The window for enrolment is open until the 25th October, If you haven’t put your child’s name down please use the link on the school website to do this.
A reminder that we will be hosting a nasal flu vaccination clinic in the GP room on Monday 21st October,
If you would like your child to avail of this vaccine you need to complete the online form which you can find at: https://edupharma.ie/consent/ or https://form.typeform.com/to/HWP3GRiG or searching edupharma.ie and select "I am a parent"
It has been a strange week especially with the school closed on Thursday. I hope it wasn’t too inconvenient for you all. We have no choice on which dates we get for training. The Maths training we did get is a continuation of the work we started last year and which the teachers mentioned at the class meetings. It promises to be a very different approach to tackling maths problems with less emphasis on the answer and more on how we get there. It was great to have time to be together as a staff and see the expertise that we already have available to us. Spatial Awareness and Algebra have been identified as indicators for children who use maths in their daily lives effectively and have been given much more importance in the curriculum. It is however not like any algebra I am familiar with. The children are tasked with creating their own formulas to solve a problem. The transition to this way of thinking won’t happen overnight but it is an exciting goal to work towards. This all coincides very well with Maths Week which is starting next week. Maria has us all ready for not just a week but a year of work which ties in perfectly with everything we learned yesterday. Time to Think is a phrase you will hear a lot more about.
This week also saw our first ever football team reach the quarter finals of the Cumann na mBunscol competition. We had been playing so well, that I imagined that we would be getting our day out in Croke Park, however we met Scoil Áine Naofa from Esker and while everyone played brilliantly and it could have gone either way up until the last few minutes we lost to a very strong team. Rang a Cúig will get a chance next year to see if they can progress one step further and Rang a Sé leave a legacy of starting something special in the school. I couldn’t be prouder of them all, particularly the children who don’t play any other team sports but joined and gave it their all. Huge thank you to Jason Nebenzahl who was instrumental in getting us involved in the competition and to Frank Kelly who made our home games so much simpler.
We also had the most healthy scones from Rang a 3. While the health food inspector was checking on the hot lunches she also got to see Rang a 3 making their scones. I’m delighted to say that they passed, they even passed the taste test. Mine was delicious.
A final piece of News, we are hoping to start some traditional music classes in the school after the mid term break. If this is something which you think your child might be interested in see the information below. Thank you to Eleanor and Therese for all their work in making this happen.
TRAD MUSIC EXTRA CURRICULAR 
We are happy to say the school can now offer a Trad Music class as an Extra Curricular!
It will be taught by Ciaran Tourish, known for his touring career with Altan and a long-term music teacher in Lios na nÓg
http://www.ciarantourish.com/about
The classes are for all ages and will take place on Wednesday afternoons from 2:15pm for approx. 45 mins up until 5pm.
Depending on the number of kids that sign up, there will be multiple classes, divided into age/skills as appropriate.
It will be group sessions and Ciaran will teach the fiddle, tin whistle and accordion.
Can you please email Therese Coogan tess@rmds.ie with your expression of interest so we can gauge numbers and therefore price.
We are aiming for the classes to commence after the mid term break on Wednesday Nov 6th
Hopefully this is only the start of the school’s musical journey into the Tradition scene!
Have a lovely weekend everyone,
Paul
Dates for the diary:
Annual PA Quiz is taking place Thursday, October 24th, The Hill at 8pm. Tickets are currently available on www.rmdsevents.com. Tickets are limited as it is a small pub so get them early! Please commit to either a table of 4 (@ €40) and we encourage you find teammates from within the class kids are in, and further afield. There are also single tickets available if people want help finding them a table.
** RAFFLE PRIZES NEEDED: We are asking you for raffle prizes. We are grateful for everything: paintings, vouchers, booze, food hampers. These prizes can be promised via pa@rmds.ie.
The money raised at this event makes an important contribution to your child’s classroom needs, school trips other activities.
THIS Wed 16th October, 8.30AM in school yard. Pick up something preloved just in time for Halloween and encourage your children to take part in creating a circular economy. Please leave your costume donations at school reception before the event on Monday 14th or Tuesday 15th Oct.
** There will be a Sports Equipment/Gear same day as Halloween swap. Please donate good quality sports kit. Football boots, dance shoes etc also to be dropped at reception on Monday 14th, Tuesday 15th.
Finally, the hugely popular children’s Halloween raffle tickets, are also live and on sale rmdsevents.com Tickets are €5. There is a prize for each class, and draw is done at the assembly on the 25th October, with Paul and children.
