Halloween Newsletter 2021

Dear Parents/Guardians,
As we approach our midterm break, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you all for your continued commitment to helping us keep everyone safe, thus enabling us to get through this term successfully. Although this pandemic seems relentless, if we maintain a collective effort we will get through it together. We have had a wonderful term so far. I would like to congratulate the children who received the sacrament of Confirmation and that of The First Holy Communion. We had a wonderful day on both occasions. I would like to thank Fr. Kelly and all of the staff involved in the organisation and preparation of these Sacraments, Confirmation-Mrs. Osborne, First Holy Communion-Miss Dunne & Mrs. Hynes. This term, the children thoroughly enjoyed their 6 weeks of tennis lessons with Shelly Mernin. Thankfully, we were blessed with beautiful weather for the duration of the tennis lessons and we look forward to having more exciting activities for the children in the coming months.

1. Míle Buíochas – Many thanks to our local Sponsors
I would like to extend my thanks to all of the local businesses who have very kindly agreed to sponsor different items for the school to help upgrade our Sensory Garden and our outdoor Area.

  • The Clarenbridge Garden Centre have sponsored all of the plants that have been newly planted in our sensory Garden raised beds.
  • Tom Trihy Sawmills has sponsored a new outdoor wooden bench for the sensory Garden.
  • Tom Currans Hardware has sponsored new chipping for the Sensory Garden and outdoor paint.#
  • Brodericks Hardware has sponsored the school outdoor paints.
  • Flanagan Print has sponsored a new sign for the Sensory Garden.
  • Murphy`s Pharmacy donated a box of instant ice packs to the school.

Halloween has well and truly arrived to Clashmore National School and there are lots of ghosts and ghouls around the school adding to the atmosphere! Equally we have lots of fun activities organised for this week.

2. Dressing Up & The Witches` Walk
Pupils will be allowed to dress up on Friday 22nd October. However, no masks or props will be allowed. We would like to discourage pupils from dressing up as clowns, as it may cause undue anxiety in our younger children. We will also be having our annual Witches` Walk on that day, weather pending. Due to Covid 19, all classes will complete the Witches` walk at separate timeslots.

3. Community Council Halloween Competition
The Clashmore and Kinsalebeg Community Council is running a pumpkin carving and decorating competition for the children. Photos of the pumpkins can be taken and submitted by contacting Jacinta Fitzgerald. All entries must be in before the 31st October. The Wishing Well Walk will be decorated for Halloween from Wednesday 20th October, should any family wish to wander down and see the decorations.

4. Team Hope Shoebox Appeal
We are delighted that the Team Hope Shoebox Appeal is now up and running again after being online last year. The children can now fill and send physical shoeboxes again. A leaflet detailing what can be included in the shoebox will be issued to each child this week. Your kindness & generosity will mean that children in third world countries will receive a gift this Christmas. Shoeboxes can be returned to the school on or before the 5th November.

5. Seesaw App
We now have the Seesaw App up and running in the school. Each child was issued a Seesaw code last week. After Halloween, pupils will be completing 1 homework task per week using the Seesaw App.

6. October School Fees
The school fees due this month were The Arts, Crafts, Photocopying and Christmas Jumper at a total cost of €17.50 payable via the school App. Please note that this fee has been reduced from €22.50 to take account of the school closure last year. The Christmas Jumper fee included here is a fee of €2 per child which will be donated to The Lions Club in December. As part of this initiative, all children will be allowed to wear a Christmas Jumper on the last day of term before the Christmas holidays. Many thanks to all of the parents/guardians who have paid these fees.

7. Professional Photographer
Ray Power a professional photographer will be in school in mid-November to take photographs of the students. If you wish to avail of this professional photography service, please fill in and return the photography consent form. The consent form will be sent home in hardcopy today. Consent forms must be returned by 22nd October. All photographs will be taken outdoors.

8. School Website: www.clashmorens.ie
Our school website has been updated with lots of Halloween photos, so please check it out! Art work completed by each class can be viewed under the `Class News` section of the website.

9. Communication: As well as utilising the school email (clashmorens19@gmail.com), messages are now sent via the school App (Clashmore NS App). Please ensure that you have the App downloaded to receive messages. Text messages will only be sent in the event of an emergency. If you are incurring any difficulties with the App, please contact the school.

10. Enrolments for 2022-2023
We are now accepting enrolments for the coming school year. Should you wish to get an enrolment form, please contact the school office.

11. CLASS Scheme (Covid Learning and Support Scheme)
The school has been allocated a number of additional teaching hours to help mitigate the adverse impacts of Covid-19 on pupils` learning. This is a once-off temporary allocation and we will be planning and organising these additional teaching hours in the coming weeks.

12. HSE Guidance & Covid 19
Please be advised, that from now on the school only has a role in communicating about positive cases of Covid-19 where the HSE has been in touch in relation to contact tracing.

13. Midterm Break
The school will close for Midterm Break on Friday 22nd of October at 3pm.
The school will re-open on Monday 1st November.

Finally, I would like to wish all of our students, staff and their families a happy and safe Halloween.
Le gach beannacht uaimse,
Yvonne Uí Fhlaithimhín
(Principal)