NEWS LE TTE

NEWSLETTER May 2011 May 2011 Volume 4, Issue 3

St. Brigids National School Killygarry

St . B rig id s N at i onal Sch oo l K illy garr y

Inside this issue:

Inside this issue :

Welcome Back!

Welcome Back!
Welcome back to all the pupils of St. Brigids National School after the Christmas Easter Holidays. Hope you enjoyed the Holidays. Hope you had an beautiful break. enjoyableweather. This newsletter has been put together for all parents to This newsletter has been inform you of all the up and put together for all parents coming events that the to inform you of all the up school is participating in and coming events that the over the next two months. school are participating in All the events mentioned over the next few months. will take place between now All the events mentioned and the Summer Holidays. will take place between now In this newsletter you will and the Easter Holidays. All find information in relation families will be receive a to Sporting Events , the further newsletter after Sports Day and School Trips. Easter listing the events and activities for the last term. The staff and management of the school would like to thank all the parents and In this newsletter you will local community who are find information in relation currently collecting the to Healthy Eating, Sporting Tesco Tokens for Schools. Events and the Book Fair. We hope to get some new resources in return for your tokens. and management The staff of the school would like to An information meeting will thank all the parents and be held in June for all parrelatives who collected a ents enrolling children in the huge amount of Tesco school in September 2011. Sports for Schools Tokens and for those who are currently collecting the SuperCOOKERY DEMO Value Tokens. Over the past The Taste of Sum- school number of years the mer received a wide range has with Gourmet Cooking Cookery Demonstration by of sports equipment thanks the famous chef Frank to the active involvement of Moynihan will the school on the parents of take place Wednesday 25th of May at and the wider community. 8p.m. in the Hotel Kilmore. Anyone who purchased a ticket for the previous CookA number of new policies ery Demonstration will in the have been formulated be school including a policy on given a replacement Medithe Administration ofticket free This policy will be circine.of charge. Additional tickets are all sale at in the culated to on parentspresent at the school for coming weeks. 5 each.

Green Flag Healthy Eating

G.A.A.

Sporting Other Sporting Events 2 Achievements Calendar of Events School Tours coming More up and Events Junior Librarian Out and About 3 4 3 4 3

PARENTS ASSOCIATION The Parents Association are holding a Horse Race Night The Parents Association are on Friday the 4th of April in looking for parents to do the Meadow View, Cavan. Bag Packing in SuperValu Further details to follow. Cavan on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th of May. Lots To celebrate St. Brigids Day of help is required all pupils are asked to bring to raise funds to in rushes on Wednesday get the yard markings on 30th of January to make the school yard done. crosses. The crosses will The be blessed at a mass in thenBoard of Management would sincerely like 1st of the school on Fridayto thank the Parents February. Association for all their help and support throughout the 2010/11 school year.

Further Information Book Fair

New Server for the school.

New Astro-Turf Pitch for Killygarry N.S.

Enrolment

Ongoing Projects
without delay to avoid traffic 4362144 to request an Apcongestion. Enrolment (AfE) plication for All pupils can walk into the school yard by Form. Parents will then be themselves on a Registration forwarded for the last term. Form with a copy of the Astro-Turf Pitch Information for Parents The school isa number of Booklet and delighted to announce that the new school policies. The Board astro-turf pitch will soon be of Management, in conjunction with the completed. Enrolment Policy, will then make their New Extension decision regarding all new A planning application has enrolments to the school. gone in to Cavan County Council for three new resource rooms, a Principals office and a new staff room. This will be built to the side of the school beside the new staff car park.

New School Extension to be build over the Summer holidays.

The closing date for enrolCar Parking ment of all new pupils to the A new staff car park has school for September 2008 been build behind the comis the 14th of March 2008. munity centre. A set down area is now in place at the front of the school. All parAll parents who wish to enents are asked to drop their rol their child in St. Brigids child off at the school gate National School must conevery morning and depart tact the school at 049-

Pupils prepare for Confirmation and First Holy Communion

Music Theory Exams to take place in May

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St. Brigids National School

Green Flag
The staff, pupils and Green School Committee, co-ordinated by Mrs. Dunne have worked extremely hard this year towards achieving our second Green Flag. We are delighted to announce that the school has achieved the Green Flag for Energy and will be presented with this flag on Monday 23rd of May in the Convention Centre in Croke Park. An Taisce assessed our school and our efforts to reduce energy on the 12th of April 2011. When Thomas from An Taisce visited our school he got to see each of the following things. 1. Video of our Green Flag Day of Action Day which was held on 1st April 2011. Viewing our school grounds and gardens. Recycling activities Composting Met our Green School Committee Met our Energy Wardens Water Conservation measures which have been recently installed 8. 9. 10. Electricity meter readings and Energy Ireland bills. Green School Notice Board Viewed our poster competition entries.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Congratulations to Mrs. Dunne and the Green School Committee on this wonderful achievement. We look forward to raising our second green flag.

