We hope all is well with you this fortnight. Our news is as follows:
Arrival Times: I am concerned at the amount of children congregating outside the school gates in the mornings. The gates will open for Cohort 1 children only at 8.45am and I would ask that children are not dropped outside the school gates before this time. I would be grateful if this message be passed on to anyone responsible for dropping your child to school; childminders or crèche. Children in Cohort 2 should not be dropped to school until after 8.50am. We work very hard at school to ensure that our class bubbles do not mix, even outside (which is what we have been instructed to do by the Department of Education and Skills) and it is disheartening to see that work undermined at the gate in the mornings.
Ms. Ryan – Junior InfantsMs. De Faoite – Senior InfantsMs. Costello – Senior InfantsMs. McEvoy – 1stMs. Coughlan – 3rd and 4thMs. Fitzpatrick – 4thMs. Rowley – Bluebells
Bluebells Day: We celebrated our first ever Bluebells Day (Autism Awareness) on Friday 5th November last. It was a wonderful success, with children in all classes learning about autism and getting a chance to visit our fabulous Bluebells Room. We even featured in last week’s Leinster Leader, which captured lots of our girls in all their blue glory! I am thrilled to announce that €752.50 was raised on the day. The money will go towards the purchase of play equipment for our Bluebells yard. Thank you all so much for your tremendous generosity. It is very much appreciated.
Camogie: All classes from First Class to Sixth Class will begin camogie training with Tadhg Fennin, Games Development Administrator for Kildare GAA next Tuesday, 23rd November. The training will run every Tuesday, with each class getting 30 – 40 minute sessions with Tadhg. Camogie training will take place on the grass, so all girls in these classes should bring spare shoes or football boots and spare socks every Tuesday.
Rugby: Gráinne Vaugh, CCRO with Edenderry Rugby Club has been coaching our girls for the last number of years. We are saddened to learn that she is finishing up in her post as CCRO at Christmas and would like to thank her and wish her all the best in her new role. She will finish out her final two sessions with Ms. Coughlan’s Third and Fourth Class and Ms. Fitzpatrick’s Fourth Class over the next two Wednesdays. Her replacement will hopefully continue the rugby training with us in the new year and will begin blocks of coaching sessions with Ms. Millane’s fifth class and Ms. Gorman’s third class.
Local History Trips: Historian, Sarah Myers will take Ms. Millane’s Fifth Class and Ms. Coughlan’s Third and Fourth Class on a local history tour of Rathangan next Friday, 26th November, which will take them to the old graveyard and the rath. Ms Ruttledge’s Fifth and Sixth Class, Mr. O’Sullivan’s Sixth Class and Ms. Fitzpatrick’s Fourth Class engaged in the history walk with Sarah last week and thoroughly enjoyed learning all about our local history. Unfortunately, Ms. Fitzpatrick’s class trip had to be cut short due to the inclement weather and they didn’t get the opportunity to visit the rath, something I hope they will get to do next Friday. I am asking that the three classes; Ms. Fitzpatrick’s, Ms. Millane’s and Ms. Coughlan’s bring old shoes / wellies and a spare pair of socks to school next Friday, as the grass in the rath is quite long and will be wet. Photos of the history tours will be available to view at www.bunscoilbhride.ie
Archaeologist Visit: Historian and archaeologist, Frankie Callaghan will visit Ms. De Faoite’s Senior Infants, Ms. Costello’s Senior Infants and Ms. McEvoy’s First Class on Tuesday 30th November and will engage each class in a workshop on archaeology, where they will get the opportunity to explore the world of archaeology and examine various artefacts. We look forward to hearing of all their learning and viewing photographs of the visit on our website www.bunscoilbhride.ie
DSPCA Talks: A representative of the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA)will engage with our two second classes; Ms. Frawley’s Second Class and Ms. Geraghty’s Second Class via Zoom, on Wednesday next, 24th November. The girls will get the opportunity to have any questions they have around cruelty to animals and actions that can be taken to prevent such cruelty answered.
Picker Pals: Ms. McEvoy’s First Class have started the Picker Pals programme. Picker Pals is a fun, environmental activity programme for primary school children, their families, schools and communities. Through fun stories and songs and a special pack containing everything needed for litter-picking, Picker Pals motivates children to lead litter-picking adventures with their families. All of the children will get a chance to take home the Picker Pals materials to lead a litter pick around their home in the coming weeks. We look forward to hearing of the girls’ progress.
Assistant Principal 2: I want to congratulate Eimear Ryan who has been appointed Assistant Principal 2 in the school. I look forward to working with Eimear as part of the In-School Management Team.
Coats and Hoodies / fleeces for schoolbag: Please ensure your child comes to school wearing a coat. At this stage of the year, all children should have a hoodie / fleece in their school-bag, which they can put on over their school uniform in the classroom on days on which it is cold. As was explained in a previous Bulletin, we are required to keep windows open to allow for ventilation in the classrooms. These hoodies / fleeces are not substitutes for the school uniform jumper, nor are they substitutes for a coat. They will only be worn over the uniform in the classroom on days your daughter feels cold in class. Please rest assured that our heating is on all day and it is rare that the classrooms are very cold, even with the windows open.
Parking: Our car-park is a busy place and we would ask you to exercise extreme caution upon entry and to adhere to our car-parking rules (outlined in the diagram attached to this email). We would appeal to parents and anyone who drops children to school or collects them, not to park in the yellow box, in the wheelchair parking spaces, between the wheelchair parking spaces or alongside the school wall. Parking is in a single row alongside the Noone Engineering wall and in three rows along the middle white lines ONLY. Driving around the church is STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Clean Air Week: National Clean Air Week is taking place this week. The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness and to take action to reduce air pollution at the school gate. Nitrogen oxides (nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide – NO2) are pollutants that are emitted when petrol or diesel is burned in internal combustion engines (cars/buses). Nitrogen oxides have a negative impact on our health with 1 in 5 children experiencing asthma at some stage. The main source of NO2 in Ireland is from road transport. We are asking all of you, our families to pledge to #BeatAirPollution by asking – is there a ‘clean air’ alternative to making this journey by car? Can I walk or cycle? We are hoping to increase active travel such as walking, cycling or scooting to school. We hope that you will join us in our campaign. If you are within walking distance of the school, please look at leaving the car and walking or cycling to school instead.
Bicycles: We love to see children cycling/scooting to school. There is a bicycle rack at the main door of the school and another to the rear of the school available for the parking of bicycles/scooters. As bicycles are parked here at the owners’ risk, we strongly advise that they are locked while parked.
Message from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA): Parents! Do you know that the Primary Curriculum is changing? What children learn and how children learn in primary school is changing. The proposed changes aim to enhance children’s learning in school and provide for even more relevant and meaningful learning. You can find the proposals HERE. As a parent, it is important that you have a say in shaping your child’s future learning. Consultation will close by the end of February 2022. Please take 8-10 minutes to tell us what you think HERE
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