Newsletter
16 12 2022
What a wonderful start to the weekend.
Thank you, Paul’s 3rd class.
Good afternoon parents / guardians,
What a chilly week it has been. Thanks Martin who ensured the yards were ready for us each morning and the school was nice and warm daily during the particularly cool spell this week. We are both busy and excited in school. The sounds coming from all the classrooms are very seasonal at the moment. We are also preparing for our solstice celebration on Wednesday. Clocks will have to be set for a dark start on the 21st but we look forward to welcoming daybreak with song together on the yard. Delphine has offered to make a coffee or tea for all.
Winter Solstice Celebration
The school has been filled with music, creativity and excitement this week as the children have been practising their songs, making their lanterns and preparing for our Winter Solstice celebration. Attached is a slideshow of the songs we are singing for our festival. Please encourage your child to practise these over the coming days. All voices, young and old, are invited to join in our song singing next Wednesday.
A huge thank you to everyone who has given kindling and evergreen for the fire and spiral arrangement. If you would like to bring some in, the box will be in front of reception next Monday and Tuesday.
We are very much looking forward to our festival next Wednesday morning and hope that you are too.
Carol and Deirdre
This is Art
Well done to some of our 6th class children who took part this week in the 2nd series of ‘This is Art Club’ for RTÉ Junior.
This series highlights the great artworks made by young artists from across Ireland.
Our children worked alongside our presenters and visiting artists/tutors for their episodes. The filming took place at National College of Art & Design (NCAD). Thanks Carmel, 6th class support teacher, for accompanying the children both days. We look forward to seeing the episodes in the new year.
Thank you to Rachael’s 4th class who visited Nephin Rd Nursing home today and helped get the residents into the festive spirit.
Congratulations to our 6th class children who were selected to represent D7ETNS in boxing. They had weekly training sessions each Thursday, culminating in a showcase event in St Saviour’s Boxing Club. They were training with children from a selection of local schools under the guidance of Dublin City Boxing coaches. At the showcase our boxers were mentored by our very own Olympic gold medal winner, Michael Carruth.
Meeting for parents and guardians of children with additional needs
Thank you to the parents / guardians of children with additional learning needs for attending the meeting last Friday morning. Thanks, Carmel, for hosting the session and for answering all questions about our Continuum of Support in D7ET. A parent spoke about the subject of inclusion. We make every effort to ensure D7ETNS is an inclusive school. Sadly, inclusion doesn’t happen by itself. The reality is that there are some children in school who do not have friends and don’t make the cut when it comes to getting invited to play dates or parties. We can’t enforce friendship, but we can encourage our children to be inclusive both inside and outside the classroom. This article gives good pointers on how we can teach our children to be inclusive.
Primary Language Curriculum Day – February 3rd
There is a change to our school calendar. Staff will attend Primary Language Curriculum training on Friday February 3rd, 2023. I will send out reminders closer to the date.
News just in from the Grangegorman Development Agency is that our new school remains on programme to be completed and ready for occupancy on 06.04.2023. The focus at the moment is the completion of the various trades in both the Teaching Block and the General Purpose Hall including electrical, mechanical, joinery, tiling, fitted furniture and ceilings. There is also a push to complete the services and get ready for placing the final surfaces in the various play areas. The fencing on the perimeter and the back court on top of the GP Hall will commence early in the new year.
We have lots to look forward to in the new year.
Have a lovely weekend everyone.
Fionnuala