Newsletter September-October 2015
Refreshed after a wonderful (if a little wet) summer, the Ballinteer Educate Together Community has
settled back into a new and exciting school year. We have been delighted to welcome all the new
members of our school community, particularly our Junior Infant children and parents, and our new
members of staff; Laura, John, Tamasine, Jen and Neola. It has been wonderful to see our school
grow and develop in this our fourth year.
September and October have seen our children hit the ground running in their new classes. Our
Parent Night on Thursday, 17th September was an opportunity for parents to meet with new class
teachers and to learn about the curriculum for the year ahead. Already our first term has been
packed with interesting and stimulating activities and events and the year ahead promises to be an
exciting one.
Class Representatives
Our class Coffee Mornings in October were a wonderful opportunity to get to know some of the new
parents in our community as well as catch up with old friends. At these mornings, Class
Representatives were nominated for each class.
Our Class Reps will maintain contact lists for the parents in their class, facilitating communication
between parents about the important social events in our children’s lives and in the school calendar.
The role of the Class Rep is to support social engagement in the school community. So, whether it
be a playdate or birthday party, or a child-free coffee (!), your Class Rep will be able to put you in
contact with other parents in your child’s class. Contact details for each Class Reps have been
posted on the school website.
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Bag- Packing Event and Parents Association News
On Friday, 9th and Saturday, 10th October, the Parents Association organised a bag-packing
fundraiser in Tesco Nutgrove Shopping Centre. A huge thank you to all the mums and dads who
volunteered their time and came together to make this event such a huge success.
The bag-packing raised €2,187 for our school community. These funds will be put to great use in
the school in the year ahead and we will keep you posted as to how they are spent.
The Parents Association have worked tirelessly for the school community throughout our first three
years in Ballinteer Educate Together. Fund raising events last year, including Race Night, our
wonderful Cooking Together Cookbook, Greeting Card Sale and Book Fair facilitated the
development of our school playground and new swimming programme in school, as well as being
put to good use in growing our library and bank of Maths, Science and PE resources.
Our outgoing Parents Association met for the last time in September. The Parents Association Night
on Thursday, 15th October was well attended and saw the election of the new Parent Teacher
Association for the 2015-2016 school year. The first meeting of the new PTA will take place on
Thursday 12th November and will plan for projects in the year ahead.
Playground Update
Funds raised by our PTA have facilitated the development of our wonderful new play space in
Ballinteer Educate Together. Particular thanks to Alice, Sophie’s mum, who has worked tirelessly
on this project, providing new chalkboards and planting for our yard, as well as organising seating
and plants for our ‘quiet area’ and the painting of the yard surface. The children have been delighted
by their new, stimulating surrounds.
The children in Junior Infants are now fully integrated into the ‘big yard’ thanks to the care and kind
consideration of our older children. For those children who might find the hustle and bustle of yard
time a little overwhelming, a smaller Infant only area of the yard is maintained for some quieter play
experiences.
Our aim is to see every child play every day. As well as supporting children in exploring new games
and activities in the yard, the children in First and Second class have been engaged with basketball
and football this term. Neola has established a lunch time football team who rush eagerly to the field
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every day, developing not only their footwork but also their sportsmanship, team spirit and sense of
fair play.
Jim has finished work on our equipment storage shed. With thanks also to Paul, Eva May’s dad,
who organised work on this project during August, our fantastic new PE and yard equipment has a
safe, dry home!
Book Fair in Ballinteer
Our final week before midterm sees the return of the Scholastic Book Fair to Ballinteer Educate
Together. Many thanks to the PA who organised all the parent volunteers who have already donated
their time and energy to the Book Fair. The children have been enjoying browsing and buying as
well as engaging with exciting Book Week activities in their classes.
Last year, the Book Fair raised over €600 for the purchase of new books for our class libraries.
The Book Fair will be open all week and parents are welcome to browse and buy at morning and
afternoon drop off and collection times.
The last day of Book Week, Friday, 23rd October will be a Dress-up Day and the children will be
encouraged to dress as a favourite character from a book or story, or don an international costume.
