General

The first newsletter to parents was distributed on Wed 21st September.  This contains details of forthcoming events and information on school activities.  It’s a must read missive! The Parish Newsletter doesn’t come close!

NUACHTLITIR/ NEWSLETTER

The new school year is up-and-running and I wish to offer a particular warm welcome all our students, inclusive of 25 newly enrolled Junior Infant pupils. There are 220 pupils on our roll this school year.

SCHOOL OPENING

We wish to remind parents that the School Opening time is 9.10am daily and that members of staff supervise from that time only onwards. Pupils go to their classes at 9.20a.m. We respectfully ask that you do not leave your child/ren unsupervised at the school before/ after school opening/closing times.  It is important too that you inform us if your child is due to arrive to school at a slightly later time than normal roll call time, as your child may have been marked absent for the day.

SCHOOL PARKING

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of a few issues.  We introduced parking restrictions in the car park outside the school gates a couple of years ago as we felt that there was traffic congestion there and an accompanying increased risk to pupil safety as a result.  Therefore,

• the school car park is for staff and school bus parking only.  This request is being observed by the vast majority of parents.  In the interests of fairness to all, I respectfully ask those few remaining parents who have yet to comply to do so with immediate effect.

• We also request that parents use the car park between the Old School and the Chapel, or use the Chapel Road area, observing yellow line parking restrictions.

• Please accompany your child to/from the school gates at all times, using the designated pedestrian crossing point, exercising caution at all times.

• Please inform any other people who leave/collect your child to/from the school gates of these arrangements.

ATTENDANCE

Please note that the school is obliged to inform the National Educational Welfare Board of pupil absences each year, and that notification of cumulative pupil absences of 20 days or more are forwarded to the relevant authorities.  Please inform us of the reason for any such absences, as this information can also be relayed.

SCHOOL TEXT SERVICE

We operate a school web text service whereby we occasionally send messages to individual classes/ whole school groups.  The school recently forwarded a message regarding the Parents’ Association meeting.  Please inform the School Office if you haven’t received this text and we will accordingly seek to update contact details.  It is essential that the school is informed of any changes to your mobile contact details.

HEALTHY EATING POLICY/ LABELLING SCHOOL ITEMS

Please ensure that all items (jumpers, coats, lunchboxes, etc) are labelled with your child’s name.  We request that all pupils comply with the school Healthy Eating Policy.

PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

The Parents’ Association held their AGM recently.  Officers for the coming year include Dermot Lyons (Chair), Breda Mc Geever (Secretary) and Noreen Mc Gettigan (Treasurer).  Frank Pinder stood down as Chairperson recently and we thank him for his valued input.  We wish to thank the PA for their recent funding of a defibrillator for the school community.

UPCOMING EVENTS

27^th September- Some pupils from the school will attend a School’s Cross-Country event in Milford.

3rd October– The School Photographer is scheduled to visit.

17^th & 18^th October-HSE nurses are due to screen Junior Infant pupils and any other newly enrolled pupils for Hearing, Vision and growth monitoring.

The First Holy Communion has been set for Saturday, 13^th May at 11am, . with Confirmation of Sixth Class pupils scheduled for February 12^th at 1230pm.

8^th November- the school will close to facilitate Staff training for the New Primary Language Curriculum.

Finally, the children have all settled in well and are working hard.  Please encourage them with their work.  Please feel free to contact the school at the earliest opportunity if you have any queries/concerns etc.

On occasion, we use our school website www.kilmacrennanschool.com to post notices/pupil work etc.  Please feel free to visit the site.

Regards,

John Devenney.

Tuesday, 13th September marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of Roald Dahl, the prolific children’s author.  The school hosted a themed celebration of the occasion with a School Assembly and fancy dress event.  Miss Trunchbull, Willy Wonka, the Witches, George’s Marvellous Medicine were among the many colourful costumes.

Tá ár scoil páirteach i scéim náisiúnta ‘Gaelbhratach’ agus d’éirigh linn na spriocanna go léir a bhaint amach, agus ar an ábhar sinn ghnóthaigh muid teastas ‘as an bpáirt dhíograiseach a ghlac muid sa scéim phíolótach’.   Kilmacrennan NS is participating in a national Gaelic language initiative called Gaelbhratach.  This pilot scheme seeks to promote the use and an awareness of the gaelic language through a variety of initiatives.  Our school developed the use of informal Gaelic language use, classroom management through Irish, song, poetry and dance through Irish as well as Gaelic quizzes etc.  We also significantly increased Irish as a visual language in the environment. We satisfied the criteria of Year One of the scheme and recently were presented with a certificate to mark this achievement.  We are the first County Donegal school to receive this national award. Our next target is to strive towards satisfying the criteria of Year Two participation which culminates in the attainment of a flag, ‘an gaelbhratach’.

Andrea ó Gaelbhratach ag ócáid bronnta sa scoil

Kilmacrennan N.S. are the inaugural winners of the County Donegal Primary Schools Debating Championship.  Congratulations to all involved on their success on the day.  Ballylast N.S were their worthy opponents in the Donegal final, with both teams providing an entertaining final. Kilmacrennan N.S. successfully carried the motion that ‘Charity begins at Home’.

The school are now representing the county in the regional inter-county competition and the team, all comprised of fifth class pupils, enjoyed further success against a team from Kinlough N.S, debating the motion that plastic bags should be banned completely.  Caitlin O Hara was selected as most impressive speaker on the day.

All roads now lead to the Regional Final in the Great Northern Hotel on Tuesday, 24th May where Ballinamore N.S, representing Carrick-On-Shannon Education Centre will provide opposition. Good Luck to all!

Kilmacrennan N.S pupils (3rd to 6th class) cast a vote for their preferred candidates in an in-school election held on Thursday 25th February.  Staff members acted as Presiding Officers and poll clerks, while the pupils cast their secret votes in the privacy of a polling booth.

The result of the Kilmacrennan N.S vote will be revealed on Monday morning.  Tellers have been appointed.  We will then know whether we have voted in tune with the Donegal public or whether we are a motley crew of freethinkers!