St Patrick’s P.S.
and Nursery
Castlederg
73 Castlefin Rd
Castlederg
Co Tyrone BT81 7EE
Tel 028816 71458 Fax 028816 79821 email:info@stpatricks.castlederg.ni.sch.uk
Website - http://stpatrickspscastlederg.co.uk
February 2016 Newsletter
Also online @ http://stpatrickspscastlederg.co.uk
Welcome back to a new term. There was also approximately £462 raised through loose
change for the Children in Crossfire Advent Appeal. Thank you.
Sacramental Dates for your Diary
Sacramental Meetings for Parents at St Patrick’s PS –
Tomorrow - Tuesday 2nd February 2016 - 6pm First Holy Communion/ 7.30pm Confirmation
First Confession - Thursday 18th February 2016 6pm– St Patrick’s Church Castlederg
Service of Light P7 - Wednesday 2nd March 2016 7pm – St Patrick’s Church Castlederg - tbc
Confirmation - Sunday 24th April 2016 12pm St Patrick’s Church – Bishop Lagan
First Holy Communion - Saturday 4th June 2016 11am St Patrick’s Church Castlederg
Catholic Schools Week – 31st January to 6th February 2016
Catholic Schools Week has been celebrated in Ireland for the last six years. This annual
event calls on Catholic schools to give expression in a special way to a particular aspect of
Catholic education. This theme of Catholic Schools Week 2016 is ‘Catholic Schools:
Challenged to proclaim God’s Mercy.
P7 Altar servers were invited to attend the opening of Catholic Schools Week Mass
celebrated by Bishop Mc Keown in St Eugene’s Cathedral Derry on Friday.
A special mass for pupils in P3 to P7 to celebrate the work of our school will take place on
Friday 5th February 2016 at 10am in St. Patrick’s Church. As normal at this time the children
will study God’s Good News, learn about St Brigid, making St. Brigid’s crosses and celebrate
grandparents day.
All parents/ grandparents are invited to attend mass on this day and parents and
grandparents are invited to school for a cup of tea and refreshments after mass.
During Lent the teachers will be focusing on the traditional prayers and pupils in P1, P4 and
P7 will receive a copy of prayers to help with learning and understanding and to help them
prepare for sacraments.
In order to celebrate World Book Day on Thursday 3rd March 2016 the children in nursery
and primary can dress up as their favourite character from a book with prizes for each class
so get planning!! The dinner ladies will also be having a special World Book Day Menu on
this day.
Congratulations to our handwriting winners in December photographs of the winners on
our website - http://stpatrickspscastlederg.co.uk
Spelling Bee Competition
Mrs. Duffy will be organising a spelling bee competition during March 2015 so children get
practising.
Extended Schools Spring Term 2016
Breakfast club continues as normal each morning.
 Homework Club Monday to Thursday 3.15pm – 4.30pm
 Tuesday – Gaelic Games Girls P6/P7 Mr. Mc Gurk – 3.15pm – 4.30pm
 Tuesday – Art Club – Mr. Doherty 3.15pm – 4.30pm
 Wednesday – Book Club – Mrs. Duffy 3.15pm – 4.30pm
 Thursday – Gaelic Games Boys P6/7 – Mr. Mc Gurk 3.15pm – 4.30pm
Paired Maths Programme P4
Mr. Doherty and the P4 teachers are organising a home-school maths programme for the
pupils in P4 starting on Monday 22nd February 2016. As this is the 3rd year of the programme
Mr. Doherty will send home a short information pack to each parent on how to promote
and help your child with maths at home. I will attach a short presentation and maths links
on our school website.
Paired Reading
The P3 children and parents will begin a 6 week paired reading project starting Monday 8th
February 2016. Reading packs and information will be circulated to all parents at the start of
this week. There will be an information pack sent home with further information and links
on our school website. If you need further information contact Mrs Mc Glade Vice-Principal.
Cross Community Project (in conjunction with Edwards PS)
The P1 pupils welcome the pupils from Edwards PS to study Wildlife on Tuesday 1 st March
2016
The P3 pupils visit Edwards PS on Wednesday 9th March 2016 to learn about Spring.
Gaelic games/sports
Well done to the P7 hurling and camogie teams who competed so well in the Tyrone indoor
heats in Omagh.
The boys and girls football teams will compete in the Tyrone indoor gaelic competition in
February 2016. Training takes place on Tuesday for girls and Thursday for boys after school
and players must attend.
Stefan Deery from the IFA continues to coach fundamentals with P1 and P2 on Tuesdays.
Conor Gormey Tyrone GAA is presently coaching Miss. Loughran’s P5 on Wednesdays.
Conor from Active Communities is presently coaching Mrs. Smith’s P4 class and Mrs. Mc
Erlean’s P3/4 class on Friday mornings.
The P7 class have started swimming lessons on Wednesdays in Omagh Leisure Centre.
Transfer Meetings
Transfer meetings take place for parents of P7 pupils from Friday 5th February 2016 to
Thursday 11th February 2016. Further information will be sent home with P7 pupils.
Healthy Snacks and lunch boxes
As a health promoting school please include healthy foods in the children’s lunchboxes, also
a reminder not to include nut products and spreads as a number of our children have an
allergy to nuts. Please remember that only healthy snacks can be eaten at break time, no
cereal bars or sugary yoghurts or drinks at break please. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Midterm Holiday
The school will be closed for the midterm break on Friday 13th February 2016 (staff training)
and Monday 16th February 2015 and Tuesday 17th February 2015.
The school will be closed for St Patrick’s Holidays on Thursday 17th March 2016.
Road Safety
Thank you to all parent/s who park safely and who show care and consideration when
dropping or collecting the pupils from school. Please remember to use only the main
pedestrian gate to enter and exit the school, and also all cyclists should be reminded to
wear a helmet when cycling.
We are currently constructing a new pedestrian entrance and paths which will exit on to
Churchtown and Hillview Park which we hope will reduce traffic at collection times at the
front of school. There is a planned scheme of works at the front of the school which will
help the children exit the school safely. There is also an additional lollipop person on duty at
the entrance to Willowcrest Park and Churchtown Park.
Many thanks
Brian Mc Gurk Principal