2022 Spring Activities

Dear Parent,

It is lovely to talk to you.  I think the children are settling into the new routine, and indeed, for many, it is the old routine.  I hope you are coping well with it also.  I wish you to know that our Parents’ Association is fully operational again.  The P.A. is already advertising the latest events through their Facebook Page but I just wish to publicise these as well. 

Firstly, we plan to have a Movie Evening for the P.1., P.2. and P.3. children next Wednesday 30^th March at 6:30pm (drop off 6:15pm) with collection at 8pm.  The children can be dropped off at the school main entrance and the movie will be shown in the Assembly Hall.  There will be another Movie Evening the following Wednesday, 6^th April, at the same time and place for P.4., P.5., P.6. and P.7.   The children can bring a snack, they can come dressed in their pyjamas (if you/they wish), they can bring a pillow/ cuddly toy/ blanket and the plan is just to be together and relax in front of a movie.  We will provide a drink for them.

It would be great if you could provide a donation.  The school is depleted in terms of school funds. At present, we are replenishing the interactive whiteboards and getting the interior of the building redecorated.  These are all costs to the school that the Department of Education do not fund.  With your kind gestures at Christmas, we were able to purchase two interactive whiteboards and also get the infants’ resource area and assembly hall painted.  The school is in need of a facelift.  It has not been painted since 2009, and I think it is now timely that we get our school revived.  Together, we can all make a difference. 

There will also be an Easter raffle.  We would greatly appreciate items for the raffle such as confectionary, small toys, small board games etc. If you are able we can start receiving these.  They will be stored in Claire’s office.

There is also an outdoor Spring Clean planned for the 12^th April 2022 at 6pm.  We will provide you with details later.  The aim is to plant the raised beds, power wash, paint certain areas, fix the willow structure, clear and plant out the glasshouse.  We would like children to be involved and indeed we would also love grandparents to also get involved.  Again, a team effort will mean so much and it will be lovely to be able to come together now and carry out these tasks.  I also think it helps to give the children a sense of community and belonging. 

Along with the P.A., we have also planned a summer fete. There is a provisional date for June established. I will not finalise this for some time, as the June diary needs to be flexible as so many events occur at this time.

Of course, we are also looking forward to the sacraments of First Confession, the First Holy Communion and the Confirmation.  We will also host a Holy Communion tea party. The Stations of the Cross will also be re-enacted on Wednesday 13th April.  The P.7.s host this event for the whole school.

The school is starting to really come alive again after the COVID 19 events.  Last week, P.5., P.6. and P.7. organised a science fair each.  I wish to thank you all for supporting this event.  Each year, in normal circumstances, our Key Stage 2 classes present science projects at the RDS Science Fairs.  The public mingle around these events.  I can assure you that the quality of the children’s science fairs was worthy of these events.  The children’s scientific knowledge, their articulation, their presentation skills were excellent.  I was so impressed.  I wish to thank Mrs. Toal who is a S.T.E.M. specialist and Fellow of the Primary Science Teaching Trust for delivering weekly science lessons to P.6. and P.7. and for also inspiring and advising all classes with science.  It is great to have her wealth of knowledge.  In addition, as the RDS Science fairs are still not happening, instead, the classes present their projects virtually to the RDS adjudicators.  Our P.6. and P.7. projects will be virtually inspected in the coming weeks and I wish them a lot of luck with this big event. We also have a date set for the P.7. Magilligan Field Centre Environmental Science fieldtrip and residential for the P.7.s .   

Additionally, the Book Fair will be operational from Monday 4^th March-Thursday 7^th March.  Book Character Day will take place on Friday 1^st April.  This week (21st March) also begins a whole school poetry programme that all children engage in.  Mrs. Barnett will also be running her Dahl Club within the next few weeks for the P.6. class. 

The school sports programme is restored with Ballinamallard United providing football coaching for P.5. and P.7.  Additionally, CORE N.I. supports with P.1.- P.4. weekly, and also currently P.1. and P.6. on an afterschool basis. The P.6. and P.7. classes also attend their weekly swimming lessons again.

The Spanish programme is fully operational, with our Spanish teacher David, returning, as is the Brass Music Programme provided by the E.A. with Mr. O’Hare. 

The Shared Education joint classes are currently being planned for September 2022 in conjunction with Enniskillen Model.  However, there is joint school council liaison at present which is wonderful.  There is also close contact with Mrs. O’Connor who is the co-ordinator and her Model counterpart Mrs. McCartney. 

A lot is happening, and we are all very excited to see school life return to normal for the children, the staff and the community. 

I also ask you to consider joining the Parents’ Association.  You do not have to come in at committee level but any help you can offer would be much appreciated. The school really needs you and it would be great to see new members.  The Parents’ Association work very hard, but there is a great sense of camaraderie and fun in their group.  So please do consider joining.

We are ever mindful of the events in Ukraine.  The children are being brought up at a time which is constantly presenting stressful world events.  We are not shielding the children from these events but are trying to be proactive about what we can do to help.  As you are aware, we are now receiving items that can be sent to the refugees via Frances and Fergal Trainor (former parents). Every Friday at assembly, we talk about the events and we pray for a swift conclusion to this terrible war.

I hope you and the children are all well. I want to thank you for all your co-operation and patience during lockdowns.  However, now is the time to look forward and really start to get the school energised again.  You and the children are the community, I will continue to strive to ensure that you all are served to the best of my abilities and that the children have long-lasting, fond memories of school. The school belongs to the children.

My Very Best Wishes to You All,

Ms. O’Neill.