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Trips and Workshops
Every year in Ballinteer Educate Together sees a fantastic calendar of events and workshops in our
school, and this year promises to be no exception. November will see the arrival of ‘The Big Good
Wolf’, Liam Farrell, an Irish children’s author and storyteller with an interesting look at a classic
fairytale. Class trips to Airfield Farm are also being planned in the coming months.
We ask that each parent contribute to the cost of the school calendar of events and trips by returning
the once-off payment of €45 in the envelope provided.
We also welcome parent visitors to share their interests and expertise in our classrooms. This is a
fantastic opportunity to share the wealth of talent we have in our school community. Talks and
workshops in illustration, music, science, engineering, architecture, the visual arts, design and world
faiths and belief systems were just some of the parent-led visits that took place last year. If you
would like to get involved in school and share your expertise, we welcome you to talk to your child’s
class teacher. We are particularly excited to organise parent visits around Science Month in
November.
Morning Time
As the children are now well settled into the morning routine, and are growing in independence, we
ask that all children be encouraged to make their own way to their classroom from the school door
in the morning.
The children are well-practised in the morning routine at this stage in the school year, walking to
class on their own with their coat and bag, following class routines for homework folders and
lunchboxes, and beginning their morning’s activities. This is an important time when the children
can settle calmly into the day ahead. Class begins immediately at 8.15 and we encourage parents
to have their children in school on time.
We continue to strive to smooth the flow of traffic in the school car park at drop off and collection
times. Early morning supervision takes place for the children from 8.05 until 8.15 to facilitate parents
who are able to drop and go, freeing up some much needed space in the school grounds.
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School Building Update
Last week, officials from the Department of Education and Skills Forward Planning Section informed
us that, after having had their engineers working on access to our new school, they are now ready
to meet with the Planners in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council in advance of submitting a
planning application.
We have been assured that the DES is working hard to resolve the issue of access to the site, and
we will keep you informed as soon as we have any further update or result.
Junior Infant 2016- 2017 First Round Offers
The first round of offers for our two new Junior Infant classes, starting with our siblings, will be sent
out before the start of the midterm break this week.
Scooters and Bikes
Our bike racks are being put to very good use this year and it is wonderful to see so many of our
children walking, scooting and cycling to school.
As space on our bike racks can be limited we ask that all scooters be locked to the railing on the
field side of the pathway please. Unfortunately we can no longer accommodate scooters in the
school hall or classrooms, as these are beginning to pose a serious fire (and tripping!) hazard in our
limited space.
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Head Lice
The virulent little pests have returned!
We ask that parents be vigilant for head lice and use recommended remedies to treat as quickly as
possible when detected. Where possible, longer hair should be tied back to limit the spread of head
lice.
Please inform us if there are cases of head lice, and thank you to parents who have already done
so.
Educate Together Raffle
Educate Together are holding a National Fundraising Day on the 23rd October.
Our tireless Class Reps will be selling raffle tickets for the Grand Draw at morning drop-off time and
can also be contacted via email. The draw will be held on the 20 th November and there are some
fantastic prizes on offer this year.
These funds are essential for the continued support of our Educate Together community and all
contributions would be greatly appreciated.
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After-school Activities
This school year has seen the start of a wonderful after-school activity programme for the children
in First and Second Classes in Ballinteer Educate Together. Spanish, Arts and Crafts and GAA
classes have all been enthusiastically subscribed this term and we hope to grow and develop this
programme in to the coming years.
The after-school teachers would appreciate any outstanding payment for after-school activities to
be made as soon as possible.
Also for the first time this year, the Rainbows Peer-Support Programme, which deals with critical
events in the lives of children and their families including bereavement, separation and loss is being
offered in the school starting early in November. There is no charge for the Rainbows programme.
Órla is available to answer any questions you might have and application forms can be returned to
the school office. As places are limited in this programme, we encourage you to apply as soon as
possible.
Swimming
In another first for Ballinteer Educate Together, the children in Muireann’s 2 nd Class began their
swimming lessons in Meadowbrook Leisure Centre this September. These weekly lessons have
become a highlight of school life and have seen the children make huge progress, developing their
confidence in the water as well as their swimming skills.
