Dear Parent / Colleague / Board Member,

Uniform Exchange.

You still have until 6pm to get to the Community Centre to leave or take items of school uniform. Thanks to the PA for organising this over these last two days.

Family Quiz.                                                                                                                                               

Later tonight our Family Quiz will go ahead at 7pm. This will entail teams of no more than four persons, with two being of primary school age. Families who have registered will get first preference for a table. https://forms.gle/tS9Y7Gq3iNFYeuij9 A raffle will take place at the event where strips will go on sale at €1 each. Refreshments will also be served by PA members. There is an entry fee of €20 per table. Beir bua!

First Penance.

Our Rg 2 boys and girls received the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday night last in Fourmilewater. Thanks to Fr Michael, Miss O’Keeffe, Mrs Coffey, Miss Kelly, the pupils themselves and indeed some members of our Banna Ceoil for their collective in the lead up to and ceremony itself.

Road Safety.

We still await a response from WC&CC in relation to parking at the school. Following meetings and in correspondence with a family, I have been asked to highlight again some important safety issues. At 3pm, please give priority to buses, ensuring that many of our pupils depart safely within a few minutes of school closure. Do not park at the top junction, this decreases sightlines for families trying to enter the Clonmel / Dungarvan Road. Please delay your collection by a few minutes until the ‘rush’ has passed. Please use the one-way system at drop off and collection times. Also, can I ask that you please pass this on to all those involved in the collection of your child / children, to ensure the safety of all.

Hurling

Our club coaches Ronan and Aidan resumed coaching today between 1-2pm. This will undoubtedly help the players before the Cumann na mBunscol competition. We appreciate their time and effort as we do with Conor Prendergast, coach.

Green School Visit.

On Thursday we had a visit from our Green School Adjudicator. She met with the principal, the Green Flag Coordinator Mrs Connolly, the Green Flag Committee and with some individual classes. She received a guided tour of the school environs, asked questions of the committee and saw at first hand the improvements, both internally and externally. She will assess our application for the Bio-diversity Flag and will inform us of the outcome in Term 3. Well done to one and all for their efforts thus far.

School Tour Schedule 2025.

The following is the itinerary for the 2025 school tours in ascending class order.

Juniors and Senior Infants will travel to Ardmore Open Farm on Friday 6^th June

Rg 1 / 2 will travel to ‘Airtastic’ Cork opting for the three-activity package on Wednesday 4^th June

Rg 3 /4 will also travel to ‘Airtastic’ opting for a similar package on Tuesday 17^th June

Rg 5/6 will travel to Spike Island Cork and Mahon Point Shopping Centre on Monday 16^th June

Teachers will be in touch with their respective classes elaborating the finer details in Term 3 and links will be set up via Aladdin Connect for those who wish to pay electronically. Cash will also remain an option.

Two-week Reminder

The school will close on Friday 11^th April at 12:30 pm for Easter holidays. We will reopen again on Monday 28^th April. (Confirmation will take place on Tuesday 29^th April.) The Associated Breakfast Club & After School Service will remain open until 6 pm on Friday 11^th.

Daylight Savings Time

At 1 am on Sunday morning, the clock will ‘spring forward’ by one hour, meaning an hour’s less sleep Saturday night. New time will remain in force until Sunday 26^th Oct 2025.

An email will issue at 6 pm this evening to all families in the process of enrolling a child with us for the upcoming year.

Is mise

Michael J. O’Ryan – Principal

Dear Parent / Colleague / Board Member,

Spring Equinox.

Today marks the real beginning of Spring in the sense that you have equal day and equal night. From here on in, the days are getting longer and the nights are getting shorter. Next weekend, we will move on the clocks one hour to begin daylight saving time. March has been kind so far. Hopefully it won’t be ‘in like a lamb, out like a lion.’

Friendship Week.

We celebrated friendship week this week, creating Gratitude Journals, participating in mindfulness and performing multiple random acts of kindness throughout the week and throughout the school. The week ended with us participating in Down Syndrome Awareness Day on Friday when all pupils and staff shared in the spirit of the day by wearing odd / colourful socks. Please check our social media page for updates.

Uniform Exchange.

The PA will host a school uniform exchange event in the Community Centre on Thursday 27^th & Friday 28^th March. Families will be able to leave unwanted or take wanted items between 9am and 6pm.

Family Quiz.                                                                                                                                                                           

Our Family Quiz will go ahead on Friday 28^th March at 7pm. This will entail teams of no more than four persons, with two being of primary school age. We have a few places left so if you would still like to register, please do so here. Families who have registered will get first preference on the night. https://forms.gle/tS9Y7Gq3iNFYeuij9 The PA is in the process of organising an Easter hamper for the night which will be on display outside my office next week.

