Beginning of Year Welcome

As we settle back into school life, we would like to welcome you all back as parents/guardians of children in our school. In particular, we extend a warm welcome to those of you who are sending your child/children to Scoil Éanna for the first time.  We hope that their years here will be very happy and successful.

The Junior Infants are well settled into their new class and are becoming accustomed to the routines of school life. They can be collected at 12.30pm all this week, but will remain in school until 2.00pm from next Monday 19^th September.

The children all arrived back to school looking very smart in their school uniforms. We would like to commend you for your commitment to and support of the uniform. We would like to further acknowledge your support for the book rental scheme. The teachers are delighted that most of the books and items they required were sourced and we’re sure it was a great relief for you, both in terms of time and trips to the shops, to have the books available in school.

The book rental fee also includes pupil personal accident cover which extends over the whole year. Should your child have an accident that requires medical or hospital treatment please keep receipts for any expense involved and get a claim form from the school.

Please be mindful of the following:-

• The doors of the school open at 9.15am each morning to receive children. Supervision is provided from 9.05am. The Board of Management does not accept responsibility for pupils arriving before that time. During inclement weather the school opens at 9.05am and children are supervised in the hall.

• School closes at 2pm for Infant classes and at 3pm for all others. Infants are collected from their classrooms. All other children walk to the bottom of the hill. Please ensure that your children are collected on time in the afternoon, as supervision cannot be guaranteed after school hours. The Board of Management does not accept responsibility for children who are waiting at the school to be collected after 3pm.

• The school car-park can be a very dangerous place. Parents who drive their children to school in the mornings are required to accompany their children from the car to the bottom of the steps/path. Similarly, parents who collect their children by car in the evening, are also required to pick up their child from the designated pick-up point at the bottom of the hill. Children are forbidden from running on school grounds as they enter and exit the school.

• Please also remind your children to walk up the steps or the path, as cars use the hill.

The above are health and safety requirements and are necessary precautions to avoid an accident. We would appreciate your full cooperation.

• Under the terms of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 you must let the school know, in writing, if your child is absent and the reason for the absence. Under current legislation the school must notify the National Educational Welfare Board if a child is absent for 20 days or more. If your child misses 15 days you will receive an automated text to alert you to the fact. Every school day counts and good attendance is vital for progress and continuity.

Our school operates a healthy eating policy therefore:-

• Chewing gum, crisps and fizzy drinks are prohibited.
• Sweets and chocolate bars are also prohibited, although occasionally sweets are given by teachers as treats or rewards.
• We call the morning break a ‘fruit break’ to encourage the children to eat more fruit.
• Children are encouraged to drink water. In the middle and senior classes children are allowed to keep a plastic bottle of water on their desk throughout the day. Children are not permitted to have bottles of juice/diluted orange on their desks during the day.
• Children are allowed to take a treat for lunch on a Friday e.g. a small chocolate bar.

• Parents must inform the school if their child is to be taken home by another relative, neighbour or friend. If any child is being collected early from school they must be signed out in the relevant book in the Secretary’s office.
• Moya Lennon and Carmel Harte, on behalf of the Parents’ Association, run an after schools 2pm Club to facilitate Junior and Senior Infant children who wish to remain in school until 3pm. This will commence on Monday 19^th September and information has already been circulated.
• Please contact the school immediately if your contact details have changed over the summer months. Please ensure also that the mobile number you have given us for our text-a-parent service is in use.

• In the interest of health and safety parents/guardians collecting or dropping off children must not drive cars up the hill to the front of the school between the hours of 9.00 – 9.30a.m., 1.50 – 2.10p.m. and 2.50p.m. – 3.10p.m. unless prior arrangements have been made with the Principal.

• Full uniform must be worn at all times. We would really appreciate your support here by not permitting your child to wear designer gear to school.

Finally, please do not hesitate to contact the school with any query/concern you may have. As always, our school Secretary, Gráinne, is available on telephone from 9.30am to 3.00pm. Please feel free to contact her should you require a message to be delivered to your child, or if you wish to make an appointment to speak with the teacher or with the Principal or Deputy Principal.

Guímid rath Dé ar obair na scoile agus ar na daoine go léir a thagann isteach ann.