StColman’sN.S.Newsletter December2017

DearParents,

HappyChristmas.Ithasbeenabusytermandoverthelastfewweeks,thechildrenandteachershavebeenbusypreparingfortheChristmasseason.

Welldonetothepupils,parentsandstaffforallthehardworktheyhavedonethroughouttheterm.Itistimeforawell-earnedandmuchdeservedrest.

TheBoardofManagementaregratefulforthecontinuedsupportandco-operationoftheParentsCouncilandthewholeparentbody.ThankyoutoalltheparentswhomadeappointmentsandattendedtheParentteachermeetingsrecently.

TheBoardofManagementareverygratefultotheparents,staffandpupilsfortheirsupportforthenewmorningroutine.Itisworkingwell,thankstoeveryone’sco-operation.

CongratulationstoMsMairéadO’Callaghanonherrecentengagement.WewishherandLiameveryhappinessforthefuture.CongratulationsalsotoMsAmyLongandherhusbandBarraontherecentbirthoftheirbabyboy.Wewishthemwell.

WelcometoAleenaAjiwhorecentlyjoinedourschool.WehopeAleenawillbeveryhappyinSt.Colman’sN.S.

TheStaffandBoardofManagementwishallpupils,parentsandfamiliesahappy,safeandhealthyChristmas.WelookforwardtoseeingeveryonebackrefreshedandeageronJanuary8th,2018.

LeMeas,

Mary O’Brien.

Principal.

Datestoremembernextterm:

TheschoolwillcloseforChristmasonFriday,December22ndat12noon.Schoolwillre-openonMonday,January8th,2018.

January18th–ZeekoInternetSafetytalkforallparents(7pm)

January31st–GrandparentsDay

February15th&16th–Mid-term,schoolclosed

March19th-Schoolclosed

March23rd–lastdayofterm

Attendance:

TheclasswiththebestattendanceforOctoberwas3rdClass(MrQuinlan)with97.8%attendance.Agreatachievement.ThewinnersforNovemberwereJuniorInfants(MsBeecher)with96.7%attendance.Welldone.TheDecemberwinnerswillbeannouncedonDecember22nd.

Zeeko,InternetSafetyTalks

ZeekowillprovideworkshopsonInternetSafetyforpupilsinclasses2ndto6thonJanuary18thduringschooltime.StaffwillparticipateinaworkshopafterschoolandaSeminarforparentswillbepresentedat7pmthatevening.Thisisahugelyimportanttopicforalladultsworkingwithchildren,tobeknowledgeableabout.Pleasemakeeveryefforttohaveeveryfamilyrepresentedattheseminar.Itisrelevantforallparentsregardlessofwhatclassyourchildisinnow.Childrenareon-linefromayoungageandparentsandchildrenneedtobeawareoftherisksinvolvedandhowtoavoidthedangers.

GrandparentsDay:

WewillcelebrateGrandparentsdayduringCatholicSchoolsWeekonJanuary31st.ParentswillbeinformedofthedetailsandtimesinJanuary.

Pleaseinformtheschoolifyouaregoingtobelateorhaveaskedsomeoneelsetocollectyourchild.

Pleasenotifytheschoolsecretaryofanychangestocontactdetailsincludingaddress,phonenumbersandemergencycontactdetails.

Parents’ Association

TheelveshavebeensobusysinceHalloweenplanning,plottingandpreparingforChristmasintheirownhouses.AndstillmanagedtowrapElfKisses,ReindeerNosesandSnowmanpoopetc.forlastFridaysChristmasCoffeeMorningandCakeSale.Thestandardofbakingwasimpressive,whattalentwehaveinStColman’sNS.GreatinspirationforwhenImustbakeforBunDayinJanuary.Iwouldliketotakethisopportunitytothankeveryonewhohelpedinanywayaswellasthestaff,butalsotothankthesuperstarsoftheday,thesurpriseact,6thclasswhohelpedyoungerchildrenintheHallamaketheirpurchases,hostedtea,soldraffleticketsandwenttoeveryclassthatmorningtoplayfungameswiththestudents.Youareacredittoyourselves,yourparentsandMrsO’Keeffewhopreparedyousowelltohelpusontheday.Thedaywouldn'thavebeenthesamewithoutyourhelp.

OnbehalfoftheParents'AssociationIwouldliketowishthepeaceandjoyofChristmasintoeveryhome,welookforwardtothenexttermandtheactivitieswhichitwillbring.

Marine Porter

StudentsCouncil: Thisyear,theStudentsCouncilhavemetonseveraloccasionstodiscusscurrentissuesandtoplaneventsfortheyearahead.

WeorganisedaChristmasOutfitdayonDecember15th.

Wealsoarrangeda‘ChristmasWish’.Allchildrenwereaskedtocompleteacard,whichbeganwith‘MyChristmasWishfor2017is……..’.Thecardsweredisplayedaroundtheschool.

Wehavemanyplansfor2018.

MerryChristmaseveryone.

ClaireMoynihan&ConorByrne,5thClass.

