Scoil Bhríde

Nurney, Co. Kildare

Telephone: (045) 526767

13thDecember 2017

Dear Parents/Guardians

School Calendar 2018 – Please buy one to support the school!

Due to the school concert being cancelled as a mark of respect to Ms. Delaney and her family, this year’s School Xmas Calendar will be for sale through the school office @ €10 each. It includes a group photo of each class with their teacher plus lots of photos of great school events from the last 12 months. They make great Xmas presents!! This is one of the school’s major annual fundraisers so please pleaseplease support us. You can purchase your calendar using the online payment link sent to your mobile device. You can also pay by cash by putting your money into an envelope with your child’s name and class written on the front stating how many calendars you wish to buy. Give it to the class teacher. Many thanks to the Parents Association for putting the whole Calendar project together!

Swimming for 3rd and 6th class!!

Swimming classes for 3rd and 6th class began on Wednesday November 22nd. The children will go for 8 weeks. 8 lessons cost €50. This can be paid by cash, cheque or online using the payment access link sent to you on your mobile device.

Parent Teacher Meetings

Thanks to all those who attended Parent Teacher meetings over the last 2 weeks. It was great to see such a great turn out over two evenings. Massive thanks to the fantastic Ms.Owens who co-ordinated the whole event, organising approximately 400 parents and 12 teachers over a general two day period. Not an easy task!

If you were unable to attend we would urge you to make an appointment to meet with your child’s class teacher before the Christmas holidays. Meetings can be arranged through the school office. Meetings must take place at a mutually convenient time outside of supervision time (9.10am – 9.20am) and teaching time (9.20 – 2pm/3pm). Thank you.

IMPORTANT NOTICE – SCHOOL CLOSURE
  • The school has been directed by the Department of Education to close for one day on Thursday January 11th 2018 to hold a compulsory training day for teachers in the new Primary Language Curriculum.

School County Debating Competition

Congratulations to the debating team pupils from both Ms. Behan and Ms.O’Mahony’s classes who performed so well against Moone on Tuesday. Huge thanks to both teachers for taking on the extra work of organising the team and preparing them so well! Many thanks to all the families for helping with practice at home!

School Assembly

Well done to all our pupils who received well done awards over the last month for great lining up, working hard, following teacher instructions, playing fair and nice in our school and following in the footsteps of Jesus by showing kindness, compassion, respect, saying sorry and offering forgiveness. Congratulations to the following pupils who were pulled out of our “Well Done Award Prize Draw” Oisín – Junior Infants, Mary-Kate – 1st class, Troy – 4th class,

Ella – 5th class

Dates for your diary

  • School closes early at 2pm on Thursday Dec. 19thfor all pupils to accommodate our Christmas Mass. Bus told.
  • School will close for the Christmas holidays on Friday December 22nd for all pupils at 12.30pm. Buses have been told. The school will re-open on Monday January 8th 2017 for all pupils at 9.20am
  • Communion for 2nd class Scoil Bhríde will be April 21st 2018 @ 11am Nurney Church. This date has been given to us by the Parish.
  • 6th class Confirmation – May 17th 2018

Parents as partners

As this round of annual Parent Teacher meetings come to a close it is an important time to reflect on how valuable teachers and parents working together is and on the proven positive effect it has on your child’s learning. All international research shows that working in a positive spirit of partnership with your child’s class teacher improves their learning. The Board of Management and staff of Scoil Bhríde genuinelyvalue the wonderful relationship we share with the parents/guardians of the children in our school. We strive to ensure that the core values of respect, empathy and trust underpinning the relationship are maintained and nurtured. The Board of Management and staff fully endorse the following statement in the 1999 Primary School Curriculum: “Parents are the child’s primary educators, and the life of the home is the most potent factor in his or her development during the primary school years……Regular consultation with parents helps class teachers to come to a deeper appreciation of children’s needs and so to plan more effective learning experiences. It also provides the means by which teachers keep parents fully informed about children’s progress. Good respectful communication between parents and schools will help build a shared understanding of the principles of the curriculum, the learning goals of the school, and the approaches and methodologies it adopts”

Scoil Bhríde Nurney aims to uphold the following core principles of the 1999 Primary School Curriculum:

  • The Board of Management and staff fully accept that parents/guardians are the primary educators of their children and therefore parents are responsible in ensuring that their child receives a full primary education.
  • Scoil Bhríde Nurney promotes positive practical collaboration and co-operation with parents that result in improved teaching and learning opportunities for the children.
  • Management and staff are committed to open, honest and frequent communication with parents/guardians by appointment.
  • Parents as a group have a range of talents, abilities and skills that have the potential to enrich and extend the educational opportunities provided for the children. It is our policy to identify parents with specific skills and to invite those parents to share their skills with us at a school and a class level when deemed appropriate.
  • Respect for the professional role of the teacher is of utmost importance and the statutory responsibilities of the Principal, Patron and the Board of Management is always an important consideration.

