Dear Parents Issue: 01 September 7th 2022
The staff and I wish to welcome you all back to Scoil Chroí Naofa at the beginning of this new school year. We hope that pupils, staff & parents will have a safe and happy school year.
Condolences:
• Our sincere condolences to Mrs Comer on the passing of her mother over the summer months. May her soul rest in peace. Our thoughts & prayers are with Mrs Comer & her family at this sad time.
Staff News:
• Mrs O’Reilly has resigned her post. We thank her for all her years of service to SCN and wish her all the best in her new role.
• Mrs Hennessy will be job-sharing with Mrs Comer again this year as part of the Special Education Team
• We welcome Mrs Lisa Kinneen to our staff. Lisa is the new SNA in the school
• We also welcome Clare Loughnane & Róisín O’Connor who will be on the Supply Panel with the school for the year.
Important Dates to note:
• Thursday Sept 29th Staff Meeting Term 1 – all the children will go home at 1.15pm
• Thursday Nov 24th Staff Webinar Term 1 – all the children will go home at 1.15pm
Start of Term Reminders:
Children can be dropped off from 8:45am & are to make their way directly to their classrooms / prefabs via the appropriate doors. Class starts at 8.50am. (Colour-coded key to Entrances & Exits attached)
Parents of all children are requested to say goodbye to their children in the yard and let them enter the building / prefab by themselves. This is to foster your child’s independence.
Pick up for Infant Classes is 1.30pm (Junior Infants go home at 1.30pm from Monday Sept 12th)
Pick up for 1st class to 6th class is 2.30pm
When the school day is over the following arrangements will apply:
o Jun Inf & Sen Inf: teacher will bring children to their designated exit door and will release the children into the care of the adult who is there to collect them. Please be aware that there are classes working in the prefabs. We would be grateful if your children could be kept reasonably quiet while passing. Please remind them also, that they are not allowed to go up and down the steps of the prefabs.
o 1st Class: Please make sure that you arrange with your child where exactly you will collect him/her at 2.30pm, e.g. in the yard, at the front wall, at the Church etc. We would ask that you phone or email the office to let teacher know that you are happy that your child knows where they will be collected. They will then be allowed to exit the school through their exit door & make their way to their agreed collection point.
o 2nd – 6th Class: teacher will allow the pupils to leave the classroom at 2.30pm (Please ensure your child knows where they will be collected e.g. school yard, front carpark, church carpark)
Any pupil who gets anxious for whatever reason after leaving the school is asked to return to the school via Door 1 (beside secretary’s office) and sit outside Principal’s office where they will be supervised until contact is made with their parents.
Please label all children’s clothes and belongings clearly including lunchboxes, drink containers, jumpers, cardigans & coats etc.
Your child should come to school in their PE clothes on their PE day. Teacher will let you know on what day your child will be having PE. Please make sure that your child has runners for PE.
Please ensure your child brings their raincoat to school for days that will be wet. Outdoor activity is encouraged by the Department of Education.
Children with long hair should have it tied back.
Please make sure you have downloaded the Aladdin app on your phone and have notifications turned on, as teachers may be using it to correspond with parents during the school year.
If your child has been absent from school please record the reason for the absence on the Aladdin app (you will need to wait until teacher has marked your child absent first, before you will be given the option to record the reason).
If you choose; you may share your own contact details with other parents of children in the same class as your children, but please be reassured that this information will not be shared unless you choose to share it. This can be done via the “Class List” option on Aladdin
Staff request all outstanding monies for book rental and school costs be paid as soon as possible. Please do this via the Aladdin app, if at all possible. (Any issues please contact the office).
No adults, other than staff members should enter the building. Messages for teachers can be sent by email or phoning the school office.If an adult has to collect a child during the school day, the following arrangement will apply:
o When adult arrives at the school, they should go straight to the secretary’s office via the front door of the school (red sticker on door)
o The child will be brought from their class by a member of staff
o The adult who is collecting the child will be asked to sign the child out
o No adult should enter the school building, unless invited to do so.
Pupils and staff will wash & sanitise their hands regularly and will be reminded of technique. We ask each pupil to wash their hands at home before coming to school.
Pupils should not attend school if they are generally unwell. 48 hour rule in place for vomiting or diarrhoea. Children must be kept at home until 48 hours have passed from the last episode of illness
We have a nut free policy in the school due to allergies, please ensure your child does not have products containing nuts in their lunch.
Please provide your child with a small snack (e.g.fruit/veg) for first break. Children have a 15 min eating break after they come in from their two yard breaks (10.30am and 12.30pm). A colour-coded summary of our Healthy Eating policy is attached.
The healthy school lunch delivery service “The Lunch Bag” is available in the school again this year. For more information see www.thelunchbag.ie. Download the app to your smartphone, select your county and then choose the school name.
It is school policy that invitations to birthday parties are not distributed at school out of respect for the non-receiver. You can join a “Class list” on Aladdin, by changing your security settings – this allows you to see contact details for parents of other children in your child’s class, provided you have given permission for your details to be shared also.
Health & Safety:
- No cars are allowed onto school grounds except in exceptional circumstances agreed with principal. All cars should be parked outside the school grounds in car parks outside the school gates and at the Church.
- Please ensure that your child does not walk on the wall.
- Please note that Coláiste an Eachréidh and Gael Scoil Riada are operating out of the old Presentation Secondary school building. As a result there can be difficulty parking and a lot of traffic at drop off & collection times. We ask everyone for extra patience at these times.
The Board of Management will not accept responsibility for children in the school yard before 8.45am or after 2.30pm, unless they are attending an SCN after school activity.
