SCHOOL NEWS in Brief…..
13th November 2014
From the Principal’s desk:
The Green School Christmas competition is now underway – thanks to those who have already brought in decorations. There are notes on the classroom doors regarding the competition and an earlier email (sent on Monday) has all the details.
Please keep an eye on the school website and in particular the calendar for important upcoming dates - the most important being the Christmas concert on Thursday 18th December. The junior concert (JI, SI, Rang 1 and Rang 2 takes place at 9.30am sharp and the Senior concert (Rang 3,4,5 and 6) takes place at 11oc. The theme this year is Festivals around the World.
Class photos are in the school bags today or can be collected from the class teacher if they do not arrive home!
Teachers will have been in contact regarding the upcoming parent/teacher meetings – please contact the class teachers directly if there are any issues regarding appointments.
Headlice have made a re-appearance (with a vengeance) over the past weeks, so please check all the heads regularly and make sure to follow up any treatment with regular fine combing.
Finally, I would like to wish Mary Clare Pigott our best wishes as she takes leave over the coming months to care for her elderly mother. Mary Clare works as resource teacher with rang 1 and rang 2 at present, as well as holding a special duties post for music here in RMDS. While Mary Clare is on leave, Ann Gallagher will be joining us to take over her duties. Padraic Mulholland will also be working with the classes to help Ann get settled in here in RMDS.
Joan Whelan
From the Board of Management
A belated welcome back from the Board of Management. As many of you are aware the Board of Management is an eight member body which has responsibility for overseeing the day to day management of the school. The current Board is starting the final year of its 4 year term and is composed of Joan Whelan as principal, a teacher member (currently Paul Fairbrother) and six parents (two of whom were selected by the parent body, two of whom were nominated by the school patron and two of whom were selected by the other six Board members). The Board's work covers all aspects of the running of the school including overseeing and supporting the work of the staff in the school and in childcare, managing finance and administration, ensuring the implementation of policies laid down by the Department of Education and fostering of the ethos of the school.
The Board is particularly concerned to support activities which enhance the learning environment for children in RMDS. In this regard it has been great to see the success of relatively recent initiatives such as the Forest School, the enrichment of the curriculum through the use of technology and the high level of participation in the broad range of extra curricular activities which the school provides. This year we look forward to making further progress in plans for the development of the linear park and to continuing to enhance learning outcomes in key areas such as maths and literacy through the process of school self evaluation.
We are very fortunate in RMDS to have a very high degree of collaboration between staff, pupils and parents and recognise that this is a cornerstone of the school's success. At a very practical level the school benefits from the generosity of parents which has allowed us to ameliorate the impact of cutbacks in governmental funding and to support activities for which such funding is not provided. The cumulative effect of cutbacks means that we rely now more than ever on fundraising from the parent body. This week we will be writing to all parents to explain the role of parental financial support to the running of the school and to request their continued, and, where financial circumstances allow, increased support in this regard. Members of the Board of Management and the Executive will be at the school gate next week to collect voluntary contribution forms and to answer any questions you may have relating to the school finances.
We would also like to extend our sympathies to the family of Joan Harman, a former RMDs parent and mum to Zoe, Sam and Hannah Harman Conlon, who passed away recently after a long illness. Joan was a very active member of the Board of Management some years ago and helped out with the formation of the Parents Association here in RMDS. Deeply interested in music and a talented musician herself, she helped us get our first ever music week underway and came back with her daughter to play for us at the most recent music week three years ago. Our deepest sympathy to her husband, Kevin and her children and all her family. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Colm Healy (Chairperson), William Connor (IT), Geraldine Hall (Treasurer), Joan Whelan (Principal), Paul Fairbrother (Maintenance and Safety), Ciaran Fallon (Voluntary Contributions, Insurance), Maeve Kinsella (Extra Curricular and Childcare), Camilla Noonan (Enrolment)
From the Executive
We would like to remind you again that Christmas Fair is coming back this year - Nov 30th, 12 -3pm - bigger and better than ever. Please join us in making it a memorable occasion whilst raising funds for the school and linear park. Remind your neighbours and friends and any past pupils that you know that we would be delighted to see them on the day!
There will be a craft evening held in the school to make some of the fabulous Christmas gifts, all help much appreciated. Please come to the school on Nov 27th at 7:30pm and you will be rewarded with a glass of wine for your efforts.
Also if you can make any Christmas cakes/gifts that we can sell on the day we would really appreciate it.
Please click the following link to read about the latest building work commissioned by the Executive which was completed over the Halloween break. http://www.rmds.ie/news/sound-insulation/. Over the next few months it is hoped to repair the windows on the junior stairwell where the seals have broken and to further investigate the flat roof over the staffroom where we have had some leaks over the past few years.
From the PA
Don’t forget Thursday 20th November - the RMDS Quiz Night! Ticket sales are going well for next Thursday's Pub Quiz in Smyth’s Pub. Thank you all for your support to date - this is shaping up to be a competitive and fun night!! There is still room for some more teams and tickets will be on sale at the gate from 08h30 this week. You can also email your PA class rep to arrange tickets. The more teams that enter - the bigger the class prize available to the winning team!
From the School Council
The School Council is back up and running. We are presently putting together a list of things we would like to do this year. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. The members from Rang 5 and rang 6 had a very successful visit to Stepaside Educate Together yesterday with Ms Whelan to help them set up their first student council. They are a small school still and the oldest pupils are first class, so they will take on the duties for the next year and represent the infant classes there too, We were delighted to present them with a minutes book and to invite them to visit us in the summer term to see how they got on.
Finally, the Green school committee would like to remind everyone about recycling old batteries - we have a collection box beside the photocopier, near the green notice board where you can put your used batteries – they are collected regularly by WEEE Ireland.
RMDS School Age Childcare
Information from Caroline Percival on 085-1156506 or email childcare@rmds.ie
