October
Dear Parents,
Dates for your Diary:
Friday the 18th of October: School Closed
Monday 28th Oct –Friday 1st Nov: School closed Mid-term break.
Friday the 8th of November: School closed – teacher in-service day.
Wednesday the 18th of December: Christmas Show
School Contribution:
Many thanks to all those who have furnished us with this contribution of €25 per child. Funding in Primary Education as in having the funding to run schools is becoming a real issue. So, your support in this regard is much appreciated.
Clothes Collection: We are hoping to run a clothes collection to raise some funds, but the reliable clothes collectors who pay and provide a good service are not taking clothes at the moment. I know many of you are so kind to keep clothes for us – hopefully this situation will change and we will be in a position to organise a clothes collection in the near future.
Allianz Pupil Personal Accident Insurance: You have also received an ‘Allianz Pupil Personal Accident Insurance – Summary of cover’ this month. Part of every child’s school payment went towards providing this 24 hour cover.
Halloween Dress Up: Children are to come to school in their Halloween costumes on Friday the 25th of October. You are asked to not go out purchasing outfits but to re-use costumes which they may already have. Alternatively, you are encouraged to work with your child(ren) in putting together a costume/outfit using recycled materials. We look forward to seeing all in their scary costumes on the day.
Review of Policies: The Board of Management carried out an annual review of the schools Child Safeguarding Statement and an annual review of the school’s Anti Bullying policy at its most recent meeting.
Christmas Shoe Box Appeal: We take part in this project every year. Should you who wish to participate in this project, please send in your Christmas shoeboxes, no later than Wednesday the 6th of November. You can also take part in the Shoebox Appeal by visiting the website www.teamhope.ie Your child will bring home an information leaflet today, explaining how the Christmas Shoe Box appeal works.
Christmas Cards: Each boy and girl in the school will design his/her own Christmas card. You will then be in a position to purchase your child’s/children’s Christmas cards by ordering them online with the ‘Design A Card’ company. You will be furnished with further details of how you can order these cards in the near future. This is not a school fundraiser. The money which the company charges for cards is their business, the school is not adding anything to the costs. It is simply an opportunity for you to buy packs of cards, designed by your children, to send to loved ones this Christmas.
As this is a very individual exercise, we will be sending the templates for these cards home with your children on Thursday the 10th of October. On this night your children will receive no homework. You are asked to spend a little time in overseeing your child’s/children’s individual design/drawing/colouring, as this will be the finished template which will be sent to the printer. The templates are to be returned fully completed on Friday the 11th of October.
Schools Cross Country: Children from 3rd to 6th classes will take part in this on the 15th of October. Many thanks to Ms. Murphy who is preparing the boys and girls for this. The key thing for all who are participating is to realise that the goal is to finish your race. Please remind your children that it is very much an achievement, when children are covering such distances.
Gaelic Football Blitz: We wish our 3rd – 6th classes all the very best, when they participate in a Cumann na mBunscol blitz in Coolderry GAA field on the 11th of October.
Skills Competition: Again, we wish Cormac O’Brien and Stephen Moyles the very best of luck when they represent our school in the hurling and football skills competition this week.
Tag Rugby and Athletics Coaching: These will both continue, up until the Halloween break.
Birr Theatre: Children from Juniors to 3rd class will attend the Christmas Show ‘Santa and the Three Little Pigs’ in Birr Theatre on Monday the 9th of December. The cost of the show is €15 per child. This can be paid online through the school payments portal or sent in, in a sealed envelope with details marked on it, at your earliest convenience. The Board of Management and Parents Association will cover the cost of the bus for transporting the children. We thank them for their support.
Christmas Show: Yes, it is hard to believe we are talking about this! This will take place in the Parish Hall on Wednesday evening the 18th of December, beginning at 7pm. We are simply giving you advanced notice of this, so you can keep this date in your diaries free.
