SCHOOL NEWS in Brief…..

7^th September 2017

From the Principal’s desk:

Please go to the school website (www.rmds.ie) and return classroom requisites and school tours payments via the Easy Payment system as soon as possible. Click on the Contact cloud and scroll down to Online Payments. Thanks to all those who have paid already. Junior Infants and all new pupils have already paid this bill in full. Any queries, contact the office. Voluntary contributions can also be paid online.

Please ensure all absences are accounted for and children are in school at 8.30 a.m. Children will be marked late if they are in after 8.40am.

Please check for lost property at the gate in the morning. All items left at the weekend will be donated to charity.

A reminder that we are a nut free school – no peanut butter, nut butter, nutella or actual nuts in the lunchboxes please.

Please ensure all bikes are locked – even those inside the school gate. Bikes can also be left safely locked to the racks outside the back gate.

Choir will begin again on Friday, 15^th September at 8.10 a.m. sharp! All are welcome from Rang 2 – Rang 6. Further details to follow!

Class Meetings will begin next week as follows:

SENIOR INFANTS:       Tuesday, 12^th September @ 8.45am

RANG 2:                      Wednesday, 13^th September @ 8.45am

RANG 1:                      Thursday, 14^th September @ 8.45am

RANG 6:                         Friday, 15^th September @ 8.45am

Please note the change of date for the Junior Infant Class Meeting:

JUNIOR INFANTS:       Monday, 25^th September @ 8.45am

All meetings will take place at 8.45 a.m. sharp in the Seomra Spraoi and will be finished by 9.40 a.m. There will be an opportunity for individual questions with the teachers after the meetings. Individual Education Planning (IEP) meetings for parents of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) will take place before the end of October – SEN teachers will contact you directly to make arrangements. Individual parent / teacher meetings will take place during the last two weeks of November.

Rosemarie Stynes

From the PA:

Welcome back!

The first event is already done and dusted! Massive thanks to all who helped set up and run the PA Welcome Back morning, and thank you to all the parents who supported the event!  A great turn out and a fantastic start to the PA 2017/18 school calendar.  Lots more to come!!

The next date for the diary is the PA AGM which will take place in the Seomra Spraoi on the 19th Sept at 20h00 (cleverly timed with missing the bed time routine!!).  Our meeting are always kept brief - so please do come along.  We will go through a few formalities, confirm 2017/18 committee and then take a look at the events planned for the school year ahead.

RMDS PA Running Group

We are back!!!  We hope to have 2 organised runs every week.  On Mondays we will do approx 4 miles at a decent pace.  On Fridays we will start the 0-5k programme and encourage all beginners, returning runners to please join in.  We will kick off later in Sept.  Class reps will email details.  Any queries in the meantime please email pa@rmds.ie.  We will meet each week at the gate at 08h45.

Over the weekend....

This Friday, September 8th Nick Kelly’s first feature film "The Drummer And The Keeper" is released in Irish cinemas.  Nick is a former parent and has been a great support to the PA over the years. If you get a chance this weekend check it out in cinemas around the city....

Twitter: @TDATKFilm

Facebook page: thedrummerandthekeeper

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ExhyLIdEHs

Wishing you all a fantastic school year!

Avril & the PA

RMDS EXTRA CURRICULAR PROGRAMME 2017/2018

Welcome back to the first term of Extra Curricular Activities. Activities run for 12 weeks: from week beginning Monday September 18th to week beginning Monday December 11^th (excluding mid-term break 30^th October to 3^rd November).

NEW! Dance. Our new dance class combines ballet, modern/musical theatre, tap, lyrical and jazz! You will need ballet shoes (leather or satin), a t-shirt and leggings.

Kung Fu. White Crane Kung Fu classes take place in RMDS outside school hours (separate to our ECA). RMDS pupils can have a free trial class. Details from dublinkungfu.ie

Gymnastics. Clubs are so busy that unfortunately we have not been able to find a new in-house gym teacher. We will keep trying. In the meantime, popular local private clubs include http://www.spartagymnastics.com & https://olympiangymnastics.com

Hockey. Hockey sticks are supplied for use in the class, but children need their own gum shields. In wet weather, please collect children from the school.

Swimming. Swan Leisure need to know in advance what level of instruction each child needs. To book, please complete the Swan Leisure Form (attached, also available from school office) and return it to the office or in the box at the gate by Tuesday 12^th September at the latest – not directly to Swan. For insurance purposes, parents/guardians must stay on the premises for the duration of the lesson.

Please note:

All applications. Please note: all classes run on a first come, first served basis, and often fill up very quickly. Put completed forms in envelopes in the box outside the office/at the gate in the morning. Please use a separate form and envelope for each application. Extra application forms are available, or write out the information on a sheet. Classes will only go ahead if there are sufficient numbers enrolled. Places can be booked using the form only.

Payment. Payment for most classes can be by cheque or electronically. At the first class, teachers will supply bank details so you can pay directly. All payments must be complete by the end of the first week of classes. Junior Einsteins Science Club payment: use the online booking system www.junioreinsteinsscienceclub.com only - click book after school club and find RMDS. This booking system ensures they have the correct parent contact details and information for each child.

Cancellation. Extra curricular teachers will contact you directly if classes are cancelled for any reason. Cancelled classes will be made up at the end or, if that’s not possible, monies will be refunded.

Collecting from classes. Children should be collected from the front door of the school (Ranelagh Road) for activities taking place in the school.  For activities beginning later in the afternoon, children should be dropped to the front door. Collect at the Mountpleasant LTC or Herbert Park otherwise. Please collect your child promptly.

Extra Curricular Activities are for everyone. Financial support is available, please tick the box on the form if you need support with an ECA.

To ensure that all children enjoy these classes, we expect the same standards of behaviour as we would in school.  All children are expected to act with respect and kindness to their peers and teachers. Children who are not able to do this will not be allowed to take part and monies paid will be refunded. Contact the extracurricular teacher in the first instance regarding any issues or difficulties that arise.  If that does not sort out the problem, please contact the principal.

Please use a separate form for each activity.

RMDS School Age Childcare

Information from Caroline Percival on 085-1156506 or email childcare@rmds.ie.

Don’t forget to keep an eye on the school website - www.rmds.ie!