Dear Parents,
Please read the following important points of information.
Email addresses
We are going to start using email more frequently as a method of communication to parents. Mrs. Hampson has many of your email addresses, but she will be contacting those whose addresses she does not have. If she makes contact, please provide your email contact address.
School Library
Thanks to parent Derek Parle, who has kindly co-ordinated a renewal project for our school library, plans are now in place to go ahead with the renovation of the library. Our aim is to have this project complete by the day of the official opening ceremony for our new extension (see details in paragraph below). The new library will include dedicated infant sections, senior school sections and a section dedicated to school history which will house documents such as roll books and inspection reports dating back to the 1800s! This will provide very interesting evidence for children while working on history projects etc; Also, visitors to the area often call into school hoping to find some documents detailing the lives and time of their ancestors. We also hope to integrate IT and to have a slideshow running of our school long ago and today!
Some funds have been raised for this project to date and many thanks to all who have contributed through fundraising events. Further to this, we are inviting any parents/families to “Sponsor a Shelf” as part of our fundraising endeavours for the library. We are inviting any family/parent that wishes to donate €50 to sponsor a shelf, and in turn your name or family name will be attached to a particular shelf with a brass label. If you are in a position to support this initiative, please send to Mrs. Hampson detailing the name/family name you would like to appear on the shelf. We hope to be in a position, when our library reopens, to open it to parents and children for an hour some day after school. Our 6th class will be our librarians. This is a very exciting project for us.
Official Opening Ceremony
We are delighted to announce that we will be holding the official opening ceremony for our new school extension and The Glen on Tuesday, 24th November at 12.30pm. Tommy Gorman, esteemed journalist and neighbour of the school will perform the opening ceremony. The Bishop of Elphin will bless the new building and past pupil, Stephen Lynch will also be a special guest at the opening. Preparing for this special celebration will be a huge undertaking and in this regard, I am asking parents to consider helping out. I would be most grateful if we could put together a committee of parents who may assist with co-ordinating catering on the day, as we will have a large group of guests. Any parent willing and available to help with this and be part of a small group who may take on the organising of this, please contact Mrs. Hampson asap and she will put together a list. Perhaps if you are not available to help on the day, you may be in a position to bake or send in a savoury platter for this occasion. After the ceremony, we will offer guests a tour of our new facilities. Parents are all invited to attend, however, nearer the date, we will be requiring that you confirm your attendance, as it will be crucial for us to have an accurate gauge of numbers for seating and catering purposes. It is our intention that all the children will attend the ceremony and any parents who wish to take their child after the ceremony will be free to do so.
Book Fair
Next week we are holding a school book fair. It is a number of years since we have held this, but it was always a great success and enjoyed by the children. The books will arrive on Monday and will be on display in our school hall. Classes will have a time slot during the day to visit the book fair in the halla. Children may choose a book that they like and bring the money to school. Catalogues are going home today so you can browse in advance. We will hold an evening for parents on Wednesday 14th Oct in the school hall from 6pm to 7.30pm if you wish to come along with your child during this time. The school receives commission on books sold in the form of books which we will be delighted to get to enhance our library collection for our new library!
Cross Country
Thanks to Ms. Wetherald who trains our runners, and who attended the Cross Country Competition on Saturday at Cleveragh. Very well done to our senior boys team who came second and who qualify for the final in Drumshanbo on Sat 17th Oct. Members of the team are Jaime Walsh, Ryan Gillen, Mark Mc Daniel, Liam Gilligan, Jamie Kilfeather, Andrew Lynch. Congratulations to Fraser Woodward who has also qualified for the final in the individual race.
Fundraising Dance
Well done to our Parents Committee, the 7th class, and Breege Gilligan, who are organising a fundraising dance for the school in the great Southern Hotel on Friday 23rd October. We appeal to parents to support the dance. You may have relatives, friends or neighbours who would enjoy an evening such as this! Tickets are on sale for €10 and are available to purchase through the school. Ticket purchase also means entry into a special draw for great prizes. You can send ticket money clearly marked in an envelope to Mrs. Hampson.
Children’s Rosary
This lovely evening takes place in the Cathedral tomorrow night Tuesday at 7pm. All those who can attend, please let Mrs. O Rourke know.
Do This In Memory
Introductory meeting for parents of all children in second class who will make their First Holy Communion this year. Please attend.
Sincere thanks for ongoing support.
Yours Sincerely,
Siobhan Clarke.
October 8, 2015