Dear Parent / Guardian / Colleague / Board Member,                                                                                               

Covid-19: Primary schools received a lot of attention this week in relation to Covid. Thankfully all is still well here on the final weekend before Christmas. Please keep vigilant in keeping Covid from our school, homes and community. Hopefully we can return early in the New Year when a vaccination programme will have commenced but until then we must take individual and collective responsibility over the holiday period. Please be aware that Work Safely Protocol requires that anyone who travels internationally must restrict their movements for 14 days on arrival into Ireland.

Attendance: The rate this week has been 95.2%. Month to date equals 94.7% compared to a figure of 88% Dec. 2019.

Wet evenings: Thankfully we haven’t had many wet evenings this term, but the few we’ve had have all come in the last two weeks. Apologies for any inconveniences caused in collecting your children on wet days, but we do not want to amalgamate children after keeping them separate in their class bubble throughout the day and indeed all term. Furthermore, can you please ensure that your child wears a coat in this weather, with his or her name labeled on it.  Thanks to all staff for their continued assistance in this regard and you for your patience.

Deputy Principal: Ms Franey started with us on Monday last. She takes over the post of Deputy Principal and Special Education Needs Coordinator. She has been introducing herself to parents this week.  We wish her well as she gets to know her colleagues and our pupils.

Christmas Mass: Unfortunately owing to weather this week we were unable to bring Rg 5 and Rg 6 to Fr Toomey’s mass. However he did come along today and performed a blessing for all prior to Christmas. Unfortunately we cannot bring you a Carol Service or a Christmas Concert this year, but hopefully in 2021 we can restore music and dramatics, a valuable part of the curriculum.

Hurling All Ireland: Hard luck to our past pupils and the Waterford hurlers who succumbed to a stronger Limerick team last weekend. We congratulate them however, on making very good progress in 2020. Beidh lá eile ag an bPaorach.

Fundraiser: Thanks to all pupils, their parents and staff for gathering €277 towards Christmas Hampers on “Blue and White Day.” We said we would put it together with any further monies collected next Tuesday on “Red & White Day” before presenting proceeds to the Lions Club Christmas Appeal.

Christmas Art Competition: We are very limited in the Christmas activities that we can do with the children this year, so this week we had an Art Competition for each class. The pupils put great effort into their entries and the male and female winners from each class were given selection boxes.

Reminder: School will close on Tuesday next 22^nd December at 12:30 pm. We urge children to attend, wearing Christmas themed uniform. Hopefully a certain visitor will keep us in his diary despite the Covid restrictions. Congratulations to pupil, Gavin O’Sullivan who won a competition to travel around Clonmel in style with the man himself this evening. As of now school will reopen on Wednesday 6^th January, 2021 at 9:20 am on the Feast of the Epiphany.

Is mise,

Michael J. O’Ryan – Principal