General Reminders:
• Punctuality: The staff of Scoil Chroí Naofa consider punctuality to be of paramount importance. Please ensure that your child is in school by 8.50am (at the latest) to avoid disruption to the beginning of the school day for teachers. Roll call is taken in the early morning, every day. If your child arrives late to school, they should go to the main front door (red door 1) where the secretary will let them in & bring them to their class.
School Uniform: Your co-operation to ensure that your child wears the full school uniform every day (except on PE day) is most appreciated.
Absences: In accordance with Section 18 of the Education Welfare Act 2000, when a pupil is absent for part or all of a school day, parent(s) must notify teacher or Principal of the reasons for the pupil’s absence. If a pupil is absent for more than 20 days during the school year, the school authorities must inform the Education Welfare Board who consult with parents. In order to comply with the Act, staff and I need your cooperation with the following:
a. If your child is absent, please log the reason for the absence on the Aladdin app
b. If your child has to leave the school during the school day, the person who is collecting your child must sign him/her out at the Secretary’s Office.
Child Protection: The Department of Education has introduced Child Protection Procedures for Primary Schools in relation to Child Protection and Welfare. The Board of Management has adopted these procedures as School Policy. Consequently if there is a matter of concern in relation to the abuse of children we are obliged to report this to Túsla, who will assess the case and provide the necessary support for the child concerned.
Medical Problems: Please make the school aware if your child has any medical problems. The information given in this regard will be treated with total confidentiality. In the case of a child needing urgent medical attention and where parents cannot be contacted, he / she will be taken to a local doctor or A&E.
Head Lice: Please check your child’s hair regularly and treat any infection immediately.
Change of Address: If you change address, email or phone numbers, please inform secretary so she can update school records. Regular school newsletters will not be handed out to the children, they will only be e-mailed, so please ensure that we have your most current e-mail address on file.
News Publications: During the coming year we will be submitting articles and photos to the Connacht Tribune, the Tuam Herald and the Athenry News & Views Magazine, etc. If you do not wish your child’s name or photo to be submitted please contact the school.
• Please continue to visit our school website @ www.scoilchroinaofaathenry.ie and our Instagram page @scoilchroinaofaathenry for up-to-date school news, photos and events.
Camogie Training:
• Camogie training for 6th class girls will start back this Friday. The girls in 6th class are asked to bring their camogie gear with them each Friday for the next few weeks.
Gymnastics:
• All classes from Senior Infants up to 6th class will receive 2-3 gymnastics sessions in the Senshin sports centre over the coming weeks.
• This wonderful opportunity for all the pupils has been made possible by the incredible success of the Sponsored Walk which raised approx. €7,000 in June last year.
• Teacher will let you know closer to the time when your child’s class will be having their session.
• The children should come to school dressed in their PE clothes on the day of their gymnastics session.
• The children will be walked to the Senshin centre for their session & walked back to school afterwards
Band:
• All children from 2nd class up to 6th class will be part of the school band this year
• Practice will commence in a few weeks time
• The band usually performs at the following 2 events annually:
o Turning on the Christmas lights: Friday November 25th
o St Patrick’s day parade: Friday March 17th
After School Clubs:
• Basketball for 5th / 6th class: Tues from 2.30-3.30pm running for 6 weeks, starting Tues Sept 6th
• Basketball for 3rd / 4th class: Wed from 2.30-3.30pm running for 6 weeks, starting Wed Sept 7th
• Art club for 1st class: Tues from 2.30-3.30pm running for 7 weeks, starting Tues Sept 13th
Community Links:
• Yoga Fun for Kids with Laurie in Athenry Community Hall. Thursdays at 3.30pm. For children aged 5 – 12 yrs. Contact Laurie on 087 0569552. An 8 week term costs €70 and starts Thurs Sept 8th.
• East Galway Celtics Basketball currently have spaces for U10 girls (born 2013 & 2014). It takes place in Newcastle Community Centre on Thursdays from 6.30-7.30pm. Membership is €80. Contact John : 087-9663827 or www.eastgalwayceltics.com.
• FlexYo Dance with Kim Somers in Athenry Community Hall on Tuesdays, starting Sept 13th. Contact Kim on: 087 7799489
o 2 & 3 yr olds: 1.00-1.45pm
o 4 – 6 yr olds: 4.00-4.45pm
o 7-10 yr olds: 5.00-6.00pm
o 11 + yr olds: 6.00-7.00pm
• Athenry Swans Hockey Club are holding an Introductory TASTER session on this Sunday Sept 11th from 1.30-2.30pm at Athenry FC Astro pitch, Moanbaun (H65 NY66). They are enrolling players (6-14yrs both boys & girls) and club officials for the 2022-2023 season. Check out www.athenryswanshockeyclub.ie for more information.
• Athenry MAD festival and Galway County Council Arts office present: Paddy Casey & Mundy performing at a free concert in Athenry Community park on Sun Sept 18th from 4pm. This event is in aid of Saoirse Casey.
• Athenry Christmas Lights are holding:
o a Bake Sale on Saturday Oct 29th 2022 in the pastoral centre. Anyone that would be interested in baking for the bake sale can contact Sam Glynn: 087 7204673 or John Delaney: 086 1932288.
o a Table Quiz on Saturday Nov 12th 2022 in Dans bar, Northgate st.
“Come on folks, let’s light this town up like a Christmas tree with our community spirit and get behind the committee who put so much effort into making this town look wonderful at Christmas for EVERYONE to enjoy!”
Please see overleaf the School Calendar for 2022 /2023 in order for you to plan your holidays accordingly.
With every good wish for the year ahead.
Yours sincerely
Fergal Naughton
Principal
