Clashmore
National School
Email:
clashmorens19@gmail.com
clashmorens19@gmail.com
Tel:
+353-24-96404
+353-24-96404
Fáilte thar n-ais! Welcome Back!
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Welcome to the first edition of our School Newsletter!
I hope that you are all keeping well and you had a well-deserved break over the Summer. It is truly wonderful to see the school come alive again with the return of the children on Wednesday 30th August. The school has been a hive of activity regarding upgrades that occurred over the Summer period. The exterior of the school has been painted and the parking spaces and outdoor images have been relined and freshened up and are looking great. Equally we have extended the kitchenette in the hall area, to house the hot meals scheme and we are delighted with how this area has turned out. I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Secretary Laura Barron. I wish her every happiness and success in her new role with us here in Clashmore National School.
I also wish to heartily welcome our New Junior Infants and our new families to the school. I wish them every happiness as they join our school community. I would also like to extend best wishes to our past pupils, as they begin their secondary school education. Please note that this is an extra-long newsletter, as it has many reminders and important updates for the coming year.
1. The Staff of Clashmore National School are as follows
2. Supervision
As the new term begins, the Board of Management would like to remind you that the school operates from 9.20am to 3pm. Infants finish at 2pm. To facilitate the children`s safe arrival to school, your child should arrive at school between 9:10am and 9:20am. There will be supervision in the yard in the morning between 9:10am and 9:20am. To Keep everyone safe, pupils are not permitted to enter the school grounds before 9:10am. Supervision will be provided until 3pm. However, the school accepts no responsibility for children before 9.10am or after 3pm.
3. Access and Road Safety
I wish to draw your attention to the following safety protocol regarding the children`s entry and exit from the school. In order to provide for the children’s safe entry to and exit from school, the following protocol is still in place. Junior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st and 2nd classes are to enter and leave the school grounds via the lower pathway on the village side. Senior children from 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th classes are required to use the upper pathway on the Aglish side.
4. School Secretary
Our School Secretary Mrs. Laura Barron is here on a part-time basis and is contactable at the following times:
5. DEIS Rural Status & School Meals Scheme
As of March 2022, Clashmore National School was designated as a DEIS Rural School (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in School). The DEIS programme is the Department of Education`s main policy initiative to respond to educational disadvantage. The DEIS programme focuses on targeting additional resources to schools included in the programme to ensure every child has an equal opportunity to achieve their potential. Part of being a DEIS School means that the school can apply for funding to finance the school meals programme. As you are aware from the return to school letter issued last week, the school is currently going through the procurement process to pick a suitable food company to supply the hot meals to the children. It is likely that this process will not be complete until mid-September. As a result, we hope to be up and running with the hot meals housed in our new extended kitchenette in the hall area by October. In the intervening period, please provide lunch for your child until further notice.
6. Music Generation
We are delighted to have Music Generation beginning in the school at the end of September. This programme will continue for the entire year. Junior Infants to Second class will be focusing on Musical Beginnings (songs, rhythm, pitch etc), while 3rd-6th class will be learning to play the Ukulele. Danny Dunford will be the children`s music teacher. This is a very exciting venture for the school and we cannot wait for it to begin. There will be a cost associated with this programme, payable again through Aladdin. More information relating to this will be issued at a later date.
7. Mural in Outdoor Shed
In the coming weeks we will begin working with a Waterford Walls Artist to develop a concept for the mural in the outdoor shed at the front of the school. Once the concept and drawings are finalised, an artist will come to the school to work with a group of children for the day. We look forward to the unveiling of the mural once complete. We are extremely grateful to Youghal Credit Union who part-funding this mural to the value of €600 and to The Board of Management who are funding the other €600.
8. The Daily Mile
The whole school will be engaging in a Drop Everything And Run initiative beginning during September. This will involve every class spending 10 minutes running at their own pace every day. We as a school will record the accumulative distance that we run on a weekly basis. More information to follow in the coming weeks!
9. Green Schools News
This year the school is continuing its great work on the theme of Global Citizenship. We hope that our community will come together to become active global citizens through the many different events that we will be holding this year.
10. Attendance/Pupil Absences
We will be placing a huge focus on attendance for the coming year. The importance of attendance cannot be under-estimated. By maintaining a good attendance, children can not only develop academically but can develop their social skills and friendships to name a few of the benefits. So please make every effort to ensure your child is in school.
If your child is absent, it is mandatory that a reason for the absence is communicated to the school. Equally we would ask that appointments be made outside of school time and that children are not leaving school early. In addition, please try to avoid taking holidays during term time, as regardless of the time of year children are missing out when they are not in school.
As per our Attendance Policy, the Principal will issue a letter to parents following absences of 10 days, 15 days and 20 days. If a child has been absent for more than 20 days in a school year, then this will have to be reported to Tusla Child and Family Agency and the Children’s Education Welfare Officer may be in touch if there is cause for concern.
11. Child Protection
Please note that Yvonne Uí Fhlaithimhín is the Designated Liaison Person (DLP) and Mrs. Suzanne Hynes is the Deputy Designated Liaison (DDLP) in relation to Child Protection in the school. The Child Safeguarding Statement and Child Safeguarding Risk Assessment can be viewed on the wall inside the front door of the school.
12. Healthy Eating Guidelines
As part of the school`s Healthy Eating Guidelines, Pupils are allowed to bring a small treat on a Friday (e.g. fun size bar/bag of sweets, small home bakes, popcorn or pretzels, chocolate spread or yogurts not containing nuts). There is a total ban on nut and nut products (e.g. Nutella) due to the serious allergies of some pupils. Equally cordial is only permitted with lunch time.
13. Medication
In the event that your child requires medication during school hours, you are required to fill out an indemnity form and information form in advance, before any medication can be permitted in school. These forms are available on request from the office.
14. Aladdin Connect
Aladdin is our school administration system. We have recently upgraded to Aladdin Connect. Aladdin Connect has many additional functions that will allow greater communication between school and home. More information will issue next week in relation to this.
15. Arts, Crafts & Photocopying Fee
Please note that the Arts, Crafts & Photocopying Fee for the coming year will be €17.50 per child. Please note that this fee includes the €2 Christmas Jumper donation to The Dungarvan Lions Club paid each December. Please do not send in any money to the office, as this fee will be payable through Aladdin. You will be notified by email with the link to pay the fee when it is due.
16. Allianz Pupil Insurance
Allianz Pupil Insurance can be purchased from the school at a cost of €8 per pupil. This is 24 hour cover 365 days a year for school activities, social, domestic and leisure activities (including school holidays). We strongly encourage parents to avail of this insurance. More information will issue next week and payments can also be made through Aladdin next week.
17. Foxy Stamps Saving Scheme
To enable the children to gain the experience of saving, in conjunction with Youghal Credit Union, the school runs the Foxy Stamps Saving Scheme.
This scheme allows pupils to buy saving stamps from the school at a cost of €1 each Friday and redeem their savings card in Youghal Credit Union or lodge into their account. This will begin in the school on Friday 4th September.
Finally, I would like to wish you all a welcome return to school and I look forward to catching up with you all in the coming days and weeks,
Le gach beannacht uaimse,
Yvonne Uí Fhlaithimhín
Principal of Clashmore National School