G.A.A.
Hurling Hurling training for all boys is taking place on a Sunday morning at 11am in Killygarry G.F.C.. The boys will be playing four games this year. The dates are as follows: 1. 2. Dernakesh V Killygarry on Tuesday 10th May @ 2p.m. Killygarry V Ballinagh on Tuesday 17th May @ 2p.m. 3. 4. Killygarry V Mullagh on Tuesday 24th May @ 2p.m. The Vale V Killygarry on Tuesday 31st May @ 3:30p.m. Wednesday evening from 3:00-4:00 p.m. A special word of thanks must be expressed to Mr. Cahill and Miss Neylonfor training the girls football team. The girls will be playing in each of the following matches. 1. Killygarry V Mountnugent on Wednesday 11th May @ 3p.m. Crubany V Killygarry on Wednesday 18th May @

Well done to Stephen Lovett and Fergal Dunne who represented the school in the Mini-Sevens Hurling blitz in Breffni Park on the 7th of April 2011. Girls Gaelic Football The girls are currently training for the Cumann na mBunscol League on a

2.

Soccer & Gerard Reilly Tournament

Congratulations to all the boys and girls who participated in the FAI 5 aside soccer tournament in Cootehill Harps Football Pitch on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th of April 2011. All of the children played extremely well and put in a great effort. The boys team reached the semi-final but got beaten by a low margin. The girls team reached the final for the fourth year running but were beaten by a goal in extra time. A massive thank you must be expressed to Mrs. Prior, Miss Neylon and Miss OReilly for supervising the children at the event. Gerard Reilly Tournament Over 65 children participated in the Gerard Reilly Gaelic Football Tournament during the month of April in Killygarry G.F.C. The girls team came second and only missed out by 7 points while the boys team won the Gerard Reilly Cup for the first time ever. Well done to all eight teams for a brilliant performance.

Volume 4, Issue 3

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Calendar of Events
Wednesday 4th May Rehearsals for all sixth class pupils for Confirmation in the Cathedral at 8p.m. *********** In-school Football training begins again Saturday 7th May Confirmation in the Cathedral of St. Patrick and St. Felim at 12p.m. sharp. Tuesday 10th May Boys Hurling match against Dernakesh N.S. in Drumgoon G.F.C. @ 2p.m. Wednesday 11th May Girls Football match against Mountnugent in Killygarry G.F.C. @ 3p.m. *********** R.S.E. Talk for Sixth Class Parents in the School at 7:30p.m. Friday 13th & Saturday 14th May Bag Packing in SuperValu, Cavan to raise funds to get the yard marking done. Monday 16th May Spikeball Tournament in Loreto College, Cavan @ 10:00am Tuesday 17th May Boys Hurling match against Ballinagh in Killygarry G.F.C. @ 2p.m. Wednesday 18th May Girls Football match against Crubany in Killygarry G.F.C. @ 3p.m. Thursday 19th May Co. Cavan National Schools Relays Competition at Shercock Athletics Track @ 11a.m. Friday 20th May Go Games Tournament in Breffni Park

More Events
Friday 20th May The famous author Oisin Mc Gann will be coming to the school to do storytelling for all the pupils in the school. Saturday 21st May Music Theory Exams for fifth and sixth class pupils in Grade 1 and Grade 2 in Killygarry N.S. at 2p.m. Monday 23rd May Green Flag Presentation in the Convention Centre at Croke Park. Tuesday 24th May Boys Hurling match against Mullagh in Killygarry G.F.C. @ 2p.m. Wednesday 25th May Tastes of Summer with Gourmet Cooking Cookery Demonstration by Frank Moynihan in Hotel Kilmore at 8p.m. Saturday 28th May First Communion in St. Brigids Church, Killygarry at 12:30p.m. Thursday 31st May Boys Hurling match against The Vale in Bailieboro @ 3:30p.m. Thursday 2nd June Infant and First Class School Tour to Bear Essentials in Bawnboy. Bus departing at 9:10a.m. and will return at 2p.m. Friday 3rd June Go Games Tournament in Killygarry G.F.C.

