Amazingly, the good weather is still here. We had a first today as the entire school got out into the sun at Dartmouth Square for our assembly. It was a Run Kids Run assembly in preparation for the actual event on the 10th May. We were looking at the theme of respect and integrity so everyone did their very best and we continued our spring clean work from last week and we left the park as we found it and possibly a little better. The children all ran four laps, we took a break and demolished two crates of mandarins (Thank you to the parents who paused their run and helped me reload them into the crates after they spilled all over the path). We then ran another two laps. So we are just short of the 2km run distance for children in rang 1-6. We walked for some of it but that’s okay. I think that everyone had fun and once we’re having fun we’re all winners.
Rang a 3 had a very busy week with a visit to St Patrick’s Cathedral on Tuesday.
They also continued their work on the Junior Juries with a visit from Niamh from KPMG, one of the initiative's partners. They were making alternative covers for Beanie the Bansheenie.
Rang a 4 were getting very creative with eggs. Blowing the insides out of the eggs was comedy gold. As some of the children were so squeamish about it. They all found their way to do it. The finished projects were beautifully painted. Rang 4 are a very creative bunch or maybe batch is a better word.
The absolute highlight of the week was ‘The Greatest Show’. The whole school came together on Wednesday to see the show. There were some technical issues with the sound which were thankfully fixed for the Parent’s show on Thursday. The central message of our differences is what makes us special is a very powerful one and one that I hope stays with all the children.
Personally I love the way the whole class come together on a roller coaster journey. The excitement of choosing their musical and imagining the part they will get. The disappointment of not getting the part they wanted. The repetitive nature of practices. The struggle of assembling the stage and trying to get the backdrop ready. The problems with sound in a performance and then the brilliance and adrenaline rush of it all coming together perfectly imperfectly. The children were buzzing coming off stage and they were part of something very special that wouldn’t have worked without each and every one of them. It is also a lovely example of the power of community. Of people coming together with a common goal. Parents contributing in so many ways with props, artwork, makeup and time. Rang a 5 and Emily helping with the music. Aoileann and Therese with the songs and Neysa at the centre of the wheel organising everything. I was standing beside her for the main show and she got as much joy from that performance as the children did. In her first year in Rang a 6 she created the joy and enthusiasm for something new and something different and difficult. She shared that with the class and they were brilliant.
Don’t forget that when we come back Forest School for Senior Infants and all the Extra Curriculars will be starting from the first day back.
Have a lovely break every one if collecting eggs is something you do. Rang a 1 made some lovely baskets for theirs.
I would also like to say thank you to you all, for the first time ever no one forgot about the 12:00 closing time.
I will see you at the gate on our return,
Paul
The BoM are looking to increase our income and we are delighted to announce that there will be a breathwork workshop using the school hall on Monday the 28th. If you would like to book the hall or know someone who would like to or sign up to the 5 week breathwork workshop please contact hallrental@rmds.ie.
Each child received a sponsorship card related to the run kids run event on the 10th May today. Every line of sponsorship or for larger sponsors every €5 will be one entry to the spring raffle. If yours didn’t make it home one is attached with this newsletter.
