St. Mary’s Primary School, Greenlough
220 Mayogall Road
Clady
Portglenone
Co Antrim
BT44 8NN
Tel: 028 25821066
Fax:028 25822039
E.mail:
Website:
Principal: Ms Anne Marie Lagan
B.Ed Hons M.Ed PQH
19thJanuary 2017
Dear Parent/Guardian,
A warm welcome back is extended to everyone after the holidays and I wish everyone a very Happy and Healthy 2017.
Please find enclosed the Spring Term Information Bulletin which includes the planned activities for this term. Other information will be provided as it becomes available.
Details of School Holidays are also provided for your information.
Christmas Performances
I wish to warmly congratulate everyone involved in the production of our Christmas Performances.
Each class performed to a very high standard and our pupils thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to perform for others!£2046 was raised for school funds through ticket sales for the performances. Many thanks to the “Friends of St Mary’s” for organising the raffle which took place at each show and thanks to everyone for the generous donations for the draw. £772 was raised by the two draws.Well done everyone!
Orders for the DVDs of the Christmas Performance can now be placed using the Order form attached. Payment of £12 for each Dvd should be returned with the order form.
All orders should be placed by Friday 27th January.
Pupil Attendance
We promote good attendance at school. If your child is absent for any reason from school, please inform the class teacher in writing or by telephone via the school secretary.
As the dates of school holidays are provided in advance, it is expected that parents plan family holidays during the school holidays and not during the school term.
These are recorded as unapproved absences from school.
Please take time to read the DE leaflet “Miss School= Miss Out” which is attached to this letter.
Healthy Living/ A Balanced Diet
At the beginning of the New Year, we remind the children of the importance of making healthy food choices and a well balanced diet.
The Healthy Living Bulletin is attached which I encourage you to read and discuss with your child. This bulletin contains key messages which encourage a Healthy Lifestyle and provides key information about the importance of good hygiene.
Reminder: Visitor Access to School
As you are aware there is a buzzer system at the front door which enables controlled access of visitors to the school.
Upon entry to the school building, all visitors must report directly to the school Secretary.
I wish to remind parents that they must report to the school secretary whenever they enter the building and no parent should make their way to their child’s classroom at any time before or during the school day.
This is in line with Child Protectionand also in the interest of minimal disruption to classes and lessons. If a parent wishes to pass on a message to their child’s teacher, this should, where possible be put in writing and sent into school with the child. Where this is not possible,don’t hesitate to inform the teacher on morning duty who will pass any urgent message to the class teacher. Alternatively the message can also be conveyed by telephone through the Secretary.
Of course, if any parent wishes to speak to the class teacher about any matter regarding their child,please feel free to make an appointment with the teacher at a mutually agreed time through the school secretary. In this way, adequate time is set aside to enable the parent and teacher to meet and discuss any matter. We value the communication between parents and teachers and value the partnership that exists with the common aim of enabling the best provision and care for your child.
Childhood Illnesses /Flu: Advice for Parents
As you are aware flu infects people every winter and the advice for parents is as follows:
Should a child develop flu -like symptoms at school, parents will be contactedso that arrangements can be made for them to be taken home as soon as possible. Parents should take their children straight home and if necessary phone their GP. If a child develops flu-like symptoms as home, they should be kept away from school until they recover and parents should if necessary, seek medical advice. As with all absences, the class teacher should be informed in writing of the reason for pupil absence or this also can be provided by a telephone call to the Secretary.
Good Hygiene Advice
Parents and schools can help reduce the spread of all viruses by encouraging children to practise good personal hygiene by
- Washing their hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of infection.
- Covering their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and to use a tissue when possible
- Disposing of tissues quickly and carefully
School Uniform
All pupils are expected to wear uniform. It helps to create a sense of team spirit and loyalty to the school. When our pupils wear uniform, it is a discipline in itself and it helps set standards and supports the development of self-esteem.
A Reminder:
Items of Uniform consist of:
Girls Uniform: Grey skirt/pinafore or burgundy joggers
Burgundy Sweatshirt/ Cardigan with school crest
Blue polo shirt with school crest
In the Summer Term when the weather is warm girls may wear blue
and white checked gingham dresses.
Boy’s Uniform: Grey Trousers or burgundy joggers
Burgundy Sweatshirt with school crest
Blue polo shirt with school crest.
Track bottoms which display logos are discouraged.
Burgundy fleeces and reversible jackets with the school logo are also available from the supplier “Select Kidz”, Unit 12, Diamond Centre, Magherafelt for parents who may wish to purchase these as additional items.
All uniform should be marked clearly with the pupil’s full name.
Catholic Schools Week
Catholic Schools Week will take place from Sunday 29thJanuary to Saturday 4thFebruary 2017 on the theme “Catholic Schools: Learning with Pope Francis to Care for our CommonHome”. It is hoped that this theme will help our pupils to think about how our common home is not just the community or the country we live in but our entire world. Throughout the week, each class will follow a programme with thoughts for each day.