Out and About in the Final School Term

Wednesday 8th June Second &Third Class tour to Sonairte, The National Ecology Centre in Meath. *********** Fourth & Fifth Class tour to Lough Key Forest Park, Boyle, Co. Leitrim. Thursday 9th June Sixth Class Tour to the Cavan Outdoor Education Centre. Friday 17th June Sports Day in the school for all pupils to replace the sports day in the Cavan Leisure Complex in an aim to reduce costs to parents. Barbeque and face-painting to take place on the day. Friday 24th June End of Year assembly. Sixth class performance and sixth class parents invited. Tuesday 7th JuneFriday 10th June

Standardised Testing Week

Parents are asked to ensure their child is in school during this week as we aim to get all the end of year Standardised Tests completed. Friday 24th June School Closing for the Summer Holidays

St. Brigids National School Killygarry Co. Cavan Phone: 049-4362144 Fax: 049-4362144 E-mail: killygarryns.ias@eircom.net Website: www.killygarryns.ie

School Tours
A number of various school tours have been organised this year for the pupils in the school. The cost has been kept to an absolute minimum with the buses subsidised by the Board of Management and the Parents Association. Junior InfantFirst Class Tour: Bus departing at 9:10am for Bear Essentials, Bawnboy. Bus due back at 2pm. Second & Third Class Tour: Bus departing at 8:15am for Sonairte, Co. Meath. Visit to the beach afterwards. Bus to return at 3:30pm. Fourth & Fifth Class Tour: Bus departing at 8:15am for Lough Key Forest Park. Forest trail and Adventure Centre tour. Bus returning at 4pm. Sixth Class Tour: Bus departing at 9:10 for Cavan Outdoor Education Centre, Outdoor adventure tour. Bus returning at 5:45p.m.

An Act of Charity
The pupils of St. Brigids National School recently raised 286.38 for the Senior Citizens by having an Easter Egg Raffle at the school. A total of 304 was raised by having a nonuniform day and this was split between Cian Donohoe and Karen Smith who are travelling to Zambia and Kenya over the summer.

Poem for Our Time Wall Panel

The fourth, fifth and sixth class pupils were involved in the project A Poem of Our Time last year where they made up lines to insert in a poem which is presented on a wall behind the Court House. These pupils also drew and painted a wall panel which is now displayed on the prefab.

Active School
The pupils of St. Brigids National School continue to work hard to retain the schools Active School Flag. The school has been involved in Gaelic Football, Hurling, Soccer, Relay Racing, Gymnastics, Swimming and the fourth, fifth and sixth class pupils are playing Spikeball this year. The transition year pupils from Loreto College introduced this game to our pupils and we will soon be participating in a one-day tournament in Loreto College, Cavan.

Astro-Turf Pitch
The school s astro-turf pitch is near completion. The fence will be put up within the next few days and the artificial grass will be laid straight afterwards. The sports day will be held on the new pitch. The new car park at the back of the school is complete and the grass area has been seeded. This new extension will be built on this space over the summer months and into September.

Junior Librarian
The school has recently purchased a Junior Librarian Computer Programme which references every library book and teaching resource in the school. Every child in the school will get their own library card with their picture on it and they will be able to scan in any books that they read or take them home. When returned to the school they can be scanned in again onto the system. To date over 2,200 books have been put onto the system from the central library in the General Purpose room.

School Website
The schools new website is now up and running and can be found at www.killygarryns.ie. Ms. Mc Gowan designed the website and all the class teachers have set up their own class blogs. These blogs give a day to day update of all the things going on in the classrooms. Please check out the website and blogs for the school calendar and school events. CROKE PARK AGREEMENT All the teaching staff of the school are working in compliance with the Croke Park Agreement. This term the schools three hour staff meeting will be held outside of school hours. DISCOVER SCIENCE AWARD

Further Information
PEERED READING Mrs. Keaney and Ms. Kennedy have been undertaking an initiative called Peered Reading. The third and fourth class pupils listened to the junior and senior infant class pupils reading for ten minutes every day and then the third and fourth class pupils spend ten minutes reading a story to the younger children. This is an excellent way of improving each childs reading skills while building their confidence in a relaxed and fun way. The school is constantly trying to build up a central library in the G.P. room and class libraries. We would welcome any books that are lying around the house (and are in good condition) that the children are finished with, to stock our school libraries.

SCHOOL CLOSURES Monday 6th June Bank Holiday Friday 24th June School Closing for the Summer Holidays

COMPUTERS & I.C.T. The school has recently purchased a new server for the school and many teaching resources are now centrally located. The school has been given a number of second-hand computers from Quinn Direct which are in perfect working condition. Thank you to all at the I.C.T. Department in Quinn Direct for this wonderful resource and for installing all the new computers in the school.

Best of luck to Mrs. White and her class on their entry of their science project into the Discover Science Award. Well done to all involved. SCHOOL GARDEN We are looking for people to sponsor plants for our new school garden beside the car park. BIRDS NESTING There are seven eggs in our school nest box which the pupils are monitoring closely. Many chicks have been born!