Catholic Ethos Statement:
St. John’s N.S. is a co-educational Catholic primary school under the patronage of the Bishop of Kerry. Our school aims to promote the full and harmonious development of all aspects of the pupil: intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual, including a living relationship with God and with other people. Our school strives to create a learning environment where every child is encouraged and enabled to develop to their full and unique potential as human beings, made in the image and likeness of God. We seek to form pupils who will unselfishly use their gifts for the common good and are committed to work for a more just and caring society.
The school models and promotes a philosophy of life inspired by belief in God and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Together, the Board, the principal and the staff, working with the Patron, the parents and the local parish, model a living human-religious-Christian educational tradition which nurtures the faith of Catholic pupils in a manner that is welcoming to and inclusive of pupils committed to other religious traditions.
The Board of Management and the teachers have adopted the Grow in Love programme approved and recommended by the Irish Hierarchy for use in Catholic schools.
The programme incorporates the recommended approach to religious education for the reception of the Sacraments of Penance, Holy Communion and Confirmation.
The programme is studied each day for one half-hour. A Catholic ethos permeates the school day and the life of the school through our actions attitudes and practices.
Sacraments
St. John’s National School places great importance on the preparation of our pupils for the Sacraments. During their time in our school, children are prepared for the Sacrament of First Penance (First Confession), First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Our dedicated staff and in particular the teachers of these classes (2nd class for First Penance and First Holy Communion and 6th class for Confirmation) put great time and effort into making these Sacraments very special experiences for the pupils.
Parents of First Communion pupils help to organise the very successful Do This in Memory programme. This is a parish based programme of preparation for First Communion centred in the parish celebration of the Sunday Eucharist and in the home. The programme is designed to facilitate parents, families and the parishes’ active involvement in the preparation for the sacrament. It complements and supports the work of sacramental preparation in the school.
Our school choir enhances the ceremonies and our Parents’ Association get involved in the organisation of tea/coffee after First Holy Communion to make the celebration a whole school event. Parents of children in 1st and 3rd classes help every year with the special party in the Pobalscoil school hall for the First Communion children and their families. First Holy Communion takes place in May each year.
Confirmation is a parish celebration and we share the celebration of this Sacrament with Cahir school in the parish of Kenmare. The Bishop of Kerry, Raymond Browne, visits the parish to confirm the pupils and this ceremony usually takes place in March each year.