Newsletter Thursday 8/9/2021
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Junior infant: Junior infants times will begin as normal from Monday 12th September 9am to 1.40pm. Pictures of our Junior Infants will feature in this week’s Echo. You might like to grab a copy. It’s wonderful to see our pupils so happy coming into school in the mornings. Well done to all.
Wet Mornings Please bring your child to the front side doors when it is raining in the morning. Pupils in rooms 1 to 8 will enter via the junior hall front side doors and rooms 9 to 20 will enter via the senior hall doors. These doors will be open at 8.45am and teachers will receive the children in their classrooms. We ask that everyone would wipe their feet on the mat as they enter so as to prevent any falls. Pupils in rooms 9 to 12 (prefabs) will enter via the senior hall door on the right facing the school.
Afterschool Clubs: The following are details of some afterschool clubs expected to run in the school.
Morning Club: Two teachers are exploring the possibility of starting a morning club where children can be dropped off to the school from 8am. They will be fully supervised for the hour until school starts. It will be open to all students from Junior Infants to Second class. To register your interest and for details of costs please email morningclubesker@gmail.com The club will be subject to demand.
Sports Club offers children the opportunity to learn some new games and skills for many different sports, including GAA, football, tennis, uni-hoc, basketball, and athletics to name a few! This takes place in the safe school environment, and promotes fitness, well-being and mental health. Sports Club takes place on a Tuesday and Thursday, and is beginning on Tuesday the 13th. It is for 1st and 2nd classes. It will run for 7 weeks until October midterm, and we will be organising a new block in November. The cost for 7 sessions is €60 (either Tuesday or Thursday) or children can participate both days for €110 which is 14 sessions. We are currently fully booked but please register your interest in November’s block of Sports Club using the email address below, or contacting Ms O’Reilly (room 18) or Ms Finnegan (room 16). Email: stthomassports@hotmail.com
Smiling Soul Kids Yoga Kids yoga will take place on Monday the 12th of September – 10th of October for 5 weeks in Room 19 at 2.40pm -4pm or 4.15pm- 5.20pm. These classes are available for 6-9year olds. Price is €55. Kids yoga gives children an opportunity to explore body and mind while gaining strength, flexibility and balance through fun positive and relaxing activities. They will benefit from learning life skills, which would help them to cope with stressful situations and build self-esteem and can enhance creativity. Children will also take part in mindfulness and relaxation, breathing techniques, art and journaling. To secure a place please contact Ms. Doherty at smilingsoulkidsyoga@gmail.com
Please be aware that the above morning or after-school activities are not organised by St. Thomas’ JNS and so St. Thomas’ JNS holds no responsibility and bears no liability arising out of the running of the activities.
Green Schools: A friendly reminder that St Thomas’ JNS participates in the Green Schools programme. For our Litter and Waste reduction, we are aiming for Zero Waste in your child’s lunchbox. We would ask that your child should have a re-usable bottle and lunchbox (Bento style lunchboxes are super for segregating food items). Please use kitchen roll instead of tin foil or plastic as it is compostable and more sustainable. Your assistance in helping us achieve our Zero Waste target for lunchboxes is much appreciated. Thank you to Ms. Power and our Green Schools committee for their work on keeping our school green!
Pupil Insurance: Information leaflets and application forms to join this excellent and affordable scheme went out this week. It provides 24-hour cover for pupils for 365 days of the year. The closing date for payment and return of document is Friday 16th September.
Junior Infant photographs: Tuesday September 27th. The children will wear their full school uniform on the day. If you require a photo with a sibling who is a pupil in St. Thomas’, please inform your child’s class teacher via email in advance. One parent/guardian may attend on the day to ensure the children are well presented for their photos as the teachers and photographers cannot tidy hair etc. due to child protection. A timetable will follow in due course.
School Books and Coats: There are some children without school books. If your child is without his/her school books, can you please try and source them soon please. If there is difficulty in sourcing a particular school book, please let your teacher know. Similarly, the weather is quite changeable at the moment so if each child could bring a coat with them to school, it would be most beneficial to them in case it starts to rain.
Yard: It is great to see all the boys and girls line up in yard in the morning and afternoon. For child safeguarding purposes, on collection, please stand back behind the yellow line and wait until your child says to their teacher, ‘‘I see my mammy/daddy.’’ before they leave the line. Similarly, in the morning your co-operation in allowing your child line up with his/her friends is greatly appreciated.
P.E./Tracksuit days: Your child’s class teacher will be in contact with you in due course to advise on P.E./tracksuit days. The initial P.E. days/times may change and as we work through our support teachers timetables and slight changes may need to be made.
Yours sincerely,
Teresa Moynihan
Principal