ST.
BRIGID’S GIRLS’ SCHOOL,
THE
PARK, CABINTEELY.
Dear Parents,
Now that we
have settled into the new school year, here are
some news items, reminders and dates for your diaries.
Parking : Important
A reminder to parents regarding
parking. Please do not park on the
double yellow lines or the zigzag lines outside the main school gate, or use
them as a set down area . This area
should be kept clear at all times in the interests of the health and safety of
the children and the free-flow of traffic.
It is illegal to park or stop on double yellow or zigzag lines.
G.A.A.
Congratulations to the school G.A.A. team and to our coaches Ms Darcy and Mr.
Pat Ring. The team is doing really well in the Cuman na mBunscol league this
year. They are, as yet, undefeated !
They have a tough match scheduled for tomorrow,
Wednesday, 22nd Oct, but if
successful, they should be through to the semi-final stage of the league.
Appointments:
If you wish to meet a
teacher please make an appointment at the office or through a note in your
daughter’s homework journal. It is
unfair to turn up at the classroom door, especially when the class is present,
to try to discuss an issue. All
matters are best dealt with when the teacher can allocate time and a quiet space
to address any issues or concerns a parent might have.
Supervision :
Please note that school opens at
8.45a.m. and finishes at 2.25p.m. (1.25p.m. for infants).
The school can only accept responsibility for the children during these
times. No supervision is provided
before 8.45a.m. No arrangements exist for the supervision of children who arrive
to school before the official opening time, or who remain after school hours.
Holidays :
We have been approached, on
occasion, by parents taking children on holiday during term time, with requests
to assign work to be completed during the holiday and to correct work on the
child’s return. Please note that it
is not school policy to do this.
This does not apply to children who miss school due to illness.
Teachers will be happy to assist in cases of absence due to illness.
Junior
Infants 2009 If you have
a girl due to start school in September 2009 please make sure that her name is
on our application list, if you haven’t already done so.
We already have a very large number of applications and will begin the
process of issuing application forms in November 2008, with first round offers
of places generally issued just before Christmas.
Details of applicants may be given any day, in writing, or by telephone
to Ms Toomey, School Secretary.
Invitations
It has been brought to our attention that some children have been giving out
party invitations to friends in school classrooms.
While they are well motivated in inviting friends to celebrate their
special occasion with them, it can be very hurtful for those (sometimes just a
few) who are not included.
We would appeal to parents to issue invitations outside of school hours.
Many parents invite by text message, which takes the issue out of school
altogether. Children who need to
get invitations to classmates should do so quietly, before or after school, with
their parents help, if necessary. A
little sensitivity will save a lot of hurt feelings!
Parties
There has also been a growing trend
in school of bringing the party into the classroom! Cakes and party bags
have been sent in. While the thought is most kind, as parents will appreciate,
it can be quite disruptive during the school day, and the novelty aspect has
diminished as it has begun to happen a little too regularly!
We would prefer if celebrations of children’s birthdays happened outside
of school hours and would request that cakes and party bags would not be sent
into school.
Garden :
We would like to alert Parents to the fact that we have teenage boys and
girls visiting the school garden at the weekends.
The area is secluded and there are signs that it is being used for
illegal drug taking. As a result,
the garden has to be checked thoroughly, for rubbish and debris, after every
weekend. We understand that these young people are
local and some of the girls involved may even be past pupils!
If you have teenage daughters or sons, please confirm with them where
they are, if they are allowed out in the evenings.
If you see young people accessing the school grounds, when the school is
closed, please contact the Cabinteely Gardai.
The Gardai can access the school grounds and will come if alerted to the
fact that there are intruders.
Please check that it isn’t your teenage son or daughter in question!
Tacu-Text – School texting system
for parents.
The school texting system was set
up in September this year, and so far approximately 70% of parents have joined.
This service is used for reminders of early closings, vaccination reminders,
etc. Each text received by parents
costs them only 20cent. Child
minders and crèches are also welcome to join in!
We would appeal to all parents to sign up.
The
code for each class is listed below :
1
2
3
4
Ms Clinch
text: Join
SBGjunsA
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms Gorman
text: Join
SBGjunsB
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms Duggan
text: Join
SBGjunsC
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms Burke
text: Join
SBGsensA
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms Kilmartin text:
Join
SBGsensB
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms Frawley
text: Join
SBGfirstA
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms NiChleirigh text: Join
SBGfirstB
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms Kilty
text: Join
SBGfirstC 0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms Monnelly text:
Join
SBGsecondA
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms Keane
text: Join
SBGsecondB
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms O’Duinn text:
Join
SBGthirdA
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms Kennedy text:
Join
SBGthirdB
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms O’Connell text:
Join
SBGfourthA
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms Darcy
text: Join
SBGfourthB
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms O’Malley text:
Join
SBGfifthA
0874163931
Insert your child’s name here
Ms O’Farrell
text:
Join
SBGfifthB
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms Gillan
text: Join
SBGfifthC
0874163931
insert your child’s name here
Ms Cullinane text:
Join
SBGsixthA
0874163931
insert your child’s name
here
Ms Sheehan text:
Join
SBGsixthB
0874163931
insert your child’s name
here
Fr.
