Dear Parent / Guardian / Colleague / Board Member,

Attendance – I’m glad to report that we are back up to our expected attendance rate of 95% for September 2022.

Enrolment – Enrolment opens for all primary schools on October 1^st, which is tomorrow. If you know of anyone interested in applying for a place at our school, please ask them to contact us on 052-6136349 or ballymacns@gmail.com Further information will be posted on the enrolment tab of our website. https://www.ballymacns.com/

Budget 2023 – Main Feature of Budget 2023 from a Department of Education perspective is that “From September 2023, free school books and related classroom resources will be supplied to all pupils in recognised primary schools.” We will revert to families in due course, once further clarification is received.

Confirmation Preparation – Fr Toomey has distributed a note to those in Rang 6 who wish to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation next spring. Please check with your child for this as there are preparatory mass dates included, commencing Sunday 9^th October next.

Reminder – Many secondary principals have already called this past fortnight to explain their enrolment process. I ask Rang 6 parents to keep abreast of dates applicable to their preferred school(s) of choice.

Voluntary Contribution – Each October, we kindly ask if families are in a position to help the school. While we very much appreciate DES Grant funding, we have additional costs such as supervision, photocopying, curriculum resources and the fact that we also cover insurance costs for each and every child attending the school. We didn’t seek a contribution in 2020 and fundraising opportunities have been curtailed these last 2/3 years. A letter has been drafted and is due for distribution early next week This really helps us to operate and while there is no pressure, we are extremely grateful to anyone who feels they could contribute.

PTM’s – Our Parent Teacher Meetings are penciled in for the 23^rd & 24^th November. We will be in touch with you in late October to issue further details regarding same.

Sport – Both our Boys and Girls teams represented the school at football this week in Cappoquin. They both enjoyed one win. Swimming continues for Rang 5 & Rang 6 today and right up until Halloween holidays on Friday 28^th October.

Library visit – We look forward to a visit from Clonmel Library staff on Monday next. The Junior classes will tell you all about it later that evening.

Shoebox Appeal. We as a school get a great response to this appeal each and every year. Leaflets have been distributed to children and further information can be found on the website https://www.teamhope.ie/

Ladies Final – Best wishes to all our past pupils at Ballymacarbry Ladies Football Club this weekend’s Co. Senior Football Final when they go in search of 41 in a row. The match is scheduled for 4 pm at Dungarvan G.A.A. Club Grounds. Our pupils showed their support today by donning their blue & white. See class photos on our official Facebook page. Best wishes also to Miss Boyce who is a team member.

Is mise,

Michael J. O’ Ryan – Príomh oide

Dear Parent / Guardian / Colleague / Board Member,

PA A.G.M. – Thanks to those who attended the AGM on Tuesday last. Congrats to the officers elected; Aoife, Therese and Theresa. A lot has been planned for Term 1 and volunteers will be called upon in due course. Their first item of note is a Halloween disco on Friday 28^th October.

P.A. Register – https://forms.gle/J2VLfrFmUuy8imkh8 Please use this link to allow your name be attached to the PA whatsapp group if you are a new family to the school with a child or more in Junior or Senior Infants.

Time Capsule – Thanks for your help in suggesting items for our time capsule. We will leave the link open until the end of September for you and your family to interact with. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2JQBVJK We really appreciate the responses especially the family help with 1972 items.

Athletics – Congrats to our pupils who had success at the West Waterford Cross Country Athletics in Abbeyside on Friday evening last.

GAA – Our boys and girls footballing teams will commence their INTO Cumann na mBunscol competition next week.

Swimming – This commenced for Rg 5/6 today and will continue for the next 5 Fridays up until the Halloween break.

Holy Communion Update – Those receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion next spring are invited to participate in FMW mass this weekend at 9am. The end of month family mass also takes place this weekend at the Nire at 11am. Those intending on receiving sacraments in the Nire should contact Martha (Parish school liaison person) on 087 9056721.

Breakfast Club & After School Service – Reminder. Please make sure to update Sinead / Helen in all matters relating to your child / children and their attendance or otherwise at the above club. Their whatsapp number is 083 2028749. Glad to see so many families avail of this service.

Enrollment – Applications to register an interest in joining us for the 2023/24 school year will open next weekend for all those interested.

Tonight, is Culture Night nationally. Enjoy if you have anything planned.

Is mise,

Michael J. O’Ryan – Principal

Dear Parent / Guardian / Colleague / Board Member,

PA A.G.M. – This has been rescheduled for Tuesday next in the school at 7pm. Please see e-mail sent to all families on Wednesday last. To quote the Officer Board “we are really looking forward to seeing some new faces and welcoming new ideas”

Time Capsule – We are asking our pupils and their families to come together to suggest items which we may include in a time capsule to be opened on our 100 Anniversary i.e., 30^th August 2072. In this time capsule we hope to include some items from 1972, our founding year and others from now, our golden jubilee. We would appreciate if you could suggest items using the following link. Items of educational importance maybe more relevant for this exercise. This is another event planned for our jubilee year of celebration. (Please involve grandparents and parents in ideas for 1972 items and current pupils in choosing current day items.) The link to this survey is here.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2JQBVJK

Phone Lines Down – Our phone lines were down early this week which only allowed outgoing calls for some reason. The problem is hopefully sorted. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Secondary School Visits – Principals of local secondary schools are getting in touch re: Enrollment for Sept 2023 already. The pupils in Rang 6 will be receiving visits from these schools between now and Halloween. Please keep abreast of dates in relation to schools of interest. Our own enrollment process for next year will open on 1^st October. There will be more on this topic nearer to this time.

