Important Dates

The important dates to put in your diary this month are Winter Concert Friday 16 December (This will take place in the Gaelscoil hall @10.30am, details to follow). Christmas Holidays Thursday 22 December, school finishes @12pm.

Lost Property

There is a large number of coats, jackets, hats, etc. in the lost property box located just inside the front door. Please claim your child’s lost property asap as we will soon have to empty the box into the recycling bin as it is overflowing.

 

Dogs on School Grounds

No dogs, except Guide Dogs are allowed on the school grounds. This is for the Health & Safety of all the children in the school. Arts & Craft/Photocopying Fee A fee of €65

Arts/Crafts/Photocopying

Arts/Crafts/Photocopying is due IMMEDIATELY. We sincerely thank the Families who have already paid the fee. If you are having financial difficulty and are unable to pay this fee, please call to see the Principal to arrange to pay the fee in installments.

Birthday Celebrations

We welcome the celebration of your child’s birthday in Maynooth Educate Together. If Parents/Guardians wish to, they can send in a little cake for the celebrations to be shared with the child’s class. However no party bags or invitations should be sent into school. Invitations to birthday parties should be done between Parents/Guardians discreetly after school or outside school time.

Irish Dancing

Irish dancing for children in Junior Infants & Senior Infants will take place on Wednesdays after school from 2.15-2.45pm. Contact Aimée if you would like you child to take part in this after school activity.

After School Activities

 

• Irish Dancing (Aimée) Tues 2.15-2.45pm-Senior Classes, Wed 2.15-2.45pm- Junior Classes. Guitar (Amy) Wed 2.15-2.45pm & 2.50-3.30pm.
• Spanish (Libby) Thur 2.15-2.45pm.
• Football (Eoin) Tues 2.15-3.00pm-Juniors, Thur 2.15-3.00pm- Seniors
• Artzone Mon 1.10-4.30pm. Tadda 3.30-5.30pm.
• Taekwondo 6.30-7.30pm.

 

All classes are open to boys & girls.

Punctuality

Children should arrive on time to school each day. They should join their class line at 8.30am sharp. There are a large number of children late for school each day.

Appointments

Morning collection and afternoon dispersal are busy times for teachers. Often they cannot give Parents/Guardians their full attention. If you wish to meet with your child’s teacher, please contact Hilary in the office to arrange an appointment 01-6106823.

Language of the Month

Each month we will be celebrating a language in our school that some of the children have a connection with. Albanian is the language for November. Everyone is welcome in to see the display and learn some new words.

Volunteers

The school always welcomes volunteers in all areas. Please let you child’s class teacher know if you would like to volunteer. A big’ thank you’ to the Parents who volunteered last month.

Dress Up Day & Spooky Walk

Dress Up Day & Spooky Walk were a huge success. The Spooky Walk raised €1,800 for our school. A big thank you to all Parents, Guardians and children for such a successful event and making cakes. Thanks also to Aimée & her class for their Thriller dance.  Dress Up Day raised €150 for Educate Together National Fundraiser. A big thank you to Adrienne, Martha, Byndia, Meg & Colette for the fantastic face painting on the day.

Playzone Passes

All sponsorship cards returned to the school by Friday, November 9th were entered into a draw by class. One card from each class was drawn to win a pass for Playzone. The class winners were: Angela's Class – Max Hunter, Noreen's Class – Nhuy Plunkett, Eoin's Class – Sian Ryan, Elaine's/Clare’s Class – Shane Kelly, Amy'/Libby’s Class – Niamh Pearse, Aimee's Class – Elvis Cooney.

Swimming

We are starting swimming lessons after the Christmas holidays as part of the Physical Education curriculum. Further information & prices will be sent in a letter next week. Swimming will be for 2nd -5th Classes.

Clothing & Textile Collection

Next Thursday 24th November, we need all families to bring bags of old/used clothing, shoes, bedding, and any kind of fabric. So clear out your cupboards and rummage through your wardrobe. Remember to bring bags to school on THURSDAY; we will get a donation of €4 per bag from the ISPCC.

