SCHOOL NEWS in Brief…..                                  

September 2^nd 2016

Please read carefully

www.rmds.ie

Email: secretary@rmds.ie

Ph: 4961722

 From the Principal:

Welcome back to you all – I hope everyone had a happy and relaxing summer in spite of the weather!  We are delighted to welcome you all back to school, especially our new junior infants and of course Laya in Rang 5. We also welcome Colette Desmond (class teacher in Rang 1) back after career break and Jilly Swain and Caroline O Dowd (job sharing resource teachers in Rang 1 and Rang 2) from maternity leave.  Planning for the new school year is well underway and following the first Board of Management meeting of the new school year, our further priorities will be outlined. The big news is of course the appointment of our new principal Rosemarie Stynes, who will be working with me during the September / October transition period.

As always at this time of the year it is important to promote positive behaviour and respect for each other. All the classes will spend time at the beginning of the year exploring these issues as part of the SPHE and the Core Curriculum programme.  There will be a particular focus on playing well together, including everyone and reminding each other of our code of behaviour and the anti-bullying policy. Below are some 'rules' that help keep everyone safe and happy in school. We will be going through them in the classes with the children over the next few weeks and would appreciate if you would talk about them at home as well...and observe those relevant to you!

The Educate Together homework journal (for children from rang 1 upwards) contains lots of useful information as well as reminders about our ethos and how we do things here in RMDS. It is also a useful point of contact for incidental communication between parents and the school. This will be circulated to all children from Rang 1 upwards over the next few days.

Handwriting practice will also be an important theme over the coming weeks - your support with this is really appreciated. A copy of the handwriting policy is on the school website, including a sample of the script in use.

Class meeting dates are included in this newsletter.  We look forward to meeting you all at these meetings, which we regard as an integral part of the partnership between parents and the school staff. Copies of the mandatory school policies are on the website. Hard copies can be obtained from Mary or Eleanor in the office.

RMDS News in Brief will continue to be sent every Thursday by email.  All notes are also available on the school website, www.rmds.ie  so please check regularly.

Please go to the school website (www.rmds.ie) and return classroom requisites and school tours payments via the Easy Payment system asap. Click on the contact cloud and scroll down to the pay buttons. 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.

The gate is opened in time for all pupils to be in their classrooms for 8.30 am. Please ensure pupils are in their classes punctually each morning so that they can settle in and get organised for the day. Pupils who arrive into class after 8.40 am will be marked late.

We must account for all absences. For short absences, a phone call or email on the morning is fine. Otherwise an email or a note should be sent in advance where possible.

In the interests of everyone’s security, all parents entering the school via the front door during the school day must report to the office first. We would also ask that all parents leave via the back gate following drop off in the morning – please do not use the front door.

The Parents Association have asked me to let you all know that the  first coffee morning of the year will take place on Friday 9th September at 8.30am – all are welcome, especially new parents.

Finally, the extracurricular programme begins on Monday 12th September. The timetable is also included with this newsletter and more forms are available from the office if you need them.

As always, I look forward to working with you all over the next school year and remind you that your ideas and suggestions are always welcome.

Joan Whelan

Our rules for behaving well

The drop off rule: Wait quietly at the back gate in the morning. The school gate is opened in time for children to be in their classes for 8.30 am.  No responsibility can be taken for children left before the gate opens.

The collection rule: Junior and Senior Infants are dismissed at 1.10 pm.  They will be handed over to their parents / minders by the teacher at the school door.  All other classes are dismissed into the school yard, where they should be met by parents / minders, punctually, at 2.10 pm.  No responsibility can be taken for children not collected promptly at the normal closing times.

The walking rule: The inside of the school is a walking zone at all times. At drop off and collection times, everyone is asked to WALK in the yard too – no running and no scooting.  In particular, toddlers waiting with parents or minders should not be allowed to run around as the yard gets very busy and congested at school closing time.

The climbing rule: No one should climb on the walls in the yard or up behind the grassy pit, including toddlers waiting for older siblings, at any time.

The left hand rule: Please hold the stair rail with your LEFT HAND at all times.  Younger siblings should follow the same rule, for safety reasons.  Take care and open the swing doors gently – once again using the LEFT HAND RULE – open on the left.

The clothing for school rule: Children in all classes should wear loose fitting, comfortable clothes all the time, as every day involves some movement and physical activity.  Clothes should also be suitable for arts activities.  All removable clothing and footwear should be labelled.  Make up should not be worn to school.  Low cut tops, string vests and t- shirts with offensive or violent slogans should not be worn to school.

