Holywell Educate Together National School
Newsletter November 27th 2015
Phone:01 4444386
Website:www.holywelletns.ie
Email:principal@holywelletns.ie
Table Quiz
Many thanks to all the parents and guardians who attended the table quiz in ‘The
Ploughman’s’ pub last night. A special thanks to Áine and Declan Keane,
Michelle and Amanda for all their hard work in organising questions, answer
sheets and raffle prizes!
November Assembly
Congratulations and well done to Mark L.’s Junior Infants for hosting November’s assembly for infants. The
children chose the core values of honesty and respect and they spoke about ways in which to show respect
and honesty.
The senior assembly was hosted by Zara’s 2nd class with the children discussing the core value of respect.
The children spoke about respect and performed a dance about respect. Emer’s class performed a drama and
song in Irish to show the other students how we value Irish in the school.
The final assembly of 2015 will take place on Tuesday December 22nd, the day of the winter holidays at
8.45am. All parents and guardians are welcome.
New Second Level School for Swords!
The Minister for Education & Skills announced the opening of a new Second Level school for Swords in
2017. As you are aware from reading other newsletters, there is a strong and vibrant Educate Together
Second Level Campaign already in existence.
The purpose for this is for the patronage of the new Second Level School to be an Educate Together one.
Your children here in Holywell ETNS, along with those in Swords ETNS and Thornleigh ETNS are
immersed in an ethos of a democratically run, child-centred, co-educational and equality-based school. If
you wish for your child to continue to be educated in that setting, please add your name to the on-line
database. Please follow the links to do so www.educatetogether.ie/swords-second-level or
www.et2ls.com.
Half Marathon Fundraiser
Many thanks Urszula Kingston (Cian and Liam’s Mum) for raising €90 for Craobh whilst running the half
marathon in Clontarf last week.
Winter Concert 2015
As said in previous newsletters, this year’s Winter Concert will be held over two days.
Tuesday December 15th at 10.00am
Pre-school Class 1, Craobhóg, Junior Infants & Senior Infants
Wednesday December 16th at 12.30pm
1st-6th Class, Craobh, Crannóg & Pre-school Class 2
Admission is €3 per adult per day. Mince pies and refreshments will be provided by the PTA.
We ask that parents remain in the hall for the full duration of the concert. It is very disheartening for the
children when adults leave the concert during their performances.
This is the first year the school will have their own stage for the concert. The stage is a result of the hard
work of the PTA in fundraising for the school. We are very excited about showing the school community
our stage!
Choir Singing in the Airport
Dublin Airport Authority has invited children from the senior choir and from 3rd class to sing in the
‘Arrivals’ hall of Dublin Airport on Monday December 14th at 11am. The children will take the bus to the
airport and sing for approximately two hours and return to school. Emer & Mark R. will accompany the
children and a permission note will be sent out to parents & guardians soon.
Parents Parking in the School
Reminder: parents cars are not permitted onto the school grounds during school hours as there is no space
for them and it poses a serious threat to the health and safety of our pupils.
Headlice
Headlice is becoming an issue in many classes. Please check your child’s hair regularly and treat it with
products in the chemist. If your child has headlice, please inform the teacher so we can make other parents
aware.
Junior Infants 2016
Places for Junior Infants 2016 will be offered to the first 90 children on the pre-enrolment list for next
September. Please remember that the school operates a ‘first come first serve’ policy and not a sibling
policy. If you wish your child to attend Junior Infants in 2016, please pre-enrol your child as soon as
possible.
Coláiste na Rosann: Donegal Gaeltacht 5th & 6th class
The children in 5th & 6th class who expressed interest in going to the Gaeltacht in Donegal in May 2016
received an application form for parents & guardians to complete.
Completed forms were to be returned today Friday November 27th along with the €100 booking deposit.
Some parents have partially paid, so the representative from the college will come on Thursday next,
December 3rd to collect the final amounts. Please note the school cannot pay for children.
Winter Time
As the weather is getting colder, please ensure you child wears a warm jacket/coat and brings a hat, scarf
and gloves. Please label all your child’s belongings as we cannot identify anything that hasn’t been labelled.
Also, children should not arrive on the school grounds before 8.20am as there is no supervision in place
beforehand.
Healthy Lunch Policy:
Please support the school’s Healthy Eating Policy by giving your children healthy lunches. Cold pizza,
pastries such as brioche and croissants and cereal bars are not allowed in school as they are contain a high
sugar and fat content. Popcorn is also not allowed in school as a young child choked to death in a crèche
some time ago.
Morning-time Supervision:
Please remember that there is no staff supervision in the yard in the morning time until 8.20am. We ask that
children do not enter the yard until them. Please remind your child they must stay inside the courts in the
mornings and not leave the yard.
Wishing you all a great weekend,
Maria