As partners in a school community we all know our rights, but with rights come responsibilities. As a reminder of our responsibilities and how we all can play our part to uphold this spirit of positive partnership we have copied overleaf an excerpt from our Schools Code of Behaviour which all, partners sign up to when a child is enrolled in our school. (A full copy of our Schools Code of Behaviourcan be downloaded from our school website)

Scoil Bhríde Code of Behaviour (excerpt)

Parent’s/Guardian’s Responsibilities

  • Ensure their children attend school and are punctual
  • Equip pupils with appropriate school materials, sufficient healthy lunch and full uniform
  • Be courteous towards pupils and staff
  • Make an appointment to meet with a teacher/the Principal through the office
  • Respect school property and encourage their children to do the same
  • Label pupils coats and other personal property
  • Strictly supervise pre-school children, when in the school.
  • As the Board of Management is responsible for the Health & Safety of all staff and students, parents are requested not to approach or reprimand another person’s child on the school premises.

Parents and the Code

  1. Parents can encourage good behaviour at school by promoting a positive image of the school and by discussing the school rules and the need for them.
  2. Discuss with your child how to behave in an appropriate manner at school to ensure their own safety and the safety of others
  3. Appointments: Parents may not call casually to the classroom door or to the Principal’s office to discuss any issue regarding their child. They must make an appointment through the office. The teachers in the school and the Principal are always willing to meet with parents by appointment to discuss concerns or difficulties.
  4. If you are asked to come to the school to discuss a problem remember that the teacher or principal wants to discuss the problem not apportion blame or make judgements.
  5. There will always be times when you totally disagree with something a teacher does or says. If this happens, please check that you have the correct version of events and then discuss the problem with the teacher or Principal.
  6. Please do not undermine the authority of the school by criticising a teacher in front of pupils but come to the school to discuss the problem.
  7. Try to listen to your child and talk about what is happening in school and let them know that you are interested and aware.
  8. Be on alert for any change in mood or behaviour, it can sometimes indicate that a child is worried or under pressure. If teachers become aware of changes in mood or behaviour, parents will be informed.
  9. If a child is complaining of pains and there is no obvious reason this may be also indicate some worries or pressures.
  10. If you want to come to the school to discuss your child you are not running with ‘stories’ you are simplyexercising your rights as a parent. Please remember that children can be best served if teachers and parents work together and stay in touch.
  11. A note is required for absences, failure to do homework, not wearing uniform etc.
  12. Read with your child. It is of immense value they are never too old.
  13. Good hygiene is encouraged. If a child is sick they need to be kept at home. Head lice is a recurring problem. Prevention requires constant vigilance.
  14. It is essential that the school be provided with up to date phone numbers contact numbers for parents/guardians.

Board of Management’s Responsibilities.

  • Provide a comfortable, safe environment
  • Support the Principal and staff in implementing the Code.
  • Ratify the Code.

Principal’s Responsibilities

  • Promote a positive climate in the school.
  • Ensure that the Code of Behaviour is implemented in a fair and consistent manner.
  • Arrange for review of the Code, as required.

Teacher’s Responsibilities

  • Create a safe working environment for each pupil.
  • Recognise and affirm good work.
  • Prepare school work and correct work done by pupils.
  • Recognise and provide for individual talents and differences among pupils.
  • Be courteous, consistent and fair.
  • Keep opportunities for disruptive behaviour to a minimum.
  • Deal appropriately with misbehaviour.
  • Record instances of serious misbehaviour or repeated instances of misbehaviour in Incident Folder.
  • Provide support for colleagues.

Pupil’s Responsibilities

  • Attend school regularly and punctually.
  • Listen to their teachers and act on instructions/advice.
  • Show respect for all members of the school community.
  • Respect all school property and the property of other pupils.
  • Avoid behaving in any way which would endanger others.
  • Avoid all nasty remarks, swearing and name-calling.
  • Include other pupils in games and activities.
  • Bring correct materials/books to school.
  • Follow school and class rules.
  • Any out of class activity e.g. are part of normal school days activity

Wednesday Note and school information also available on

Thank you for your co-operation with the above.

______

Vinny Thorpe – Principal

(Doctoral Student) M.Ed (SL), MA.Comp.Mus, H.Dip.Prim.Ed, H.Dip.Mus.Tech, P.Grad.Dip.Ed.St(SEN), B.Mus.Ed(H.Dip.Ed), Dip.Mus.Ed, T.Dip.ICT