SCHOOL NEWS in Brief, 11^th December 2014.
 
From the Principal’s office:

Thank you for the most generous response to the Christmas Charity appeal – the hampers are on display in the hall today and are due for collection by tomorrow morning.

The Christmas concert will take place on Thursday 18^th December here in the school as follows:

• 9.30am: Junior Infants, Senior Infants, Rang 1 and Rang 2
• 11am: Rang 3, Rang 4, rang 5 and rang 6.

The theme this year is Festivals around the World and as you know the classes are busy practicing as I write!  If there is a parent who might video the performance and edit for the website, please talk to me at the gate or let me know by return email. This could be done at the dress rehearsal on Wednesday if that suited?

A few housekeeping rules:

• The performances will begin sharp at 9.30am and 11am. Each one will take an hour.
• All the children in the school will have the chance to see the play on Wednesday, so no siblings are allowed into the hall on the day.
• We ask you not to bring toddlers or preschoolers – it can get very noisy which is unfair to the children on the stage who have no microphones. Other than that, any family and friends and past pupils that you want to bring along are most welcome.
• We would also ask people not to stand up to take photos or video during the performances – please stay at the back if you need to stand.
• Please do not bring cups of coffee or drinks to the show. We had a huge clear up last year of half spilt coffee cups left on the floor. Coffee and tea (and biscuits) will be served in the staffroom between the shows.  A special thanks to Jackie and the group of parents who are arranging this for us.
• We would ask that all parents remain for the entire performance – it is disheartening for the children on stage to see parents leaving during their show. If you must leave, please remain at the back so that you can slip away.
• Finally, you may take children early if you wish – however, children will not be released by class teachers until the end of the first performance (10.30am) and the end of the second performance (midday).

Sorry for so many rules and regulations – however, in order to ensure the concert works well for the performers, your children, we need to respect these points. It is a special day particularly for the children and much anticipated by us all. Enjoy!

Peace Proms 2015 - Children in rang 5 and rang 6 can access the Peace Proms MOVES online.  Go to www.peaceproms.com - SCHOOL INFO - Music - VIDEO FOR SCHOOLS. They will need to use the password peaceproms777

You can also use the link below:

VIDEO FOR SCHOOLS | PEACE PROMS

A reminder that parents can buy tickets for our performance online as well – we are the 8pm performance on Sunday 1^st February 2015

Extra curricular activities finish on Friday for the term and begin again on Monday 12^th January.

Joan Whelan

From the Christmas Fair Committee:

We have a limited number of tea towels, cards and CDs left.  So if you missed the fair and the chance to pick some up this morning at the gate, we will be at the gate again tomorrow or please call to the office. We will also have some for sale at the refreshment break during the Christmas concerts on the 18th.  A great stocking filler and present for grandparents!

A big thank you again and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

 From the Board of Management

We'd like to thank all of those parents who have returned their voluntary contribution forms.  We'd encourage any remaining parents planning to make a once off or monthly contribution to do so before the Christmas break as this ensures that we will get the benefit of tax refunds in the New Year.  Payments can be made electronically via the school website – www.rmds.ie - click on the contact button and use the Easy Pay button for voluntary contributions. Your contributions are vital to the smooth running of the school and to maintaining a comfortable and stimulating environment for our children.

One recent positive development has been confirmation by the Department of Education that it will pay the 'minor works grant' to all schools this year.  This grant, worth about €10,000 to the school, is used for routine repairs and maintenance and was not paid in some prior years due to the financial crisis.

ICT (Information and Communications Technology) is one area where your voluntary contributions are particularly important.  Funding is used to purchase laptops and other equipment and to pay for software and services related to the school's ICT infrastructure.  Today teachers are using these resources in a wide variety of ways: using 3D animation tools to understand shapes, solving online maths puzzles, getting exposure to coding using Scratch and collaborating on projects using Google Docs.  The school is currently drawing up an e-learning plan and, in the New Year, we look forward to sharing this with parents and getting your views and input.

Finally, on behalf of the Board I'd like to offer you our best wishes for the festive season and thank you for the tremendous help and support the school receives from parents in order to ensure we can put in place the best possible teaching and learning environment for the children and the staff.

Colm Healy