Welcome back to school!
All pupils and families are very welcome back to school! I would like to extend a very special welcome to our four new junior infants, Cillian Egan, Sofiya Rose Parlak, Lola O’Callaghan and Faye O’Sullivan and also to Niamh O’Brien who has joined fifth class. We send best wishes to all associated with our school for what we hope will be an extremely happy and successful academic year.
Confirmation
We congratulate our current sixth class pupils and members of last year’s sixth who made their Confirmation in Nicker Church on Saturday last. Thanks go to Fr. Pat and to Mr. Heffernan for their work in preparing the candidates.
First Holy Communion
First Holy Communion will be celebrated in Templebraden Church at 11am on Saturday 11th September. We send best wishes to Daniel Leaden, Seán Poff, Daniel McGrath, Ciara Carroll and Róisín Grace, as they complete preparations for their big day. Thanks are extended to Ms. Hickey for her work in preparing the children for Communion. We will advise families regarding numbers allowed in the church as soon as we receive this information.
Farewell Fr. Pat!
We wish to acknowledge the immense contribution made to our school by Fr. Pat Burns during his time serving as parish priest in Pallasgreen/ Templebraden. Fr. Pat served on several boards of management at our school and was a continuous source of support to all involved. He offered pastoral support and friendship to us all and played a key role in preparing our children for sacraments each year. We wish Fr. Pat every happiness in his new role in Cashel. He will indeed be missed here in Garrydoolis.
Welcome Fr. Tomás!
We take this opportunity to offer a very warm welcome to Fr. Tomás O’Connell and we look forward to working with and getting to know him. We hope that his time in Templebraden will be very happy indeed.
Compliance with Safety Strategies
Pupils have made an excellent start settling back into our safety routines and it is wonderful to see in them a genuine interest in keeping each other safe and well. All families should have received our related letter via email prior to reopening.
Homework
With regard to homework activities, we will continue to reduce the passage of books and copies between school and home.
In the junior and senior classrooms, pupils will receive homework for the week on Monday and should not return same until Friday.
Ms. Jordan will follow the same procedure for all groups for whom she sets homework.
We ask that pupils only complete the homework assigned for each night as they progress through their homework lists and we thank parents for their supervision of same.
Whilst homework journals were listed on your list of fees, it has again been decided by staff to hold onto them. Instead, your journal contribution has been put towards renewal of online resources for all pupils; IXL English and Maths.
As last year, we kindly ask that you sign either the homework sheet each evening in the case of infants or the students’ homework copybooks in the case of classes first to sixth.
Should you wish to submit a note to the class teacher, which would have originally gone into the homework journal, you may submit same via the school email please.
We will not utilise Seesaw, our online learning platform, for homework activities during the first half term.
Junior Infant Timetable
Junior infants will go home at 12 midday during their first two and a half weeks at school. Therefore, junior infants will start to go home at 1.40p.m., as normal, on Thursday 16th September.
Treetops Montessori
Please note that Tracy Hourigan is picking up for afterschool from Garrydoolis N.S. at both collect times this year; 1.40pm and 2.40pm. Should you wish to make further enquiries please contact Tracy on (086) 871 8028.
Staff Meeting
A staff meeting will be held on Friday 10th September. Please note that school will close at 1.40p.m. on the day. This will not affect the new infants who will still be on the 12 midday pick up.
Student Council
The formation of our student council will take place in the senior classroom on Thursday 9th of September. As in previous years, five members of the senior class will be elected to represent students during this school year. All pupils interested in being part of the student council will be asked to prepare a presentation/speech outlining their ideas. As last year, the names of all interested candidates will then be put into a hat and five will be chosen at random to form the council.
Incredible Edibles
We extend congratulations to senior pupils and Mr. Heffernan who achieved the Incredible Edibles Gold Award for their completion of the project during last school year.
Upcoming Projects
This year, we will complete our Creative Schools Project during the first term. It is hoped that senior pupils will take part in the Junior Entrepreneur Project and Incredible Edibles’ Programme, whilst our focus on robotics will also be renewed. Junior pupils will begin the Scratch Programme, whilst at whole school level we will work towards our seventh green flag based on Global Citizenship and Energy. Whilst maintaining our pods, we will restart Mata sa Rang and Maths Blast activities across the school this year and Literacy Lift Off will recommence in a covid-compliant manner in the junior classroom.
