News Update – 19/05/2023

 

Dear Parent / Guardian / Colleague / Board Member,

 

Holy Communion – Well done to our Rang 2 boys and girls who made their First Holy Communion last Sunday in the Nire. Well done to their teachers; Mrs Coffey & Miss O’Keeffe who prepared them so well. Thanks to celebrant and school chaplain, Fr Toomey, who as always, made it such an uplifting ceremony. Thanks to Niamh Meehan and some pupils for providing the accompanying music along with the church choir in the Nire. Thanks to Nora, the sacristan, Enya the server and the Parish Hall Committee for providing refreshments afterwards. I hope the pupils and their families enjoyed the day / weekend.

 

Food Dudes – The children enjoyed fruit and vegetables this week as part of the Food Dudes programme. They got to sample carrots, cucumbers, courgettes, tomatoes, apples, bananas, blueberries and satsumas. These items are all part of a healthy lunchbox and are encouraged at our school. As junior infants were newcomers to our school, they received a Food Dudes lunchbox. Thanks to Mrs McGrath and all staff for assisting.

 

RSE – Our RSE Day for Rg 6 will take place on Friday 9th June. Thanks to those parents who have completed and returned the relevant documentation. If you haven’t already done so, please do.

 

School Tours – Our 1st & 2nd Class School Tour takes place today week. The class teachers sent an explanatory email to relevant families on Wednesday last. The 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th Class tours will take place the following week. Notices will be sent out next week in relation to these. Money is currently being collected. Please put it in an envelope with child’s name and family number.

 

Testing – Our yearly standardised assessments will take place from late May involving Rg 1-Rg 6, the results will be included on the Annual School Reports issued from mid-June.

 

Staffing – We will welcome Melissa Walsh, Ballydonagh to our staff from September. Melissa is a teacher with many years of experience and comes from a family steeped in education. Melissa lives locally and will have two children attend our school on her commencement. We hope to have our full complement of teaching staff for publication, by early June.

 

GAA – Our boys will contest the Cumann na mBunscol School Hurling ‘A’ Plate Final against Cappoquin in Abbeyside Pitch @ 5.45pm on Thursday 25th May. Panel members are asked to be in the dressing room at 5:15pm and togged out. There is a €5 entry fee for spectators. Thanks to Mrs Byrne and our local coaches for their help. Congratulations to Aaron Wyse, Rg 6 who represented our school on the Waterford Primary Game team in Thurles on Saturday night last.

 

Aisling Kennedy Memorial Tournament – Our 5th girls competed in the Aisling Kennedy Memorial Blitz yesterday. The girls had victories over Presentation, St.Oliver’s, Srs. of Charity of Clonmel and Newcastle. We topped our group and beat Srs. of Charity in the Semi. Unfortunately, we lost the final to Ardfinnan by one goal! All of the girls played absolutely fantastic and they really enjoyed their day out, remembering our past pupil Aisling Kennedy. Thanks to Mrs McGrath & Miss Kelly for their help.

 

New Goalposts – Thanks to past pupil, Richard Guiry who donated a set of goal posts to the school recently. They will be painted and secured in the near future. We appreciate this gesture from Dick and the Guiry family, Knockatrelaune.

 

Battle Group Centre – Today we had a display from Brendan O’Brien and his colleagues, on the Irish War of Independence, the First World War and the Second World War. This is very appropriate at this time as we come to the end of the Decade of Centenary Celebrations 2013-2023. Many items of memorabilia and artefacts of war including artillery, uniforms and even motor vehicles were on display. BGC returned to us after a gap of 7 years and for those of you interested, you can catch up with them tomorrow at Ballymacarbry Community Centre between 12 noon and 4pm where all their items will be on display for the general public.

 

Is mise,

Michael J. O’ Ryan.

Principal.