Starting School "Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí" Ringaskiddy Lower Harbour N. S., Ringaskiddy,

1. Starting School "Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí" Ringaskiddy Lower Harbour N. S., Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork. www.ringaskiddyns.ie

2. Failte Romhat Welcome to a new and exciting stage in your child’s life. During this year your child will make new friends and enjoy new experiences. We now, teachers and parents, have the chance to work as partners to ensure that at the end of this school year your child will have a positive attitude towards education based on social and academic confidence.

3. First Day - A Happy One! • Be Positive • Outline School Routine • (teacher, other children, break-time, lunch-time, sitting down, listening, tidy-up time, home-time). • Help to hang up coat • (say good-bye, leave promptly, don’t linger!) Most children, even if initially upset soon become distracted by their surroundings and settle down.

4. Seating : Next September your child can sit wherever he / she would like to in the Junior Infant classroom and after a couple of weeks your child will be given a special place to sit.

5. Starting Time & Home Time : Start Time: 8.50am Home Time: 1.30pm (Junior & Senior Infants) Junior Infants will finish at 12 noon until Friday September 7th. Parents collect their children at the front gate of the school.

6. Breaks : 2 breaks during the day for the infant classes short break: 10.45 to 11.00 long break: 12:45 to 1:15. We try to ensure that no child feels lonely or left out.

7. Clothes : The tracksuit can be purchased in Cahills, Carrigaline. Please ensure that all clothes likely to be removed i.e. coats, hats, scarves, gloves, jumpers etc. are clearly labelled with your child’s name, as many children possess similar items. Check out nametags.ie for labels.

8. School Uniform Track suit * blue tracksuit top and bottom * white polo t-shirt with school crest * suitable footwear ( runners )

9. Stationary : Please ensure that your child’s belongings are clearly labelled : * 2 Pencils * a rubber & topper * Colouring pencils/Twistibles

10. Enrolment Day & Book List : An enrolment day for the children will be held in June 2017 (date to be confirmed – you will be notified). On this day, the children will come into the infant classroom from 11.15a.m. to 12:30p.m. You will receive a booklist by post before this date.

11. Curricular Areas : • Peannaireacht • Literacy • Gaeilge • Maths • SESE (History, Geography, Science, SPHE) • Drama and Oral Language • Music • Art • PE • Religion – Grow in Love

12. Extra Curricular Activities Computers – Techkidz Drama – Christmas Concert Music –visiting teacher School Tour Stretch ‘n Grow Gymnastics Tag Rugby Swimming Football/Hurling/Camogie Soccer Basketball Green Flag

13. Reading : Jolly Phonics Paired Reading Magic Emerald (Readers) Literacy Lift-Off (Senior Infants) Reading Recovery

14. Writing : Your child will be learning to write lower case letters initially so it would be very helpful if you could stick up your child’s name written in this way perhaps on his bedroom door so that he / she can be familiar with it. If this can be practiced in writing, this is even better!

15. Assessment : Your child’s teacher will continually make informal assessments. Every year, in the second term (February), Parent/Teacher meetings take place. These provide an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress. Please do not hesitate to approach the Junior Infant teacher if you are anxious about anything or have any concerns regarding your child’s learning. If you wish to have a more detailed discussion, a convenient time can be arranged in advance.

16. P.E.: The school tracksuit and comfortable footwear should be worn everyday. The infants have the use of a large hall in the Marine college for 1 hour per week.

17. Toys : There is no need for children to bring toys into school and we discourage this practice because of breakages, competition and peer pressure.

18. Healthy Food : We strongly urge you to follow our “healthy lunch box” recommendations as Ringaskiddy N. S. is a healthy eating school. Sweets, biscuits, cereal bars, crisps, chocolate and other unhealthy foods are not allowed in school. On starting school, many children are too distracted to eat a large lunch so we recommend a small nutritious snack, for example two sandwiches, water or milk, a piece of cheese, yogurt or fruit. We discourage juice and encourage water. As children at this age need to drink quite a lot of water the children are allowed to drink water throughout the day. We try to ensure that the children eat a good portion of their lunch, particularly their sandwiches. We do not encourage swapping of lunch items. Please ensure that your child’s lunch box is clearly labelled with your child’s name. Anything which is not eaten is brought home along with all rubbish.

19. Information Bulletins : Please keep an eye on your child’s school-bag/homework folder as it may contain notes for parents.

20. Notes : Notes must be given to the class teacher during any absences. All absences are recorded in school. After a child is absent for 20 days, the National Educational Welfare Board ( N.E.W.B ) will be contacted. You may be contacted by N.E.W.B. personnel in relation to the absences. It is also very important to inform the class teacher if a person unknown to the school is collecting your child.

21. Independence : During the first couple of weeks, it is acceptable to bring your child into the classroom. Once the children have settled into the school environment, independence should be given to the children.

22. Punctuality : All children are likely to be late to school at some time in their school life. However, being persistently late for school is disruptive to the individual and to the work of the class. Therefore, we ask you to be as punctual as possible for the commencement of school in the morning ( 8:50a.m. ) and home time in the afternoon ( 1:30p.m. - infants ).

23. Preparing Your Child for Schoolwork : Good writing is all about muscle and motor control so it will help your child greatly if she / he is practiced at colouring, drawing, painting, manipulating materials such as plasticene, construction work, jigsaws, fastening and opening buttons and zips, opening their own lunch boxes,etc. Noting visual differences is essential to reading and this skill is practiced and encouraged by use of matching games, construction work, jigsaws etc. Reading aloud to your child will cultivate an interest in and love of reading.