Swimming – A slip has been sent to RG 5/6 re: swimming. We will be in touch again early next week as it is due to commence on Friday next, all going well.

Holy Communion Update – Fr Toomey has called and outlined the programme for those wishing to make their first Holy Communion in Spring 2023. This was distributed to Rang 2 pupils yesterday. Please check school bags. The first ceremony is scheduled for FMW on Sunday 25^th September at 9am. Nire details will be forwarded as soon as they are to hand.

Family No.’s – All families have now received their family number for the year ahead. They are to be seen on homework holders in the junior classes and homework journals in the senior classes. Please refer to this number in money collection envelopes etc.

Is mise,

Michael J. O’Ryan – Principal

Dear Parent / Guardian / Colleague / Board Member,

Golden Jubilee

Thanks to all who participate in last Friday night’s Jubilee Celebration and especially to Fr Michael who celebrated mass on the school grounds. It was nice to see former members of staff join up with current members. This was the first event of our Jubilee Year. Future events will be publicised as the year progresses. Some photographs of the night are posted on our official Facebook page.

PA A.G.M.

The Parents’ Association AGM will take place on Tues next 13^th Sept in the school at 7pm. We have a very good relationship with the PA, especially the officers with Aoife as chairperson. The group does so much for the school and our pupils at various times throughout the year. If you can attend, please do so. Ní neart go cur le chéile.

“Whattsapp” If you would like to join the PA Whattsapp group, please contact Aoife on 087 1692793 for inclusion. This may be of particular interest to new families to the school.

Teacher Contact

Your child’s teacher can be emailed at the following email (Christian name) followed by @ballymacns.com  These are also available on our website under contact https://www.ballymacns.com/ I ask that contact / appointments be made outside of direct teaching time in the interest of all pupils.

One Way Drop off & Collection

Please be aware that we recommend that cars travel up to the school and not down, in the interest of child safety. Please pass this information to all who may drop off or collect your child / children.

Early Arrivers

Could I please ask that children are not dropped off before Majella is on site in the morning? Please be aware that we now have a Breakfast Club attached to the school for parents who have early starts. I ask that parents set down on the right-hand side of the road as you travel up, to facilitate staff parking on the left.

Junior Infant home time.

Junior Infants can be collected at 2:00pm from Monday next. Their teacher, Ms Dunlea has informed me that they have settled in very well. Credit to all involved in the transition to primary school process.

Money Collection

Thanks to those who have already contributed to Arts & Crafts and Book Rental Collections. Should you as a family, have any financial concerns at this time, or any time into the future, please feel free to contact me in confidence.

Family Numbers

Each and every family should now have a family number which is unique to the family. Please attach same to any moneys collected throughout the upcoming academic year. It is written on the Homework Journal for those in Mrs Coffey’s – Rg6

Is mise,

Michael J. O’Ryan – Principal

Dear Parent / Guardian / Colleague / Board Member,

We welcome all our pupils and staff back and especially our new junior infants, their parents and families.

Thanks to those who worked at our school during the summer, staff and contractors alike, especially Tina our cleaner and Jim our caretaker.

Condolences to the Kennedy family of Glasha on the death of Aisling in July. To SNA, Fiona O’Grady and her family on the death of her father in August and to Fr Toomey on the death of his aunt last week.

Slán le Fr Desmond who leaves the area for his new parish of Newtown / Kilmacthomas and welcome to his successor Fr Jim Denmead. Congratulations to past pupils who enjoyed recent success at Fleadh Ceoil na hÉireann.

Best wishes to Ballymacarbry Breakfast Club & After School Service, their manager Helena, staff, Sinead and Helen as they start their new venture at our school. We hope it is beneficial to you, our families and that it ensures our continuity as a rural school long into the future.

This week marks the 50th anniversary of our opening. We plan to stage a year of Jubilee events at intervals throughout the year, commencing with an outside Start of Year Mass tonight at 7pm. All are welcome.

Our uniform policy will remain the same for the year ahead i.e., Monday, Wednesday and Friday are PE uniform days whereas Tuesday and Thursday are full uniform. Please note that a navy tie is part of our full uniform. Parents are asked not to purchase branded tracksuits in the interest of uniformity please.

Staffing – In a change to the staffing list, Miss Kelly will now commence with Rang 5 instead of Mrs Kelly.

Friendship Month – To commence the year on sound footing, we have decided to make September Friendship month. Teachers and staff will be adopting new and old initiatives to encourage friendship and discourage bullying or exclusion.

Swimming – Rg 5 & Rg 6 will commence swimming lessons from 1:50pm Fri 23^rd Sept at Clonmel pool.

Thanks to those who have already brought in Arts & Crafts, Book Rental and Homework Journal monies. Family numbers will be issued in the next few days – please use this number for monies collected etc.

I attach the provisional Academic Year Calendar to this e-mail. Changes to this will be notified to parents as soon as possible. A hard copy will issue and be distributed next week.

We are glad to report that over the summer we replaced the carpet in the Assembly Hall with laminate wooden flooring. We also acquired 16 new I-Pads through the DES ICT Grant.

Is mise,

Michael J. O’Ryan – Principal