Christmas Presents for Teachers

While we do not want to dictate to you, may we respectfully request that you do not go to the trouble of buying presents for teachers at Christmas.  Children can feel under pressure from their peers when they see presents being brought in.  A homemade card would be much appreciated if the children do want to acknowledge their teacher. We also ask that children not bring in Christmas cards to distribute among their friends.  Perhaps this could be arranged out of school as children can sometimes feel left out.

Anti –Bullying Week.

We will be holding an anti-bullying week in Scoil Mhuire before the end of the current school year.  We are constantly maintaining vigilance in this regard but it is important to highlight the issue on an annual basis.  Our anti-bullying policy is available to read on our website www.scoilmhuire.ie

We would like to remind parents to be aware of your child’s internet usage.  In particular, the use of social-network websites can be a particular cause for concern.  It is advisable for computer usage to take place in a room in the house where you can monitor activity.

Staff

Céad Míle Fáilte to Ms Marianne Brennan who is substituting for Ms Ní Núnáin.

Mr. Paul Higgins will be taking over Mr Egan’s 6^th class. Mr Higgins who is a recently qualified teacher has been with us since September working as a SNA.

May we wish you all a happy, peaceful and relaxing Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

See you all on the 9^th January.

Slán agus Go raibh maith agaibh

Mrs. Shields and I would like to thank you most sincerely for the expressions of good will and good wishes which we have received since we announced our intention to retire.  We would like to thank you especially for your support, your co-operation and your kindness over the years.  While we are very sad to be leaving we do so in the knowledge that Scoil Mhuire will continue to flourish because of the lovely relationship which has existed through the years between pupils, parents and staff.  Scoil Mhuire has an exciting and challenging future in store and the new school building will be well worth waiting for.

We wish everybody associated with Scoil Mhuire every blessing and in particular we would like to wish Mr. John Egan the best of luck as he takes up the role of principal in the New Year.  Wishing everybody a very Happy Christmas and a New Year that brings contentment and peace.      Henry Thynne

Carol Service 2011

Our annual Carol Service will take place in the school hall on Thursday 22nd December at 9.30 a.m. All of the pupils will take part.  The children can wear their own clothes and school will close at 12 noon.  Parents are welcome along but because of space restrictions buggies or prams cannot be brought into the hall.  We ask you not to bring buggies or prams into the hall. The Carol Service will last for approximately 40 minutes.

Book Launch

We have compiled a book of poetry which will be published in January. Every child in the school has contributed to the book and we have submissions from past pupils, parents and grandparents. We have also included a selection from our caretaker, Paddy Mulhern, whose poems feature regularly in the Lucan Newsletter.

Chaplain News

Fr. Eoin celebrated a wonderful Mass with us to mark the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on 8^th December.  All those who read did a great job and the school’s singing was lovely.

Our programmes to prepare the children for the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist are continuing and we are very grateful to all the parents for their help and support.

The next dates for the Masses are January 22^nd, 2012 for our Confirmation classes and 15^th January for the Communion classes.

Collette Kavanagh (School Chaplain)

Parent/Teacher Meetings

Our annual Parent/Teacher meetings will take place on Wednesday 8^th and Thursday 9^th February 2012 from 3.00pm each day. Teachers will do their best to facilitate parents with suitable time slots.  In the event that a parent is not available on either of those days an alternative arrangement can be made once the teacher is given sufficient notice.

Date for your Diary

To mark the retirement of Mr Henry Thynne the Board of Managament, Parents’ Association and Staff of Scoil Mhuire are hosting a function in The Springfield Hotel at 7.30pm on Saturday 14^th January. The evening will begin with a celebration of mass in St Patrick’s Church, Esker at 5.00 p.m.

NO DOGS ALLOWED

Despite numerous requests, we still are encountering a problem with dogs fouling the playground.  Dogs should not be brought onto the school premises. It can be embarrassing for a member of staff to have to ask a parent to remove a dog from the school

Please co-operate with us in this regard.

Sports

Our Boys and Girls gaelic football teams represented the school with great pride and passion during September and October.  Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays saw hectic after-school activity as they set off for their matches.  Once again a sincere thank you to the parents who provided transport to and from the matches.  We say this every year and we will keep saying it – we really appreciate your support in this regard.   In early Spring we will be represented for the first time by three hurling/camogie teams – a junior and a senior hurling team and one camogie team. So all boys and girls from 3rd up should be practicing their skills over the Christmas holidays.

At the end of November we entered a team in a cross-country event for local primary schools.

4^th and 5^th class will be starting swimming lessons in January.

Gymnastics

The children took part in a very successful five-week gymnastics programme in November/December as part of their PE curriculum. The programme was overseen by Excel Gymnastics club and the coach was Niamh Murphy.

Parents’ Association News.

Fundraising

Thank you so much to the parents and children who gave up their time on Friday 25^th November to bag pack in M&S we raised €748.67.

Many thanks to all the parents who donated cakes for our cake sake on Dec 2^nd, the children had a great time picking from the lovely selection available.

A total of €750 was raised.

The customers in Superquinn were treated to a lovely festive scene last Thursday 15^th December.  The Scoil Mhuire choir with Ms Carroll entertained them with 1½ hours of carol singing.

Thanks to the children, their parents, Ms Carroll and the musicians for all their hard work.

Their efforts raised €289.37.

The Non Uniform day on Friday 16^th raised €605.00 which will be donated along with the Carol Singing money to St Vincent De Paul from the school.