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January '08       February '08      March '08

JANUARY ‘08 Newsletter

CHRISTMAS RAFFLE
Thank you for supporting the Parents’ Council Christmas Raffle. It was another success this year with 58 people winning prizes and €3,052 being raised.

UPDATING OF SCHOOL RECORDS
We plan to install a new School Management System on the office computer and we would ask that you complete a revised registration form. If your son enrolled in the school during this school year you will already have completed the revised form and will not need to do so again.
If you don’t have a P.P.S. No. for your son you will need to call in person to the Department of Social Welfare in Ann Street. You will need to bring I.D. for yourself e.g. passport or driving licence and your son’s birth certificate. The P.P.S. No. will be issued immediately. The contact number for the Department of Social Welfare is 9165400. I ask that you return the form to school as soon as possible. I know how easy it is to forget about these things!

STAFF MEETING
This month’s staff meeting will again take place on the last Thursday, 31st January. School will close at 1.50 p.m. on that day.

CLOSURES THIS TERM
A reminder that school will be closed on the following days this term.
Mon. 11th – Fri. 15th February – Mid Term Break.
Wed. 20th February – School Development Planning.
Mon. 17th – Fri. 28th March – Easter Holidays.
School will close at 12.45 p.m. on Fri. 14th March.
School will re-open on Mon. 31st March.

ENROLLING IN SECOND LEVEL SCHOOLS
I encourage you to enrol your son in the second level school of your choice as soon as possible. If you haven’t done so already you can request a registration form directly for the school. Contact details are listed below.
Every school has an Enrolment/Admission Policy. Some parents believe that places are reserved in C.B.S. Secondary for pupils from C.B.S. Primary School. This is not listed as one of the criteria in C.B.S. Secondary.
C.B.S. Secondary – 9141391
St. Peter’s College – 9142071
Wexford Vocational College – 9122753

Jos. Furlong, Principal, 17th January 2008
 

QUIZ CHAMPIONS AGAIN
A team of boys from the school won the Wexford Credit Union Under-13 table quiz on the 28th January. We have a great record in this competition. The members of the winning team were Matthew Devereux (Capt.), Emmet Broaders, Mark Chapman and Diarmuid North. The boys will represent the school and Wexford District at the Chapter Final next month.
Our other Under-13 team finished in third place – Steve Roche (Capt.), Lee Cogley, Stephen Healy and Ciarán O’Faherty. In the under-11 category we had a team in second place – David Dempsey (Capt.) Conor Bolger, Aaron Scahill and Conor Walsh. Well done to all the boys!

MID TERM BREAK
We are half-way through the term and the mid-term break will be all of next week, Monday 11th to Friday 15th February. Friday of this week, 8th February, will be a full day with school closing at the normal time, 2.50 p.m.

ATTENDANCE
I have highlighted the importance of good school attendance on previous occasions. I have also used a quote from Eddie Ward Chief Executive Officer of the National Educational Welfare Board:
“It is important that parents realise that patterns of non-attendance are habit-forming. In other words, a child who misses school regularly in primary is more likely to go on missing school in secondary and is also more likely to drop out of school.”
The attendance figures for the first five months of the current school year are:-
September 95.3% October 93.4% November 93.2% December 92.1% January 93.3%
When compared to the previous two years every month indicates the lowest attendance in that three year period. Also of interest is the fact that Fridays still have the lowest attendance figures with Mondays being the second worst. I ask that you be very conscious of your son’s attendance and that you keep in mind the fact that Fridays and Mondays are the worst days for attendance.
We are currently working on a School Attendance Policy. The members of the Parents’ Council have received copies of the draft policy and they have been asked for feedback. If you would like to see a copy, with a view to offering suggestions, you can contact Mary Goodison, our school secretary.


SOCIAL PERSONAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION
S.P.H.E. provides opportunities to foster the personal development, health and well-being of the individual child, to help him to create and maintain supportive relationships and become an active and responsible citizen in society. Our school’s S.P.H.E. programme covers a wide range of topics. These include healthy eating, alcohol, drugs, safety and social responsibility, environmental issues, relationships and sexuality education (R.S.E.). At primary level R.S.E. aims to help children learn, at home and in school, about their own development and about their friendships and relationships with others. This work will be built on developing a good self-image, promoting respect for themselves and others and providing them with appropriate information.
As part of the school’s S.P.H.E. programme pupils will be learning about R.S.E. this month. Parents of 2nd and 3rd class pupils may request a copy of the lesson from the class teacher. A copy of the relevant lesson will be posted to parents of 4th, 5th and 6th classes this week. The lesson will be taught on Friday 22nd February.

SCHOOL CLOSURES REMINDER
A reminder that school will be closed on the following days this term.
Mon. 11th – Fri. 15th February – Mid Term Break.
Wed. 20th February – School Development Planning.
Mon. 17th – Fri. 28th March – Easter Holidays.
School will close at 12.45 p.m. on Fri. 14th March.
School will re-open on Mon. 31st March.

STAFF MEETING
The February staff meeting will again take place on the last Thursday of the month, 28th February. To facilitate this school will close at 1.50 p.m.

Jos. Furlong, Principal, 6th Feb ‘08