First Penance. (Rg 2)

Our Rg 2 boys and girls will receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday next in Fourmilewater at 7 pm. This includes those making their communion in the Nire. Reminder – Communion will take place on Saturday 10^th May in Fourmilewater and Sunday 18^th May in the Nire, both at 11 am. Please follow instructions from class teachers.

Holy Family Mission (Rg 6)

We have organised a pre-confirmation retreat for Rg 6 at our school on Friday 4^th April, Touraneena and Newcastle will both join us on the day. It will be led by HFM Glencomeragh. Please follow instructions from class teacher.

Enrolment.

Enrolment Forms are now being collected from those who hope to commence Junior Infants in late August. Open Afternoon is planned for Wednesday 4^th June between 1pm – 2:30 pm.

School Transport.

If you want to apply for primary or secondary school transport for 2025/26 school year, please do so by Friday 25^th April https://schooltransport.buseireann.ie/Account/Login

Hurling Coaching.

Conor Prendergast will be with us on Wednesday next so helmets and hurleys at the ready please.

School Tours

We will publicise our School Tour itinerary in next week’s issue with dates and venues. We will start collecting monies after Easter.

Is mise

Michael J. O’Ryan

School Principal

Dear Parent / Colleague / Board Member,

School Book Club

Don’t forget that our latest Scholastic Book Club is now online at  https://schools.scholastic.ie/ballymacarberry-n/digital-book-club. There are hundreds of fantastic children’s books to choose from, and every €1 you spend on this month’s Book Club will earn 20¢ for our school in Scholastic Rewards. Every €1 you spend on this month’s Book Club will earn 20¢ for our school in Scholastic Rewards. Please place your order online by March 20th, 2025.

Uniform Exchange

The PA will host a school uniform exchange event in the Community Centre on Thursday 27^th & Friday 28^th March. Families will be able to leave unwanted or take wanted items between 9am and 6pm. Thanks to the P.A. for organising worthwhile events, such as this.

Family Quiz                                                                                                                                                                             

I’m glad to report that our Family Quiz will go ahead on Friday 28^th March. Thanks to all those families who registered an interest. Questions are now being set. Our pupils love quizzes and regularly finish in top spots in local quizzes. Our family quiz would entail teams of no more than four persons, with two being of primary school age. The PA is publisising this at present. We thank them for their help. If you would still like to register, please do so here. Families who have registered will get first preference on the night. https://forms.gle/tS9Y7Gq3iNFYeuij9

Downe Syndrome Day

World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) is celebrated annually on the 21st of March and is a global awareness day that has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012. The date for WDSD is set on the 21st day of the 3rd month as a representation of the extra copy of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome that people with Down syndrome are born with. To this end we as a school are encouraging our pupils to wear bright / odd socks on Friday next to highlight awareness of this syndrome.

Seachtain na Gaeilge.

This week, we have tried to promote all that is good about Ireland; our language, culture, music, song and dance. Thanks to Miss Kelly and the Irish Committee for their efforts and indeed all staff and pupils for their engagement. Well done to all the winners and all who competed. Ni neart go cur le chéile agus mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. I rith na deireadh seachtaine seo, bígí ag labhairt as Gaeilge chomh minic agus is féidir, le bhur dtoil,  bainigí triail as agus gan dabht, bainfidh sibh taitneamh as. Please see social media for up to dates on all our events and activities throughout the week.

Beannachtaí na féile Pádraig oraibh. We will return to school on Tuesday at 9:20 am.

Is mise

Michael J. O’Ryan – Principal

Dear Parent / Colleague / Board Member,

May O’Meara RiP                                                                                                                                                       

Deepest sympathy to our cleaner Tina and her family on the death of her mother May O’Meara, Ardfinnan. May died last weekend and was buried in Ardfinnan on Monday last. May she rest in peace.

Mini Sevens

Our boys and girls took part in the 7 a side hurling and camogie competitions in Bohadoon this week. While we didn’t progress to the finals, all players gave a great account of themselves and really enjoyed the day.

Seachtain na Gaeilge                                                                                                                                            

Beidh Céilí Mór, Tráth na gCeist agus Tóraíocht Ciste againn ar scoil an tseachtain seo chugainn agus beimid go léir ag úsáid cúpla focal i rith na seachtaine agus ag ceiliuradh Lá Fhéile Padraig ag an deireadh seactaine freisin. Bainigí taitneamh as agus bainigí triail as an teanga a úsáid sa bhaile freisin!

Pancake Tuesday                                                                                                                                                    

Thanks to Anna, Ann and Anna jnr who helped feed the masses with pancakes on Tuesday last. This was a treat before the start of lent. Children brought along their own preferred toppings.

Ash Wednesday                                                                                                                                                     

Thanks to Fr Michael for calling with ashes on Wednesday.