Funding Cost of Buses: As I have explained previously, school funding is quite tight at present. We would therefore appreciate it, that anytime we are going on bus trips to events, for e.g. this Friday the senior classes are going to Birr Library for a rocket making workshop as part of space week and on the 15th of October, 3rd to 6th class are going to Tullamore – parents would send in €5 for each child to cover the cost of the bus. As always, we wold appreciate it that when money is sent in, it is sent in, in an envelope with all relevant details written on the envelope. Your co-operation and support in this regard is much appreciated.
Parish Masses: It is the intention of the parish to organise sacramental preparation masses for the children who will be celebrating their First Holy Communion in 2025 and for the children who will be celebrating the sacrament of Confirmation in 2026, from November onwards. You will receive direct communication of this from the parish, in the next couple of weeks.
Amber Flag/Green Schools: A school committee has been formed with representatives from each class, they will work with relevant teachers to achieve the Green School flag and retain our Amber flag.
Parish Auction: The Parish Auction will take place this Sunday the 6th of October at 12noon in the Parish Hall/Community carpark. The Parish appreciates all support it receives.
Internet & Technology Use Agreement: At this stage, 24 out of 43 families (56% of families) have indicated that they wish to be part of the school’s Internet & Technology Use Agreement. We will put the school stamp on these contracts, copy them and send them back to you. I wish to thank all of you, for taking the time to consider whether or not the agreement was something for you and your children. As a school we merely seek to provide for your children as best we can, considering the advice on best practice which we receive. Mile buíochas daoibh go léir.
School Closure: Please note that school will be closed on Friday the 18th of October and also on Friday the 8th of November.
Halloween Mid-Term: The school will close on the week of 28th of October for the Halloween mid-term. It will re-open on Monday the 4th of November
Ms. Kelly: At this stage I am sure all of you have heard that Ms. Kelly has a special day coming up on the 18th of October, when she gets married. We wish her and John all the very best on their big day.
School Rules Reminders We try to keep rules to a minimum at Seir Kieran’s NS. Here’s what we constantly remind our pupils:
We come to School on time.
We try our best in class.
We come prepared.
We wear our uniform.
We respect others.
We respect school property.
Dates for your Diary:
Friday the 18th of October: School Closed
Monday 28th Oct –Friday 1st Nov: School closed Mid-term break.
Friday the 8th of November: School closed – teacher in-service day.
Wednesday the 18th of December: Christmas Show
School Contribution:
Many thanks to all those who have furnished us with this contribution of €25 per child. Funding in Primary Education as in having the funding to run schools is becoming a real issue. So, your support in this regard is much appreciated.
Clothes Collection: We are hoping to run a clothes collection to raise some funds, but the reliable clothes collectors who pay and provide a good service are not taking clothes at the moment. I know many of you are so kind to keep clothes for us – hopefully this situation will change and we will be in a position to organise a clothes collection in the near future.
Allianz Pupil Personal Accident Insurance: You have also received an ‘Allianz Pupil Personal Accident Insurance – Summary of cover’ this month. Part of every child’s school payment went towards providing this 24 hour cover.
Halloween Dress Up: Children are to come to school in their Halloween costumes on Friday the 25th of October. You are asked to not go out purchasing outfits but to re-use costumes which they may already have. Alternatively, you are encouraged to work with your child(ren) in putting together a costume/outfit using recycled materials. We look forward to seeing all in their scary costumes on the day.
Review of Policies: The Board of Management carried out an annual review of the schools Child Safeguarding Statement and an annual review of the school’s Anti Bullying policy at its most recent meeting.
Christmas Shoe Box Appeal: We take part in this project every year. Should you who wish to participate in this project, please send in your Christmas shoeboxes, no later than Wednesday the 6th of November. You can also take part in the Shoebox Appeal by visiting the website www.teamhope.ie Your child will bring home an information leaflet today, explaining how the Christmas Shoe Box appeal works.
Christmas Cards: Each boy and girl in the school will design his/her own Christmas card. You will then be in a position to purchase your child’s/children’s Christmas cards by ordering them online with the ‘Design A Card’ company. You will be furnished with further details of how you can order these cards in the near future. This is not a school fundraiser. The money which the company charges for cards is their business, the school is not adding anything to the costs. It is simply an opportunity for you to buy packs of cards, designed by your children, to send to loved ones this Christmas.
