20th June 2024
Dear Parents / Guardians
As we quickly approach the end of another wonderful school year, I would like to share lots of important information for next week and the coming school year before we finish up for the summer break on Friday 28th June.
Next week:
Monday June 24th Sports Day (all children should come suitably dressed, sun cream etc.)
Tuesday June 25th Annual Chip Day (children will be provided with a treat today of chips and other goodies provided by school staff)
Wednesday 26th Induction Day for our New Junior Infants/ Tidy Up Day for all other classes.
If your child has any text books belonging to school, please return by this day and all workbooks and copies should be left at home.
Thursday 27th Graduation for 6th Class children at 1.30pm. (6th Class parents only)
Friday 28th School closes at 12 noon for the summer holidays.
School will re-open on Thursday August 29th for the 2024-2025 school year.
Bus routes and times may change slightly and we will be in touch to confirm all of this before the beginning of term.
We will purchase all books and copies again this year. The only things that you will need to purchase before the return to school is your child’s stationery, and all stationery lists for each class will be available on our Website by the end of July.
Over the last couple of years, we have tried to keep school costs to a minimum. We are reducing school costs again this year to €50 per child to cover the cost of insurance, Arts and Crafts, photocopying etc. This can be paid in full when school resumes on the 29th August, or in 2 instalments of €25 each but should be paid before the Halloween Break. If you wish to discuss any of the above, please contact Jackie in the office.
Teachers for 2024-2025 School Year
5th and 6th Classes Mr. Ruaidhri C. Fennell (Mr. Cillian Rowney is on Career Break)
3rd and 4th Classes Ms. Gina Lalor who joins us as a new permanent member of staff.
1st and 2nd Classes To be confirmed
Junior & Senior Infants Ms. Roisin Cassin
ASD Class 1 Ms. Roisin Cartwright ASD Class 2 Mr. Ciarán Rowney
S.E.T Mr. Noel Reynolds E.A.L Ms. Catherine Delaney
All relevant information will be shared with you via our website: barnashronens.ie which will be updated in mid to end of July to reflect the next school years’ information.
If for any reason you need to contact us during the summer break, school will remain open daily until July 12th during the Summer Programme and thereafter you can contact us via email.
Although we hope to see all of our pupils back here with us in August, we do understand that for one reason or another, people may move during the summer. If this is the case, it is vital that you let us know as soon as possible as there is currently a waiting list for school places for next year.
During the last few weeks we have had a busy time.
Some of our boys and girls from 2nd Class and 6th Class have received the sacrament of their First Holy Communion and Confirmation in 2 ceremonies held recently in Ballyfin Church.
As you know, we have been working really hard to raise funds for the school, and recently had a Clothes for Cash day, and I am pleased to say, after all your kind donations of clothing, shoes etc, we raised €507.60.
A few weeks ago, we held our very first Golf Classic Fundraiser, in Portarlington Golf Club. Thankfully, the weather was kind to us, and we had a good turnout of golf teams and sponsorship. It was hard work, but with everyone’s support, and your very kind generosity, we have raised approximately €10,670. A massive thank you to all those people that put forward a team on the day, those of you who purchased raffle tickets, and who donated prizes etc. We couldn’t do it without your support and our wonderful community in Barnashrone NS.
We have already spent some of our fundraising monies on a new poly tunnel, which will be the base for our new Gardening Club.
The Junior Tour was held in Playtown, Tullamore. The Senior Tour was held in Castlecomer Discovery Park. Both were a wonderful success for pupils and staff alike.
The children in our ASD Classes have also been busy. Over the last 3-6 weeks, they have been nurturing chicken eggs which they have seen hatch into 4 little fluffy chicks. They have all been adopted by a member of staff, Dympna, who has taken them home to watch them progress. They have also been studying the lifecycle of the butterfly and watched as their little caterpillars turned into beautiful butterflies before setting them free into the wild. It’s been quite a term!
I have attached a calendar of the various dates for the coming academic year 2024-2025.
This may be subject to change once we have been given our In-Service Training dates, which we will notify you of.
Please note the dates in early September, as we have swimming lessons starting on the 16th, and also the time of the school opening has been pushed out to 10.30 a.m. for 1 week, as Laois have been awarded the Ploughing Championships again, so traffic will be busy.
On behalf of the Board of Management, myself and all the staff, I would like to say thank you to each and every one of you for continuing to support Barnashrone National School during this past year, and making it such an enjoyable place to be in, for both pupils and staff, and all the other people who support our lovely school. We hope you have a lovely summer, and we will see you again on Thursday 29th August.
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