Important Dates

The next Parent-Teacher Association meeting is on Wednesday (14th December) at 19.00 at the Clybaun Hotel.

Our end-of-term assembly will be on Wednesday, 21st December.  This will take place at Áras Bóthar na Trá, Dr. Mannix Road.  The children will share songs and poems starting at 13.00.  A map will be included for those who need help in finding the venue.  A reminder that we’re asking families in junior infants to bring a starter or salad, families in senior infants to bring a main and families in first class to bring a dessert for the potluck that follows the assembly.

The last day of the term will be Thursday, 22nd December.  There will be an early dismissal at 12.00.  School will reopen on Monday, 9th January.

 

Board of Management Minutes

Attached to this newsletter are the minutes from the previous two Board meetings.  In response to a suggestion made by members of the PTA, the Board has changed procedures to ensure the minutes are shared with the school community as soon as possible, ensuring better communication.

 

New Aistear Activities

We have new activities for Aistear time.  In the imaginative play area, there is a restaurant.  Children are making cards, groups are drawing maps of villages and playing with the cars and the ever-popular magna tiles are being used for construction.

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Feeding the Birds II

The Junior Infants made hanging bird seed ornaments.  Once they’re ready, they’ll be brought home.

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Knocknacarra Educate Together NS Board of Management Meeting – 10th November 2016, 20.00

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

Apologies: Elaine Keane (community nominee)

Louise chaired the meeting.

October Minutes

The minutes from October were ratified.

Principal’s Report

Enrolment

  • There are currently 74 pupils enrolled. Three children have accepted places but have not been enrolled yet, two in first class and one in junior infants.

Staffing

  • Our allocation for resources hours has increased to 20.4 hours. We will continue to honour our obligation to the school in Lackagh, and Vivienne will continue to travel there.  Our extra hours will be banked, but it is hoped to be able to hire a part-time teacher to complete the hours.
  • Clare’s Garda vetting has been received and she started working before the mid-term break.
  • A student teacher from Mary Immaculate College of Education will be visiting senior infants for the next two weeks, under supervision.
  • We have agreed to host three French trainee teachers who will observe and act as classroom assistants.
  • We have received a request from the afterschool music teacher to do placement as part of her SNA course.

Attendance

  • The attendance continues to be good, though the percentage for October was slightly lower than last year. Overall, the attendance rate since the start of the year to now is 96.4%.  Just under half of the children have perfect attendance so far.  No child has crossed the threshold for reporting attendance to Túsla.

Building Concerns

  • We received confirmation of receipt of the Additional School Accommodation form (ASA). We also received a phone call, and we expect to have a return phone call tomorrow afternoon.
  • The original builder came to view the white entrance door that needs repair. He’ll return to fix the problem.

Policies

  • The Communication Policy will be reviewed by the Parent Teacher Association and presented to the Board for formal ratification at the December meeting.
  • The Job Sharing, Career Break and Non-Statutory Leave Policy has been completed.

Misc. Events/Information

  • The Senior Infants and First Class had a fantastic experience at the Baboró performance.
  • Parent-Teacher Meetings will take place on the 23rd and 24th
  • We will have an end-of-term assembly and potluck at a location that is to be determined.

Financial Report

  • The budget targets are all being met.
  • The insurance policy was renewed. Any efforts to source quotations proved unsuccessful.

PTA Report

The PTA held a lively, well-attended AGM.  A new committee was selected and a review of last year as well as small-group discussions about a shared vision for our school took place.  The PTA Committee will meet later this month to select officers.

Policies

  • The PTA will consider the Communication Policy at their next meeting.
  • The Job-Sharing, Career Break and Other Non-Statutory Leave Policy was discussed and some changes were recommended.

 

Knocknacarra Educate Together NS Board of Management Meeting – 8th December 2016, 20.00

Present: Louise Shields (chairperson and patron nominee), Maggie Hall (patron nominee and treasurer), Lynn Morgans (female parent nominee), Áine Ní Chuinneagáin (teacher nominee), Elaine Keane (community nominee), Matt Wallen (principal and secretary)

Apologies: Waqas Khawaja (male parent nominee), Paul Adams (community nominee)

Louise chaired the meeting.

November Minutes

The minutes from November were ratified.

Principal’s Report

Enrolment

  • There are currently 76 pupils enrolled. One child enrolled in junior infants and one enrolled in first class.

Staffing

  • Anne Magnetti will be working on a part-time basis to cover the additional resource teaching hours allocated.

Attendance

  • The attendance continues to be good. Overall, the attendance rate since the start of the year to now is 95.5%. 15 children continue to have perfect attendance.  No child has crossed the threshold for reporting attendance to Túsla, but reminder letters will be issued to families of children who have 15 absences or more.

Curriculum

  • The staff will collaborate to write some of the curricular sections of the new school plan, prioritising maths, English and Irish.
  • The entire staff will attend a professional development day on 9th May concerning the new language curriculum.  The school will be closed on this day.

Policies

  • The revised Communication and Job Sharing, Career Break and Non-Statutory Leave Policies have been revised and are ready for ratification.

Misc. Events/Information

  • Parent-teacher meetings were held at the end of November. The attendance was excellent.  Many thanks to the teachers for putting in the extra hours to prepare for and hold these meetings.
  • First Class went to Cappagh Park to plant daffodils at the 1916 Commemoration Memorial.
  • Matt attended a professional development seminar on developing An Plean Scoile (The School Plan).
  • Matt and Vivienne attended a professional development day on team teaching for numeracy.
  • An Open Evening was held in the school for prospective parents. Many thanks to the current parents and board members as well as the staff members who attended.
  • A whole-school assembly will take place on the 21st December followed by a potluck for families.

Financial Report

  • The budget targets are all being met.
  • We received the minor works grant.
  • The accounts are still being certified but should be completed soon.

PTA Report

The PTA has chosen a new committee.  They will join the Board for a consultation meeting regarding the School Plan on Wednesday, 18th January at 19.00 in the school.

Policies

The Communication Policy and Job-sharing, Career Break and Non-Statutory Leave Policy were both ratified.

An Plean Scoile

Louise discussed components of the School Plan based on documentation Matt received at the training.  A PowerPoint with questions has been prepared for the upcoming joint meeting with the PTA.  The questions were discussed and revised.

Distribution of Board Minutes

The summary of Board minutes will be agreed via email and distributed within one week of the meeting.