​Please Note:
In the unlikely event that an after-school activity has to be cancelled at short notice, you will be notified. Should you not be in a position to collect your child at the normal school closing time, your child will be supervised for the period of the after-school activity.

​3ú M. Fómhair, 2018
​
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian,
I am delighted to welcome you and your children back after the summer holidays. I can’t believe how tall the children have grown – it must have been all the lovely warm sunshine. I wish to extend a special welcome to our 90 new Junior Infants and their parents whom we will accompany on their educational journey. I would also like to welcome the children who have joined us from other schools and you their parents – you have joined a very special school community where we place a strong emphasis on fostering a warm, welcoming and respectful atmosphere in which every child is enabled to reach his/her potential.
Aongus O’ Briain, Innessa Ní Fhearáin and Órla Ní Ghiollagáin have joined the teaching staff of St. Mary’s NS and Máirín Doyle has returned to the staff following a Career Break. I look forward to working with them and I’m sure they’ll be very happy here in St. Mary’s. We are very fortunate to have a committed staff with such a high level of expertise and skill sets which they use to ensure we achieve the highest level of teaching and learning here in St. Mary’s.
We are delighted to welcome our new caretaker Paddy Burke to the staff of St. Mary’s. Paddy has been beavering away for the past few weeks ensuring the grounds and buildings of Belmont Ave and Milltown Park were ready for the staff and pupils on their return to school.
The Board of Management ratified the Administration of Medicines and Emergency Care Policy at the end of the last school year and it is published on the school website. I would ask you to read this policy carefully. I would ask you to read in particular the sections under the title ‘Procedures’ as there are changes in practices relating to children with medical conditions attending the school.
The form for Personal Accident Insurance for School Pupils is available to download on the school website. Please complete and return to your child’s class teacher before 7 September.
It is very important that you complete and submit the Emergency Information Form as soon as possible to ensure that we have your most up to date contact details in the unlikely event we need to contact you during the school day.
 
Extra-curricular activities will be resuming in the near future and you will receive information about all the activities over the next few days.
 
Please see below a few reminders which will ensure a smooth and speedy transition for all our families at this busy time.

• The building in Milltown Park opens at 8:50 am. I would appreciate if you could ensure that your child lines up in the yard before the doors of the school are opened to ensure that teaching and learning can begin promptly at 8:50 am.
• The building in Belmont Ave opens at 9:00 am. Again, it is very important children arrive on time for school.
• The children should wear their school uniforms except on designated PE days. Children are permitted to wear dark shoes or runners (no white soles/ white stripes).
• Please ensure that all clothes and belongings are labelled with your child’s name.
• We ask that you are mindful of blocking resident’s driveways when parking near the school in Belmont.
• Children are not permitted to cycle or scoot in the school yards.
• We ask that parents/guardians do not remain on the school premises between 1:40 and 2:40 pm
• The Milk Scheme will not be in operation this year due to the limited uptake of same in the past number of years.

I look forward to meeting you during the year.  Should you wish to meet with me to discuss any matter, please contact Josephine in the office to schedule a meeting.
Le dea-ghuí,
Anne Purcell.

​Every Day:
Wake Up and Shake Up (10 at 10) - 10 minutes of  Whole School exercise every morning on the yard! Teachers are leaders in Belmont, different classes will lead it every day in Milltown.

Every class will receive Active Homework! They must challenge themselves to get 60 minutes of activity each day, this should be recorded in their homework journals.

Busy Breaks, GoNoodle, Drop Everything and Dance

Points will be given to individual children that actively walk, scoot or cycle to school. Each class' points total will be written on their door everyday for the Active Committee to count. The class with the most points at the end of the week will get an Active Prize!

Run Around Ireland Challenge: Children will run a mile every morning in a bid to run the distance of our island's coastline!

Tuesday: 
Ken Knaggs from Leinster Rugby will be coming in to take each class for some tag rugby sessions!

Wednesday: 
Our Sports Day will take place in Muckross! Make sure that your child has a t-shirt that corresponds to their colour team (red/yellow/blue).

There'll be a range of activities in our circuits before our class relays take place. After that our main event - Teachers vs 6th class - will take place!

Thursday:
Fundamental movement skills sessions will take place, with senior students mentoring junior students on the basics of movement to help them increase proficiency! They will make great use of video technology on our school Ipads!

Our GAA team face Mr Cody's fierce rivals St Martin de Porre's of Tallaght in Thomas Davis GAA @ 3:15pm.

Friday:
Introduction to Orienteering using our newly drawn maps in Milltown

Teddy Bear Olympics in Belmont!