Set Down Rules

Congratulations to all parents for adhering to our Set Down Rules. It is very important that we continue to leave our bus bay clear for use of school buses only.

Fetac Student on Work Experience

Rachel, who is taking a Fetac 5 Special Needs Assistant Course in Clane is on work experience in school. Rachel works with the mainstream class teachers and also with the teachers in our ASD Unit.

Transition Year Students

Two transition year students from Maynooth Post Primary are on work experience in our school every Friday. This arrangement will continue until the Christmas holidays. Bronagh and Jane assist in the mainstream classes and in the ASD Unit.

Disabled Spaces

There are two designated “disabled” spaces in the teachers parking area. These spaces are kept free for any person who needs to use this facility.

Yard Partition

Junior and Senior Infants are designated to the back tarmac yard at school playtimes. 1st Class - 5th Class play in the front tarmac yard. This arrangement is for safety reasons and is in common with many schools.

Storyteller/Children's Author

Liam Farrell, Storyteller and Children's Author will visit the school on Monday 28th November. He will conduct workshops with all classes. This event is funded by the Parents Association.

Educate Together National Fundraising Day

On Friday, October 28th Deirdre from Educate Together Head Office visited METNS. She called at every class, met all teachers and pupils and admired our wide variety of spooky costumes. She was greatly impressed by the great enthusiasm and energy of staff and pupils alike.

New Building for the Gaelscoil

We congratulate the Gaelscoil on moving into their new school building and we wish them many happy successful years. They have kindly given us the use of their new hall on Friday 16th December for our Winter Concert.

Rugby Coaching

The IRFU have provided a Coach, Niall, to teach rugby skills to our children each Tuesday morning. The 2nd - 5th Classes are certainly enjoying the lessons.

Choir

Roger is currently doing choir with Elaine & Aimeé’s classes. The children have begun practicing for Christmas carolling in the community.

Provision for Post Primary in Maynooth

The new Post Primary Schools are to be built on the Moyglare Road. The current Maynooth Post Primary VEC school will move to one of these schools. The patronage of the second school has yet to be decided. Applications for the patronage of this school closes on 13 January 2012. At least one of the schools is scheduled to open in 2014.There are two  declared groups interested in the patronage of this school.ie VEC and Loreto Sisters   For further information of these patrons contact Mr Tom Ash (VEC) and Sr Eileen Randles (Loreto Sisters). An Foras Patrúnachta may also be interested. A series of public meetings will be held by the interested groups to inform the public. Documentation from these groups will be left in our Parents Room. Notices of public meetings will be distributed to children.

Morning Supervision

Children are supervised on the school yard each morning from 8.20am-8.30am by Marie. In Marie's absence, Roisin Cassin, Learning Support/Resource Teacher will supervise. Children are asked to place their bags in the line and wait for their class teacher to collect and bring them to class. Children are asked not to run in the school yard with school bags on their backs. Children should freeze on the 1st whistle and walk quietly to their lines on the second whistle.

ASD Unit

Each Friday morning, weather permitting, the children from our ASD classes go on a social trip to the local shops. This is a very important aspect of their social training and is proving to be a great success.

Administration of Medicines

Parents who wish their children to self-administer inhalers must submit a Request for Consent Form and Indemnity Form to the Board of Management as per our Administration & Medicines Policy.

The School Day

Our school day runs from 8.30am-1.10am for Infant Classes and to 2.10pm for 1st Class upwards. The day begins with assembly. This is a settling in period (20 minutes approx.), after which formal instruction begins. Children have a short play time 10.00am – 10.10am and a longer break 12.00noon – 12.30pm. Lunch is eaten in the classroom before each break. Infant classes have 15 hours secular instruction each week and First Class up to Sixth Class has 20 hours secular instruction each week. All classes have 2½ hours Learn Together Ethics programme. The remainder of the school week covers assembly time – 1 hour 40 minutes, roll call – 30 minutes and lunch break 2½ hours and breaks 50 minutes. Each teacher designs a class timetable based on Department of Education guidelines.