Friendship Week will be celebrated during the week beginning September 20th, whilst we will mark Tree Day in early October and Maths Week during the week beginning October 11th. We certainly will be busy!
Treat Friday
As last year, pupils may bring a small treat to school every second Friday. This Friday, 3rd September, is the first “Treat Friday.”
Sammy Stamps
Our Sammy Stamps Saving Scheme will recommence on Tuesday 7th September. Stamps will be sold to pupils every Tuesday this year. Sammy Stamps provides an opportunity for children to develop the habit of saving and to open an account in the local credit union. It is a completely optional activity.
Wellbeing Wednesday
In line with our promotion of wellbeing and positive mental health, pupils will complete a related activity in school each Wednesday.
A Few Reminders
Communication: At Garrydoolis N.S. we encourage communication and the sharing of ideas and opinions. Should a parent wish to meet his/her child’s class teacher he/she is most welcome to do so. Parents can arrange an appointment by writing to the teacher, via email at garrydoolisns@gmail.com or by mentioning it to the teacher when collecting their child. In the event of an emergency during school holidays/ outside of school hours, contact with the principal/ school authorities may be made via email. The phone answering service is also operational, should you wish to leave a message.
Uniform/P.E. Day: Children are expected to wear their full uniform to school each day. Heeled and wedged shoes are discouraged. The school tracksuit should be worn only on each Monday and Friday. We always recommend that children keep a spare pair of socks in schoolbags as they may prove useful on wet days. Tracksuit orders were distributed to pupils on the first day back. Pupils should wear tracksuits as of this Friday for P.E.
Healthy Lunches: Pupils are encouraged to bring a healthy lunch to school in line with our healthy eating policy. Treats such as fizzy drinks, chocolate, crisps and sweets should be avoided. Pupils are welcome to use the fridge in the support room should they wish to bring a beaker of milk. Please ensure that drinks bottles are labelled. In the event of a birthday or special occasion, parents are welcome to provide treats for their child to distribute amongst classmates, should they so wish. Equally, teachers may choose to present a treat as acknowledgement of an achievement. As we all become increasingly aware of the importance and benefits of healthy eating habits, we encourage your support in this regard.
Reduce our Rubbish! In connection with our green schools project, we would ask that all pupils continue to take lunch rubbish home in their lunchboxes in an effort to reduce rubbish levels in the school. We thank pupils and parents for their continued cooperation with this endeavour. This year we commence work on our seventh green flag!
Birthday Invitations: We ask that invitations to birthday parties are distributed outside of school please.
Explanation of Pupil Absences: As you are aware, teachers have a strict obligation in tracking pupil attendance at school. At Garrydoolis, we are exceptionally lucky to have such an exemplary pupil attendance record. We kindly ask that parents provide a written explanation via the school email to their child’s teacher in the event of absence from school.
Traffic
We wish to remind parents/ minders that, due to our school’s location, drivers are requested to refrain from turning their cars outside of the school building. We would also ask that out of respect to our neighbour, the private driveway adjacent to the school would not be blocked by school traffic. The safety of all of our pupils and their families is of the utmost importance to us and we thank you for your co-operation in this regard. We kindly ask all families to adhere to social distancing advice at drop off and collection times.
Dates to Remember
- Sammy Stamps recommences- Tuesday 7th September
- Student Council Elections- Thursday 9th September
- Staff Meeting- Friday 10th September, school will close at 1.40p.m.
- First Holy Communion- Saturday 11th at 11am
- Friendship Week- 20th September
- Maths Week- 11th October
- Halloween Holidays and Dress Up- Friday 22nd October
Please note that school will reopen to pupils on Tuesday 2nd November following Halloween break. (Teachers will complete training in the new Primary Language Curriculum on Monday 1st November.)
With thanks to all families as we commence another busy year at Garrydoolis N.S. Keep up with news and photos on our website www.garrydoolisns.com
Kind Regards,
H. Jordan