As part of Catholic Schools Week, we celebrate Grandparents DayonWednesday 1st February, which is also the Feast of St. Brigid. The day will begin whenYear 7 lead a Special PrayerService to which the Grandparents of Year 3 & 7 are invited.
Father Harkin will join us during this special Prayer Service which takes place at 9.45am. There will be refreshments afterwards.
Year 3 Grandparents will remain in school when they will have the opportunity to share their experiences of their childhood and the toys and games they played. This is a lovely opportunity for the Grandparents to share these experiences with the children of Year 3.
In the afternoonour friends from St. Columba’s Camogie Club and Grandparents once again will visit to share with the skills of making St. Brigid’s Crosses with our Year 5,6& 7 pupils.Sincere thankstoour helpers who give their time to come into school and share their expertise with the children. It is very much appreciated. This is a long standing tradition in our school and one we continue to promote.
On Friday 3rd February, the Year 6 Assembly will focus on the theme of “Caring for our World”with Parents of Year 6 and their Grandparents invited to this Assembly which begins at 9am.
Lent / Term 2 Charity: Trocaire
Ash Wednesday falls on 1st March and marks the beginning of Lent.
This year all pupils will visit the church atwhen Father Harkin will speak to the children and Ashes will be distributed. (Details will follow)
The theme of Trocaire this year is “Climate Change, Climate Justice, Climate Action”
During Lent there will be fund raising activities for Trocaire, detailsof which will follow.
Reminder: Communication of School Closure in the event of Adverse Weather Conditions
I wish to inform parents that should the school need to close due to unforeseen circumstancesincluding adverse weather conditions, thenyou will be informed of the closure via text message and the closure will also be announced through the local media: television and radio.
Please check the school website as notification of closure will be placed on the website.
This will happen as early as possible on the day of closure and if necessary, parents will be updated at a later time in the day with a view to the “next day” so that all have time to make suitable family arrangements. There may be times however, depending on weather conditions where a decision cannot be made the previous day and where the parents can only be informed on the morning of closure.
The decision to close the school is one that is made in the interests of Health and Safety including safe access to and from the school building, the safe deposit and collection of pupils and also where a limited number of staff and pupils can attend, adequate staffing to cover classes to ensure acceptable pupil: teacher ratio which is paramount.
Other factors include the availability of school meals in order to provide hot meals for pupils.
It is important that you as parents are aware of themethods of communicationif a school closure is necessary and that you inform the school of any changes to your contact details as it is essential that we have a mobile number for contact by text.
Many thanks for your cooperation in all of the above.
After School Clubs
After Schools Football and Camogie
The boys of Year 6&7 are offered After School football taken by Ulster Council Coach Ciaran Sharkey which will begin on Monday 23rd January. The girls of Year 5, 6 &7 are participating in After School Camogie taken by Mrs Mc Daid and members of St. Columba’s GAC.There has been a great response to the After Schools Programme.
After School Spanish : Hola Bonjour
After School Spanish Club is proving to be very popular and Mrs Hill, our tutor has expressed how impressed she is with the high standard and the progress made by all of our pupils.Parents enjoyed coming into school at the end of last term to be entertained by the pupils singing in Spanish! Well done everyone!
After School ICT: CodeClub
We are delighted to be able to offer ICT After School Club to Year 5 pupils which will be taken by Miss Maguire and Mr Warnock each Monday from 3.15pm – 4.15pm for a block of six sessions, beginning on Monday 30th January.
This is possible due to the lottery funding through “Awards for All” which secured £10,000 for ICT and has enabled the purchase of additional laptops and i.pads for the school. Details will follow.
Scholastic Book Fair
Scholastic Book Fair will take place from Wednesday 22nd until Monday 27th February. Details will follow.
School Website
I continue to encourage everyone to access the school web site as a key means of communication.
Key events and dates are on our calendar and our website also showcases many of the various activities and events which take place throughout the school year.
A reminder that the school website can be accessed at
If you wish to provide feedback on the website please do so using the contact link on the web site and e.mail us any feedback which would be most appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
______
Anne Marie Lagan
Principal
Order Form
Saint Mary’s Primary School Greenlough
DVD: Christmas Production
Thursday 15th December 2016
I would like to order ____ Dvds
I enclose payment of £___ (each Dvd costs £12)
Name ______(Eldest child ) ______(Class)
Order Form
Saint Mary’s Primary School Greenlough
DVD: Christmas Production
Thursday 15th December 2016
I would like to order ____ Dvds
I enclose payment of £___ (each Dvd costs £12)
Name ______(Eldest child ) ______(Class)
Order Form
Saint Mary’s Primary School Greenlough
DVD: Christmas Production
Thursday 15th December 2016
I would like to order ____ Dvds
I enclose payment of £___ (each Dvd costs £12)
Name ______(Eldest child ) ______(Class)