The children in John’s 1st Class will take their turn in the pool starting on Tuesday, 10th November,
with Ciara’s Class following in January.
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Website
Our new school website was launched to rave reviews this October, thanks to the superhuman effort
of Donal, Lottie’s dad, in taking on this mammoth task. The website enables us to keep you up-todate with all the goings on in the classrooms and throughout the school. Keep an eye on your child’s
class blog to see all the news from Ballinteer Educate Together.
Concerts
Muireann’s class are busily putting the finishing touches to their class performance of Pandora’s
Box which will be performed for Second Class parents on Thursday, 12th November. This
performance explores Greek myths and legends and integrates elements of the History, English and
Music curricula that the children have been exploring this term. Our talented Second Class singers
are sure to delight us again with a very musical performance including everything from the Beatles
to R.Kelly and a little Jessie J Price Tag in between!
The children in First Class will be next in line to take to the stage with performances for parents
planned for later in the school term, with our Infant Classes performing later in the school year.
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Curriculum
Our school has been a hive of activity during our first term. The children in Junior Infants have
blossomed in their first weeks in ‘big school’, exploring not only their new classroom and school
environment, but also enjoying learning opportunities further afield on an Autumn Walk to Balally
Park! Senior Infants have become young opticians during Aistear play and learning time. Visit the
Senior Infant blog soon to check out their fantastic designer glasses! Our Infant Classes have also
enjoyed working with our wonderful new construction equipment, developing important problemsolving and communication skills through play.
First class have been excited about Show and Tell in this first term. Settling in to the longer school
day has given more time to explore the SESE (Science, History and Geography) and Arts curricula.
Visit John and Ciara’s First Class Blog to see some of the beautiful artwork the children have been
producing this term.
In-class support in literacy and numeracy has been taking place in Senior Infants and Second Class
this term. The children in Aisling and Tamasine’s classes have been exploring the Ready Set Go
Maths programme which focuses on developing the children’s numeracy skills through fun and
active participation in small group games and problem-solving activities.
Literacy Hour in Second Class sees the children working with teachers in small groups to develop
reading, comprehension, writing and spelling skills. This has been a very successful programme
which we hope to introduce in other classes as the year progresses.
The visual arts continue to be a huge part of life in Ballinteer Educate Together. Every child in the
school contributed to our beautiful whole school display ‘We Belong Together’ in the school foyer
thanks to Muireann’s artistry and careful jigsaw puzzling skills! The themes of belonging and
community will continue to be important in our Whole School Ethical Education Programme this
year.
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Whole School Singing
Every Friday the children come together for Whole School Singing, exploring songs and music from
Ireland and the world. Here are the lyrics to some of the Call and Response songs we have been
learning this term.
Oo a Lay Lay
Oo a Lay Lay (Oo a Lay Lay)
Oo a Lay Lay (Oo a Lay Lay)
Mala ticka tumba (Mala ticka tumba)
Oo a lay mahlaway mahlawah (Oo a lay mahlaway mahlawah)
Crash Beep Beep
Jaws was swimming in the sea,
Ate a diver for his tea,
Chopped him up into little chunks,
Then spat out his swimming trunks!
Honk honk, round and round and round and crash beep beep
Honk honk, round and round and round and crash beep beep
Honk honk, whoosh, crash beep beep
Mé Féin (Myself)
Ceann, cluas, srón, béal agus smig (Head, ear, nose, mouth and chin)
Gualainn, bolg, glúin agus . . . (Shoulder, tummy, knee, and . .)
Cos, cos eile agus (Foot, the other foot)
Lámh, lámh eile agus (Hand, the other hand, and . .)
Fiacla bána agus gruaig ar mo cheann. (White teeth and hair on my head)
Cá bhfuil do cheann? Ceann! (Where is your head? Head!)
Cá bhfuil do chluas? Cluas! (Where is your ear? Ear!)
Cá bhfuil do shorn? Srón! . . . (Where is your nose? Nose!)
Last day before midterm is Friday, 23rd October. Have a wonderful midterm break!
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