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May Newsletter
May 12th
May Newsletter
We are all settled back at school for the final term of the year and I’d like to update you on some current school news. The Board of Management were delighted to recently receive news that our proposed SEN permanent extension plans can now proceed to tender preparation and we hope to make continued progress in this regard during the next school year (or two).
We wish to thank you all for the support for our recent Kilmac NS 5k. A total of €1855 was raised on the night. We wish to thank our generous sponsors. All proceeds will go towards upgrading our Classroom Interactive Boards.
Our School Debating team bowed out at the All-Ireland Quarter Final stage but can be proud of their endeavours. They had a great campaign and are worthy County Champions.
Our Annual Testing of pupil attainment in Numeracy and Literacy will take place over the coming weeks. Pupil End of Year Reports will issue in June.
The pupils are quite active at school this term and we have teams representing the school in athletics, soccer and gaelic. Middle and Senior class pupils are also enjoying a Lunchtime Basketball League. We will also host a Junior and Senior Sports Day later this term. Our School Tour dates have been pencilled in for June and individual teachers will notify their own class of the relevant details.
We are hoping to have an In-School History Week during the week beginning May 23rd with walks, talks etc for different classes.
Fifth Class pupils have been busy planting and sowing in our School Garden over the past few weeks and we look forward to reaping the benefits of their harvest later this year.
Our Senior pupils also welcomed members of An Garda Síochána for an informative talk on Internet Security.
First Holy Communions are scheduled for this Saturday, 14th May at 12 noon and we wish Ms Wilkins class a lovely day. All are invited to the School Hall for a cup of tea following the Communions.
Finally, we extend a warm welcome to nine Ukrainian pupils who joined our school community this week. We wish them well.
Active Flag is Raised
Apr 28th
Kilmacrennan NS recently raised their 3rd Active School Flag much to the delight of both staff and pupils in the school. The Active School Flag is awarded to a school for striving to ‘achieve a physically educated and active school community’.
The guest of honour on the day was former Donegal GAA All-Ireland winner Mr Christy Toye who indeed is a member of the teaching staff in the school. He raised the flag with members of the Student Council. A lot of hard work went into achieving the flag under the leadership of Mr Mel O’Donnell (coordinator) along with members of the student council from the senior classes who were voted onto the committee by their peers.
Over the course of the two year programme, a huge number and range of activities were provided for the children in Kilmacrennan NS including an Active School’s Week. Some of the many fun activities they engaged in included:-School House Leagues in GAA, soccer and basketball-Gymnastics-1km run daily -Outdoor Adventure and Orienteering-Circuits-Swimming-PAWS Water Safety Programme-Active Homework-PE Art Slogan competition-Fun Run to Lapland-Fun Day Fridays-Annual Sports Day-Cumann na mBunscol -FAI soccer-Cross Country -Track and Field athletics-Tag Rugby-Basketball
April Newsletter
Apr 4th
We wish to congratulate the Kilmacrennan National School Debating team on winning the County Donegal Concern Debating League. The team will now represent Donegal in the National Series and look forward to defending the All-Ireland title won last year.
A Cultural Concert will be held in An Craoibhín, Termon on Thursday, April 7th at 7pm. The school will participate in the event, with a number of pupils from 3-6th participating. All are welcome to attend.
The Kilmacrennan NS 5K Run & Family Walk – as part of the Donegal Grand Prix Athletics Circuit – is scheduled for Thursday, May 5th at 7pm. Anybody wishing to help out with organising the event (eg registration, stewarding, helping with refreshments, sponsorship prizes etc) is asked to contact Master O’ Donnell/ Monica McGranaghan/ Helena Roarty.
We will hold an Easter Draw in the school on Thursday, April 7th. Prizes will include an Easter Hamper and Easter Eggs. Tickets are on sale in the school this week (One ticket for €2; three tickets for €5). The school will close for the Easter holidays at 12 noon on Friday, April 8th and re-open on Monday, April 25th.
The First Holy Communions are scheduled for Saturday, May 14th at 12 noon.
Finally, Mrs Ferry’s Fourth Class undertook a Chick hatching project recently and were delighted to see two lovely chicks hatch in recent days. It really is egg-cellent news!
County Debating Champions
Mar 29th
Kilmacrennan National School Debating team is celebrating winning the 2022 County Final of the Concern Debating League following a three-way contest that involved Drumkeen NS and Greencastle National School.
Represented in the finals by Orla, Sadie and Conn (with Karen and Layla officiating in the background), Kilmacrennan now look forward to representing the county in the All Ireland Series, and to defending the All Ireland title they won last year.
Go n-éirí go geal leo.
Nuachtlitir
Mar 8th
MARCH NEWSLETTER
Dear Parent/s
Our school has recently been busy on a number of fronts. We have moved two classes into our new modular buildings and we wish all well with the move. We also wish to thank Anne O’ Donnell for flipping over 200 pancakes on Pancake Tuesday. All classes in the school participated in World Book Day events in the school. Second, Fifth and the Solas Room pupils are undertaking a six-week swimming programme in the Aura Centre. Sixth Class pupils partook in the Sacrament of Confirmation and a lovely ceremony was enjoyed by all.
