SCOIL COLM NEWSLETTER

1. SCOIL COLM NEWSLETTER Volume 2, Issue 6 May 18th 2012 Principal: Ms C Ní Chianáin Deputy Principal: Mr H Maune School Closures: Thursday, May 31st – Referendum Friday, June 1st – Closed Monday, June 4th – Bank Holiday Tuesday, June 5th – Closed School re-opens on Wednesday, June 6th Dear Friends At long last the sun has come out and thankfully it shone on our second class pupils as they received First Communion on Saturday, 12th May. I would like to congratulate the pupils, their families, Ms Gilheaney, Fr Paul, the communion choir and all the staff who helped to make the day such a success. We are now in the middle of the final term of the school year and it is a busy one. Our sponsored walk was rained-off on the day we had planned to go, so we moved it to the following day and had a fun time on our march around Crumlin and Kimmage! May I thank all those who sponsored our pupils and those who organised the walk with Ms Caulfield. Our drum workshop took place last Friday. It was noisy but a lot of fun. The school tour and the mandatory standardised tests will take place for all classes this week. We would like to extend a warm welcome to our new boys who will be visiting the school for the first time next week with their parents. Our school teams have played very well in their outings to date and we are very proud of their achievements this year. My thanks to all who helped to train the teams and provide lifts for the pupils. So far this year, pupil attendance has continued to improve overall and we want to keep it up right until the end of June. Please help us to give our pupils the best education we can provide by ensuring that they are in school on-time, every day. Thanking you for your continued support of our school. Claire Ní Chianáin 2012/2013 Information Uniforms: Uniforms can be ordered and paid for in the school shop (situated in the parents’ room) at the following time between now and the end of June. 9.15am to 9.45pm. Please remember to order uniforms early to ensure we have them in stock before the new school year. Book Rental: The book rental fees which include the cost of all art materials, computer paper & printer cartridges, photocopying paper, sports training & the text-a-parent service will remain the same for the next school year as follows: 2nd, 3rd & 4th classes - €75.00 per child per year. 5th class - €80.00 per child per year. 6th class - €83.00 per child per year. Book Rental Fees can be paid at the office at the following times between now and the end of June 9am to 10am and 2.15 to 2.45pm

2. Page 2 of 4 Student’s Page Scoil Colm Newsletter My Communion was on Saturday 12th May 2012. It was the first time I had holy bread. Communion is about receiving Jesus. My job was the Penitential Rite for the Communion. ConorRoom 1. My Communion was on Saturday 12th May. I had a nice day. I said a prayer at mass. My sister gave me a bike. PatrykRoom 1. My Communion was on Saturday 12th May. I got my holy bread. I had a good day. I got a DS game. My job was a prayer of the faithful. I got lots of cards. GerrardRoom 1. My Communion was on Saturday 12th May. I had a nice day. After I went into the parish hall for tea and biscuits. Then I went to my nana’s and then I went to my other nana’s. On Sunday I brought my grandparents out for dinner. Josh E, Room 1. On Saturday it was my Communion. I had a brilliant day. I went to the Red Cow. I had a reading. After the Communion we went to the parish hall for tea and biscuits. I bought loads of games for my Wii. Aaron Room 1. On Saturday I made my Communion. My Communion was about receiving Jesus and giving God respect. I had a great day because I tasted the holy bread and it was my birthday on the same day and I had a party. I got a big cake and a bouncy castle. Kyle C Room 1. Five a side On Thursday the 4th of May the school had a five a side tournament out in Ringsend. It was great fun. We had five games and won four of them we played great. Ms Ní Chianáin said we represented the school excellently and she was very proud of us. We were very unfortunate not to have gone through to the quarter finals but the main thing is we had fun. We would like to thank Ms Clarke, Graham, John, Ms Devine and especially Alan. He has been great through all the season, so thank you Alan from all the team. Our five a side team was: Joseph C, Martin, Stephen, Ian, Robert T, Shane L, Leon and Ciaran. By Joseph C & Martin

3. Page 3 of 4 Student‘s Page Scoil Colm Newsletter Sponsored Walk We had our sponsored walk on the 2nd of May. It was a very nice day for a walk. We walked from our school to the church then went around to Cashel Road and finished up back at school. We were greeted with sweets and drinks. We all had a great day and we all got homework off. By Ciaran and Sean, Rm 8. OUR SCHOOL TRIP Today our class went to Dolphins Barn. We went to the fire station because we got our 200 marbles. We met a fireman named Alan and he let us try out lots of tools like the hose and helmet. Then he told us to get in the fire truck and drove us around the block. Then we went back to the fire station and we got out of the fire truck. A little later we went back to school. By Aaron J, Room 4 THE FIRE STATION O.M.G the fire station was deadly. Alan the fire brigade man was showing us the hose and other cool things. He showed us the fire truck and other trucks. It was deadly. We got to squirt the hose. We gave Alan and the others guys rocky roads. We got to have a drive around the block. We went back to the school. THAT WAS GREAT!!! By Robert T, Rm4

4. Page 4 of 4 Parent’s Page Scoil Colm Newsletter Standardised Tests On May 22nd, 23rd and 24th, standardised tests in English and Maths will be administered to the pupils in our school. All schools in the country must use the tests. The NCCA have a leaflet with information for parents called “Your Child and Standardised Testing” on their website – www.ncca.ie. Here is some information from that leaflet: What is a standardised test? We are all familiar with the idea of tests in school. Your child probably tells you how he did in a spelling or tables test prepared by the teacher. A standardised test is another kind of test. The standardised tests in English reading and Maths measure a child’s achievement compared to other children in all schools at the same class level or age level. Should I help my child prepare for standardised tests? No. Standardised tests are one source of information about your child’s achievement in English reading and Maths. The teacher gathers information about your child’s learning all the time. Your child will take the standardised tests on a regular school day as part of his daily work in the classroom. Indeed, your child may not even realise that he has taken the tests! How will I know how my child has done on the standardised tests? You child’s class teacher will share the test results with you, in a school report. Clothes and Mobile Phone Collection We are continuing with our Clothes and Mobile Phone Collection, to raise funds for our School. Bags of clean clothes can be dropped into school, Monday – Friday. Unused mobile phones can be sent to the Parents’ Room each morning, between 9.00 and 9.45am. ENROLMENT FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2012/13 If you would like a place in Scoil Colm for your son for the school year 2012/13, please contact the school office on 01-4562622 or Therese on 086 3013632.