C
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A GENDA
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Welcome
School Times
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Absences
Curriculum allocated times
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Main Curricular areas
Learn Together Programme
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Homework
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Lunch
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Communication
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Farewell

W
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Myself and the other staff of Wexford Educate
Together would like to wish a very warm welcome to all parents for the new school year of
2013/2014.
In particular we extend a very warm welcome to all first time parents in the school. We’re sure you, along with your children will feel right at home here.

S CHOOL D AY
The school day in Wexford Educate Together runs as follows:
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8:40am – School door opens
8:50am – School starts
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9:00am – Any child that arrives after 9 will be marked late and how many minutes late recorded
9:30 – Any child that arrives after 9:30 is marked absent
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10:40-11:00 – Small Break
12:20 – 1:00 – Lunch
1:30 - Hometime

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All children should be in school everyday unless they are ill.
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Appointments to outside agencies should be made for outside school times where possible.
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If appointments are for during school day the sign out book in the office must be used.
The school cannot give permission for parents to take their children out of school for holidays.
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After returning to school a note of explanation must be handed to the teacher detailing the reason for absence. A phone call will not suffice as a written record is needed.

C URRICULUM A LLOCATED T IMES
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Language English (4 hours)
Gaeilge (2.30 hours)
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Mathematics (3.25 hours)
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SESE Science
History (2.25 hours)
Geography
SPHE (30 mins)
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PE (1 hour)
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Arts Education Art
Music (2.5 hours)
Drama
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Learn Together Programme (2.30 hours)

M AIN C URRICULUM AREAS
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Phonics – Junior Infants
- Jolly Phonics is the literacy programme that has been used in the infant classes. This is a kinaesthetic programme which engages all of the child’s senses to aid recollection and absorption.
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Starting off the children simply learn the letter sounds.

-As the children learn the new letter sounds they will also learn how to form the letters correctly. Please encourage the children start the letters in the correct place.
- The use of capital letters is not encouraged unless at the beginning of the child’s name.
- Tricky words – These are words that cannot be sounded out, thus the name ‘tricky words’.
Junior Infants do the first 30 words. Examples include: the, go, live, etc.

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Phonics – Senior Infants
Senior Infants also complete the Jolly Phonics programme. They revise all the letter groups in the first term. In the second term they are introduced to diagraphs, blends and word families, etc.
They children in Senior Infants are also introduced to capital letters and how to form them correctly.
Senior infants will still do dictation however the words will be longer and therefore more difficult. They will also be introduced to dictating sentences.
- Senior Infants do tricky words from 30 – 60.

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Reading
The Oxford Reading Tree Scheme is available to all children. They will be moved up a level as soon as one is completed.
The emphasis is not only to be placed on being able to read the words but also on comprehension, punctuation and expression
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Children are put on a level that is appropriate for them.
The reader that each child gets home should be read every night. It will have the pages for each night written on the homework sheet.
These books are changed once a week by the teacher.
Library books will also be available for children to bring home for enjoyment.

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Writing
-Please ensure that the children are encouraged to write as much as possible at home. Birthday cards, letters, lists, name on homework, etc.
-Also encourage them to use correct pencil grip and letter formation. Capitals should not be used in the middle of words/names or starting in the wrong place. Good posture in their chair is also very important.
-A writing bag will be introduced to the children soon and this will be sent home with one child each night to foster a positive outlook towards writing.

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Maths
-The strands covered in the maths curriculum are:
Number
Algebra
Shape and Space
Measures
Data
This school puts a huge emphasis on concrete work in maths, mental arithmetic and problem solving. One way to encourage the development of these skills is to allow the children access to mathematic ICT programmes and asking them to solve little problems at home.
There is a list of good websites for maths games on the school website.

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Gaeilge
1.Mé Féin
2.Sa Bhaile
3. An scoil
4. Bia
5.An Teilifís
6. Siopadóireacht
7. Caitheamh Aimsire
8. Éadaí
9. An aimsir
10. Ócáidí Speisialta
- Myself
-At home
- In school
- Food
- The television
- Shopping
- Hobbies
- Clothes
- The weather
- Special Occasions
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In Junior and Senior Infants the children learn through spoken and heard Irish only. Many strategies are used but mainly puppets, games, songs and poems as it is all about fun for the younger children!

O THER H ELPFUL I NFORMATION
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Visual Arts - this can be a very messy subject, particularly with Junior Infants! If each parent could send in an art shirt with their child, clearly labelled with their name it would prevent stains on clothes!
P.E – Junior Infants P.E day for the coming school year will be Tuesday (after the first term). Please ensure that your child wears a tracksuit on this day and appropriate footwear
(no crocs, flip-flops or wellies!).
Games in school - During the year we will be asking for volunteers to aid with literacy and numeracy games in the classroom.

L EARN T OGETHER P ROGRAMME
Learn Together is the programme followed by Educate
Together Schools for religious education. The four strands of the earn Together Programme are:
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Moral and Spiritual
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Equality and Justice
Belief Systems
Ethics and the Environment
If any parent would be interested in helping with the R.E. Calendar or can offer input in any way, please contact Susan in the office or myself as I am the R.E co-ordinator.

H OMEWORK
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In Junior Infants the emphasis for homework is simply to ensure that children have grasped all the basics for reading and writing that they have covered in school. The homework will usually be as follows:
Nursery Rhyme/Poem
English/Maths worksheets
Readers (after Halloween)
Tricky Word Wallet
Sound book
Writing Bag – this will occasionally go home but is not for homework, it is more for fun!

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In Senior Infants the emphasis again is to reinforce what was taught in school. Senior
Infant homework will consist of the following:
English worksheet/Handwriting
Maths worksheet
Tricky word wallet
Reader (Level 2)
Homework should take no longer than 20 minutes.

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Some Homework Tips:
Have a consistent time for homework everyday. Straight after school is usually the best time.
- Complete the homework in a quiet, well equipped space.
- Aid the child if help is needed.
- Check homework is completely fully.
- Encourage the child to take pride in their homework and colouring.
- Ensure your child’s name is clearly on their sheet and that you have signed the homework sheet.
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Things you should know:
If homework is not completed a note should be sent in the folder to explain the reason.
- Due to feedback at the whole school meeting a homework sheet detailing what is to be done each night will be sent home with the Junior classes that do not have a journal. In this way the parents will know exactly what to do and can sign on same sheet.

L UNCH
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The children have two breaks everyday.
Small Break – 10 minutes for eating and 10 minutes play time.
Big break – 10/15 minutes eating and half an hour playtime.
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This means that the children have 20/25 minutes for eating in total each day. If the children are not finished their sandwich/fruit, etc., the teacher always encourages them to bring it out to yard with them and finish it there.
The teacher cannot leave the room to get drinks/spoons for children so please ensure your child has everything that they need for their lunch with them.
Treat day is on Fridays. On this day children are allowed to bring in one small treat alongside their normal healthy lunch.

C OMMUNICATION
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We feel that keeping an open line of communication between the teacher and parent/s is very important. Communication can be made with the teacher in the following
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School bag/Homework folder post
Parent/Teacher meetings which happen in
November
Incidental meetings – these need to be made by prior arrangement through Susan in the office and a reason for the meeting must be given to ensure the teacher can fully prepare
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Phone call to the school

Remember that I am always available to answer any queries of questions you may have regarding your child. Please do so in the following ways:
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Informal meeting
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Note in Journal
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Phone call
Arrange a meeting via secretary
P/T meetings 11 – 15 th November.

T
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F AREWELL !
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That concludes the information being given out this evening. I look forward to seeing you all around the school and getting to know you all! I hope we will have a great year together!