Parent’s Association Committee Members 2023/2024

Contact email paslanens@gmail.com 

  • Bridget Kerrigan (Chairperson)
  • Janine Reilly (Secretary)
  • Leah Cooney (Treasurer)
  • Denise Cassidy (PRO)
  • Sarah-Jane Lynch (Board of Management 2023-2027 mother’s nominee)
  • Richie Carolan (Board of Management 2023-2027 father’s nominee)
  • Marie Carolan
  • Dev Cudail
  • Rachel Carolan
  • Alex Ledward
  • Soren Jensen
  • Elaine McConville
  • Áine Loughran
  • Deirdre Stafford

Parent’s Association Principal Update Beginning of September 2023

Welcome back

Thanks

  • To PA for coffee morning and book rental committee for all work re books and stationery
  • Buddy bench

School Life

  • New staff Tim Dineen 3rd class, Rachel Halton job sharing SNA with Irene Meehan
  • Assembly tomorrow with pupils
  • Routines back up and running – yard, entry and exit from school, contact details for teachers, medical forms

Curriculum

  • Soccer coaching – Rossin Rovers (3rd classes)
  • GAA – 4th-6th class Cumann na mBunscol leagues against other school

Other

  • Immunisation programme in December/ January for junior infants
  • After school activities a priority for next week, along with rota for hens

Parent’s Association Principal Update Beginning of October 2023

Thanks

  • For invitation to the PA AGM. Delighted to see new faces.
  • Thanks to the outgoing committee and I look forward to working with the new committee.
  • Thanks also to the volunteers who supervised the walking buses last week.

Curriculum Activities

  • A discussion on preventative measures relating to head lice and also anti-bullying preventative role modeling on relational difficulties with other children took place at assembly this month.
  • Swimming lessons booked for all classes beginning in November 2023. Bus numbers being finalised
  • School participating in GLOBE air quality project in October, in association with the EPA
  • Hen rota set up and pupils trained up for the next month. Eggs being sold again.
  • Dates for confirmation and communion forwarded to parents/ guardians
  • Boys and girls GAA continuing
  • Blue day on Friday to support Slane GFC in their final on Saturday

Policy Ratification

  • Child Safeguarding Statement
  • Policy review taking place this year. Aim to consolidate some policies in with others

Parent’s Association Principal Update Beginning of November 2023

Thanks

  • Thanks to PA members for decorating the hall and attending on the day of the mid-term break
  • Swimming has begun for 6 week term for pupils. Many thanks to volunteers for their help also

Curriculum

  • Year two of ERASMUS outdoor learning project. Over 100 pupils engaging in lessons outdoors weekly
  • Various models of in-class support including team-teaching/station teaching for literacy and numeracy being put in place
  • Ongoing soccer sessions for 3rd class

Other

  • New Board of Management term December 2023-2027. Welcome to Richard Carolan & Sarah Jane Lynch new parent nominees
  • Spoke to all classes re outdoor projects, including outdoor classroom and polytunnel. Outdoor classroom has begun construction
  • Funding from Erasmus project to pay for play house in outdoor area
  • Visit from Marino Institute of Education students Thu 16th November with infants, 4th and 5th classes
  • Parent Teacher meetings upcoming
  • Christmas carol services in December in Church over two evenings
  • In school gaelic football league for 3rd to 5th class with 6th class pupils as officiators
  • Explanation of cost of buses annually and PA historical contribution

Parent’s Association Principal Update Beginning December 2023

Thanks

  • Thanks to PA members for all the work as part of the Cake Sale and swimming

Curriculum

  • 17 final year students from Marino College of Education in school observing hen company, 4th class lessons outdoors and junior and senior infants engaging in outdoor play.
  • Plans for whole class interventions in new year to support teaching and learning.
  • Reading recovery project in senior infants continuing.
  • School Self-Evaluation focus on wellbeing and the curriculum. Priority is music. Questionnaires gone to teachers and pupils to determine focus of project.
  • National Council for Curriculum and Assessment in school today recording lesson in Tom Ó Braonáin’s class to support new English and Gaeilge curriculum.
  • Mathematics curriculum. School closure on Monday the 15th of January for inservice training.

