Dáta Eisiúna:  26.05.09

 Féilire na Scoile:  School Calendar until Summer

The following is the complete school calendar up to the return to school on Monday 31 August 2009.  Please note that St. Colmcille's S.N.S. will close on Friday 5 June due to the fact that school facilities will be in use for the three elections being held that day.

Staff Meeting                School closes Friday 29 May at 12 noon.

 June Bank Holiday         School closed Monday 1 and Tuesday 2 June.

 Elections                      School closed on Friday 5 June 2009.

 Summer Holidays          School closes Tuesday 30 June at 12 noon.

                                    Re-opening on Monday 31 August at 8.50 a.m.

The school calendar for 2009/10 is available on the school website www.stcolmcilles.org  The school will reopen after the summer holidays on Monday 31 August 2009 – please note that in order to facilitate a staff meeting pupils will go home at 12 noon on that date.

 Mr. S. O'Néill ag Éirí as:  Retirement of Mr. S. O'Neill

All of us here in St. Colmcille's S.N.S. wish to extend our very best wishes to Mr. S. O Neill (Assistant Principal) who is retiring at the end of this school year.  He has given 40 years sterling service to Primary Education and over the last 32 years he has made a huge contribution to the education of countless pupils here in St. Colmcille's S.N.S.  His benign presence, integrity, wisdom and great knowledge will be missed by all of his fellow teachers, staff and pupils who hold him in the highest regard.  We all wish him many happy and healthy years in which to enjoy a merited break from the rigours of full time work.

 Cúrsaí Spóirt: Sports News

Sport is an integral part of life in St. Colmcille's and over 300 of our pupils have been involved in extra-curricular sports activities this term.  Our Senior A Camogie team, coached by Ms. Ní Reachtabhra and Ms. J. O'Sullivan is currently unbeaten and we look forward with hope to a possible final appearance.  Our Senior A Hurlers, coached by Mr. Sweetnam and Mr. Dundon are in the concluding stages of their Herald Cup Campaign and are still in with a chance of making the final.  Our Senior B Hurlers under the all Mayo coaching combination of Mr. Ruddy and Mr. Patten have reached the semi-final of their competition, while the Senior B Corn Nuri Camogie team coached by Mr. Byrne has completed their league and enjoyed the experience.  The Junior Hurlers coached by Mr. Ashman and Mr. Horan have made huge progress since their competition commenced.

 School sport is ultimately about personal development and formation of character.  Representing the school, wearing the jersey, following in a proud tradition of participation and achievement, is an experience which has huge benefits for young people.

 The school athletics team is currently in training for the Dublin Primary Schools Athletics finals.  The field events will be held in Santry on Thursday 4 June and the track events are scheduled for Tuesday 10 June 2009.  The schools Golf Team (boys and girls) participated in the South Dublin Primary Schools Golf Competition yesterday at the Castle Golf Club.  Adam Carney, 6^th class won the Boys Individual Prize.

Sincere thanks to two of our parents, Vincent Carney and Gerry White who put a lot of time into the selection and organisation of our school Golf Teams.

 All of the above sporting activities would not be possible without the willingness of teachers to invest huge amounts of personal time and energy and also the willingness of parents to provide transport to games and assist in so many other ways.

 Cruinnithe Eolais: Information Meetings

Information Meetings for the parents of new pupils and pupils entering 3^rd class on 31 August 2009 will be held on Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 May 2009 at 7.30 p.m.

Clár Accord: Accord Programme

Accord is the Relationships and Sexuality Programme for 5^th and 6^th classes, which is delivered by trained visiting facilitators.  There were over 140 parents of 5^th class pupils in attendance at the recent Parents Talk.  The visiting speaker Ms. Anita Conlon was delighted with the huge attendance.  The 5^th class pupils undertook their Accord Programme today.  6^th class pupils will undertake the Accord Programme on Wednesday 3 June 2009.

Téascleabhair do 2009/10: Textbooks 2009/10

Booklists for 2009/10 are being distributed today to all current 3^rd/4^th/5^th classes.  Every effort has been made to keep costs to reasonable levels.  One cost saving strategy we are employing is requesting parents to donate their child's current "Alive-O" religion book to the school.  Sets of these books will be held in each classroom with a cost saving of €12 per pupil.  We are also publishing our own spelling book at a reduced cost to parents.

