October  2009                                                                                                                  Dáta Eisiúna 20.10.09

Dear Parents,

As the Hallowe'en break approaches our pupils are engaged with the seasonal activities that occur at this time of year.  On Friday next the pupils will participate in the Hallowe'en Mask Parade.  Over the last number of years this has proven to be a very enjoyable and imaginative event.  The pupils have been encouraged to design and construct their own masks for the occasion.  They were encouraged to undertake this activity at home, which provides a great opportunity for parental involvement  in the Visual Arts Curriculum.

An Brat Glas: The Green Flag

Highlight of the term so far was the presentation on Tuesday last of the Green Flag to St. Colmcille’s S.N.S.  This is our 4^th Green Flag and great credit is due to our Green Schools Co-ordinator Ms. O’Gara and her pupil and teacher colleagues on our Environmental Committees.

 This is an area of school life, which is assuming even greater importance with the growing concerns about climate change and its consequent effects.  The 4^th Green Flag was presented for our school’s work on the Transport theme and reflects our Walk to School and Cycle to School Campaigns which have been very successful.  Our in-school surveys show that very few pupils in the Senior School are driven onto the school campus.  A one day check in 6^th class on Tuesday last week revealed that of the 187 pupils in 6^th class, 137 of them walked to school, 20 cycled, 16 took a Park and Stride approach and only 14 of our 6^th class pupils were actually driven onto the school campus.  The weather has been ideal for walking/cycling over the last two months and the co-operation of parents in encouraging our pupils to walk, cycle, park and stride is much appreciated.  Our school campaign for our 5^th Green Flag will commence shortly and will focus on the really important issue of Water and the reduction of usage of this precious resource.

The Mayor of South Dublin County Council, Cllr. Mick Duff, spoke to our pupils at last week’s ceremony and he really engaged their attention.  Thanks also to Cllr. Cáit Keane and all the other guests who attended.  A special thanks to one of our parents, Trish Somerville, who works with South Dublin County Council and has been an invaluable help to us.

Cúrsaí Sábháltachta agus Sláinte: Health and Safety Issues

With the onset of the darker months our pupils are requested to be extra vigilant when out and about.  Our local Community Garda, Danielle Cummins is in the process of speaking to all our pupils on the need to be safety conscious when out and about during the Hallowe’en and winter period.   She referred to road safety issues and the dangers associated with fireworks and bonfires.

 The attendance figures of pupils have been excellent so far this term.  However, a number of cases of the H1N1 virus have recently been confirmed among our pupils.  Advice from the medical experts is that pupils should be kept at home for 7 days if they contract the virus.  Pupils should not be sent to school if they have respiratory problems.  What are the symptoms of the H1N1 virus?  A sudden onset of the illness and a ‘feeling of being flattened’ are two symptoms.  It may or may not be accompanied by a high temperature.

In the last Nuachtlitir I referred to the fact that a minority of our pupils appeared to be coming to school in a semi-exhausted state.  I’m glad to report that the recommendation that pupils be in bed by 9.30 p.m. on every evening including Sunday, prior to a school day, has been put into wider practice.  Proper sleep, diet and hydration make a huge difference to pupil performance.

Finally, on Health and Safety matters, parents are reminded that pupils are supervised from 8.50 a.m. each morning.  The ‘early morning’ pupils who congregate on the school playground or on the green areas around the school before 8.50 a.m. are not under the supervision of the school.  These pupils include a number of rather ambitious tree-climbers who are, it appears, engaging in this pastime on the green areas adjacent to the school.

Cruinnithe le Tuismitheoirí : Meetings with Parents

The annual Parent/Teacher meetings will be held from Monday 16 November to Thursday 19 November inclusive.  Please note that these meetings will be held after school hours on the above listed dates.  Parents will receive a note with a designated time from their class teacher.  These notes will issue the week prior to the meetings.  The Parent /Teacher meetings provide a great opportunity to exchange information.  If there is any particular talent or interest area that your child has, please let the teacher know about it.

If you have a particular concern regarding any aspect of your child's progress and wish to meet your child's teacher outside of the usual Parent/Teacher meeting, you are asked to contact Betty, our school secretary, and a mutually convenient appointment will be arranged with your child's class teacher.  The co-operation of parents in maintaining the appointment protocol is much appreciated.  As parents will understand, it is not possible on Health and Safety grounds for teachers to leave their classes unsupervised.

