Newsletter - September 2018

Our Lady’s N.S.

Ballingarry, Thurles, Co Tipperary.

Tel/Fax:           052 9154533

Email:              ourladysns@gmail.com

Friday 7^th September 2018

Welcome Note

On behalf of the staff of Our Lady’s N.S., I would like to welcome each child and parent to the beginning of a new school year.  A special welcome to our new junior infants, and also to the Kelly family.  Welcome back also to our hardworking Parents Council and many thanks to them for the wonderful job in organising our Book Rental Scheme.  I would also like to thank Evelyn, our cleaner for having our school looking so well on our return and for her beautiful artistic work in our school yard, Pat Walsh, our caretaker for all his hard work over the Summer, painting, cleaning and gardening to mention but a few.

Pupil Personal Insurance

We would encourage all parents to avail of the pupil personal insurance scheme.  This gives 24 hour insurance for your child at the cost of €9 for 24hr cover or €6 for in school cover only.  Please return forms and money to the school by Friday 14^th Sept.

Day to Day Rules / Annual Consent Form

Day to Day rules and Annual Consent forms must be signed by all parents/students and returned to the school by Friday 14^th Sept please. 

Contact Information

We are in the process of updating all our school contact info for all families.

We have noted our text-a-parent costing are quite expensive.  We would appreciate just one contact number (where possible) per family for text-a-parent purposes.  Other emergency contact numbers will be kept on file.

Your email address would also be helpful for forwarding any school policies being reviewed or implemented during the year.

Garda Vetting

All parent volunteers who help in any areas of school life must be garda vetted.

Garda Vetting Forms available in the office.  Any parents wishing to accompany infants swimming must be garda vetted.

P.E. Programme

GAA Coaching will continue in the school again this year for 1^st to 6^th class.  Pupils must wear helmets and school tracksuit.  Mrs Egan’s class wear school tracksuit on Mondays and Thursdays.  Mrs O’ Dea’s class wear tracksuits on Tuesdays and Fridays, 3^rd to 6^th classes wear tracksuits up to mid-term.  Gum shields will be needed for football training from 1^st - 6^th Class for November, December and January.

Shorts/Polo shirts may be worn up to end of September.

On P.E days please ensure children wear suitable footwear.

For G.A.A training from 1^st – 6^th all students need a change of footwear for the field.

Full uniform every other day please.

Homework

Homework is given to all pupils on a regular basis.  We ask you to ensure that it is done carefully and child’s journal signed each night.

Infants do not have a homework Journal.

Absenteeism

If your child is absent you must write a note stating reason for absence.  It can be written into your child’s diary. *If a pupil is absent 20 days or more we are legally obliged to notify the Education Welfare Board and you will probably receive a visit from Education Welfare Officer.

When infants are absent Mrs Egan will give them a slip to fill in on their return.

Graduates of 2018

Congratulations once again to our Graduates of 2018.  We wish them well in the years ahead.  A big “Thank you” to them for the beautiful gift of the Buddy Bench.

*Requisites Money

We would like to take this opportunity to ask parents who may not yet have sent in the requisites money to do so as soon as possible please.  Thank you to the parents who have already done so.

Junior/Senior Infants €15, 1^st to 6^th class €21 this money covers homework journal, art & craft materials, photocopying, standardised tests, S.A.E. for reports

Health and Safety

The health and safety of all our staff and students is of paramount importance to school management.

I would strongly urge any parent with any issues related to any area of school life to follow proper procedures in having the matter dealt with.

Dates for the diary

DATE	EVENT
Sun, September 30th	Sponsored Walk
to be confirmed	Recycling Day (clothes, footwear etc)
Oct 11th -18th	Book Fair
Fri, Oct 12th	GOAL Jersey Day
23rd Oct, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30thNov,  7th, 14th and 18th Dec	Swimming Dates – 3rd to 6th Class
Tues 13th & Wed 14th Nov	Parent/Teacher meetings
Fri, 26th Oct	Polling Day – school closed
Thurs, Oct 25th, return Mon Nov 5th	Halloween Mid-Term Break Fancy Dress / Games Playing / Mini Cake Sale
12noon Fri 21st Dec, return Mon Jan 7th 2018	Christmas Holidays.

Swimming Dates

As the swimming pool can only accommodate a maximum of 80 children we have had to arrange two swimming sessions again this year.  The new time table for 3^rd – 6^th class is the only option available to us for this year.

Swimming for Infants – 2^nd class will commence after Easter on Monday March 25^th.

Infant parents wishing to attend must be garda vetted. This process takes a while so please call to the office for forms.

Office Hours

Rose, our secretary is available in the office Mon – Thurs from 9.30am – 1.30pm.

I hope all our school community have a happy and successful year ahead in “Our Lady’s N.S.”.

Thanking you

___________________________

Ms S O’ Sullivan

Our Lady’s N.S. School Calendar 2018 – 2019

                                               School Closures

Halloween Mid-Term – Thursday 25th Oct, re-open Mon 5^th Nov

Christmas Holidays – Fri 21^st Dec at 12noon, re-open Mon 7^th Jan ‘19

February Mid-Term Break – Thursday 21^st & Friday 22^nd Feb

Bank Holiday – Monday 18^th March

Easter Holidays – Friday 12^th April at 12noon, re-open Mon 29^th April

Confirmation Day – Friday 3^rd May

Bank Holiday – Mon 6^th May

School Closed – Friday 31^st May

Bank Holiday –Mon 3^rd June

Summer Holidays – Wed 26^th June

* School will close at 12noon for Christmas, Easter and Summer holidays   only.

*2 more dates to be added to calendar as soon as we get dates for First Holy Communion and In-Service Day.