Spring Fair Preparations

On Saturday, 29th of April, the Parent-Teacher Association will host the Spring Fair at the school. We hope to raise funds necessary to ensure running of the school for the next year. We hope to raise enough so no further fundraising is necessary.

There are four sections to the fair, The Café, Bouncy Castle and fun activities, Craft Room and Workshops. Each section needs people to help so we are asking for you to volunteer where you can.

Vivienne is in charge of The Café and we are looking for a few volunteers to help because this is a busy section and the main source of income. We kindly ask parents to donate cakes or savoury food.

We’ll have two bouncy castles to avoid overcrowding. There will be a small one for younger kids and a big one with obstacles for the older ones. They will be in the car park next to our school yard. Claire Taylor King is in charge of this section. However, we need one parent to mind the small castle and three for the big castle. Shifts will be 30 minutes long to account for possible bad weather.

Parents are needed to take payment for the workshops and sell raffle tickets.  Raffle tickets will be printed at the end of March and sent home with the kids before the break.

Karolina Sexton is in charge of the Craft Room. Here there will be stalls from different vendors and a school stall with donated toys and books. If you have something to donate please bring it to the school after Spring Break.

The Fair starts at 12 pm and will finish at 4 pm. The setup will take place the evening before.  After the Fair has finished, we need to clean up. On the notice board in the school you will find a duty roster and if it suits you please put down your name.

Thank you!

Parent-Teacher Association Committee

 

Spring Break

The school will be closed for Spring Break from Monday, 10th April until it re-opens on Monday, 24th April.  There will be an early dismissal at 12.00 on the final day of the term, Friday, 7th April.

 

 Voluntary Contribution

Letters about making a Voluntary Contribution to the school were put in homework folders this week.  If you require another copy, please contact Claudia.

 

Outings

Children in first class went to the Town Hall Theatre today to see a dance performance, The Wolf and Peter, and view an art exhibition.  They also made the most of the good weather by stopping at the playground.  Junior and senior infants will be visiting Terryland Forest Park, Westside Library and the playground on Friday, 31st March.

 

Ceardlann Adhmaid le Máirtín

Tháinig Mairtín Davy Ó Coisdealbha chuig an scoil den chéád uair.  Beidh sé ag obair le rang a haon chun boird aráin a dhéanamh as adhmad.  Is as Conamara é, agus tá na ceardlanna tríd an mheán Gaeilge.  Buíochas den choiste tuismitheoirí agus múinteoirí as an deis iontach seo.

Máirtín Davy Ó Coisbealdha visited the school for the first time.  He will be working with first class to make bread/cheese boards out of wood.  Mairtín is from Connemara and a native Irish speaker.  He is giving the workshops through Irish, a great opportunity for the children to hear Irish in a natural context.  Many thanks to the Parent-Teacher Association for sponsoring this great opportunity!

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Seachtain na Gaeilge

Bhí cruinniú speisialta againn ar an 16ú Márta.  Bhí na ranganna go léir ag canadh, ag damhsa agus ag rá rannta.  Bhaineamar an-taitnimh as leabhar Gaeilge chomh maith.

We had a special assembly on Friday, 16th March.  The classes were singing, dancing and saying rhymes.  We also enjoyed an Irish book together.

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Knocknacarra Educate Together NS – Board of Management Meeting – 9th March 2017, 20.00

Present: Louise Shields (chairperson and patron nominee), Maggie Hall (patron nominee and treasurer), Lynn Morgans (female parent nominee), Paul Adams (community nominee), Elaine Keane (community nominee), Waqas Khawaja (male parent nominee) and Matt Wallen (principal and secretary)

Apologies: Áine Ní Chuinneagáin (teacher nominee)

Louise chaired the meeting.

February Minutes

The minutes from February were agreed after removing some duplication regarding building issues.

Principal’s Report

Enrolment

  • There are currently 77 pupils enrolled.

Staffing

  • Áine’s remains out on critical illness leave. She hopes to return just before the Spring Break, subject to permission from her doctors and Medmark.
  • Our special education needs allocation for the next year has been received. We will have 40 hours, which is one full-time post and 15 hours (0.6 FTE).  We are querying what provision is included for developing schools whose enrolment are increasing on a regular basis.

Attendance

  • The attendance has been excellent. Overall, the attendance rate since the start of the year to now is 95.2%. 4 children continue to have perfect attendance.

Building Concerns

  • Several door handles were replaced due to wear and tear.
  • The mat at the main entrance requires replacement. It will be measured and a quote secured.

Curriculum

  • The staff completed a curriculum plan for English.  Maths will follow in April and An Ghaeilge in May.
  • The staff are collaborating on writing a curriculum summary for 1st and 2nd classes for the website.

Policies

  • All suggested changes to the Child Protection Policy have been made, and it is ready for formal ratification.
  • The Internet Acceptable Use Policy was reviewed by staff members and is ready for ratification.
  • A new policy on Extra Personal Vacation (EPV) days is ready for consideration by the Board.
  • A second draft of the school plan, including timelines for completing all remaining curriculum plans and policies, is ready for further consultation.

Misc. Events/Information

  • First Class attended a World Book Day event at Easons.
  • The infants visited B&Q.
  • A local vet came to speak to the school as part of our new Aistear theme on animals.
  • First Class will attend a dance performance, The Wolf and Peter, at the Town Hall on Friday, 24th
  • Matt will attend the Educate Together Principals’ Conference here in Galway on Thursday and Friday, 23rd and 24th
  • The infants will be taking a walk in Terryland Forest Park and visiting Westside Library on 31st
  • The Spring Fair has been moved one week earlier to Saturday, 29th
  • Two students completing childcare courses are doing work placements in Senior Infants and First Class.

Financial Report

Certified accounts for the previous two academic years have been received and were approved by the Board.  Budget targets continue to be met.  Electricity is much lower than expected but bin charges are slightly higher.

Building Update

There is no news from the Department.  The application for Additional School Accommodation was referred back to the Forward Planning Section, despite multiple phone calls and letters in the past.

Child Protection Policy

The Child Protection Policy was ratified with agreed changes from the last meeting.

Internet Acceptable Usage Policy

The Board discussed revisions made by staff members, and the policy was ratified.

English Curriculum Plan

The English Curriculum Plan was presented to the Board for consideration.  It will be ratified at the next meeting.

School Plan Draft

A revised draft was discussed.  It was agreed to share the draft with the staff and PTA for feedback.  All policies and curriculum plans will be included as hyperlinks.  New staff members will be presented with a memory stick with all the policies and plans when joining the staff.  It was agreed that staff members will sign a form indicating that they have read the statutory policies.  The School Plan that will be posted online will have hyperlinks only to the policies that are posted on the website.