December 2015 Newsletter
Upcoming School Closings:
Closing: Tuesday, December 22nd at 12 noon for Christmas Holidays.
Re-opening: Thursday, January 7th 2016 at 9.20 a.m.
Carol Service:
A reminder that pupils from 3rd – 6th class will present a service of Christmas Carols in Holy Cross church tomorrow, Thursday 17th at 12.45p.m. and pupils from Junior Infants to 2nd Class will perform their Carol service on Friday, December 18th again at 12.45p.m.
Please note collection of all pupils will be from the school only at 2p.m and 3p.m.
Carol Singing:
Please support Carol singers from St. John’s N.S. who will perform a medley of Christmas favourites on Monday, December 21st:
10.30a.m. – 12 noon in Bank of Ireland and from
1.00p.m. – 2.30p.m. in SuperValu Centre, Kenmare.
All proceeds collected will be donated to Cork Simon Community Homeless Fund / Local St. Vincent de Paul.
We would really appreciate your support.
Carol singers have also provided Carol singing entertainment for Kenmare Community Hospital during the past week.
Road Safety Calendar Winner:
Congratulations to Adomas Narusis in Sixth Class whose art work was chosen to be included in Kerry County Council’s Road Safety Calendar 2016. Adomas is travelling to Tralee today Wednesday, December 16th for the launch of this calendar. He will receive an individual prize and calendars for all his class.
Setanta Book Club:
Sincere thanks to all parents who purchased books from Setanta book club. By buying books not only have you assisted us in promoting reading in the school but as a result we have received book rewards to the value of €470. Books purchased with these vouchers have stocked libraries in our two new classrooms. Many thanks again and Happy Reading.
M.S. Readathon:
Well done to all our pupils in 1st and 4th classes who took part in the recent M.S. Readathon. The final amount collected was €1,893 and 10% of this is retained by the school and will go towards funding of class reading resources.
This was an exceptional amount in view of the present financial climate. Many thanks to all! Pupils who collected money will be receiving prizes in the near future and the school will also be entered for prizes in a nationwide draw. Many thanks to school co-ordinator Evelyn Curtis,
to everyone who contributed money and, of course, to the pupils for reading hundreds of books. This has its own benefits and we hope that the reading will go on into the future. We continue to encourage you, your friends and relatives to give books as presents this Christmas.
Active Schools:
The school is well into its process of applying for an “Active Schools Flag’ which promotes and recognises sporting activities within the school and its community. This is a whole school approach to physical activity. This year we have participated in “Super Troopers” from Junior Infants to 6th class. This encourages children to partake in physical activity daily. Spikeball is up and running again this year for 5th and 6th classes and is proving very popular.
We will keep you informed of the new and upcoming initiatives.
Parents Association:
The Parents Association are currently distributing pupil designed Christmas Cards which they have organised throughout the school.
Well done to all the hard work of the organising committee. Funds raised will be used to purchase additional P.E. equipment in the school.
The Parents Association have also organised for Santa to visit all our classrooms on Monday, December 21st from 10.00a.m. – 11.00a.m.
New Board of Management:
The newly elected parent representatives on the Board of Management are Linda Woods and Padraig Rochford. They will join six other Board members representing the patron, teaching staff and school community.
The new Boards term is from December 2015 to December 2019.
New Classrooms:
We are delighted that the construction of our two additional classrooms is nearing completion. As a result our two fourth classes will be moving to their new accommodation before Christmas thanks to the efficiency of our building contractors Kenmare Plant Hire who have done a wonderful job in completing the extension ahead of schedule. On completion of the classrooms and associated groundwork we will also be able to regain access to the Junior yard for assembly each morning.
In the coming days we are making the pupils and staff aware of the new entry and exit procedures at school opening and closing times.
Again we would appreciate if pupils only go to the assembly area prior to school opening time. Pupils are well familiar with assembly procedures by this time of year and teacher supervision of pupils is also in place.
We look forward to many happy years of learning in our new state of the art classrooms.
On behalf of all the staff and pupils of St. John’s N.S. we would like to wish you a Happy, Holy and Peaceful Christmas and New Year.
Many thanks for your co-operation during 2015.
____________________
Denis Courtney,
Principal & Staff.