Dáta Eisiúna: 31.01.12
Dear Parents,
The school term is well under way at this point and we have certainly been fortunate that the weather has been quite benign. Currently in our school we are concentrating on the development of our School Literacy Strategy. Parents have a huge role to play in developing their children’s interest in reading and parental involvement is a key element of any successful literacy strategy. The long evenings at this time of year do provide parents with the opportunity to focus on the development of their children’s reading. The following piece on the variety of reading material that children should be exposed to may be of interest to parents:
Children should be exposed to as wide a variety of texts as possible. It is important that children have the opportunity to experience a wide variety of forms of text: fiction, non-fiction (fact books), comics, magazines, cookery books, manuals, joke books, pop-up books, puzzle books, poetry books. Variety is much more beneficial to the child as it exposes them to different forms of text and different contexts.
Children can read from their class reader, class novel, parallel/supplementary reader, library book or any other book they may have at home. The aim is to encourage the child to become an independent reader but again it is important to recognise that a little reading done regularly is what develops the habit.
Féilire na Scoile chuig an Cháisc: School Calendar until Easter
The following are the key dates which will take us up to the 30 March 2012.
Mid-Term School closed 16/17 February 2012 (inclusive).
St. Patrick’s Day School closed 19/20 March 2012 (inclusive).
Easter Holidays School closed 2-13 April 2012 (inclusive).
Reopening Monday, 16 April 2012 at 8.50 a.m.
The school calendar is also available at www.stcolmcilles.org.
Hamper Appeal:
In mid December, our school community was asked to contribute to a Christmas Hamper Appeal for a school in West Tallaght. The following note of thanks has been received.
To All in St. Colmcille’s S.N.S.,
Thank you so much for your contribution towards our Christmas Hamper Appeal. I would like to thank you most sincerely for the huge amount of food you contributed to the collection at Christmas. We were able to make up an incredible 100 hampers from what you so generously donated. That far exceeded what we could have hoped to get.
We were overwhelmed with your generosity. You should be so proud of yourselves. You can be assured that the hampers went to very deserving families. Our Home School Community Liaison Teacher and the Parish Sister worked together to identify the families who benefited.
Your kindness made a big difference to 100 families. Once again we thank you on their behalf.
E. O’Shea (Principal)
Comhneartú: Confirmation
Our 6th classes are currently preparing diligently for their Confirmation. The next major occasion on the schedule is the Service of Light, scheduled for Wednesday 8 February 2012 at 8.00 p.m. in St. Colmcilles Church.
Blúiríní: Snippets
• Coláiste Éanna – Secondary School for Boys, Ballyroan Road - will be holding an Open Day for current 5th class boys and their parents on Saturday 3 March 2012 (10.00 a.m. – 12 noon).
• Well done to our School Choir, Grúpa Traidisiúnta, Scoil Roc Group and 3rd Class Folk Group who all performed brilliantly at the Oíche Cheoil in December.
• Four of our classes enjoyed their trip last week to Sancta Maria College to see the musicalperformed by the Transition Year students.
• 5th class Vision Tests were conducted last week.
• Four of our House Captains, Aoife O’Driscoll, Conor O’Donoghue, Eoin McCarthy and Katie McNeilis were interviewed recently on the RTE Drive Time Programme which did a feature on Primary Education and put the spotlight on St. Colmcille’s S.N.S./J.N.S. last week.
• Our thanks to the Knocklyon Parish Christmas Fair Committee for their recent generous donation to our school.
• Many thanks to Fiat Garages, Airton Road for their donation of Hi-Vis Jackets to our school pupils. Pupils are encouraged to wear the jackets as an enhanced safety measure.
Suíomh Idirlín: Web Site
Our school web site has recently been revamped. Sincere thanks to Mr. Dundon who coordinated this project. While on the topic of cyber matters I would refer parents to the website of the Office of Internet Safety www.internetsafety.ie which provides plenty of material for parents to ponder.