World Book Day

We celebrated World Book Day on Thursday, when our pupils donned the costume of a favoured book character. We commemorated the day by also having Ann from Clonmel Library speak to all classes. Tokens were distributed to each pupil and can be cashed in any participating book store.

On a related note, our new Scholastic Book Club is up and running! Go to https://schools.scholastic.ie/ballymacarberry-n/digital-book-club to browse the latest books and order online. For every €1 you spend on this month’s Book Club, our school will earn 20¢ in Scholastic Rewards. Please place your order online by March 20th, 2025.

Enrolment                                                                                                                                                            

Letters will be distributed to families who expressed an interest in sending a child to our school from late August, early next week. This pack will contain Application Form # 2 among other things. Please complete this, gathering any necessary documentation and return to us at your earliest opportunity. Open Afternoon will be weld on Wednesday 4^th June.

Family Quiz

If we can entice a few more families to express an interest in our family quiz, we will run with the proposed date of Friday 28^th March.  https://forms.gle/tS9Y7Gq3iNFYeuij9 We will call it next weekend, in order for questions to be set.

Confirming our Children Mass                                                                                                                              

Rg 6 will be involved in this weekend’s 9 am mass in FMW as part of the “Confirming our Children” series. Please follow any particular advice given by class teacher, Mrs Byrne. A pre confirmation retreat is being planned along with Newcastle and Touraneena in early April.

The First Penance for all Rg 2 pupils will take place in FMW Church on Wednesday 26^th March at 7pm.

School Transport                                                                                                                                                     

Please be aware that the Bus Eireann ticket application portal is now open for the upcoming academic year. This involves those in primary and secondary schools requiring transport to and from school commencing in late Aug / Sept. The application process will close on Friday 25^th April. Families will be able to pay from June 2025, with tickets issuing in July. FYI https://schooltransport.buseireann.ie/Account/Login

School Meals

It has come to our attention that some pupils are not eating their hot school lunches. Please ensure that the desired meal is ordered. Please also check lunchboxes. Lunches can be selected via the app up until midnight each Friday, but can also be done earlier in the week. Menus will be changed in Term 3.

Reminder

The children will be encouraged to wear our national colours on Friday next in honour of our patron saint., St Patrick. The school will close on Monday 17^th March.

Is mise – Michael J. O’Ryan – Principal.

Dear Parent / Colleague / Board Member,

Little Red Kettle

Well done to the cast of Little Red Kittle, Waterford for coming to our school on Wednesday and performing the show “How to steal the world” for us and our pupils. By all accounts, it was very well received and pupils got to play their part in the thoroughly interactive and enjoyable performance.

Bí Cineálta

Thanks to those families who helped us with their thoughts on bullying to help formulate our new Bí Cineálta Policy, which is to be implemented nationwide from September 2025. The staff is currently devising it in line with national guidelines, staff views, parent views and indeed a pupil voice.

Seachtain na Gaeilge

Beimid go léir ag úsáid cúpla focal chomh minic agus is féidir an coicís seo chugainn. This will run from March 1^st to 17^th and our school will be participating. We will give the pupils the opportunity to engage more with their Irish culture; language, music, song and dance. Some notable annual events included are; the Tráth na gCeist agus an Céilí Mór, to name but two. We invite you to participate as families. Bain taitneamh as agus bain triail as Seachtain na Gaeilge freisin!

World Book Day

World Book Day in Ireland will take place on Thursday next March 6^th. Children can dress as their chosen book character, to mark the day. We will celebrate it by inviting a visitor from Clonmel Library to each class on the day to highlight the importance, enjoyment and endless possibilities of reading. Each child will receive a book token which can be redeemed at participating book stores. The school will re-establish its Book Club, where these tokens can also be used. (More about this next week.)

Upcoming Next Week

On Tuesday we will feast ourselves before the onset of Lent with the traditional pancake on Lá na bPancóga and on Wednesday, with help from Fr Michael, we will distribute ashes to mark Ceadaoin an Luathraigh. On Friday we will engage with St Mary’s, Touraneena NS to prepare for the upcoming Sacrament of Confirmation.

Family Quiz

If we can entice a few more families to express an interest in our family quiz, we will run with the proposed date of Friday 28^th March. We should have a decision in two weeks. https://forms.gle/tS9Y7Gq3iNFYeuij9

School Tours

Plans are currently being finalised for our school tour itinerary in June. Details will be forwarded before Easter. Payment links will be sent via Aladdin Connect to families who want to pay in excess of €10 electronically. Cash will continue to be accepted.

Reminder

The school (and Associated Breakfast and After School Club) will close on Monday 17^th March to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Is mise,

Michael J. O’Ryan – Principal.