As we begin a new school year I would like to extend a warm welcome back to everybody– pupils, staff, parents and management. First day back is always special and filled with the excitement of meeting friends old and new and looking forward to the adventures of the year ahead. In particular, a very sincere welcome to our new pupils and their families, some of whom are joining our school community for the first time. We hope that your child’s time with us will be happy and rewarding We look forward to assisting with each child’s individual educational journey and aim to do our best everyday to help him or her to achieve the enormous potential that lies within. We are particularly delighted to welcome our new Junior Infants and the pupils who have enrolled in our second ASD Class, Le Chéile 2. The introduction of this class follows on the marvellous success of Le Chéile 1, the presence of which enriched and enhanced our school since its foundation in September 2017. We are delighted to have become a more inclusive school community and to have been chosen as a host school for this further development. We look forward to making new friends and to an enhanced learning environment for all. We regret that planning and heritage issues have slowed the provision of our temporary accommodation for the two Le Chéile classes but are glad to report that all planning issues have now been sorted and we expect to have our new classrooms in the very near future. Following this, we will leave no stone unturned in our quest for a permanent structure which we hope will accommodate all our pupils in a single building on the site of the Junior School.
In addition to welcoming new pupils and families we also extend a warm welcome to a number of new members of staff to our school. We are delighted to retain Ms. Adrienne Burke and to welcome Mr. James Mc Carthy and Ms. Martha O’ Brien to our teaching staff. Our ancillary staff has also increased and we are pleased to welcome Ms. Emma English, Ms. Kathleen O’ Meara and Ms. Anne Maher to their respective SNA roles in addition to Ms. Siobhán Groome and Ms. Nicola Mc Carthy who join Ms. Teresa Kenny as our bus escorts. We thank Ms. Paula Stapleton for her hard work and assistance as bus escort last year and wish her every success in her new appointment. Parents of our new pupils will have already received a School Information Booklet on enrolment. We encourage you to read this carefully as it contains important matters of procedure. The booklet is also available on our school website. However, due to changes in personnel over the summer holiday period we would like to draw your attention to the updated class arrangements for the coming year:
Junior Infants: Ms. Karen Ryan
Senior Infants: Ms. Miriam Lanigan
First Class: Ms. Martha O’ Brien.
Second and Third Classes: Ms. Ann Marie Clohessy.
Fourth Class: Ms. Frances Kenneally.
Fifth Class: Mr. James Mc Carthy/ Ms. Mary Butler
Sixth Class: Mr. Michael Small.
Le Chéile1: Ms. Ailish Murray.
Le Chéile 2: Ms. Adrienne Burke.
Learning Support/Resource Team: Ms. Maeve Slattery, (Deputy Principal), Ms. Joan Quinlan and Ms. Elaine Scanlon.
Special Needs Assistants: Ms. Vera Hogan, Ms. Marian Ryan, Ms. Karen Kinane, Ms. Emma English, Ms. Kathleen O’ Meara and Ms. Anne Maher.
School Secretary: Ms. Clare Ryan.
Bus Escorts: Ms. Teresa Kenny, Ms. Siobhan Groome and Ms. Nicola Mc Carthy.
School Caretaker: Ms. Kathryn Harty.
In the interests of the smooth running of the school we find that it is useful to all to take this opportunity to highlight some important points which can help to avoid difficulties at the beginning of the school year.
- It is vital that children’s personal belongings, jumpers etc. are clearly labelled to avoid losses and potential mix-ups. On a fine day when children remove their jumpers/cardigans it can prove very difficult to keep track of items if they are not labelled. Please check that your child’s name is clearly visible on a regular basis as washing can sometimes cause them to fade.
- Our school has a Healthy-Eating Policy. (See school website). We would respectfully ask that parents bear this in mind when providing pupils’ lunches. As a general guideline we ask parents to confine sweets or other such treats to Fridays. School Milk is available at a subsidised rate to all who wish to avail of it.
- Parents who are not already registered for our Text-a-Parent service and who wish to avail of it are asked to provide a contact mobile-phone number, please. It is vital that any parent who has changed their contact details during the holidays let us know immediately please so that our records can be updated. It is also important to bear this in mind if changing your contact details at any stage during the year. In line with our Green Schools Ethos we are increasingly moving towards electronic communication and text and website messages will be essential in ensuring that parents do not miss out on important organisational matters.
Good communication between home and school is vital. Should you wish to meet with your child’s teacher, or with me, to discuss any matter relating to his/her progress or happiness at school you will be most welcome. In such a situation, in order to facilitate supervision of classes and ensure a productive meeting, it would be most helpful if you would contact the school in advance to make an appointment. Due to our dual campus situation, many parents have found it most convenient to contact Clare, our school secretary, on the school mobile at (086) 0233 023. As Clare’s day finishes at 1.20 p.m. (Mon – Thurs) and at 1.00p.m on Fridays we would advise parents to contact her before this time if at all possible. We would also be glad to receive any outstanding book money as soon as possible, please.
Finally, on behalf of the whole staff, I would like to express our thanks for the many ways in which you support us in our work. In particular I would like to acknowledge the wonderful contribution of our Parents Association and Board of Management, under the leadership of our Chairperson, Mr. Michael Ryan, N.T, to the life of our school. Parents, staff, management and pupils working together in a positive atmosphere is an important fundamental principle of our school. In this way we can endeavour to bring the best out in each and every child. I would also like to acknowledge the enormous contribution of our esteemed colleague, Mrs. Mary Butler, who will retire on September 1st, to Scoil Naomh Cualán and St. Therese’s N.S. Mrs. Butler has made an immense contribution to our schools and parish over the past 37 years and staff, pupils and community will miss her gentle, hardworking and inspirational presence which ensured that every child in her care was truly privileged and happy. Mrs. Butler’s generosity of spirit was pivotal in the formation of Scoil Naomh Cualán and her dedication to our school can never be adequately acknowledged. We thank her most sincerely for everything and wish her and her family good health and every happiness in this new chapter in her life. Go néirí an bóthar leat, a Bhean de Buitléir!
Thanking you for your continued support and assistance,
Looking forward to a happy and productive school year,
Ní neart go cur le chéile,
Le gach dea-ghuí,
_____________________________________
Kay Ryan & Staff.