Dear Parents/Guardians, Thursday 20th October 2016

Travel Safety To & From School The school has set up a small sub-committee to review safety & mobility issues on the public roads & paths leading to the school. We’ve already had success in getting traffic-light signals re-programmed at the junction of Rocky Road & Hawkstown Road. We intend to continue developing the relationship with the Council in order to address issues relating to safe & sustainable travel to school in short and long term. If anyone has any specific concerns relating to safety in the immediate vicinity of school or even more longer-term thoughts about safe and sustainable travel as the area becomes more built-up, please email Janice [email protected] or Jerry [email protected]. Any responses will help us devise a range of priorities to bring to the Council. Thanks, Janice (Doyle), Donna (Connolly), Jerry (O’Neill).
Car parking – Our New Neighbours & Disabled Parking Spaces Please note that we have had a number of complaints from our new neighbours in relation to some of our parents/guardians blocking driveways whilst dropping off and collecting their children.

Please be respectful of the disabled parking spaces which are reserved for those with mobility issues and also for parents/guardians with children attending the ASD classes. Please respect this and show courtesy to those who need these spaces.

Break Time – Play Time: Roll-out Continues We have introduced some more new activities this week. The children continue to learn playground games during their PE lessons and are enjoying some of the new activities at play time as they’re gradually introduced. The children are learning about their rights and responsibilities and the need for respect, with regards to each other, the grown-ups in the yard and the equipment.

As with all aspects of school life, these activities will be regularly reviewed and will be maintained or changed as necessary. If you have any suggestions to make, could you please write them down and send them in to your child’s teacher? They will be passed on to the relevant co-ordinating teacher and considered during our next review. Looking forward to seeing our pupils respectful, happy and actively engaged at playtime.

Volunteers for lunch-time Running Club We are setting up a running club for lunch time (20 mins) on Thursdays. If you’d like to volunteer to help with this please leave your name with Fran at reception.

Open Day As we are still settling into our new building we will reschedule for another weekend next month. Apologies.

PTA Notes HOLIDAY GREETING CARDS Once again WETNS pupils will have the opportunity to design their own holiday greeting card. Templates and guidelines/instructions will be sent home with the children in the coming days. Time is tight on this one so there will be “Card Designing Homework” for all pupils once they arrive in and we are asking that the completed designs be brought back in to school the following day. Please do not include any payment with the design. A sample card will be returned to your child with an order form at a later date.

SPRAOI NA SAMHNA – Friday, 28th October WETNS will be celebrating Spraoi na Samnha (Halloween) next Friday, 28th October by hosting a Creepy Costume Parade and Monster Bake Sale. All classes will get the opportunity to visit the bake sale throughout the school day and so BAKING HOMEWORK FOR ALL CLASSES on Thursday evening, 27th October! Time to go wild with the witchy stuff and scary sprinkles! With allergies in mind, please NO NUTS or STRAWBERRIES and if anybody would like to include some allergy-tolerant goodies, e.g. gluten-free, egg or dairy-free it would be much appreciated. Also savoury stuff is always welcome, e.g. sausage rolls, mini-quiches, etc. If you wish to have your tray/tin/container returned to you please mark it with your name and mobile number. If your child has an allergy please ensure that the school office is aware of the details. Maximum €2 spend per child. There will also be a COFFEE MORNING FOR PARENTS from 10.15am – 11.30pm approximately so please come along.

PARENT HELPERS NEEDED, as always, to man the bake sale and coffee morning. Contact Yvonne on 089 418 5867 or email [email protected] if you can spare an hour between 9 am and 2 pm. (Sorry, our PTA email is out of commission at the moment!). Free coffee and buns for all helpers (Not a bribe. Just saying …)

All proceeds from Spraoi na Samnha will go towards funding playground equipment and facilities.

PARENT & PTA CONTACT CONSENT FORMS – FINAL CALL Class Parent Liaisons hope to issue parent contact lists to consenting parents early next week. If you have not already completed a consent form and would like to have your details included on the parent contact list for your child(ren)’s class you can obtain a form from Fran in the school office or alternatively text Yvonne 089 418 5867 or email [email protected] and we will send a form home with your eldest child. Only one form per family need be completed.