CycleRight

BeforetheOctobermid-term,FourthClasscompletedafourweekcyclistroadsafetytrainingprogrammecalled‘CycleRight’,whichisdesignedtogivetheparticipantstheknowledgeandskillstomovesafelythroughtheroadsystem.Thechildrentookpartin4two-hoursessionsatweeklyintervalsandperformedbicycleandroadskillstraining,mixedwiththeoreticalandrulesoftheroadinstruction.Everybodyenjoyedtheselessonsandbeingabletodirectlyapplythemwhilecyclingintheschoolyardandintheadjoiningestate.

Chess

Sincemid-November,FourthClasshasbeenlearninghowtoplaychess.Numerousstudies,conductedinallcornersoftheglobe,haveshownthatchessdevelopslogicalthinkingandproblem-solvingskills,improvesconcentration,heightensself-esteemandpromotesindependenceandasenseofresponsibility.Inashorttime,ourbuddingchessmastershavemasteredthebasicsofthegameanddon’tbesurprisedifyousoonhearthemdiscussingvariousopeningstrategiesatthedinnertablee.g.“SicilianDefence”,“CaroKannDefence”andthe“RuyLopez”,astheyspendmoretimehoningtheirskillset.Themostsatisfyingaspectisthattheyareallenthusiasticaboutlearningandenjoyingthechallenge.WehopetobeginsmallclasstournamentsafterChristmas.GaryKasparov,watchout!

TheGreenSchoolsCommitteehostedanactionpackeddayonthe27thofOctobertocelebrateourawarenessandachievementsonourtravelflagsofar.ItstartedwithourFreakyFridayWOW,whichhadthebiggestturnoutsofar,withMs.Bresnihan’sClasstakingtheprizesforbestclassparticipation.ThewholeschoolcametogethertosingOurTravelSongand4thclasssharedsomeusefultipsonwhattheyhadlearnedfromtheirCycleRightlessons.Ourartcompetitiononclimatechangeproducedsomeamazingpieces.Congratulationstoallourwinners:SarahMoynihan(6th),BenWaldvogel(5th),MélanieO’MalleyRiad(4th),JessicaJakimow(3rd),EllaBehan(3rd),NicolasBabicki(2nd),SaoirseAherne(1st),TiernanReville(1st),ÉimhinHeffernan(SeniorInfants),PaddyBolgerandAislingNally(JuniorInfants).OuractiondaywasalsoattendedbyLisaO’Grady,ourGreenSchoolsCoordinatorwhowasveryimpressedwiththecommittees’efforts.ThewholeschooltookpartinaRoadandWaterSafetyWorkshopinOctoberrunbyCarolineCasey,WaterSafetyOfficerwithCorkCountyCouncil.ShesetthechildrenthetaskofcreatingtheirownBeachandWaterSafetyBrochureforwhichtheywererecentlyawardedaRoadandSafetyAwarenessFlagfortheschool.LisareturnedtotheschoolinNovemberandconductedtravelsurveyswith1stto6thclassanddiscussedthewaysthechildrentraveltoschoolandhowtheymighthavechangedtheirtravelplanssincethebeginningofthetravelflagcampaign.OurlatestWOWtookplaceonthe22ndNovemberandwasanothersuccess,despitetheweather.CongratulationstoMrs.Maher’sclasswhowonthebestparticipationprize.ThenextWOWwilltakeplaceon13thDecember,weatherpermitting!

Don’tuseyourcar,Ifyoudon’thavetogofar.Let’skeeptheEarthcool,Bywalkingtoschool!

BullyBusters

WehadacrazysockdayonNovember17th.Childrenwereaskedtowearoddsocks,decoratedsocks,socksthatlookedabitcrazy.Everyonewasdifferent.ThewearersofthemostunusualandcrazysocksgotaHomeworkpass.Itwasafunday.

AoifeEyre&KlaudiaPiernicka,5thClass

Choir

Welcometoournewmembersfrom3rdclassanditisfantasticthatmembersfrom4th,5thand6thclasseshavejoinedagainthisyear.

TheschoolchoirwillsingonChristmasDayat11.30ammass.

IthasalsoperformedatmassonSt.Colman’sDayand8thDec.

On15thDec.weentertainedatthecoffeemorningorganisedbytheParents’Association.

Greatsingingeverybody…Welldone

6thClass

6thclasshavebeenverybusysincereturningtoschoolattheendofAugust.Wehavebeeninvolvedinmanyactivities…CrossCountrySports,SciathnaScolFootball,ClimateChangeArtCompetition,visitorsfromSecondarySchools,andhaveattendedopendaysinSecondarySchoolstomentionjustafew.WehadgreatenjoymentincompletingaBeachSafety&AwarenessBrochure.AtpresentsomepupilsarepreparingforScórnabPáistícompetitionswhichwilltakeplaceearly2018.

Continuewiththehardworkin2018andNollaigShonadaoibhgoléir.

Gaelbhratach

Táimid ag glacadh páirt sa dara bliain den scéim ‘Gaelbhratach’, - Scéim do na Bunscoileanna.

Tá an Coiste ag obair go dian, Alex G, Lily FD, Jack, Sasha, Taylor, AJ, Darragh S, Kaylynn, Mia, Lily K agus Alex D.

Táimid ag tnúth go mór leis an Nollaig. Táimid ag foghlaim amhráin agus dánta as Gaeilge bainteach leis an Nollaig.

Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain faoi Mhaise Daoibh!

TheStaySafeProgrammewillbedoneinallclassesnextterm.StaySafeispartoftheSPHECurriculum.