Tom O’Keeffe Award
On Friday 17th October, we held a prayer service in the school, to
mark Fr. Tom O’Keeffe’s retirement as Parish Priest in St. Brigid’s Parish.
The girls presented art work to Fr. Tom, recording their memories of his
time in St. Brigid’s Girls’ School.
Fr. Tom baptized many of our pupils, has worked with the parents and the school
preparing the girls for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion , and in some
cases even officiated at our past pupils weddings!
He served on the Board of Management of St. Brigid’s Girls’ School, for
over twenty years.
To mark the occasion of his retirement, the school closed an hour early of
Friday, and Fr. Tom was presented with an engraved cut glass plate afterwards,
at a reception hosted by the Board of Management.
In appreciation of all his work for St. Brigid’s Girls’ School, the Fr.
Tom O’Keeffe” Shield is being introduced in our school.
This award will be made to the 6th class pupil, each year, who
excels in Gaelic Football skills.
As a Cork man, and lifelong G.A.A. supporter, this award is close to Fr. Tom’s
heart! The winner, each year, will
have her name inscribed on the shield, which will be on display in the Trophy
Cabinet in the school, and she will be given a medal to keep.
The presentation will be made, with our other school awards, at the
Graduation Mass, at the end of the school year.
Fr. Tom has promised to continue to work with the First Holy Communion
Classes in the school, and we look forward to welcoming him back to the
Graduation Mass at the end of June 2009, to present his award for the first
time.
School
Mass – November
A School Mass (2nd – 6th classes) will be held on Tuesday
18th November, to mark the Month of the Holy Souls, and, in
particular, to pray for Nuala O’Shea, our Teacher who died last May.
On that day, too, we will plant a Cherry Blossom Tree in the school
grounds, in Nuala’s memory. It
should be in flower each year on 1st. May, Nuala’s anniversary.
The last class she taught in the school (Mrs. Monnelly’s 2nd
class this year) will be present for the
planting ceremony, as will members of Nuala’s family.
Agri-Aware
:
In September the “Agri Aware Mobile
Farm” visited the school and all the children from Junior Infants to 2nd
class had an opportunity to see the animals and hold some of them. This was a
very successful day for all.
Jane
Eyre
On Tuesday, 14th October, our 5th and 6th
classes visited the Mill Theatre, Dundrum to see a performance of “Jane Eyre”.
This was a very successful visit to the
Theatre for all the girls. Thank
you to the parents who also attended and helped with supervision.
Halloween – Theatre
This Friday, the “Down to Earth” Theatre Company are presenting their play
“Treasure Hunt” here in the school to the girls from 2nd – 4th
classes inclusive. This is a drama
based on environmental issues for
the children, and the theme of the play should link in very well with Hallow ‘een!
Christmas Pantomime – Gaiety Theatre.
We have block booked over 500 seats at the Gaiety Theatre for Friday, 5th
December this year for the Pantomime.
The performance will be during school hours.
All classes will attend the show, with their teachers.
Further details of this venture will be sent home nearer the date.
Parent
Teacher Meetings :
Parent / Teacher meetings will be held for classes from Senior Infants to Sixth
class on the 20th and 21st
of November, this year.
Appointment times and other details will follow, closer to the dates.
Parent / Teacher meetings for the parents of girls in the Junior Infants
classes will take place towards the end
of January 2009, when the children have completed one term in St. Brigid’s
School. Appointment times will
follow in mid-January.
Interactive Whiteboards
Huge thanks to our wonderful Parents Association!
Over the summer holidays, 4 new interactive whiteboards were installed in
the school, bringing the total now to 6 boards in the school.
This was thanks to money donated to the school, by the Parents
Association, following the Christmas Fair last year, 2008.
So please support the Christmas Fair this year, by volunteering to help,
or donating prizes. Your children
will benefit from your support.
Jersey
Day
We held a “Jersey Day”, here in the school on Friday, 3rd October to
support the St. Brigid’s Parish – Kitui Project”, and in particular to help
raise funds to equip the school being built in Kitui, through this project.
We raised €1500, which will go to very good use in the new school.
Some of our parishioners, who are directly involved with the project,
will come into the school after Halloween, to talk to the girls about the
project, and to explain where the money is going to help the people in Kitui.
Cycling Course
Through our involvement with the
“Transport Initiative / Green Flag Renewal Project”, we were offered and were
delighted to accept the installation of a covered bicycle shelter in the school.
This bicycle bay was funded by An Taisce.
Our pupils, in Third class are participating in a cycling course, run by
“The Cycling Safety and Skills School” which trains the girls how to cycle with
safety at all times. Until such a
time as there are cycle paths available in the area, the school will not
actively promote young children cycling to school alone.
The traffic congestion around the school at opening and closing times
presents difficulties to those cycling.
However for children who might be cycling under their parents
supervision, the cycle bay is available for use.
Girls should dismount and lock bikes at the cycle shelter and then walk
down to their classrooms.