Spring Fair

The Spring Fair is less than a week away on Saturday, 17th May from 12.00 to 16.00.  Everyone is welcome on the day including friends, family and neighbours.  Many thanks to all the parents who are working hard to plan another great occasion and fundraiser for our school.  The Parent-Teacher Association is looking for your help with the following: 

  • sign up to volunteer for a one-hour time slot
  • Let us know if you would like a stall in the arts and crafts market
  • Continue selling raffle tickets (more can be collected from the office and if you are unable to sell them, please return them to the school)
  • Bring quality second-hand books to the school beginning on Friday
  • Like and share the Facebook event and post
  • Please bake something for the café
  • Use active travel to attend the fair (bike, walk, ride a scooter) if at all possible and park responsibly if driving
  • Enjoy yourself on the day!

Green Flag

Congratulations to Sarah, Nora, the Green School Committee and everyone in our school community who have worked hard to achieve our third Green Flag on the theme of transport.  Three children attended a special event where they were presented with the flag, and we celebrated the achievement at our recent whole-school assembly.

Next week is Bike Week, and children are encouraged to use active travel to get to school each day, with an emphasis on cycling or scooting. The Green School committee will track the number of children using active travel, and the class that logs the most participants will win a special cycling trophy. The committee is also organising a Design a Helmet competition, and the winners will be announced later in the week.  Later in the week for our main event, we will host a cycle disco on Friday where students can showcase their biking and scooting skills.  We’d encourage as many children as possible to participate, and we will celebrate getting the third Green Flag that day. 

Mobile Phone Survey and Contract

The Parent-Teacher Association wishes to thank everyone who completed the recent survey about the potential contract related to smart phones.  The data from the survey is summarised below.  Many thanks to the 82 families who completed the survey.  The full data report is attached to this email.  Considering the overwhelmingly positive data, with 98.8% of parents happy to introduce an optional contract, the contract is being finalised, and this will be distributed to parents very soon.  Thanks to Lisa and Joanna for spearheading this effort. 

Consultation regarding Bí Cineálta (Anti-bullying Policy)

Following on from the staff seminar last Friday, we are engaging in a process of consultation related to anti-bullying procedures in the school.  Children will be consulted using a survey as well as conversations in class.  We also have a survey for parents.  We recommend talking with your child(ren) before completing the survey to help you respond to the questions.

GAA Blitzes and Active Week

Last week we marked Active School Week with more skipping, extra PE lessons and participation in three Cumann na mBunscol events.  For the first time, we participated in a camogie blitz on Friday.  On Wednesday, both the boys’ and girls’ Gaelic football teams played in a blitz.  Our hurling team will participate in an event later this month.  Well done to all the participants have demonstrated great improvement.  Special thanks to Fionnuala for training sessions at lunch and in the afternoon. 

The Girls’ Gaelic Football Team

The Boys’ Gaelic Football Team

The Camogie Team

Trip to Dubray Bookshop

Senior Infants had a fantastic visit to Dubray Books last week to meet author Paddy Donnelly.  The children had a great time engaging with his books and meeting such an accomplished writer.  Many thanks to Ronan and Dubray Books for this opportunity.

Visit of French Students

This week we had a very special visit from 50 children from Nimes, France.  5th and 6th Class have been writing letters to their French penpals over the year, and it has been an excellent way to put into practice the learning from the French lessons with Lise earlier this year.  The classes meet each other for the first time in Cong where we toured the abbey, had a walk in the woods and enjoyed some games together.  Today our visitors from Nimes came to the school.  We demonstrated and taught some Irish dances (An Dreolín and Shoe the Donkey), we played Gaelic football and Banana Tag in Cappagh Park and we even sang for each other!  Special thanks to Lise for her assistance.