Dear Parents / Guardians,
We hope you are all well. Our news is as follows:
- Debating: We are thrilled to announce that our school has been accepted to take part in this year’s Concern Primary School Debate Competition! Our debating team will be proposing the motion “Fines are the best way to tackle textile waste.” The first-round debate will take place during the week of November 14th. We wish our team the very best of luck as they prepare for this exciting challenge and we thank their teachers; Ms. Costello and Ms. Dillon for volunteering their time to mentor the girls.
- Under 11 Football: The Under-11 football team performed amazingly in their last two league games against Kildangan and Athgarvan. The determination and drive they displayed on the field was truly outstanding. Unfortunately, due to tough competition, the girls narrowly missed out on advancing to the semi-finals this year. However, they should be incredibly proud of their performances, just as much as their mentors are. Training will continue after school on Tuesdays as we prepare for the senior games which will take place after Christmas. Training for 5th and 6th class will run from 2.30pm to 3.15pm on Tuesdays.
- Credit Union Poster Competition: All pupils are currently participating in the annual Credit Union Art Competition. This year’s theme is ‘The Future is…’, so all entrants will have free rein to express themselves. Our pupils always create thought-provoking works and we usually have quite a few prize-winners. The closing date for receipt of entries is Thursday next.
- Christmas Cards: Children in all classes are busy working on their Christmas cards, a fundraising initiative organised by our Parents’ Association. If you wish to purchase Christmas cards, you must return the completed order form and make payment via the Aladdin online payment link (Money tab). If you wish to order more than one packet of cards, please ensure you have marked this clearly on your order form and that you have paid the correct amount online. The final deadline for ordering is next Friday, 17th October. Please note that the payment link will remain on your Money page, even when you have made a payment (it will expire on the closing date of 17th October). This is to facilitate parents who may wish to place a further order after their initial purchase.
- Illustrator Visit: Illustrator, Karen Harte will engage Ms. McEvoy’s Third Class in a drawing workshop, entitled ‘Character Design Lab’ on Tuesday next. Karen is the illustrator of the well-known Milly McCarthy series of books. We look forward to seeing the girls’ creations.
- Flu Vaccines: A team from Rathangan Medical Centre will administer the flu vaccine to children, whose parents have given consent, in the school hall on Tuesday 11th November. Consent forms will be sent home to parents closer to this date. The vaccine will only be administered to children whose parents have completed and returned the consent forms.
- Coats: Please ensure your child comes to school wearing a coat.
- Parent-Teacher Meetings: Parent-Teacher Meetings will take place this year over two afternoons / evenings, on Tuesday 18th and Thursday 20th November. This is an ideal opportunity to speak with your child’s teacher and discuss her progress. Parents will book their chosen time-slots for their PT meetings via the Aladdin Connect app. The booking system will open during the week of Monday 20th October. A reminder will be sent to all families via the Aladdin app to book a slot. If you have already met your child’s teacher(s) at a Support Plan meeting or are scheduled to do so, there is no need to book another parent-teacher meeting slot. While these are our annual, formal meetings, if an issue arises for your child during the year, the teachers are happy to meet with you if you make an appointment with Catríona in the office or send a message to your child’s teacher on the Aladdin Connect app.
- Junior Infants 2026/27: Applications for admission to our school for the 2026/27 school year opened on Monday last. There will be a three-week window to make an application for a place in Junior Infants 2026/27 (or other classes), with Friday 24th October the application closing date. Applications can be made via a link on our school website homepage at www.bunscoilbhride.ie .
- Christmas Shoe-Box Appeal: If you wish to put together a shoebox for the ‘Team Hope’ Christmas Shoebox Appeal, we ask that you send it into school on Friday 7th November. Please see the leaflet sent home with all children for more information.
- Assembly: We will hold our whole-school assembly for the month of October in the hall on Friday 24th October. Ms. Marrinan’s Fifth and Sixth Class and Ms. Feeney’s Junior Infants will lead the assembly and will share all of our school news with our school community.
- A Spooky Walk/Non Uniform Day: As part of our Active School activities, the children and teachers will go on a ‘Spooky Walk’ on Friday 24th October at 10am, weather permitting. This will be a non-uniform day and the children are invited to dress up in Halloween costumes if they wish, but they will need to wear warm clothes and sensible shoes for outdoor walking.We will walk to the Garda station (with Infant classes walking to Ma’s Kitchen) and back to the school. We would love to see any parents / family members out to greet us on our walk.
- Dates for the Diary: Please check out the calendar tab on the Aladdin app. A number of new dates for this term have been added, including our Carol Service, Spooky Walk Day and Parents’ Day. Please continue to keep an eye on the Calendar over the coming weeks as all new dates will be added as new events are confirmed.
- Midterm Break: Bunscoil Bhríde will close for the midterm break on Friday 24th October and will reopen on Monday November 3rd. We trust everyone will enjoy a well-deserved break after such a busy half-term.
Kind regards,
Maria Rogerson