September Newsletter

                                                                   September Newsletter 2022                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Dear Parents/Guardians,

A warm welcome to all our pupils, families and staff. A special welcome to our new pupils and parents. We would like to congratulate Mr Shane O Toole on becoming a permanent member of staff and we would like to welcome Miss Maura Murphy to our staff this year as 3rd Class teacher.

A special word of thanks to all the staff and parents who helped during the summer months to prepare the school for this school year. It is greatly appreciated.

Best wishes to all our students, staff, parents, Board of Management and parish community for the academic year 2022/2023.

Kind regards,

Helen Molloy (Principal)

 

Parent/Guardian Information Meeting

You are invited to meet with your child’s class teacher and attend a brief meeting. (Parents/Guardians only)

·       3rd/4th/5th/6th class Wednesday 14th September 7.30pm to 8.30pm

·       Senior Infant/1st/2nd Class Thursday 15th September 7.30pm to 8.30pm

 

Please note the following important school issues which help with the efficient and safe running of our school.

1. Communication

Please visit our school website for regular updates.

If your child is absent, please inform your child’s class teacher,dating the absence and reason.

If at any stage you wish to speak with your child’s teacher, please contact the office at 059 9161304 to arrange an appointment.

2.Supervision

School gates open at 9.10 a.m. Pupils walk directly into their classes. Bus pupils remain on the bus until the gates open at 9.10am and then walk straight into school.

All parents have a duty of care for the safe arrival of their children to school. This includes children who arrive on the school bus.

Young children are not to be left at the gates unattended at any time.

Please note that no responsibility is accepted for pupils waiting outside the school before 9.10am

3.Punctuality

Classes begin at 9.20 a.m. Please ensure that your child is in school on time in order to avoid disruption to

teaching and learning in the class. School ends at 3pm (2pm for infant classes). Children should not normally be

withdrawn from school before the end of the school day. If a child is finishing early, a sign-out register must be

completed in the office.

4. School Uniform

Pupils are expected to wear the full school uniform

  • Plain Navy skirt (Knee length)/pinafore
  • Plain navy pants/tracksuit bottoms/shorts
  • Navy jumper with crest (crests are available in the office)
  • White shirt/polo shirt
  • Red tie (optional)
  • No jewellery except stud earrings.
  • No makeup, false nails or eyelashes.
  • No leggings, jeggings or jeans.
  • Safe and comfortable shoes must always be worn.
  • For reasons of hygiene we urge parents to keep children’s hair tied back while in school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Medication

Children are not permitted to bring medication (other than prescribed medication) to school. Where a child is on prescribed   medication, this must be brought to the attention of the Class Teacher - ref school’s Administration of Medication Policy (available on school website ‘rathvillyns.com’). A form must be signed every year and presented to the school. Please enquire at the office or from your class teacher.

6. School Lunches

In line with the school’s healthy lunch policy, crisps, biscuits, cakes, minerals (fizzy), sweets, chocolate, chewing gum etc. are not permitted in school. As St. Patrick’s National School is a ‘Green School’, children are encouraged to use a lunch box and a re-usable drinks container. We look forward to your co-operation in this matter. The School Meals Scheme resumes in September. This year every pupil can avail of a snack at small break and a lunch at big break. Details will be issued to each parent to order your child’s lunch on a weekly basis.

7. Mobile Phones

Pupils are not permitted to use mobile phones in school or during school activities. Phones must be powered off when pupils enter the school grounds and given to their class teacher.

8. Birthday invitations, Christmas Cards etc

The distribution of birthday invitations, Christmas Cards etc. is not permitted in the school or on the school grounds. A child may feel ‘left out’ if s/he does not receive an invitation.

9. Behaviour

The school believes that a high standard of behaviour requires a strong sense of community within the school and a high level of cooperation among and between staff, pupils and parents. Parents are asked to read through and discuss the school’s Code of Behaviour with their children.

10. Update Form

Please return attached Update Form as soon as possible. Please inform the office as soon as possible of any change of address or contact number. We operate a texting service and it is extremely important to have a contact number in case of emergencies and for information texts.

11. Parking outside School

Parking outside the school has been improved by a new ONE WAY set down system in the bus parking area. This is to safeguard your children at a very busy time of the school day and improve traffic flow.

IMPORTANT- PLEASE DO NOT DO A U TURN AT THE SET DOWN AREA AND HAVE KIND REGARD FOR ALL CHILDREN’S SAFETY.

Swimming Lessons

After three years swimming will resume for 3rd to 6th class pupils on Monday 12th September in

Graiguecullen Swimming Pool. There will be 8 lessons in total. The fee will cover the bus, the pool and lessons: €9 for the first family member, €8 for the second and €7 for the third and every child thereafter. Lessons can be paid for on a weekly basis. There is a limited number of places available so pay early in the week in order to avoid disappointment. Please be aware that children must wear a swimming cap and goggles.

 

Music Generation Carlow

The Music Generation Programme resumes on Tuesday 13th of September. This is a really exciting programme and gives children the opportunity to learn the tin whistle and also another musical instrument during their time in St. Patrick’s N.S. Once again parents will not be asked to pay for music lessons, however the Board of Management would ask all families to make a special effort to support the Annual 6 Week Draw in January/February as the proceeds from this fundraiser will be used to defray the considerable cost of the programme.

 

Book Rental Scheme

Our book rental scheme is an integral and important part of our school. It represents extremely good value for parents (e.g. the cost of the 5th Class rental books comes to a total of   €172.31 for fourteen books plus approx. €10 for plastic covers. All of these books are available to rent from the school for €30). We are constantly working to maintain and improve the scheme and your help and co-operation is important.

 

We would ask you to monitor the condition of your child’s rental books throughout the year. Please encourage your child to look after these books. Ensuring your child has a watertight bottle and/or lunchbox and encouraging him/her to clean out his/her schoolbag on a regular basis may help prevent spillages or damage to books. Where possible drinks should not be carried in the same bag/part of bag as books. The books should not be written on, nor is it necessary to write names or add labels as they all have a number. This year there will be regular spot checks in school also. Failure to return books in good condition may result in exclusion from the book rental scheme in the future.

 

Well done to all the pupils (current and past) who are involved in the Community Games.

Best of luck to Ms Irene O’Byrne and the Rathvilly Tag Rugby Under 11 and Under 16 teams who will be participating in the All Ireland’s in Limerick this month.