Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
Principal Johnny Tyndall will be attending the Irish Primary Principal's conference on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th of January in City West. This is the National Conference for primary principals and keeps principals up to date with all the latest developments in education.
The conference includes workshops, education expo and keynote speakers including the Minister for Education, Richard Bruton TD and the former Irish & Lions rugby captain, Paul O'Connell.
For the pupils in Second Class making their First Communion. The Service of Reconciliation or 'First Confession' will take place on Monday evening 6th February at 7:30 pm. We would ask you to be seated in the church at 7:10 pm.
The pupils in 5th and 6th class will participate in the Concern Debating League this year for the first time. This will start in the next few weeks. There will be one or two friendly debates to start up and then it moves into a knockout league with a final.
There will also be a debating fun day in Drumcondra Education Centre hosted by Concern.
The first two motions up for debate are going to be:
1. Children should be allowed have TVs in their bedrooms.
2. There should be an hour of exercise every day in school.
Mr Tyndall and Ms Ferry will be attending training in the revised Stay Safe and Walk Tall programmes on Friday 13th of January. This will take place in Drumcondra Education Centre.
The Stay Safe Programme, mandatory in all primary schools, is a personal safety skills programme designed for use with primary school children from Junior Infants to 6th Class. The programme seeks to enhance children's self protective skills by participation in lessons on safe and unsafe situations, bullying, inappropriate touch, secrets, telling and stranger danger.
The Walk Tall programme is to support the provision of lessons in primary school for the prevention of substance misuse. It is to help young people develop positive attitudes and behaviour free from dependence on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
Ms Gilroy and Ms Smith will be taking part in training for the 'Fun Friends/Friends for Life' programme on Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th of January in Drumcondra Education Centre.
This programme originated in Australia. It is a school based positive mental health programme and is recommended by the World Health Organisation. The programme helps children to develop effective strategies to deal with worry, stress and change and teaches the skills required to reduce anxiety and promote resilience.
The programme is delivered by the National Educational Psychological Service. It is hoped that introducing this programme to the school will be of benefit to all the children. Mr Tyndall is also trained in the programme.