Dear parents/guardians,
Hope you are all safe and well . Please see below an attached travel survey questionnaire form from our building project architects (HYA ). This will enable the overall Mobility Management Plan for both schools to be completed.
Click on this link : https://forms.gle/RtxjRmTX84Y6j37MA : and complete the form.
Well done : To all our Junior Infants who are all doing very well! Parents, please stand back at the back of the line in the morning, and when you spot teacher at the head of the line, please leave the yard promptly.
Pupil Insurance : Information leaflets and application forms to join this excellent and affordable scheme were sent out this week, and parents can pay online, and return the form to their child’s teacher. If you are new to the school you will need to sign up for online payments first. Do this by clicking on the Easy-Payments tab on the school website and click ACTIVATE. If you have difficulty doing this please email c.foley@stthomasjns.com.
New Principal : Our new principal, Teresa Moynihan will be taking up her position on Monday 5th of October , Teresa has been in with us over the month of September, meeting staff and becoming familiar with the policies and procedures in the school. It is an exciting new chapter for her and for the school and I want to wish her all the best as she takes up her position. It is a challenging one and even more so in current times, but I know she will be supported in her role by the excellent Staff , Board and Parents in the community of Esker.
On a personal note, it has been an absolute privilege for me to serve the community over the last 21 years, and watch our school , it’s pupils and staff, grow and develop into well rounded individuals, who can fully participate in, and contribute to society.
I am fortunate to have worked in a job I love, and with the support of successive Boards of Management , School Staff and Parents’ Associations, have been able to help St. Thomas’ JNS become a focal point for teaching and learning, at the heart of the Esker community.
I want to pay particular thanks to Maura Egan who retired last year as Deputy Principal, and to her successor Lorraine Murray, our current Deputy Principal who have helped to carry the load . They espouse the spirit and ethos of our school, and its commitment to raising each and every pupil, to the highest standards they can possibly achieve.
I also want to thank the Chairpersons who have supported the school over my time here : Fr. Kevin Moore, Mr. Sean Giblin and our current Chairperson Mr. Barry Kennedy, who have all left no stone unturned, to ensure our school has what it needs, to provide an inclusive, progressive and well-rounded education for our pupils. They have all helped me to build a team of professionals who can be very proud of their achievements so far, and will assist our new principal going forward, as the school scales new heights.
I want to thank the chairperson of our PA , Maria Casey and her hard working committee,
along with Fr .John and the Parish team , for all that they do to support our school.
Finally, as I sign off, I look forward to an active retirement with lots of plans, but St. Thomas’ will never be too far away from my thoughts, in the months and years ahead.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Maher,
Principal.