As this is a very individual exercise, we will be sending the templates for these cards home with your children on Thursday the 10th of October. On this night your children will receive no homework. You are asked to spend a little time in overseeing your child’s/children’s individual design/drawing/colouring, as this will be the finished template which will be sent to the printer. The templates are to be returned fully completed on Friday the 11th of October.
Schools Cross Country: Children from 3rd to 6th classes will take part in this on the 15th of October. Many thanks to Ms. Murphy who is preparing the boys and girls for this. The key thing for all who are participating is to realise that the goal is to finish your race. Please remind your children that it is very much an achievement, when children are covering such distances.
Gaelic Football Blitz: We wish our 3rd – 6th classes all the very best, when they participate in a Cumann na mBunscol blitz in Coolderry GAA field on the 11th of October.
Skills Competition: Again, we wish Cormac O’Brien and Stephen Moyles the very best of luck when they represent our school in the hurling and football skills competition this week.
Tag Rugby and Athletics Coaching: These will both continue, up until the Halloween break.
Birr Theatre: Children from Juniors to 3rd class will attend the Christmas Show ‘Santa and the Three Little Pigs’ in Birr Theatre on Monday the 9th of December. The cost of the show is €15 per child. This can be paid online through the school payments portal or sent in, in a sealed envelope with details marked on it, at your earliest convenience. The Board of Management and Parents Association will cover the cost of the bus for transporting the children. We thank them for their support.
Christmas Show: Yes, it is hard to believe we are talking about this! This will take place in the Parish Hall on Wednesday evening the 18th of December, beginning at 7pm. We are simply giving you advanced notice of this, so you can keep this date in your diaries free.
Funding Cost of Buses: As I have explained previously, school funding is quite tight at present. We would therefore appreciate it, that anytime we are going on bus trips to events, for e.g. this Friday the senior classes are going to Birr Library for a rocket making workshop as part of space week and on the 15th of October, 3rd to 6th class are going to Tullamore – parents would send in €5 for each child to cover the cost of the bus. As always, we wold appreciate it that when money is sent in, it is sent in, in an envelope with all relevant details written on the envelope. Your co-operation and support in this regard is much appreciated.
Parish Masses: It is the intention of the parish to organise sacramental preparation masses for the children who will be celebrating their First Holy Communion in 2025 and for the children who will be celebrating the sacrament of Confirmation in 2026, from November onwards. You will receive direct communication of this from the parish, in the next couple of weeks.
Amber Flag/Green Schools: A school committee has been formed with representatives from each class, they will work with relevant teachers to achieve the Green School flag and retain our Amber flag.
Parish Auction: The Parish Auction will take place this Sunday the 6th of October at 12noon in the Parish Hall/Community carpark. The Parish appreciates all support it receives.
Internet & Technology Use Agreement: At this stage, 24 out of 43 families (56% of families) have indicated that they wish to be part of the school’s Internet & Technology Use Agreement. We will put the school stamp on these contracts, copy them and send them back to you. I wish to thank all of you, for taking the time to consider whether or not the agreement was something for you and your children. As a school we merely seek to provide for your children as best we can, considering the advice on best practice which we receive. Mile buíochas daoibh go léir.
School Closure: Please note that school will be closed on Friday the 18th of October and also on Friday the 8th of November.
Halloween Mid-Term: The school will close on the week of 28th of October for the Halloween mid-term. It will re-open on Monday the 4th of November
Ms. Kelly: At this stage I am sure all of you have heard that Ms. Kelly has a special day coming up on the 18th of October, when she gets married. We wish her and John all the very best on their big day.
School Rules Reminders We try to keep rules to a minimum at Seir Kieran’s NS. Here’s what we constantly remind our pupils:
We come to School on time.
We try our best in class.
We come prepared.
We wear our uniform.
We respect others.
We respect school property.