Mid-Term Break

The school will close on Friday, 23rd October (usual dismissal time).  Basketball and the afterschool care will take place as normal.  School will reopen on Monday, 2nd November.

 

Halloween

On Friday, 23rd October children are invited to wear fancy dress.  We’d ask that no weapons or anything resembling a weapon be brought as part of a costume.

 

PTA Meeting

The next meeting will take place on Wednesday, 21st October at 19.00.  All parents are most welcome to attend.  Officers will be selected at the meeting.

 

Board of Management

A reminder that all ballots must be completed and submitted by Monday, 19th October at 18.00.  They can be put in the metal post box at the front door.

 

Enrolment Policy

Please note that our school’s enrolment does not have a sibling right-of-entry policy.  Therefore, please be sure you complete a pre-enrolment application at our website (www.ketns.ie/pre-enrolment).  If you are uncertain whether a pre-enrolment application has been received, please reply to this email.

 

Afterschool Music Classes

Please note, there will be no music class tomorrow, Monday, 19th October.  A make-up session will take place on Thursday, 22nd October.  The other session will hopefully be made up later in the term.

 

Baboró

Senior infants had a great day on Friday, first visiting A History of Play exhibition at the Galway Arts Centre and then seeing a puppet show, Guess How Much I Love You, at the Black Box Theatre.

 

photo 2

Two new outdoor chalkboards have been added to the yard.

Knocknacarra Educate Together NS

Board of Management Meeting

16th September 2015, 19.30

Present: Louise Shields (chairperson and patron nominee), Maggie Hall (patron nominee and treasurer), Edward Joyce (community nominee), Waqas Khawaja (male parent nominee), Áine Ní Chuinneagáin (teacher nominee), Matt Wallen (principal and secretary)

Apologies: Lorna Siggins (community nominee), Vajeeha Ali (female parent nominee)

Louise chaired the meeting.

 

May Minutes

The minutes from May were ratified with minor changes.

Principal’s Report

Enrolment

  • There are currently 50 students enrolled, 28 in junior infants and 22 in senior infants.

Staffing

  • Vivienne was appointed as a shared resource teacher. She works approximately 9 hours in our school per week.  She also works in Galway Educate Together NS, Scoil Iognáid and Castlegar NS.  A timetable has been organised.
  • Our general allocation hours are being addressed by one visiting teacher on Friday (Fiona) from Mervue Boy’s NS as well as two job-sharing partners (Clodagh and Annette) from St Annin’s NS in Roscahill who are in the school parts of the day on Wednesday and Friday.
  • Ann Courtney was appointed as a part-time special needs assistance in the school (0.83). Her hours match the infant day.

Attendance

  • At present, the attendance has been very good, with an average of 96% as compared with 92% last September and 89.5% overall for the previous year.

IT

  • A laptop was purchased for the learning support teachers. Another laptop was purchased for the senior infant classroom to operate the interactive whiteboard.

Building Concerns

  • To prepare for the afterschool service, many changes were made in the kitchen area including the addition of a cooker, a separate hand-washing basin, an extractor fan, linoleum for part of the floor and new paint that is washable.
  • After much difficulty, we have lodged an application to reduce the electricity capacity, which will greatly reduce our bills. In the process I was able to negotiate a slightly more favourable rate.
  • Bin collection has been arranged. We will not have a regular collection.  Instead, when the bins are full, we will ring and they will be emptied the following day.  This will keep costs very manageable.

Curriculum

  • Yearly schemes are in progress for the various subject areas in both classes.
  • The process of developing a Plean Scoile for the big three subjects (English, Irish and Maths) will be completed this year. Other subjects will follow.
  • Both classes have resumed Aistear time as well as other structured play activities throughout the day.

Other Policies/School Planning

  • Drafts of the Code of Behaviour (including an Anti-Bullying Policy), Attendance and Critical Incidents Policies have been completed.
  • A three-year plan for writing other policies is ready for consideration.

Misc. Events

  • The Polish School has begun using the premises on Saturdays. A formal agreement has been drafted and is ready to be signed.
  • The afterschool programme has been implemented, led by Jenni Hynes. Interest is growing.
  • The afterschool clubs will resume next week: music, visual arts, capoeira and basketball.
  • A coffee morning will take place in the school in aid of Galway Hospice on Friday, 16th September from 12.00 to 13.00. All are welcome.
  • We have plans for the seniors to participate in at least one Baboró event. The juniors will visit the Teddy Bear Hospital later this year.  Both classes will visit Barna Woods in October.
  • Matt and Áine attended a seminar last night on play-based pedagogy.
  • Vivienne will be completing the Mata sa Rang course, an excellent programme to help us prepare for our first-class maths teaching as well as support the learning in our current classes.
  • Matt, Áine and Vivienne will be attending the Educate Together Ethos Conference in November.

Financial Report

  • The budget targets continue to be met. Some additional expenses outside the budget have been incurred to set up the onsite afterschool programme.
  • There have been some delays regarding securing reduced capacity for our electrical connection. This will greatly reduce our electricity bill each month once the process is completed.
  • A Polish language school has begun renting the premises on Saturdays.

Policies Ratification

  • The Code of Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policy was ratified. The Critical Incidents and Attendance Policies were also ratified.
  • A change was made regarding the Health and Safety Policy to account for the installation of a cooker in the school. The revised policy was ratified.
  • A three-year plan for policy development was agreed.

Accommodation Update

It was agreed that Matt will write to the Department of Education for an update regarding plans for long-term accommodation for the school.

Training for the Board of Management

Members have had difficulty completing the registration process for the online modules from Educate Together.  As the Board is nearing the end of its term, it was agreed that the training would be postponed until the new Board is in place.

Constitution of the New Board

  • The patron and teacher nominees will remain the same once the new Board is constituted.
  • Elections for parent nominees for the new Board will take place before the October mid-term break. Nominations will be sought, and then a paper ballot will be distributed to each family.
  • Community nominees will be chosen by the six members in November.
  • It has been proposed that the new Board signs a memorandum of understanding outlining the commitment and responsibilities associated with membership of the Board.

Next Meeting: 14th October, 19.30