Our School Debating team have reached the County Final of Donegal Concern Debating League and we wish the team well in the competition.
The school will participate in the Healthy Eating ‘Food Dudes’ programme over the coming weeks. Pupils will receive an information leaflet in this regard in the coming days.
Tá Seachtain na Gaeilge ar siúl sa scoil faoi láthair, and we are hoping to have a number of pupils participating in in-house class events in the School Hall on Wednesday, 16th March. The pupils are free to dress in St Patrick Day/ Green theme outfits on the day.
Some of our senior class pupils will also participate in a Termon GAA Seachtain na Gaeilge concert in An Craoibhín at 7pm on Tuesday evening, March 15th.
As part of our PE programme, we have scheduled three gymnastics lessons (with qualified tutors) for all pupils in our school over the coming weeks. We respectfully request for a contribution of €5 per child to cover the cost of the three lessons, subject to a family maximum of €12. The classes are scheduled for Thursday, 24th, Thursday 31st March and Thursday, 7th April.
Letterkenny Pipe Band are seeking members from Fourth Class upwards and are to undertake the tuition of bagpipes and drumming at their Town Hall over the next number of weeks. Leaflets with the relevant information is available from the school. Milford AC club have also been in contact recently, seeking new members for the Athletic Club.
The Kilmacrennan NS 5K Run & Family Walk – as part of the Donegal Grand Prix Athletics Circuit – is scheduled for Thursday, May 5th at 7pm. Anybody wishing to help out with organising the event is asked to contact Master O’ Donnell or Monica McGranaghan.
Finally, though many restrictions have been lifted, Covid 19 remains prevalent in our community and we are aware of a number of cases in the school. Please continue to monitor your child’s health and seek medical advice if you have any concerns. Antigen tests can also be ordered via the HSE website, quoting 17036p as our school roll number.
The school is closed on Thursday, 17th March and Friday, 18th March (Public Holidays).
Yours sincerely,
John Devenney.
February Newsletter
Feb 15th
Upcoming events
The Ceremony of Light for Sixth Class pupils is this evening, Tuesday 15th February at 7pm. The Sacrament of Confirmation is scheduled for Friday, 4th March at 6pm.
First Holy Communions are scheduled for Saturday, 14th May at 12 noon.
Please note that pupils in Second and Fifth classes will attend a six-week swimming course, starting on Thursday, 17th February. The cost is €7 per week, covering the bus and lesson cost.
Please note that the school will be closed on Thursday, 24th February and Friday, 25th February for Mid-term.
Other News
We are due to accept the handover of the new prefab this week and hope to transfer two classes to the building next week. With construction traffic also on site, the staff and bus car park has been quite busy recently and we ask, for pupil safety and vision line reasons, that parents do not drop off or collect their pupils in this area.
Our main building extension plans continue too and we have been granted planning permission for this in recent days though it may be a while before we have a sod-turning event!
Sixth Class recently enjoyed a most enjoyable tour of the Walls of Derry and also visited Grianán Aileach and Inch Wildfowl Reserve. The class have posted some lovely photographs on the Sixth Class drop-bar on the School website.
Our Senior Classes lunchtime soccer leagues are presently underway and the pupils are enjoying the competition.
If your child has an online presence, we request that you regularly refresh the importance of maintaining this in a a safe manner. We recently discussed Internet Safety with pupils from Third to Sixth classes, and helpful advice can be got on the www.webwise.ie site.
I wish to inform parents of children travelling on the school bus that the bus has recently been regularly arriving 15- 20 mins in advance of our school supervision times and that the pupils are unattended (and sometimes wet) outside the gates at variant times from 8.45/ 8. 50am onwards. The school does not accept any responsibility for pupils at this time nor do we supervise early arrivals, whether by bus or otherwise, and we ask that you liaise with the bus company in this regard. Entry to the yard is from 9am onwards only and we call pupils to the classroom from the yard at 9.20am each day.
Finally, I wish to thank you all for your co-operation in relation to Covid issues thus far. It has been greatly appreciated and has contributed greatly to the well-being of all. I respectfully ask that you keep us updated of any Covid concerns you may have and that you continue to keep your child at home if they are symptomatic/ family close contacts etc.
Yours sincerely,
John Devenney.
First Holy Communion & Confirmation Dates
Jan 21st
First Holy Communions for Kilmacrennan NS are scheduled for Saturday 14th May @ 12noon.
Confirmations for Kilmacrennan NS are scheduled for Friday, 4th March @ 6pm.
Colouring Competition
Dec 10th
3rd Active School Flag
Dec 3rd
We were delighted in the school here when we received a phone call this week to say that we were successful in our application for the Active School Flag. This award is given to a school where physical activity is valued, promoted and enjoyed by all. This is our 3rd time receiving the flag and huge credit must go to teachers, student council members and indeed all the pupils who helped us gain this accreditation. The flag will be up for renewal again in December 2023. We hope to raise the flag during the week of the Christmas holidays.
