Summer Newsletter 2026

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to the last edition of our Newsletter for the 2025-2026 school year. Above all years, this year seems to have passed in the blink of an eye! Nonetheless, it has been an exceptional year in all respects. I would like to begin by thanking the boys and girls for their participation and for their efforts throughout the year and in particular for how they represented the school on many occasions. They were absolutely fantastic and we are incredibly proud of their efforts. Equally, I would like to thank all of the parents, guardians and families who have continually supported us throughout the year. Your co-operation is greatly appreciated. I would like to also pay tribute to our fantastic Parents` Association and our wonderful Board of Management who continually strive to support the school in every way possible, for the good of the children. Buíochas ó chroí libh ar fad.

Last but not least, I would like to pay particular tribute to the outstanding staff that we have here in Clashmore National School. They are dedicated and hard-working and they always go above and beyond for the children and for me as Principal. I could not do my job as a Teaching Principal without this fantastic team of people, I owe them a great deal of gratitude between the Teachers, SNA`s, our ancillary staff- our Secretary Laura, our Caretaker Mick and our Cleaner and Hot Food Operative Tracey.

Please see below for further updates and for a review of what has been a wonderful 2025-2026 school year!

1. School Attendance
As a DEIS rural school, improving our overall attendance has been a top priority for us. I am delighted to announce that our overall attendance has increased from 94.8% last year to 95.2 % this year. An increase of 0.4%. Further analysis has shown that we had an increased attendance level in 8 out of 10 months this year (2025-2026), in comparison to last year (2024-2025). This is a wonderful outcome for the current school year, so well done to everyone!

2. Breakfast Club & After-School Club in Clashmore National School
As you are aware, there will be a Breakfast Club and After-School Club operating in the school in the coming school year by operator Helena O`Meara Ltd. We are delighted with the very positive interest from parents. Enrolments forms for the Breakfast & Afterschool Club are still available from the school Office.

3. Clashmore National School`s 60th Anniversary on the current site- Save the Date!
In honour of the school`s 60th Anniversary on the current site, we will be having a special 60th Anniversary Mass in Clashmore Church on Thursday 1st October at 6:30pm. Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan will be officiating this special mass for us. We would like to extend an open invitation to all of the Clashmore Community who would like to come and celebrate this occasion with us, so save the date!

4. Clashmore National School Parents` Association
Our Parents` Association have been very busy during this school years and they have worked tirelessly for the good of the school.

This year they covered the cost of:

• The buses to the Cinema in December for each class
• The Christmas Annuals for each class
• Refreshments for the Christmas Shows
• The school tour buses for each class
• GAA coaching with Mary
• New parasols and a buddy bench
• Refreshments for the End of Year Graduation Mass

They are at present conducting an idonate fundraiser to pay for the cost of painting our school hall for the 60th Anniversary. If you would like to support this endeavour, tickets can be purchased at the following link https://www.idonate.ie/raffle/ClashmorePA

5. Important Dates for Your Diary

• Thursday 18th June: End of Year Graduation Mass in Clashmore Church at 11am- all welcome.
• Friday 19th June: The school will close at 12:00 for the Summer Holidays.

I am also including the full 2025-2026 Year in Review below. I hope you enjoy reading this as it is testament to all of the wonderful things being done in the school. Finally, I would like to wish you all a well-earned Summer break. I look forward to seeing you all when the school re-opens on the 27th August 2026.

Le gach beannacht uaimse,
Yvonne Uí Fhlaithimhín
Principal of Clashmore National School

A Year in Review 2025-2026-  What did we do this year?

1. School Maintenance/Emergency Works

• We were successful with our applications to replace the lighting in the school this Summer and also external works to the rear of the school.

2. Sports in the School this Year.
We have engaged in a range of sports this year.

• GAA- Hurling, football & Camogie
• Cumann na mBunscoil
• The Daily Mile
• Local Athletics
• Swimming 3rd-6th Class
• WOW Days- Walk on Wednesday
• Soccer Lessons with Clashmore Ramblers in association with Waterford Sports Partnership.
• Pétanque lessons.
• Sports Day in Clashmore GAA grounds.

3. Extra-Curricular Activities this Year

• Music Generation.
• Maths Week.
• A Witches` Walk.
• Visit to Dungarvan Cinema December 2025 Infants-6th Class.
• Christmas Performances in the School Hall.
• Seachtain na Gaeilge- Events & Céilí Mór.
• Food Dudes.
• Discover Singing Programme for 3rd-4th Class.
• The Scholastics Book Fair.
• A Comic Club run by The Student Council.
• A `Fun Friday` run by The Student Council where pop music is played and a bubble machine is on at big break.
• Chess Tournament Ficheall.
• Local Chess Tournament hosted in Clashmore NS.
• A Local Chess Day hosted by Clashmore NS with Ballycurrane, Kinsalebeg & Grange N.S.
• Various School Tours.
• We held our Annual Open Day.
• Sports Day in the GAA Pitch.
• Drumming Workshop for all classes.
• A visit from The Heritage Council about Christmas and The Polar Expeditions.

4. Green Schools Inspired Initiatives

• Return Bin.
• To Aid Sustainability: Christmas Jumper Swop. No paper towels used in bathrooms. Children dry hands with their own face cloths. Towels now in staff toilets.
• A workshop about the Circular Economy for 3rd-6th class.
• Green Schools Committee Competitions.
• We held our first `No Heat Day` in school to conserve energy.
• We were awarded our 7th Green School Flag on the 20th May 2026.

5. New Initiatives/Activities in the School This Year

• The school was painted in the inside.
• More New School Furniture and displays boards in the school.
• We had our first ever `StarBooks` Café for World Book Day.
• We had our first ever `Bring anything but a schoolbag Day` Fundraiser.
• We have a `Suggestion Box` for students to share suggestions with The Student Council.
• We began our `Bí Cineálta` Board where exceptional acts of Kindness by the children are acknowledged.
• We started our `Siopa Beag` this year selling small school supplies and some second-hand books etc.
• We had our first ever Orienteering Week in school.
• 5th-6th Class had 10 weeks of Spanish lessons received under the Modern Foreign Languages Initiative.
• The Principal trained to be a Reading Recovery teacher. Now Clashmore NS is a Reading Recovery School.
• We had a visit from our Community Garda Liaison officers this year.
• As part of the Small Schools Pilot Project, a joint tour to Carriglea woods was organised for Juniors to 1st class in each school this year.

6. School Policies/Plans that have been completed or reviewed this year.
All of these are available from the School Office upon request.

• The Child Protection Policy
• The Anti-Bullying Policy
• The Critical Incident Policy
• The New Bí Cineálta Policy
• The Health, Safety and Welfare Policy
• Internet Safety and Acceptable Usage of ICT`s
• The Assessment Policy
• The Special Educational Needs Plan
• The Whole School English Plan
• An Plean Gaeilge
• The Whole School Maths Plan
• The Code of Behaviour
• The Home Use of Clashmore NS Owned Assistive Technology
• Data Protection Policy