Dear school community,
7th September 2017
We hope that all new pupils and families are settling in well to the school. We are particularly impressed with our new junior infants who are managing very well and enjoying their new school days with their teachers Kate and Eileen. Please see the photographs taken by Damien on the first day of the new school year on the website
Please keep up to date with information from Wicklow Educate Together NS which is available through weekly newsletter, texts to parents, school wide notices, notes in bags, homework diaries & school website wicklowetns.com. Wicklow Educate Together N.S. are not on Facebook, Twitter or any other social media. For any queries, questions or feedback please approach your child’s class teacher in the first instance or the school office Fran or Lisa (0404 62786) email [email protected]. Please contact Sinead school principal for any further clarification or information [email protected].
We welcome new teachers Maeve Doyle, Louise West, Gina Condell, Alan Bedford and Chloe Fox and SNA Diane Richardson. Additionally, we have been delighted to expand our ASD class provision and appoint a third teacher. Cathy, Denise & Janet are the teachers working in ASD classes this year along with SNAs Alice, Anne, Christine, Diane, Fiona D, Fiona F & Jennifer
Class Welcome Meetings Class welcome meetings will give you an opportunity to learn more about the class routines & homework procedures. All meetings will be held in the classrooms marked in bold below commencing at 9am sharp & should end by 9.30am. We strongly encourage you to attend these meetings.
The schedule for the meetings is as follows ( the teacher highlighted in bold indicates the classroom being used for the meeting)
Wednesday 13 September Junior Infants Eileen & Kate
Thursday 14 September 3rd Class Brian & Alison
Friday 15 September 4th Class Alan
Monday 18 September 1st Class Caoimhe & Louise N
Tuesday 19 September 2nd Class Leanne & Sally
Wednesday 20 September 5th Class Eamonn & Rory
Thursday 21 September 6th Class Edele
Friday 22 September Senior Infants Gina & Paul
Contact details – If your contact details have changed please send them into the school office ASAP i.e. mobile number, telephone number, address, minder etc. It is essential that we have emergency contact details for all children in the school.
Medical details – If your child’s medical information has changed a new medical form must be completed, forms are available from the school office. If you require school staff to administer medication to your child throughout the school day an indemnity form must be completed annually, also available from the school office. The onus is on parents / guardians to check that medication held in school is in date.
Healthy Eating – As the school encourages healthy eating we ask that children do not bring fizzy drinks, chewing gum or crisps to school. Pupils can bring in a small treat on a Friday if they wish.
Allergies – Please be aware that some children in the school have a severe allergic reaction to nuts and strawberries please bear this in mind when you are preparing your child’s lunch. We encourage all children to eat their own lunch (no sharing/swapping), tidy away their own lunch waste into their lunch bag and regularly wash their hands. Please remind your child(ren) of these practices at home.
Safe Set Down & Parking reminder:
- There is NO PARKING anywhere on school grounds.
- When you park on a footpath, or on/near a pedestrian crossing, you are putting a child in danger.
- The yellow zone is for set down only, ie the car moves on once children have alighted.
- From the traffic audit conducted last term, set down usually takes less than 60 seconds.
- If you wish to accompany your child to the building, please park outside the school grounds & walk in.
- When parking in the vicinity of the school, please be mindful of local residents & other road users.
- For everyone’s safety, especially the children’s, it is very important that driveways & local roads are kept clear at all times.
- Here in WETNS, we pride ourselves on being a considerate & courteous community. So when parking, please show due consideration to our neighbours & fellow road users.
Book Rental – The last few rental books will be ready by Monday 11th. We will then have distributed over 2,000 books. A huge ‘Thank You’ to all staff, students and volunteers who have helped with this enormous task.
Sundry Payments 2017-2018 – Sundry payments for 2017/2018 are now due. Please utilise the on-line payments system launched earlier this year (link will be resent on Friday by email) or make payment at the school office. Thank you.
School Insurance – Part of your sundry payment is used to purchase insurance cover from O’Drioscoll O’Neill Insurers. This insurance provides 24-hour cover for minor incidents and injuries that may occur and are not covered by any other insurances you may have. Details are available from Fran in the office.
Dogs – We would like to remind parents that dogs are not permitted on the premises at any time.
Swimming – Swimming at Coral Leisure will commence tomorrow Thursday 7th September for Alan’s 4th & Edele’s 6th class for ten sessions (until Thursday 16th November). Notes were emailed to those classes concerned. The children will walk to the pool at 1.20pm and parents are asked to collect their children at 2.40pm promptly from the pool. It is very important that every child participates in swimming lessons. There may be children who are unable to swim because of medical difficulties. Parents of these children should contact the Principal immediately. On swimming days please make sure that your child has their swimming togs, hat and towel coming to school and dresses in clothes that are easy to manage. T-shirts, long/denim type shorts are not allowed in the pool. Please remember no hat – no swim!
ASD Classes Early Finish – Reminder ASD classes early closure 12 noon Thursday 7th & Friday 8th September for staff training-many thanks.
Please note Denise’s ASD class will finish at 1.30 daily from Monday 11th September.