Parents need to be very aware of the potential risks that attach to social networking sites. My own view is that children of Primary School age are too young to be engaging with Facebook and other forms of social networking. Personally, I have never come across even one cogent argument as to why a child of primary school age needs to be involved in Internet networking. “All of his/her friends having a site” is a very weak argument. Ultimately, it is up to parents to make their own informed decisions but parents cannot abdicate responsibility on these matters.
Cúrsaí Timpeallachta: Environmental Matters
Last week our 4th classes attended a presentation on Recycling, delivered by a representative of WEEE Ireland. Among the recycling initiatives running currently in our school are the recycling of phones, ink cartridges, stamps and batteries.
As the days lengthen and we look towards spring, I would encourage parents and pupils to rediscover the joy of walking/cycling to school. Our environmental committee under the direction of Ms. O’Gara are planning a big push on the Walk to School/Cycle to School theme, beginning on 1 March 2012.
Cúrsaí Spóirt: Sporting Matters
The Dublin Cumann na mBunscol Primary Schools Hurling and Camogie Leagues will commence in late February. Our school senior teams are already training and we look forward to a successful season. The 6th class pupils (and staff) are really enjoying their weekly Aerobics workout. Badminton, Swimming and Irish Dancing classes have also recommenced. The 5th class Cycling Safety programme will begin in late February.
Ranganna Iar-Scoile:Extra Curricular Classes
The following extra curricular classes are up and running: Art & Craft, Computers, Craft (Sewing/Knitting), Guitar, Gymnastics, Hip Hop, Irish Dancing, Spanish and Speech & Drama
Liostaí Feithimh do Scoil Cholmcille: Waiting List for St. Colmcilles S.N.S.
We will shortly be contacting parents who have children on waiting lists for a place in St. Colmcille's S.N.S. for the school year 2012/2013. If you know of any person seeking a place, please ask them to contact the school as soon as possible. Likewise, if there is any family with children currently in our school relocating this year, we would appreciate the information as soon as possible to enable us to offer places to those on our waiting list.
Roimh Am Scoile Ar Maidin: Before School in the Morning
As the weather hopefully improves, this is a timely reminder concerning procedures before commencement of school in the morning. Pupils coming to school or congregating on the school grounds or on the nearby greens before
8.50 a.m. are doing so at their own risk. Parents should be aware that if their children are participating in informal games of football, rugby or hurling on the nearby greens before 8.50 a.m., a risk of injury does obviously exist. Supervision of pupils commences at 8.50 a.m.
Seachtain na Scoileanna Caitliceacha: Catholic Schools Week
Catholic Schools Week is being celebrated in our school this week. The various houses will come together for House Tionóil. Many thanks to our House Captains and Ms. A. Murphy who are coordinating the week’s activities. The culmination of the week’s activities will be a school Mass which will be held on Friday next 3 February 2012 at 11.10 a.m. in St. Colmcilles Church. Parents are very welcome to attend.
Nuacht Eile: Other News
• Our Green School Contest will be running over the next couple of weeks, culminating with the final on Monday 13 February 2012.
• Many thanks to Ann Loughman (Chaplin, St. Colmcille’s Community School), Geraldine Glasgow and Bro. Dave (Carmelite) who were the facilitators for our 6th classes on their recent Day of Reflection.
• The average daily attendance during the first term was 96.5%.
• Many thanks to Gerry Cooney of the Rutland Centre who spoke to our 6th class pupils yesterday on the topic of addiction.
Beir bua agus beannacht,
Pádraig Ó Néill (Príomhoide)
The next Nuachtlitir will issue on Wednesday 29 February 2012.
School Building Project Update
Considerable progress has been made recently on the erection of the temporary classrooms for the Senior School on the Ballyboden St. Enda’s site at the Sancta Maria complex. It is expected that preparatory work will be set in train shortly around the existing Senior School building in order to facilitate the transition of our Junior School to the Senior School building.
A further update will issue in the February Nuachtlitir.
Boards of Management
St. Colmcille’s S.N.S./J.N.S.