday 11th-Friday 15th November: English & Maths Standardised testing.

Thursday 28th & Friday 29th November: Parent/Teacher Meetings

Friday 20th December: Final Day of Term.

Please note the likelihood of a General Election in November. In the event of this occurring, the school will be closed on the designated day.

School Attendance

I will shortly publish data around school attendance for the 2023-2024 school year. Based on preliminary analysis, there is still considerable room for improvement. Parents must be aware that once a child exceeds 20 days absence in a school year, the school authorities are compelled by law to report this to Tusla. Where a child is approaching this threshold the parents will be informed by the school.

School Choir

The school choir is, once again up and running. This year, as well as the liturgical choir, we will have a fully inclusive children’s choir under the direction of Ms. Scully and Ms. Freeley. The full choir will perform at events such as the annual concert at the Friary in December, At Knock Airport on Thursday December 19th and this year as part of the National Peace Proms as part of an all-Ireland children’s choir. We ask that parents who receive a permission letter from our choir directors should return this as soon as possible as rehearsals will commence in the next couple of weeks.

Contact Details,

Parents are asked to ensure that the school has up to date contact details including email addresses and phone contact numbers.

Finally, thanks to every one of our teachers, parents, and pupils for the very positive start to the school year. We hope that we will be in our new building in the next couple of weeks which will be a big bonus to us all. We thank you sincerely for your ongoing support.

Regards,

K. Dennedy