Aonach na Leabhar: Book Fair

Our annual Book Fair will be held in conjunction with our Parent/Teacher meetings during the week beginning 16 November 2009.  This year we will be holding a Second Hand Book Fair.  Pupils are asked to bring in good quality books and these will be sold at a nominal price.  I’m sure that all families have lots of good quality books which they can recycle into the school population.  In the run-up to the Book Fair Week we will be organising a series of events to promote pupil interest in reading.

Blúiríní: Snippets

·   5^th class pupils will again be participating in the Operation Christmas Child Project this year. Pupils are asked to donate shoeboxes filled with small presents.  A speaker from Operation Christmas Childe spoke to the 5^th class pupils at Tionól today.

·   Goal Jersey Day, organised by Mr. Ruddy’s class, was a great success and raised  €1,443 for the Goal organisation.

·   The entrance area of the school has been decorated on a Hallowe’en theme.  Parents are welcome to come in to view the artwork in the foyer on Wednesday/Thursday of this week, 2.30 p.m. – 3.30 p.m.  Many thanks to   Ms. O’Sullivan, Ms. O’Regan, Ms. McCann and Ms. Woods for their work on this project.

·   Many thanks to Rathfarnham and District Credit Union for their recent donation of €500 to our school.

Féilire na Scoile:  School Calendar 

Hallowe’en        School closes Friday 23 October at 2.30 p.m. Reopening       

                          Monday 2 November at 8.50 a.m.

Staff Meeting    School closes Friday 27 November at 1.30 p.m.

Christmas         School closes Tuesday 22 December at 12 noon.           Reopening Thursday 7 January 2010 at 8.50 a.m.

 The full school calendar for 2009/10 is available on the school web site www.stcolmcilles.org  Parents are requested to note the inclusion of a School Development Planning Day on Wednesday 17 February 2010.

 Cúrsaí Meánscolaíochta: Secondary School Matters

Parents are again reminded that it is our strong recommendation that contact should have been made by now with local secondary schools regarding a place for your child. This contact should be made as early as possible.  If any parent of a child who has entered 3^rd class this year has not yet made contact with local secondary schools, you are advised to do so immediately.  This is not a matter that parents should leave to the last minute.

 Templeogue College C.S.Sp. , (Boys) will hold an Open Day on Tuesday, 10 November 2009 from 1.45 p.m. to 3.15 p.m.

Presentation College, Terenure, (Girls) will hold an open day on Thursday, 12 November 2009 from 11.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.

Cúrsaí Spóirt: Sports News

This season St. Colmcille’s S.N.S. is fielding six teams in the Cumann na mBunscol football leagues.  This means that over 130 boys and girls have been afforded the opportunity and the honour of wearing the school jersey this term.

 Our Senior A Boys Football team, competing in the Cork Kitterick competition,(U-13 Div 1) is currently unbeaten while all other teams have provided lots of entertainment and enjoyable moments.  Great to see the number of parents who attend these games.  Many thanks to the following teachers who have devoted so much time to the teams:  Ms. O’Sullivan, Mr. Sweetnam, Mr. Kearney,       Mr. Brennan, Ms. Ní Fhearghail, Mr. McEvoy, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Johnston, Mr.Ashman, Mr. Patten, Mr. Ruddy and Mr. Dundon.

Captaein na dTithe:  House Captains

Well done to all seventy five of our 6^th class students who went forward for the position of House Captain.  Finally, after a detailed selection process, overseen by Mr. Gearty, the House Captains for the coming year were announced.  Congratulations to: 

Cúrsaí Ceoil:  Music Matters

Our School Choir, Grúpa Tradisiúnta and Scoil Roc Groups are all back in full flow.  Over the last couple of years, the above groups have put on a very popular Oíche Cheoil (Musical Evening).  This year’s date for your diary is Tuesday 8 December at 7.30 p.m.  Further details will follow closer to the date.  Many thanks to Ms. O’Connor, Ms. O’Brien, Mr. Gearty, Ms. Woods, Mr. Brennan and Mr. Casey for their work with these groups.  Mr. Casey, who looks after the Scoil Roc group, has found that many pupils would like to join the Scoil Roc group in 5^th and 6^th, but unfortunately have not got sufficient foundation on the Guitar.  Accordingly, for pupils in 3^rd/4^th classes, who would like to take up the guitar, a guitar teacher will be available to give classes in our school on Wednesday afternoons.  For further information contact James Kneafsey on 087 2802031

 Beir bua agus beannacht,                    

                                                                   ___________________________

                   Padraig Ó Néill (Príomhoide)

The next Nuachtlitir will issue on Tuesday, 24 November 2009.

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