Dear Parents / Guardians,
We hope you are all well. Our news is as follows:
- Active School Week: All classes are enjoying this weeks’ Active School Week, with lots of activities across the school all week. I want to thank Ms. Frawley and the Active Schools Committee for all their hard work in organising such a fun-filled week. I also wish to remind all parents to ensure children are wearing sun-cream to school every day for the rest of the term.
- Football: Well done to our amazing footballers who became Cumann na mBunscol Senior Girls Division 3 Football champions yesterday, after overcoming stiff competition from Scoil Phádraig Naofa, Athy in the final! They were phenomenal; displaying super teamwork, determination and skill in very hot conditions. We had tremendous support with a huge number of supporters, and this made the occasion all the more special for the team. This morning the girls, along with their Cup, were treated to a warm reception by the whole school.
- Open Afternoon for New Junior Infants: Next year’s Junior Infants (2026/27 school year) and their parents are invited to an open afternoon in the school on Thursday next, 4th June at 1.45pm. The children will get the opportunity to visit their new classrooms, meet their teachers and mingle with their new classmates. We look forward to meeting with them and their parents.
- Fifth and Sixth Class Heritage Trips: Ms. Flood’s,Ms. Marrinan’s and Ms. Coughlan’s classes will visit the rath and the old graveyard on Thursday next, weather-permitting, as part of their local history / heritage studies. On their trek through the town, they will examine all the Georgian buildings and learn about the history of our village. We hope the girls have a thoroughly enjoyable day and gain a deeper appreciation of the wonderful village in which we live.
- Dance workshops: Dance Sing Act (DSA) will engage all of our classes in dancing workshops on Friday 5th and Wednesday 10th June. I want to thank our wonderful Parents’ Association for funding the workshops. We look forward to seeing the girls showcase their new moves, build confidence, and most importantly, have a fantastic time dancing together!
- Junior Infant Vaccinations: The Junior Infant vaccinations will be administered by staff from the HSE on Tuesday 9th June.
- Assembly: Our whole-school assembly for the month of May took place this morning and was led by Ms. Feeney’s Junior Infants and Ms. Brogan’s Fourth Class. We heard all of the news from around the school, celebrated the May birthdays and were treated to some fabulous performances.
- Twelfth Green Flag: We plan to hold a Day of Celebration in the school on Wednesday 17th June, at which our newest 12th Green Flag will be raised. I would like to congratulate Ms. Ryan, Ms. Geraghty, Ms. Beary and Ms. Freeborn and their fabulous Green Schools Committee on such a remarkable achievement. There are not many schools in the country that can boast having twelve green flags. We are so very fortunate to have an outstanding committee, as well as an extremely supportive whole-school community. Well done everyone! Next fortnight’s bulletin will contain further details of this celebration.
- School Tours: School tour season is just around the corner, and we’re looking forward to a busy and exciting few weeks ahead. Senior Infants will kick things off with a visit to Caragh Pet Farm on Tuesday 9th and Fifth and Sixth travelling to Athlone to engage in an activity-based fun-filled day at BaySports on Thursday 11th June. We hope all the girls have a thoroughly enjoyable experience and look forward to hearing all about their adventures.
- Reminder: Phones, smart-watches, digital devices or toys are not allowed at school or on any of our school tours. Please see our Mobile Phones and Electronic Devices Policy and our Code of Behaviour on our school website.
- Sixth Class Graduation: Graduation Mass for our sixth class girls will take place at 10am on Tuesday 24th June in Rathangan Church. All parents and family members are welcome to attend. All pupils will attend this Mass, which also marks the end of a busy school year. Our sixth class will participate in the ceremony and our school choir led by Ms. Rowley, Ms. Dillon, Ms. Brogan, Ms. Marrinan and Ms. Gorman will provide the music and singing. Following the Mass we will host a celebration for our sixth class pupils and their families back in the school hall. As has been the tradition in the school over the last number of years, we are asking again this year that the parents from our current fifth class would help to host the celebration for us by baking for the event and serving tea and coffee.
- Attendance: We are delighted to announce that following a successful application, our school has been selected to participate in the Tusla Anseo School Attendance Initiative starting next year. Anseo (meaning “here”) is a supportive program aimed at raising awareness about the vital importance of regular attendance for a child’s development. This initiative comes at a crucial time, as we currently have a significant number of students meeting Tusla’s criteria for “at risk of chronic absenteeism” (attendance below 95%, or 8+ days missed to date) and “chronic absenteeism” (attendance below 90%, or 16+ days missed to date). Missing this much school has a massive, negative impact on a child’s academic, social, and emotional growth, and frequently correlates with lower test scores, school refusal behaviours, and missed potential. Because every single day counts, Anseo focuses on encouragement rather than penalties; we look forward to partnering with you next year through fun, school-wide initiatives to celebrate excellent and improved attendance, ensuring all our students can thrive and proudly say, “Anseo!”We are asking you all to prioritise your daughter’s attendance at school and to support us in bringing about an improvement in our whole-school attendance. You can check your daughter’s attendance statistics on the Aladdin Connect app (in the menu under ‘Attendance’).
- Names on Uniforms: Please ensure that your child’s name is clearly marked on her uniform and tracksuit jumper.
- June Bank Holiday Closure: The school will be closed on Monday 1st June for the June Bank Holiday. We hope you all have a lovely long weekend.
Kind regards,
Maria Rogerson