September 2011

To new parents and children who are attending Scoil Eoin  we extend a special céad míle fáilte .We trust that your experiences with your school will be a pleasant and memorable one. Our aim is to ensure that your children will receive the best  education possible ,both academic and social, in a pleasant happy school environment.

Next to you, the parents, who are the primary educators of your children we would see the school playing a very important role in laying the foundations for your child’s future development and growth. Working with you we will do our utmost to ensure that each child is happy at school and receiving the best educational opportunities that the school can offer. We look forward to working together during this new school year.

Junior Infant Information Night

Our “Information Night” for parents of junior infant children will be held on this Tuesday night, September 20th. at 8pm.The presentation willgiven by the junior infant class teachers, Miss O Sullivan and Mrs. Johnson. To conclude the evening refreshments were served. This is also a wonderful opportunity for parents to become acquainted. A special Thank You to our Parents Association for organising this part of the evening.

School News

We have 28  junior infants this year and there are 266 pupils attending the school
There are 15teachers on staff this year
-10 mainstream class teachers
-4 Special Education teachers
-1 principal.
During the year I hope to send you a number of newsletters, keeping you informed of school activities and school policy updates.

School uniforms and tracksuits
are to be worn as outlined in our school prospectus. Full school uniform is to be worn at all times, except on P.E. days or if pupils are partaking in any sporting events (School tracksuits). The school uniform is a symbol of the school and should be worn with pride.
The uniform should be neat and tidy, with shirt sleeves buttoned and tie worn properly. The jumper / cardigan with the school crest is now part of the school uniform.
(a different shade of grey, with the school crest is not acceptable.)
• Tights must be plain red/grey/black.(no multi-coloured tights please)
• Jumpers and tracksuit tops should be clearly labeled with child’s name.The school will not accept any responsibility for lost jumpers/tracksuit tops.
Labeling  tracksuits and jumpers will also eliminate confusion as to the ownership of tops.
“Lost Property box” is by the hall again this year.
• Jewellery should be kept to a minimum .
• Queries regarding tracksuits should be directed to:
Buckley’s Drapery Ltd.
93-94 Shandon St.
Cork.
Tel: 021-4304426 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              021-4304426      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

School Times:
Official school time is
9.00am-2.40pm.
9.00am - Opening
10.45-11.00am - 1st break
12.30-1.00pm - 2nd break
1.40pm – infants home
2.40pm – school closes.
Please make every effort to have your children in school on time.

 Leaving or collecting children to/from school:
(a) You are asked to leave your children at the school gate each morning.
(b) Parents waiting for children in the evening are requested to wait on the footpath across the road from the school. The school warden – Collette - will escort all children across the road.
(c) If your child has to leave school during school hours it is essential that you notify the class teacher in writing. Your note must always be signed.
• Under no circumstances will any child be allowed leave school without a signed note.
• Your child must be collected at the school

 Education Welfare Act & School Attendance (Section 21):
“A record shall be maintained of the attendance / non-attendance on each school day of each student registered at that school”.
If your child is absent from school a written note must be furnished.
At the back of the pupils homework journal there is a section where you are asked to complete details of the pupils absence./ or  hand written note will suffice.
If your child is absent from school more than 20 days in the full school year the school principal has a duty to inform the Educational Welfare Officer. You, as parents will be notified of this reporting. The welfare officer will investigate each individual case.
Therefore, the written note to the school explaining these absences is a very important piece of information.)

School Calander
A school calendar, outlining all school closures for the year is available on our school website or from our school secretary, Denise
www.innishannonschool.com .

 Staff Meetings:
 There will be three staff meetings during this school year. All staff meetings will be held outside of school hours (as part of the public sector Croke Park agreement) and will not impinge on your child's school time.

School Development Planning.
All school development planning will also be carried out outside normal school hours..

Parent-Teacher Meeting:
 These meetings will take place on Wednesday, November 23rd. (3 - 6pm) and on Wednesday November 30th. (3 - 6pm.) The timetable will be arranged so that you will only have to attend on one of the evenings.
Teachers wishing to speak to parents prior to this will organize meetings with you, as the need arises. Likewise any parent, with concerns is encouraged to speak to your child’s class teacher.

 Appointments:
You are very welcome to visit the school Principal/class teacher at any time but it is important that you arrange a time so that proper supervision of the class can be arranged, while you are meeting with the teacher. All appointments are to be made through the principal’s office.

Whole School Evaluation.The whole school evaluation school report is now available on www.education.ie 

Homework:
It is important that parents check  pupils’ homework each night. Work should be completed and presented to an acceptable standard. As parents you have a responsibility to ensure that your child's homework is completed.
It is school policy that homework be signed each night. Please adhere to this policy. Parental checking of homework encourages greater effort and higher standards. If you have any issues with home work please use the diary to inform teacher.

Emergency Contact Phone Number:
Thank you for returning all “Information Medical Forms” to the school It is very important that we are kept up to date with any medical issues pertaining to your child.
From time to time a child may get sick at school and may need to be sent home or to your childminder.
Please   keep contact numbers up to date at all times.

