Dear Parents/ Guardians,
Welcome to our school blog which will give you regular updates on our busy school here at Scoil Bhride. I intend to post a Principal update each week. You will see some previous blogs posted by Mr O Boyle on the mini scientist exhibition and shared reading as Gaeilge with 1st and 5th classes. Please log on regularly to keep up to date with our news!
Literacy Lift Off:
- Lift Off is an intervention that gives children lots of opportunities to read books at their own level of competency and gradually lift the complexity of what they can do in both reading and writing. It is currently ongoing in 1st Both 2nd classes have finished their 6 week intervention. It is vital children read their Literacy Lift Off book each night.
Student Council:
- Our Student Council is up and running. Elections were held in 5th and 6th classes in the last fortnight to democratically elect their class representatives. They have been busy already leading the whole school through a dance routine at morning assembly to encourage our pupils to be active. Thank you to Ms O Donovan for leading the Student Council.
Weaving Wellbeing:
- Both Ms Walls and Ms Donnellan’s classes are engaging in a school pilot programme of “Weaving Wellbeing” This is a programme designed to build emotional resilience. Second class are learning about character strengths and fifth class are learning about resilience. Many thanks to Ms Walls, Ms Ryan and Ms Donnellan.
Parents Council:
- Our Parents Council are very supportive of our school and recently raised funds at the Christmas Panto. Following consultation, the funds available will be spent on resources in the following areas: Numeracy, Science, Music, P.E. and Aistear. We are delighted to be in a position, thanks to the work of the Parents Council to replenish resources in these areas. Once we purchase our new equipment we will post pictures on our website. The next fundraiser will be to raise funds for the buses bringing pupils to GAA matches. Many thanks to the Parents Council.
Internet Safety Day:
- The 6th February was Internet Safety Day. It is vital to talk to your children about their online activity. I visited all classes from 1st to 6th discussing online safety. One game that came up frequently during discussion with the pupils is “Roadblocks”. There are numerous concerns around protecting safety of young children while using this game, so please be aware if your child is using this game and ensure parental guidance is in place. This was brought up by pupils in classes as young as 2nd Please discuss the online safety information that went home and make your child’s online activity part of regular conversation at home.
Punctuality: It is important that pupils arrive punctually for school.
Peace Proms:
- Well done 4th and 5th class who performed at Peace Proms on Saturday night. We were very proud of you all. Thank you to Ms Walls, Ms Ryan, Mrs Jones, Lorraine and Angela for all their time and efforts in preparing the pupils.
Junior Enterprise Programme:
- Congratulations to pupils in 6th class who entered the “Dragons Den” last Friday to decide which of their incredible projects went forward to the JEP programme. The ideas and presentations were of a very high quality.
Child Safe-Guarding:
- Legislation regarding Child Protection now to be Safe Guarding was signed into law on the 11th December last. Two half days for staff training regarding implementation of the new procedures are to be availed of early this term, as the new procedures are required by law to be in place by 11thMarch 2018.
Provisional dates for this training are Friday 23rd February and Friday 2nd March.
- We will be closing at 12pm on the 23rd for the first of these days. Scoil Bhride proposes to take the second of these half days on 2nd March assuming the Department of Education and Skills training resources are received.
New Language Curriculum Training:
- Another closure in the summer term, which you may wish to note for your calendar is Wednesday 9th May when staff training in the new language curriculum is to be provided.
Whole School Evaluation Follow Up:
- Scoil Bhride had a Whole School Evaluation Follow Up Inspection on November 30th. The inspectorate noted that the school had made good progress on both recommendations made in the WSE report:
“The school has demonstrated commendable levels of engagement with the recommendations outlined in the whole-school evaluation report”.
The WSE follow up report will be published on the school website.
Safety at Drop off and Pick Up times:
- We must remain vigilant regarding safety, at drop off and pick up times. In order to maintain a safe and free flowing system, we ask that cars do not stop on or block the middle lane.This is vital as a parent recently reported an instance of a car “double parking” resulting in putting a child trying to get into their parent’s car who had parked safely in the set down area in danger. Children must use the pedestrian crossing and it would be appreciated if parents would also reinforce this message.
Sacrament Preparation:
- There will be a ritual mass for the Sacrament of Communion preparation this Saturday at 6pm in Kilbride Church. Thank you to Fr Michael who celebrated St Brigid’s feast day mass with us last week.
Le gach dea-ghuí,
Julie Dowd