Costume Re-Cycling Rail If you have a costume that your child has outgrown or no longer uses why not donate it to the Costume Re-cycling Rail? Only costumes in wearable condition please and it would be helpful to mark the age/size on it. Donations of Costumes can be left at the clothes rail in the foyer. No price tags but donations appreciated.

LIONS CLUB PUB QUIZ – WEDNESDAY, 2nd NOVEMBER in ERNIE’S BAR, MARKET SQUARE. Once again the Lions Club have very kindly included WETNS in their list of beneficiaries for a pub quiz. Tables of 4, €40 per table. We will be required to put in at least 8 tables so start gathering your allies together (or just turn up on the night and we’ll make up tables from whoever is available.) Details to follow next week, look out for the posters.

Skipping At School with ‘Skip 4 Life’. On Mon 07th Nov children from 1st – 6th classes will get the opportunity to have a Skipping Class with ‘Skipping 4 Life’. We would ask for a donation of €1 per child towards the cost, to class teacher directly.

Student Council 2016/17 We are all very pleased to announce that the Student Council 2016/17 has been elected. They are:

Class

Representatives

2nd Leanne

Fionn & Urte

2nd Sally

Iona & Naoise

3rd Alison

Sarah & Callum

4th Aidan

Clodagh & Sonny

4th Adele

Hannah & James

5th Rory

Fionn & Isobel

6th Brian

Keira & Bob

6th Edele

Oliver & Kerry

Cathy

Cian

The Student Council play a very important role in our school life. They provide good communication between the student body and staff, and are an essential element in the organisation of events throughout the year. All children on the Student Council were elected as part of a fair and democratic process which saw all candidates make an election speech. Across all classes, these speeches were inspiring and well thought out and all children/candidates are to be commended on their efforts!

Already, members of the council have met on two separate occasions to discuss school life and to develop ideas further. Please keep an eye on the Student Council notice board, located outside Fran’s office, for the minutes of our meetings and details of our ongoing work!

Save the Dates Wednesday 16th November, 7.30pm, School Hall Sharon Hayden from the National Parents Council will give a presentation about parental involvement in schools. The presentation is open to all adult members of school community. Junior Infants’ Vaccinations Junior Infants’ Vaccinations are scheduled for Tues 8th & Wed 9th November. Forms will go home in school bags tomorrow & must be returned to class teacher by Thur 27th October.

Wicklow ETNS Extra-Curricular Activities Rollout & Registration Night – Postponed until 2017 As our settling in period in our new building is taking longer than expected, a collective decision has been made to postpone the rollout of our new Extra-Curricular Activities Programme until January 2017. Therefore, the ECA Registration night scheduled for 18th October has been cancelled. Thank you for your continued support and patience. We will provide regular updates in the newsletter in the coming weeks.

Ethical Education Conference 2016 Educate Together will hold its Ethical Education Conference on the following dates… Fri 25th Nov -3pm-8pm followed by Conference Dinner at 8.30pm Or Sat 26th Nov – 9.30am to 5.10pm If you are interested in attending please book online at ethicaleducation2016.eventbrite.ie or check out the website at www.educatetogether.ie

Rainbows Programme The Guardian Children’s Project is offering young people participation in the Rainbows Programme which is a 12 week peer support programme which helps those affected by the death of a close relative, separation or other painful change in their family. Application forms area available in the school office.

Autism: Parent & Educational Professional Training Sessions Middletown Centre are currently providing a selection of courses. For further information check out [email protected]

Outside School Denominational Instruction Currently preparation for communion and confirmation in the Roman Catholic Faith is available for pupils attending our school. This is a 2 year programme – for communion it is held after school for 1st & 2nd classes and for confirmation in 5th & 6th classes. The preparation takes place in the old ‘De La Salle’ premises. Please contact the Parish Office directly on 0404-61699 for further information.