Newsletters Archived

Parent/Teacher Meetings
Parent/Teacher Meetings will take place on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 November. Appointment sheets will be distributed next week, week commencing 12 November.

Procedure for entering the school each morning
To ensure safe and orderly access to the school grounds, the gates will open shortly before 8.30am. Parents and children walking/cycling to school must use the new pedestrian gate entrance.  No Cycling or Scootering is permitted on school grounds.

• The school bell rings at 08.30am. Children walk to their lines (in the early weeks of Junior Infants, parents may accompany children to the classroom).
  Classes are collected from the yard by their teacher. As soon as the classes have entered the building the doors are closed.
• The Luttrellstown door (nearest door to Pedestrian Entrance) remains open until 8.50am.
• Children who arrive after 08.50am must enter via reception and sign the “late book”.
• Children may not enter the school building until 08.30am.  Parents are responsible for the welfare of their children until the school’s duty of care begins at 8.30 am. On wet mornings please time your arrival for 8.30 – 8.40am.

Tigers After School Care
Places are available at Tigers After School Care. We cater for Hour Club (1.10 – 2.10pm), Homework Club, Full/ Part time and Occasional Care.  We will suit your needs!! For more information, please call Tracey on 0862253781 

Science Week
Science Open Day takes place on Thursday 15 November.  Parents are welcome to visit between 12.45 – 2.00pm.

Maths Help for 5th/6th Class Children
Please see the Children’s Corner section of our website www.stpatricksns.ie to see ShowMe – Maths Topics 5th & 6th Class.

Cross Country League
The next Cross Country Meeting takes place next Tuesday, 20th November, at Porterstown Fields. Can the parents who helped out last month please let Mrs Soulsby know whether or not they are available to help out again? Please email info@stpatricksns.ie if you are free. All help appreciated.

Parents Association News

Christmas Fair Raffle
This year we have some fantastic prizes for the Christmas Fair Raffle.  1st Prize is an Apple iPad, 2nd Prize Amazon Kindle Fire HD, 3rd Prize Beats by Dr Dre Headphones , 4th Prize Nintendo 3DS, 5th Prize €100 Voucher Branagan Meats, 6th Prize €100 Voucher Shoe Rack.
Every child in the school will receive a book of tickets this week. Parents/guardians are under no obligation to buy these tickets. Please return counterfoils and money or unsold tickets to the class teacher by Friday 16th November.  Tickets are €2 each or €10 for a book of 6 tickets.  Good luck in the draw and Thank You!

Positive Parenting in Challenging Times (Free talk for parents)
Parenting is not easy! It can be so hard at times that it overwhelms us. We may struggle dealing with a challenging child and feel that we are not good enough. As parents, we may feel guilty, stressed and unsupported.  There are things you can do that will make a difference. You can have a calmer, happier home and enjoy your children more.  The Practical Parenting talk is full of tips that will make a difference and that you can use at home. Sheila O’Malley runs Practical Parenting (www.practicalparenting.ie) to offer support and training to parents. She is a former Parenting Correspondent for Independent Newspapers, and has run a parenting slot on TV3’s Ireland Am and is a regular contributor on Radio and in the Media. She was trained by Dr Tony Humphreys, and is a qualified Parent Mentor. St Patrick’s Parent’s Association Committee is hosting the above talk on Thursday 8th November in the school reception area. Time: 8pm to 9pm with additional time available for questions.

St Patrick’s Parents for Business Network
Your First Choice for Products and Services supplied by parents.
Visit www.stpatricksns.ie for more information or see insert in your child’s Homework Journal.
“LIKE” us on Facebook to win a prize!

Parking
The Gardaí and local residents have again approached the school regarding the issue of dangerous and illegal parking.  We appreciate that lack of parking space is a major problem for all parents.  However, cars must be parked in a safe, legal and considerate manner.

Unfortunately, a number of parents continue to park and block access to/from driveways, and park dangerously close to junctions and entrances to estates.  This is both highly inconsiderate towards the residents of these estates and is, in fact, illegal.

There are also a number of parents who stop at the roundabout on the main road which is also a dangerous and illegal practice.  It is also an unnecessary practice as we have a safe procedure in place for dropping children off at the main entrance of the school.

The following are extracts from the Rules of the Road:

• A vehicle may not park on double yellow lines in any circumstances.
• A vehicle may not be parked within 5m of a junction.
• Vehicles may not be parked near: a bend, the brow of a hill, a humped back bridge, a continuous white line, where it would obstruct a sign, at an entrance, at a bus stop or opposite another vehicle on a narrow road.

The Board of Management will have no hesitation in supporting local residents who choose to report drivers who park illegally or trespass on their property. The Board will also support those parents who choose to report instances of dangerous parking that may put the lives of their children at risk. 

There is ample parking available at Spar car park which is a short distance from the school. Cars must be parked properly in the car park.  Under no circumstances should a car obstruct one of their patrons or interfere with delivery truck access.