 The Voluntary Subscription has been maintained at €30.  The fact that 95% of parents pay the voluntary subscription is a huge help to our school in resourcing the many areas of the curriculum which the Department of Education and Science does not financially support.  Historically the Department of Education and Science provided a small grant to schools each year to assist families with financial difficulties in the purchase of textbooks.  The Department of Education and Science is not making any grant available this year.

 Cór na Scoile:  School Choir

The school choir have had a very busy year and on Friday last they travelled to New Ross, Co. Wexford to participate in a Choral Festival.  They performed brilliantly and were presented with a Highly Commended award.  Buíochas to Ms. E. O'Connor, Ms. S. O'Brien and Mr. J. Gearty for all their work with the choir this year.

 Blúiriní: Snippets

*        Last week we held our annual English Standardised Tests.  This week our annual Maths Standardised Tests will be held.

*        Michael Brennan, a local historian and one of the "old" residents of Knocklyon will speak to the 3^rd classes this week on ‘Knocklyon in Olden Times’.

*        140 boys and girls from 3^rd and 4^th classes participated in the Ballyboden St. Enda’s Inter-School Hurling, Camogie and Gaelic Football Blitz Competitions recently.

*        Garda Danielle Cummins, our local Community Garda, spoke to all 6^th class pupils at a recent Tionól on the topic of Internet Safety.

*        All of our 6^th classes recently enjoyed their Samba Drumming Workshops.

*        The Graduation Mass for our 6^th class pupils will be held on Wednesday 24 June at 8.00 p.m. in St. Colmcilles Church.  There will be a Coffee Morning for the parents of the graduation pupils at 10.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m. on the same day in the school hall.

*        Our 6^th classes had their annual Tag Rugby Blitz yesterday.  While on a rugby theme, well done to two of our ex-pupils, Malcom O'Kelly and Shane Jennings on their great success with Leinster.

*        Ms. O'Regan, our Visual Arts co-ordinator recently conducted a Responding to Art Workshop with our various class groups at Tionól.  Our pupils' responses to the work of Andy Warhol and Hundterwasser were very interesting to listen to.

*        If we were to reach a Cumann na mBunscol final, it would appear that the possible final dates will be either 18 June or 22 June 2009.  The date has yet to be finally confirmed.

Ath-thógáil na Scoile: School Redevelopment

In the run up to the forthcoming elections St. Colmcille’s S.N.S. and J.N.S. recently issued postcards to parents and the local community with a photograph of the proposed school on one side and a series of questions to be addressed to canvassers/politicians on the other.  We know that already many parents have raised these issues with the politicians and thank you for so doing.  The upcoming elections provide an opportunity to focus on the issue of the re-development of our schools.  We strive on a daily basis to provide a quality education for our pupils.  For pupils and staff the provision of such a quality

education is not helped by the condition of the prefabricated accommodation, (much of it is over 25 years old) in which 500 pupils are being educated.  

On Friday next all the candidates in the upcoming elections along with the current local representatives are being invited to our school to discuss this matter with us.

Lá Fhéile Cholmcille: St. Colmcilles Day

Over the last number of years St. Colmcilles Day has become a special occasion in the school calendar.  It has become a great community celebration and we are looking forward to this year’s event on 12 June 2009.

A detailed note will be issued during the week beginning 8 June 2009 but we look forward to the usual large parental presence at the following events:

  9.30 a.m.                      Pilgrimage to St. Colmcilles Well.

  10.00 a.m.                   Special St. Colmcilles Day Mass. School Choir will sing       

  1.15 p.m. – 2.30 p.m.  Inter House Athletics on the Green.

  7.00 p.m. – 8.00 p.m.   Design & Make and Art Exhibition.

The Design & Make theme this year is “Flight”.  This is a great opportunity for parents to work with their children on the design and construction of anything that is flight related.  Keep an eye out for the note with the programme of activities.

 Campa Samhraidh: Summer Camp

St. Colmcille's Summer Camp starts on Wednesday 1 July and ends on Friday 10 July 2009.  Activities include swimming, sports, drama, mystery tour and tuck shop.  Enquiries to Ms. Glennon – Room 10.

Beir bua agus beannacht,

                                                                                     _______________________

                                          Pádraig Ó Néill (Príomhoide)

 The final Nuachtlitir of the year will issue on Tuesday 23 June 2009.

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