The clothing for PE rule: In order to take part in PE, children must be wearing suitable clothing and footwear i.e. tracksuit and runners.  Rang 1, Rang 3, Rang 4, Rang 5 and Rang 6 go to Mountpleasant Lawn Tennis Club for their main P.E. lesson. We have the use of this facility on condition that the children wear white soled, non-marking runners or light white soled plimsolls (available from the shoeshop in the  Swan Centre and major chain stores). Children should not wear jewellery unless they are able to remove it themselves prior to their PE class.  Long hair should be tied back.

The never leave the school rule: Children should never leave the school without permission from the teaching staff.

The language rule: Bad language (curses and swear words) or derogatory language (words like dork, nerd, crap, losers etc) is not acceptable at any time.

The scooters and skateboards rule: Scooters and skateboards should be carried or wheeled to and from the school gates.  ‘Parking’ is available at the bottom of the stairwells!

The mobile phone rule: We prefer that children do not bring mobile phones to school.  If they need to have a mobile with them, it should be switched off and placed in the schoolbag before they come into the school yard and not taken out until they leave the school premises in the evening.  Children who do not comply will get one warning and then have phones confiscated.  Parents may collect confiscated phones from the teacher or the office.

The road safety rule: Jackie, our school warden will see the children safely across the road at The Hill.   Parents who wish to accompany their children should park legally, before crossing with the traffic warden.  Children on scooters should have lights and helmets.  Pedestrians coming from Ranelagh are also reminded that it is safer to stay on the footpath around the front and west (infant gate) sides of the school rather than going up the lane on the east (extension) side.

The safe driving rule: Please do not drive around the school in the morning or the afternoon. At infant collection times (1.10pm), please do not park on the double yellow lines by the infant gate.

The pets rule: Dogs may not be brought into the school yard. If you are leaving dogs on leads at the school railings, please leave them outside the yellow zig zag lines at the gate.

Healthy eating in school

We are a nut free school – no peanut butter, nutella or actual nuts in the lunchboxes

As part of the SPHE programme, healthy lunches are promoted in the school. That means no  fizzy drinks, sweets, chocolate or crisps etc.  Everyone must have a lunch box to bring home food waste.  This has the added advantage of letting parents see what is being eaten and what is left.

Children eat lunch at their desks in the classroom.  Pupils are encouraged to sit while eating at a tidy place. This is an important time in the school day, particularly for the infants.  It allows children to chat and talk to enjoy food breaks as a social activity. There is no food brought out to the yard.

Drinking water is available in all the classrooms and there is a drinking fountain in the yard.  Children are encouraged to drink water during the day.  It is a good idea for children to have a plastic bottle which they can refill.

These policies extend to extracurricular activities and to the school age childcare service.   Children returning to the school to take part in afterschool activities should not bring fast food, fizzy drinks etc. into the school with them.

PARENT / TEACHER COMMUNICATION.

We will contact you with any concerns we might have regarding your child in school.  Equally, we would encourage you to talk to us about your concerns, no matter how small.  The class teacher should be the first port of call with any issues. The afternoon is more suitable for formal meetings and appointments can be arranged with Mary/Eleanor in the office.  If it is difficult for you to visit the school, we can arrange to make phone contact at a suitable time.

The period between 8.30 a.m. and 8.45 a.m. is a useful point of contact for incidental matters and clarification.  The homework journal or a note in the school bag is also useful.  For more detailed or sensitive discussions, please arrange a meeting with the class teacher through the school office.  This means both parties can sit down and discuss issues confidentially and in comfort.

CLASS MEETINGS 2016 WILL TAKE PLACE AS FOLLOWS:

 JUNIOR INFANTS:       Friday 23^rd September 8.45am

SENIOR INFANTS:       Thursday 22^nd September 8.45am

RANG 1:                          Friday 16^th September 8.45am

RANG 2:                          Monday 19^th September 8.45am

RANG 3:                         Wednesday 21^st   September 8.45am

RANG 4:                          Wednesday 14^th September 8.45am

RANG 5:                          Thursday 15^th September 8.45am

RANG 6:                           Tuesday 13^th September 8.45am

All meetings will take place at 8.45 am (sharp) in the seomra spraoi and will be finished by 9.40am. Rosemarie Stynes,  our new principal will attend all the meetings this year with me.  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 – resource teachers will contact you directly to make arrangements. Individual parent / teacher meetings will take place during the last two weeks of November.