Library Update – No book donations for the moment thank you! We need to finish off processing the books we already have, before we accept any more. Please do not send in anymore donations for the moment.
Extra-Curricular Update Thank you to everyone who attended our meeting on Monday night. For those who could not attend please see below a brief update of that meeting.
Afterschool snack – if you children are attending aftercare, homework club or an afterschool activity we would ask you to pack an extra snack and small drink as there will be a short snack time at the start of each activity.
Term 1 Extra-Curricular Activities
Registration 27th, 28th and 29th September
Term Dates Starting Monday 2nd October until Thursday 21st December
A full timetable of activities, including days, times, fees and the registration form will be sent out on Monday 18th September.
Homework club – Homework club started on Monday 4th September from 2.30 – 3.30 for 2nd to 6th class pupils only. Cost is €5.00 per day for 1 hour. Registration forms are available in the foyer. 24-hour notice is required for attendance. Brian, Leanne, Kate and Caoimhe will be running homework club this term.
Breakfast club – We are delighted to launch our new breakfast club next Monday 11th September at 7.30am. We would like to welcome Olwyn McHale, Kate Hennessy and Malgorita Nowicka, the new breakfast club co-ordinators. A welcome pack will be emailed on Friday to all those who have registered to attend from next week. Registration forms are available in the foyer if you would like to register. Please send all queries to [email protected]
Aftercare – (from 1.30pm – 2.30pm) for Senior Infants will start on Thursday 31st August at a cost of €5.00 per day for one hour.
Please note, as our new Junior Infants will finish at 12.30 for the first 12 days, aftercare will be available for Junior Infants from 12.30 – 2.30 from Monday 4th September to Friday 15th September at a cost of €10.00 per day for the two hours.
From Monday 18th September aftercare will run from 1.30pm – 2.30pm Monday to Friday for Junior and Senior Infants.
Expression of Interest Aftercare post 3.30pm – Moving forward with an overall development plan for our school, we are considering remaining open until 5pm five days a week. If you feel you may be interested in this service, please fill out an expression of interest form available in our foyer and drop it into the blue box in the foyer.
Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions re any of the items in extra-curricular.
Vaccination & Dental Forms – Vaccination forms for junior infants and dental forms for 2nd and 6th class only are in school bags this week. Please return as soon as possible to the class teacher.
Catholic Communion & Confirmation Information – Classes start next Wednesday 13th September in the De La Salle pastoral centre. Year 1 and 2 of communion are from 3.20 – 4pm. Year 1 and 2 of confirmation are from 4.10-5pm. If you are interested in more information a letter from the parish office will be available for collection from the school office for 1st and 5th class children on Friday. Please refer any questions directly to the parish office.
Note from Izabela and Damien O’Rourke – Dear parents/guardians, we are hosting a coffee morning event in memory of our beloved child whom we lost last October. The event will take place on Sunday the 8th of October 2017 in De La Salle pastoral centre in Wicklow Town. It will start at 11am until 2pm. We have some great raffle prices too. All money raised on the day and from our funding page (Help Baby Anthony for Holles Street make a difference) will go to N.I.C.U Unit 8 in Holles Street National Maternity Hospital. Money will go towards purchasing equipment, parents support and research and study. We also want to help the Bereavement Clinic in Holles street who right now are upgrading rooms for bereaved parents.
Wicklow Triathlon Club Juniors are hosting a great event for junior triathletes and any kids that want to give it a try! The Junior Committee has put together a massive event which is open to all juniors from 8 to 15 years of age with a big focus on participation. You will need to be a member of Triathlon Ireland or a holder of a one day license on the race day but don’t worry, we can sort this as part of your entry. We are calling on all triathlon clubs, swimming clubs, cycling clubs, athletic clubs, rugby and football clubs, schools, societies and anybody who feels that they are up to a challenge to join us in Greystones, Co Wicklow, for the Junior Beast of the East, on Sunday September 24th 2017.We would be most grateful if you could pass this information on to the children at your school.
http://wicklowtri.com/juniors/junior-beast-of-the-east-2/how-to-enter/
Parents Association The Parents Association would like to extend a very warm welcome to all the new families in our school! We would also like to wish all the children, parents and staff a wonderful new school year. Hopefully 2017/2018 will deliver many fun events for the school family.
This year the Parents Association will be seeking to fill the role of Parent Liaison in each class in the school. The Parent Liaisons will form a subcommittee of the Parents Association Committee and will work closely with the committee to deliver parenting courses, school events and suggestions in line with feedback from the parent liaisons. If you are interested in learning more about this role we will be hosting a meeting for interested parents in the library next Wednesday morning at 9.30am.
The following are dates for your calendars, parental participation will be required at each event! We will provide more information in the coming weeks.
11th October Vision Evening facilitated by Educate Together
27th October Halloween Bakesale and parent coffee morning
19th November Winter Maker Festival
23rd November Parent Association AGM (provisional date)
9th December Family Holiday Movie Evening (provisional date)
To contact the Parents Association please email us on [email protected]