Barna NS Newsletter April 2015

The children were involved in various school activities during the second term:

January

Grandparents’ Day  The children invited their grandparents to join them in celebrating Grandparents’ Day.

Indoor Hurling The 2nd, 3rd and 4th class boys took part in an indoor hurling blitz in Caherclonlish.

February

Swimming lessons commenced for 2nd to 6th class children.

Credit Union Quiz Our u11 and u13 teams did well in St Ailbe’s Credit Union Quiz.

Engineer’s Week The children celebrated Engineer’s week with various science and engineering activities.

First Confession Congratulations to 2nd class who celebrated their Sacrament of Penance on 26th Feb.

Retirement  We said farewell to Mrs Maher and wished her well as she retired at the end of February.

March

Food Dudes Well done to everyone for participating in Food Dudes and making a big effort to eat more fruit and veg!

Seachtain na Gaeilge – During this month, there was a huge emphasis put on the Irish language and Irish tradition and culture.  The children learned  Shoe the donkey and The walls of Limerick in PE. Everyone made a great effort ag caint as Gaeilge.

The children put on a little play as Gaeilge for the whole school:“Sicín Beag Buí” (Jun – 1st): “Cinnín Óir agus na Trí Mhuic” (2nd – 4th) agus “Múinteoir Nua” (5th & 6th). Bhí siad go léir ar fheabhas!

World Book Day – Children wrote a book – in groups they plotted their story, wrote and edited it, and illustrated and designed the cover.

A Day in the Life of a Postperson: Many Thanks to Mike O’ Donoghue, our local postman, who visited our school as part of a whole school lesson “A Day in the Life of a Postperson”. The children asked Mike lots of interesting questions about An Post and his job as a post person. They then wrote about what they had learned for the INTO/An Post Handwriting Competition.

April

History Projects.The 4th, 5th and 6th classes took part in The Decade of Centenaries – 1912 – 1922 project competition. They had to choose a topic to research and present their projects in word format. They entered two projects based on local history. The story of Tom O’ Brien of Bonovie, Pallasgreen who went down with the Titanic in 1912 and Paddy Ryan, who won gold medal for hammer throwing in the Olympic Games in Antwerp in 1920.

Confirmation: Congratulations to the 5th and 6th class children who received their Confirmation on 14th April.  It was a lovely mass celebrated by the new bishop, Kieren O’ Reilly. Many thanks to Fr Pat Burns for preparing the children in the church, to the beautiful choir made up of the 3rd and 4th classes from the three schools and to the parents for your co-operation with the lifts to the practices.

Term 3 – Upcoming News and Activities

  • After School Hurling Training is back on Thursday evenings 3-4pm for 3rd – 6th class children. Many Thanks to Damien Wallace, Pallasgreen GAA, and Denis Looby who are going to help out with the training and school Gaelic Games.
  • Active School week Monday 27th – Friday 1st May is well underway. The children are enjoying a very active school week despite the odd shower! Photographs will be posted on the school website next week barnans.com
  • Standardised Testing, Micra – T (English) and Sigma- T (Maths) will be administered over two weeks in May, week 1 (Mon 11th – Fri 15th ) and week 2 (Mon 18th –Fri 22nd).
  • Staff Meeting – school will close on Wed 13th May at 2pm to facilitate staff meeting.
  • West Midlands Theatre Company will visit on Friday 22nd Their visit is always thoroughly entertaining and so enjoyable and the children love it. The cost per child is €5 to be brought in to your child’s class teacher before 22nd May.
  • First Holy Communion is on Sunday 31st May – we look forward to celebrating this special sacrament with our 2nd class.
  • Open Day – Next September’s Junior Infants will be invited to visit their new school and classroom on Friday 5th June 10am -12noon. They will be given a chance to meet their new friends and teacher, Mrs Fletcher.
  • School Uniform – Fittings and orders for new school jumpers and ties will be taken on Friday 5th June 10am – 12noon by Carmel (All Seasons Sports and Leisure).
  • School Tour is on Monday 8th Junior Tour ( Junior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st class and 2nd class) are going to Bunratty Folk Park & Jumplanes, Delta. Cost per child is €22, lunch included. Senior Tour (3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th classes) are going to Trabolgan, Cork. Cost per child is €30, lunch included.  More Details to follow.
  • End of year report cards will be issued on Friday 12th June.
  • Booklists will be issued during the last week and will be available to download on the school website by end of June
  • Sports Day – Friday 12th June
  • Summer Holidays – School will close on Friday 19th June
  • Sunscreen – Please be sure to put sunscreen on your child coming to school on any hot days over the next summer weeks, particularly on school tour day, Sports day etc.

The school website is updated regularly.
Please visit
www.barnans.com to keep up to date with school news and events

School Extension Update

As you already know, planning has gone in for our new school extension. We are very close to starting our build which will begin during the summer holidays.

We will be building a new mainstream classroom which is to be added to the back of the school.  Also included in the new build is a resource room, a learning support room, a staff room and office. (single storey extension) .In addition, the entire old school building will be renovated and updated.

All the prefabs will be gone and the whole school will be united under one roof!

We are very excited and looking forward to what will be, in effect, a new school

Once the plans are finalised, parents will be invited to an open evening in the school where the plans will be on display and information will be made available about the build. (This meeting will be arranged as soon as plans are ready -before the end of June)

We will need to raise some money and the Parents Association have been working extremely hard to organise a major fund raising event for Barna NS.

Rachel Allen Celebrity Chef – Cooking Demonstration

Thursday 12th November 2015 (Strand Hotel, limerick)

Please mark this night in your diaries for what promises to be a very entertaining night and spread the word!! All funds raised on the night will go to Barna NS building project. All details of the event will follow soon.

Remember: Thursday 12th November, Strand Hotel, Limerick.  Rachel Allen – Celebrity Chef Demonstration.

Mol an Óige agus tiocfaidh sí