RMDS term dates 2016/17

RMDS EXTRA CURRICULAR PROGRAMME

Welcome back to the first term of extra curricular activities! This is a twelve-week programme: classes start week beginning Monday 12^th September 2016 and run to week beginning Monday 5^th December (excluding mid-term, which is the week of 31st October).

 Please note!

 Squash. There are now three classes, covering JI-R6. Details on the timetable.

 Kung Fu. White Crane Kung Fu classes take place in RMDS outside school hours (not part of our ECA programme). They offer a free trial class for RMDS pupils – see dublinkungfu.ie

 Swimming: Revised booking system in place because Swan Leisure need to know in advance what level of instruction each child needs. To book a place in swimming, please complete Swan Leisure Form (attached, also available from school office) and return it to the office or in the box at the gate – not directly to Swan. Please note: for insurance purposes, parents/guardians must stay on the premises for the duration of the lesson (Swan suggest setting up a rota amongst the group to cover this).

Applications. Please use the attached form to book ALL classes (excluding swimming). Classes run on a first come, first served basis. Please put your 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 required information on a sheet. Classes will only go ahead if there are sufficient numbers enrolled.

Payment for classes. Payment for classes can by made by cheque or electronically. At the first class, teachers will supply bank details so you can pay electronically if you prefer. Extra curricular teachers will contact you 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.

ECA is for everyone. 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.

(Junior)R1-R3Monday2.15-3.15Rang 2 €72Aoileann Farley GAELICR1-R4Monday2.15-3.15GP room €72Colette Desmond BASKETBALL
(Senior)R4-R6Monday2.15-3.15Mountpleasant €72Paul Fairbrother CHESSR2-R6Tuesday2.15-3.15R3€72Amal Perrera GYMNASTICSR2-R6Tuesday2.15-3.15GP Room €84Olivia Fitzgerald HOCKEYR3-R6Tuesday2.15-3.15Mountpleasant €72Paul Fairbrother MINI SQUASHJI & SI*Wednesday1.10-2.10Mountpleasant €84Deirdre Faul SWIMMINGAll classesWednesday3.00-4.00Swan Leisure Rathmines €96Swan Leisure DRAMAR1-R6Wednesday2.15-3.15GP Room€72Ciara O’Byrne SQUASH

(Senior)R3-R6Wednesday2.15-3.15Mountpleasant €84Deirdre Faul IRISH DANCING

(Junior)JI – 2ndThursday2.15-3.15GP Room€84Adrian Gallagher SQUASH (Junior)R1-R2Thursday2.15-3.15Mountpleasant€84Deirdre Faul BASKETBALL (Junior)R1-R3Thursday2.15 – 3.15Mountpleasant €72Paul Fairbrother JUNIOR EINSTEINSR1-R6Thursday2.15-3.15Green resource room €120Tracey-Jane Cassidy IRISH DANCING

(Senior) Thursday GP Room€84Adrian Gallagher R3-R63.15-4.15 FRENCHR4-R6Thursday2.15-3.15R2 €72Aoileann Farley SCHOOL SOCCERR4-R6Thursday2.15–4.00Herbert Park €96Amal Perera VIOLINvariousvariousvariousYellow resource roomJudith Curtis 087 9975326

*JI/SI children will be be picked up & brought back to RMDS after class. All other Squash classes to be picked up from Mountpleasant).

Note: Cost of school soccer has increased to cover league registration, pitch fees etc. Cost increase of Junior Einsteins is to cover the additional materials needed in the class.

Name of child & Rang:

I enclose a cheque for €______  OR I will pay electronically (please delete as applicable)

Signed: (parent /guardian)

Mobile:

Email:

I wish to avail of financial support (please tick) ☐

Please use a separate form for each activity

Name of child & Rang:

I enclose a cheque for €______  OR I will pay electronically (please delete as applicable)

Signed: (parent /guardian)

Mobile:

Email:

I wish to avail of financial support (please tick) ☐

Please use a separate form for each activity

Please note: Payment for classes can by made by cheque or electronically. At the first class, teachers will supply bank details so you can pay directly (as per Junior Einsteins, below) into their accounts if you prefer (cheques also acceptable).

Junior Einsteins payment can be made electronically to Junior Einsteins Science Club account. BSU: 28731022 / Sort code: 93-33-92 / Iban: IE42AIBK93339228731022 /
BIC: AIBKIE2D. AIB Cornelscourt, Dublin 18. Use reference: RMDS & your child’s name.