RMDS
School News in Brief….
2nd September 2022
From the Green Schools Committee.... 12
RMDS School Calendar 2022/23 16
Welcome back everyone! I hope you all had a lovely, relaxing summer! It was wonderful to see all the smiling faces coming through our gates with a great sense of excitement for the year ahead. We are delighted to welcome you all back to RMDS, with a special welcome to our new Junior Infants! We also give a big welcome to Alice (R6) who is joining us. We also say farewell to Áine Delaney, and wish her well in her new school and future career, and we give a big welcome to Ailbhe McHugh (Class teacher in Senior Infants) and Neysa Healy (Class teacher in Rang 3).
Please find below some pictures of our bright and bubbly Junior Infants in their first few days!
Planning for the new school year is well underway and following the first Board of Management meeting of the new school year on Tuesday, 20th September, our further priorities for the year will be outlined. We welcome Lorraine Murphy as Chairperson of the Board of Management going forward, and David Frame, who is joining the Board as Treasurer. We once again acknowledge the huge service given to the school previously by Will Connor and Clodagh Keher in those respective roles.
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 with your child/children as well.
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.
It is important that all families are signed up to Aladdin Connect, as a useful tool of communication between home and school. If you are having any difficulties in this regard, please let the office know. 
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 Barbara in the office.
RMDS News in Brief will continue to be sent at the end of each week by email. All newsletters are also available on the school website www.rmds.ie so please check regularly. Regular updates will also be posted to our Twitter page @RMDS_Ranelagh. 
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 Online Payments. Sincere thanks to those of you who have paid already. Junior Infants have already paid this bill in full. Any queries, contact the office. Voluntary contributions can also be paid in this manner online.
The gate is opened in time for all pupils to be in their classrooms for 8.30 a.m. 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 and will be required to be signed in by parents/guardians.
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. Absences can also be recorded on Aladdin Connect.
In the interests of everyone’s safety and 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.
Children arriving late need to be signed in at the office. All children who are being taken out of school during the day whether leaving early, or just for an appointment need to be signed out at the office by the adult taking them. This ensures that we can account for all pupils at all times.
There are a number of scooters that have been left in the “scooter-park” from last year. If anyone needs to claim one of these please talk to Paul Fairbrother on Monday. They will be “rehomed” at the end of next week if they are not claimed!
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.
Please take note of our Healthy Eating Policy below.
This is the time of year when headlice can become a plague! Remember anyone can pick up headlice. They are most common amongst young children as they often put heads together during play allowing the lice walk from one head to the next. Headlice do not reflect standards of hygiene. They are just as willing to live in clean or dirty hair. It is important that parents check their children’s hair regularly. This way lice can be found before they have a chance to breed. They can then be treated stopping them being passed round the family…or from family to family! The way to check someone’s head is called “detection combing”. This should be done regularly and in the case of a confirmed infection in one family member, the other members of the household should carry out “detection combing” twice weekly for one week. Please let the school know if you detect a case of headlice so that we can alert parents to check their own child’s hair. Everyone has a part to play!
Upcoming dates for your diary….
The Parents’ Association will host their first coffee morning of the year for all Junior Infant parents next Wednesday, 6th September at 8.30am. 
A reminder that the AGM of Ranelagh Multi-Denominational School Association (the company which is the School Patron) will be held in the Seomra Spraoi at 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 14th September. All parents are welcome!
Our Extra-Curricular Activities Programme begins on Monday, 19th September. The timetable and forms will be included in next week’s newsletter.
A copy of our school calendar is attached to the end of this newsletter. Please note the error which is in your Homework Diaries and was on the Summer Newsletter. School will close for the Christmas/Winter holidays on Wednesday, 21st December (not the 22nd as incorrectly stated!)
I look forward to working with you all over the coming year. As always, your ideas, suggestions and feedback are always welcome.
Please check the RMDS Calendar on our website for all dates of upcoming events.
Rosemarie
Our Rules for Behaving Well 
Drop off: Please 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 a.m. No responsibility can be taken for children left before the gate opens.
Collection: Junior and Senior Infants are dismissed at 1.10 p.m. and will be handed over to their parents/ minders by the teacher at the school door. Parents/ minders from Rang 1 & Rang 2 are invited into the yard to meet their children as they come through the exit door outside at 2.10 p.m. All other classes are dismissed into the school yard, where they should be met by parents/ minders, punctually, at 2.10 p.m. No responsibility can be taken for children not collected promptly at the normal closing times. If you have arranged for someone else to collect your children please let the office know. We cannot release children without prior knowledge.
Walking: 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.
Climbing: No one should climb on the walls in the yard or up behind the grass area, including toddlers waiting for older siblings, at any time.
Left hand: 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.
Clothing for School: 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. Clothing with offensive or violent slogans should not be worn to school.
Clothing for PE: 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 shoe shop 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.
Never Leave the School: Children should never leave the school without permission from the teaching staff.
Language: Bad language or derogatory language is not acceptable at any time.