Health Promotion:
Scoil Eoin is a Health Promoting School. Throughout the year we are aware of the health and happiness of all our pupils. We target specific areas e.g. healthy eating, being active, cleanliness, friendships etc by organising projects and activities.
More about this during the year
Healthy Lunches:
We ask you to encourage your children to bring healthy lunches to school and to avoid junk food as much as possible. Chewing gum, chocolate bars/sweets, crisps (of any kind), and fizzy drinks are not allowed. We had our “Healthy Eating Month” during October. It was great to see so many children choosing the healthy option.
Recycling
Recycling of materials is now an important part of our lives. To promote and encourage our children to recycle we have put the following in place:
• Composting Bins – for children to recycle their fruit leftovers etc.
• Paper Recycling bins. Children recycle any waste paper, card, milk cartons etc.
At Scoil Eoin we also operate a “Take Home” policy. Children are requested to take home lunch wrappings, bags, drink bottles …….

Green School News
This year we are working towards our third “Green Flag”. The theme for this year is “Water Conservation”. To date we have changed all taps to “push taps” and have reduced the capacity or toilet cisterns. we have also installed a water butt which collects rain water. This is used for watering plants and for washing milk cartons. Lessons on this topic will be given throughout the year.It is important to create an awareness of the importance of water in our lives.

Text A Parent
This texting service will operate in the school again this year for special or important notices.

Headlice:
Head-lice cause problems in most primary schools. Regular checking and fine combing (treating where necessary) is the only way to beat the bug. Failure to do so by any one family will almost certainly result in an outbreak of head-lice infestation.
Any notes on this issue will year require your signature

Collecting or leaving off children in Church Yard:
The issue of safety and accessibility to the church yard is a very important issue for us all.
Please park in the spaces provided. Do not block flow of traffic into and out if car park.Also talk to your children about safety in the car park and the need to be extra vigilant when entering and leaving the park.
I will also speak to the classes about safety “coming to” and “leaving school

Departmental Circulars/Guidelines:
Departmental Circulars and Guidelines are available to you from the Principal’s Office or on                        
www.education.ie

City Music College:
The City Music College have a centre for music here at the school. Violin, piano, recorder, flute,  and guitar are taught. Theory lessons are also given. All queries concerning any of the above mentioned should be

directed to:
City Music College
Drinan St.
Cork.
Tel No: 021/4313211 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              021/4313211      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              021/4313211      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Cross Border Projects:

  Dissolving Boundaries.

Students of 3rd. class will participate in a cross border school project, where we are twinned with a school from Co. Down. The project is I.T based and will involve e-mailing, collaborative work, video conferencing and will conclude with a “Face to Face” meeting later on in the year.

Cookery:
Cookery is part of the 5th class curriculum. Up to now cookery lessons have been very successful, thanks to the support and assistance of parents. This year, again, we are enlisting the help of parents for these lessons. Your assistance will be much appreciated.

Sport:
Our Sciath na Scol football competitions have commenced for both boys and girls.We were successful in our first outing against Rathpeacon. Our second games this week will be against G.S Uí Riada. We wish all involved the best of luck. 
In sport our main focus is on participation. As always any boy / girl who wishes to play will be  afforded this opportunity. To see so many participating is, indeed, a success in itself. A scecial "Thank you" to staff members who organized and travelled to these games.

 School milk.
Where we encourage the drinking of milk,  please do not order milk if your child is not prepared to drink it. Disposal of unused milk is a major problem.

 School Garden:
Each year pupils of third class endeavour to grow some vegetables etc in our school plot. This past summer we grew a selection of vegetables.Still I feel that this lovely project could be much more successfu.l In order to improve on this project I would like to enlist the help of some parental expertise. So if you would like to help out  please ring / note me. Hopefully next year we will be able to fill the soup pot.

Irish Dancing
Irish dancing, with Eileen Dwyer, has commenced last week for all pupils first to fourth class – optional in for fifth and sixth class pupils. I encourage the senior pupils to keep up the classes. You will learn different sets and group dances that many of you will use throughout your  lives.  Cost per term is €10.00. Please give to your class teacher before Friday, September 30th.

Drama
Daniel Keeshan, our visiting drama teacher, is back with us again this year.Lessons will be given to all pupils ;infants to fourth class.

French.
French lessons, with Niamh Sedas, have commenced for pupils of sixth class

Swimming.
Swimming is now part of the Physical Education programme. As in other years second class are partaking in a ten week swimming course. This will be partially subsidised by the B.O.M and Parents Association (bus. Thank you.

Golf.
Fourth class pupils will take some golf lessons at the “Driving Range”  during term 3. More about that later.

Parents Association

A.G.M on Tuesday, September 27th. at 8pm. Your support will be much appreciated.

Dates
- Parents A.G.M :Tuesday September 27th.
- Confirmation: April 18th.
- First HolyCommunion: May 19^th.
-Parent / teacher meetings november 23rd. and 30th. 
-Halloween Break : 31st. October - 4th November (full week)
- Christmas Holidays: Closing on December 22nd @ 12 noon. re opening Monday, January 9th 2012.