MARCH
2004 NEWSLETTER
Dear Parents
Many thanks for
the excellent turn out at the parent
teacher meetings during the past
month. We appreciate your interest
and commitment to your children's
education.
A letter shall be sent out this
week inviting parents to make appointments
to meet Miss Walsh.
Thank you.
LENT:
As you know Lent is a
time for reflection and preparation
for Easter. As usual the children
will be encouraged to collect money
for Trocaire and to think of God
more often during Lent. In addition
we are asking your support in encouraging
the children to make a little sacrifice.
This could be extending their non
eating of sweets to Monday and Friday
in addition to the other days.
We shall also be selling tickets
for an Easter Egg raffle in support
of Trocaire -20p each. Any donations
of Easter eggs will be greatly appreciated.
ST PATRICK’S
NON UNIFORM DAY:
The children (and adults)
are invited to come to school dressed
in green on Tuesday 16th March.
It will cost each child 50p and
the proceeds will go to charity.
On that day there will also be prizes
available to those children taking
snacks and dinners from the kitchen.
There will be a special Irish/Green
flavour to the meals on that day.
BOOK FAIR:
As a result of your generous
support at the recent Book Fair
the school has received over 20
new books for its classroom libraries.
Thank you
CONGRATULATIONS:
Well done to Ciaran Harrison
who won an award from the WI in
their recent poetry competition
on the topic My Mourne
Well done to our Classroom Assistants
Margaret Murphy, Alanna O’Neill
and Colleen Joyce who were recently
awarded their Reading Partnership
Certificates. The children are already
gaining benefits from their new
expertise.
QUIZ
Congratulations to the
P6 and P7 quiz teams who performed
well at the recent Credit Union
Quiz
AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS:
Due to industrial action
by the Teacher Unions teachers have
been instructed not to participate
in Directed Time . This means that
they are not able to take after
school clubs at present.
QUIZ:
We have another quiz night
on Friday 26th March in the Halfway
House. Tony will again provide the
questions. The last quiz went very
well and hopefully we will have
another good turnout.
The Friends of the School shall
be making a donation of £1000
to Glasdrumman GAC for the use of
the minibus for the morning run
and for its use in. THe Friends
have also agreed to help the school
purchase new blinds and curtains.
All funds are being put to very
good use.
VIDEO CONFERENCE:
Over the past months P6/7
have been communicating with Wellsville
school in New York. Last month Mrs.
Sorochin, a teacher from New York,
visited the school. The exchange
of culture proved beneficial on
both sides. The visit culminated
with P6/7 travelling to Our Ladies
Grammar School in Newry to participate
in a a 1 hour Video conference with
the P6/7 children of Wellsville.
It was a thoroughly enriching experience
and something that the school hopes
to build on in the future.
WELCOME:
Welcome to Padraig Stevenson
who has just joined Reception .
We wish Padraig and his family all
the best and hope he enjoys his
time with us.
UNIFORM:
The school has ordered
a number of navy woolen winter hats
featuring the school badge. They
cost £2.50 each
The school uniform is grey/black
trousers or grey/black skirt with
school polo shirt and sweat shirt.
However over the last two months
a number of children have started
to wear tracksuits legs as a part
of their school uniform. It is appreciated
that children can dirty their uniform
at the last moment and it is accepted
that children may have to wear non
uniform on such occasions. Children
not wearing school uniform sends
out the wrong message. Over the
year various visitors have remarked
how neat and smart the children
look. It is important that this
positive image is maintained all
the time especially when there are
a number of trips at this time of
the year.
Your help in this matter would be
appreciated.
SACRAMENT:
P3 children and parents will celebrate
the Sacrament of Reconciliation
in St Mary’s Church on Wednesday
31st March at 11am. Parents will
receive a more detailed letter later.
We wish the children all the best
in their continued preparation.
Details for the other sacraments
shall follow later. but the dates
are:
EMU TRIPS:
-
P4/5 are visiting
W5 on Monday 15th March
-
P1-3 are going
to the Zoo on Tuesday 23rd March
-
P6/7 are visiting
W5 on Monday 29th March
HOLIDAYS:
I apologise for the short notice
but the school is closed on Friday
12h March for a Staff Training Day
for First Aid.
The school is also closed on Wednesday
17th March for St Patrick’s Day
and Thursday 18th March for a Staff
Training in Literacy in Armagh.
Thank you
M Madine
