Dear Parents / Guardians,
We hope you all is well with you this fortnight. Our news is as follows:
- World Book Week: This week we are celebrating ‘World Book Week’, with all classes participating in various different book-related activities. Please encourage your child to read at home daily for pleasure. All children are asked to dress as a character from their favourite book tomorrow (ensuring that they are appropriately attired for the weather). Book tokens to the value of €1.50 are being distributed to all children this week.
- Mystery at Bunscoil Bhríde: We are using the opportunity of World Book Week to develop our critical thinking skills across the school. You may have heard your daughter(s) speak of the crime scene that has been identified in our school hall. We have even had a video-link appeal from a member of An Garda Síochána, Garda O’Malley who has sought the help of our girls to determine what has happened to Cinderella. All of our classes have been seeking to solve the mystery by using available evidence in justifying the theories they have as to the fate of Cinderella. We look forward solving the case!
- Seachtain na Gaeilge: Tá Seachtain na Gaeilge beagnach buailte linn arís (11ú – 15ú lá de mhí Márta). Beimid go léir ag úsáid cúpla focal chomh minic agus is féidir i rith Seachtain na Gaeilge. Beidh an Céilí Mór ar siúl againn ar an Luan, an 11ú lá de mhí Márta. Beidh ‘Lá Glas’ ar siúl ar an Aoine, an 15ú lá agus beimid go léir ag caitheamh éadaí glasa ar an lá sin. Beir bua agus bain taitneamh as Seachtain na Gaeilge!Please attempt the cúpla focal at home with your child(ren). We will kick off Seachtain na Gaeilge with An Céilí Mór sa halla on Monday 11th March, with all classes getting the opportunity to practise their Irish dancing. All the classes will engage in various activities to mark Seachtain na Gaeilge throughout the week. Friday 15th March will be a non-uniform day to celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge and we will dress in green on that day. Photographs of Seachtain na Gaeilge, together with the Céilí will be available to view on www.bunscoilbhride.ie
- Maths Easter Egg Hunt: Our annual Bunscoil Bhríde Maths Easter Egg Hunt is running over the next few weeks, with all classes getting the opportunity to take part. Children, in teams, have to use their orienteering skills to find and solve maths clues and puzzles around the school grounds. There are lots of Easter Eggs up for grabs, so a fun-filled hunt is guaranteed!
- Cross-country: The annual Cumann na mBunscol Cross-Country competition will take place on Thursday 21st March at 10.30am in Rathcoffey GAA ground. Our cross-country coaches, Ms. Costello and Ms. Garrahy will accompany sixteen girls from third to sixth class, who will run the 1200m race. We wish them the very best of luck. Well done to all the girls who have been taking part in cross-country training in the school. Ms. Costello and Ms. Garrahy will host an in-school competition for all of these athletes during Active Schools Week later in term three.
- Cumann na mBunscol Quiz: Congratulations to Alice Beary, Ava Kelly, Kate Minchin and Róise Stenson, who represented our school in the Annual Cummann na mBunscol Quiz in Ballymany N.S. on Friday 1st March. They did incredibly well, scoring 85 points from 100. Well done ladies!
- First Confessions: We would like to wish the very best of luck to our Second Class pupils, who will receive the sacrament of First Penance on Wednesday next, 13th March at 7pm in Rathangan Church. They have been busy preparing and practising their prayers and hymns for the occasion with their teachers, Ms. Rowley and Ms. Garrahy. We hope it will be a very special, holy and memorable occasion for them.
- Assembly: Our whole-school assembly for the month of March will be led by Ms. Marrinan’s Fifth and Sixth Class and Ms. Ruttledge’s Junior Infants and will take place in the halla on Thursday 21st March.
- Drumming Workshop: All children in the school will participate in a DRUM NATURE drumming workshop on Thursday 11th and Friday 12th April. The aim of DRUM NATURE is to use rhythm-based events to create a positive outlet for creativity, energy and self-expression. Using drums and percussion, the children, together in their class groupings will create a unique in-the-moment rhythm consisting of everyone’s individual contribution. A facilitator will assist this process, but ultimately the music will be made by the children. Drum circles are about community, creativity and fun. I want to thank our wonderful Parents’ Association, who are fully funding these workshops.
- Permissions: We are currently seeking consent for involvement in after-school cross-country and football for our senior classes. Please check if there are any permissions pertaining to your child on the Permissions tab of Aladdin Connect and accept or decline as appropriate.
- Reminder regarding Absences: Under the Education Welfare Act 2000, where a child is absent from school on a school day, the parents must notify the school of the reasons for such absence. This can be done via the Aladdin Connect app. Please contact the office if you need assistance with this. We are required under the Act to notify Tusla; The Child and Family Agency of any child being absent for 20 days or more. Our student administration system automatically sends texts to parents reminding them of this when a child misses 10 and 15 days.
- Attendance Campaign: In an effort to improve our attendance, we will begin an attendance drive directly after the Easter holidays, with each class working towards full attendance, ultimately leading to a class reward e.g. a pizza party. We would ask all parents to support us in this attendance drive.
- Hair: In accordance with our Code of Behaviour, all hair should be tied up where possible.
- Bus Éireann School Transport: Applications for school transport for the 2023/24 school year can be made online at https://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=256 and must be submitted by 26th April. It is important that applications for school transport are made on time as late applicants are not guaranteed seats.
- Dates for the Diary: All upcoming events for the remainder of the school year, as they become known to us, will be recorded on the Aladdin Connect app, in the ‘Calendar’ section.
- St. Patrick’s Day: The school will close for the St. Patrick’s Day Bank Holiday on Monday 18th March. Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh go léir!
- School Closure: The school will close on Wednesday 20th March, as instructed by the Department of Education, for staff inservice in the new Primary Mathematics Curriculum.
- Easter Holidays: The school will close for Easter holidays on Friday 22nd March at 11.45a.m. We wish everybody a happy and holy Easter. School will re-open on Monday 8th April.
Kind regards,
Maria Rogerson