Scooters and Skateboards: Scooters and skateboards should be carried or wheeled to and from the school gates. ‘Parking’ is available at the bottom of the stairwells or designated area!
Mobile Phones: 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 have their phones confiscated. Parents may collect confiscated phones from the teacher or the office.
Road Safety: 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.
Safe driving: Please do not drive around the school in the morning or the afternoon. At infant collection times (1.10 p.m.), please do not park on the double yellow lines by the infant gate.
Pets: 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, nut butter, nutella or actual nuts in the lunchboxes! We have a number of children in RMDS who are severely allergic to nuts.
As part of the SPHE programme, healthy lunches are promoted in the school. That means no crisps, 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. We ask parents not to send in birthday treats on the day of your child’s birthday. Your child’s birthday will be marked in another way by the class. We are making a big effort to cut down on the sugar intake of the children while in school and in the course of a year birthday treats add up to a lot of sugar. Homebakes can be kept as a treat for home.
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. Children are encouraged to drink water during the day. It is a good idea for children to have a bottle which they can refill.
These policies extend to Extra-Curricular Activities and to the RMDS Childcare service. 
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/Barbara in the office. If it is difficult for you to visit the school, we can arrange to make phone contact or arrange an online meeting 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 will take place as follows:
JUNIOR INFANTS: Thursday, 22nd September @ 8.45am
SENIOR INFANTS: Tuesday, 27th September @ 8.45am
RANG 1: Wednesday, 14th September @ 8.45am
RANG 2: Friday, 16th September @ 8.45am
RANG 3: Wednesday, 28th September @ 8.45am
RANG 4: Tuesday, 13th September @ 8.45am
RANG 5: Thursday, 15th September @ 8.45am
RANG 6: Tuesday, 20th 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 additional needs 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.
On behalf of the PA - welcome back and welcome to our wonderful school!
The PA will crank into action over the next few weeks - we'll start with the Junior Infants Parents’ Coffee Morning next Wednesday morning after drop-off (7th September) at 8.40am in the school yard. This involves the PA providing tea and coffee and a chance for the Junior Infants parents and guardians to get to know one another. It is a lovely start to the school year and a lovely introduction to the school. If bakers (children or adults from any year) would like to provide some goodies (without nuts) please drop them off in the yard on Wednesday morning.
We're in the process of recruiting Class Reps for 2022/2023. Talk to last year's Class Rep if you're interested in taking or sharing the job - you're likely to get a very favourable response!!
We'll have a PA meeting in the Hill at 8.30pm on Monday, 12th September. All parents/guardians are invited and welcome with open arms. We organise the PA's activities and talk about (then try to make a plan...) what we can do to help the school community work better.
The first few weeks are just about settling back in and making plans for the year so the first meeting is great for meeting up and getting an idea of how the PA works over the course of the year. This is all voluntary and we really need and appreciate any level of involvement by parents/guardians. Even if it's just to come along for a drink and entertain us...
Lorraine & Gráinne
PA Co-Chairs
Green Schools Tips
Which Appliances Use the Most Electricity?
If an electrical appliance heats things up, especially if it does so rapidly, then it uses a lot of electricity.
Electrical appliances usually have a rating sticker or plate attached. On it, it will state the power rating, usually in watts (W).
If it’s in watts (W), convert the figure to kilowatts (kW). There are 1,000 watts in a kilowatt, so divide by 1,000.
For example, if a heater is rated at 3,000 watts (W), that converts to 3 kilowatts (kW).
To work out the power consumption in kilowatt-hours (kWh), multiply kilowatts (kW) by the time the appliance is used.
So if the heater was left on for 2 hours, that’s 6 kilowatts hours (kWh) consumed (2 hours @ 3kW). A kWh unit of electricity currently costs about 32 cents. So that comes to €1.92. So roughly a euro an hour to run.
Other Examples
3kW Immersion - 1 Hour: 96 cents
Tumble Dryer - 1 hour: 83 cents
Electric Shower - 10 minutes: 45 ents
Fridge/Freezer - 1 day: 21 cents
Hairdryer - 10 Minutes: 11 cents
Boil Kettle - 1 litre water: 3.5 cents
5W LED Lightbulb - 10 hours: 1.6 cents
Coming up: Smart Plugs & Smart Meters
Roland Ramsden
Andrea Scott
Green Schools Committee Parent Representatives
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment
Last year, our school community took part in a BEACONS event which focused on the future of a primary school curriculum in Ireland.
Below you will find two illustrations outlining the purpose of the event and some themes that emerged.
You can also follow the link to the final report and video which highlight the key themes, activities, perspectives, and ideas which emerged from conversations between the wide range of stakeholders present at the event. Both the report and accompanying video can be found on this webpage also: https://ncca.ie/en/primary/primary-developments/primary-curriculum-review-and-redevelopment/supporting-change/
Ranelagh Multi-Denominational School, Ranelagh Road, Dublin 6, D06 Y658
Telephone/Fax: (01) 4961722 ● E-mail: secretary@rmds.ie
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Roll No. 19928Q ● Principal: Rosemarie Stynes