Other

  • Polytunnel and outdoor classroom now both constructed. Official opening of both planned for spring.
  • Mass Friday 8th December at 11am in St. Patrick’s Church, Slane.
  • Christmas carol services in December in Church (Monday jnr. inf./ 1st/ 3rd and 5th 7pm and Tuesday sen. inf./ 2nd/ 4th & 6th 7pm).
  • Gaelic football league for 3rd to 5th class with 6th class pupils as officiators continues.
  • Quizzes with senior classes taking place weekly.
  • Policy review ongoing. Will forward drafts to PA nominees shortly. Several combined together as previously discussed.
  • Hot meals scheme being introduced to St. Patrick’s N.S. in 2024. More details to follow.
  • Parent teacher meetings feedback.
  • Request from PA for tea and coffee after carol service on both nights if feasible.

 

Parent’s Association Update Beginning of January 2024

 Thanks

Thanks to the Parent’s Association for hosting the tea and coffee in the school after the carol services in December

Curriculum

  1. The Relationship and Sexuality Education programme is being taught in this current second term. All relevant lessons are available for parents/ guardians here https://www.slanens.ie/r-s-e/
  2. Two remaining classes go swimming this term – fourth (Ms. Kerr) and second class.
  3. A new Mathematics curriculum has been launched. There will be a school closure on Monday the 15thof January for teacher inservice training.
  4. Pupils have been engaging in quizzes for a number of weeks in advance of the Credit Union quiz, which takes place at the end of the month in Rathkenny.
  5. APOLE (Adventurous Play Outdoor Learning Erasmus) European project continues this year. – Ruth Collins and Lorna Murphy – infant classes and 4th classes, research project in partnership with DCU).
  6. Soccer lessons take place this month for a four week block for junior infants to 1st Thanks to Slane Wanderers for the coaching.
  7. School Self-Evaluation 3 year process – school has chosen wellbeing and music as a joint focus. Data has been collected from teachers (survey), all pupils 4th to 6th (survey) and pupils senior infants to 3rd class (focus group).

Summary strengths:

  • A high percentage of pupils enjoy learning music (95%) and teachers enjoy teaching it (80%).
  • A high percentage of pupils are learning to play a musical instrument (69%) and 94% in total want to
  • The strand of performing (song singing) is the strongest area taught and learned

Areas to consider as part of three year plan:

  • Pupils would like to play a musical instrument consistently in class, learn music notation and know how they are doing in music (47% don’t know how they are doing)
  • Teachers would like to consider a new music programme (42%), professional development to support their teaching (38.5%) and to be able to play an instrument (15.4%)

We will now create a three year plan to implement the suggested ideas and have success criteria to know if we succeed or not.

School Life

  1. Applications for admission begin next Thursday the 18th of January for junior infants next year.
  2. Catherine Kennedy begins as English as an Additional Language teacher in January
  3. Sarah Flanagan begins a maternity leave position in senior infants for Lauren Delaney.
  4. Grace Malone begins a 0.33 part time SNA post.
  5. The school is placing a focus on improving attendance levels this year, which have fallen since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Parent’s Association Update Beginning of February 2024

Parents/Guardians

  1. Sincere thanks to the Parent’s Association for hosting the tea, coffee and baked goods in the school for Grandparent’s Day.
  2. Thanks also to parents who assisted with the Hot School Meals focus group (more below).
  3. Finally, thanks to parents who are making themselves available to assist with swimming lessons (more below).

Curriculum Activities

  1. School Self-Evaluation 3 year process – our plan for year one of three is now in place. All of the process is available on the News section of the school’s website slanens.ie (doc attached).
  2. The two remaining classes began swimming in Aura, Navan – fourth (Ms. Kerr) and second class.
  3. Staff had new mathematics curriculum inservice on Monday the 15thof January. Teachers are now beginning the roll out of the curriculum in classes between now and the end of the school year. The first focus is on Maths journals, an audit of maths equipment and group problem solving tasks.
  4. Four teams took part in the Credit Union quiz in Rathkenny Hall at the end of January. All the pupils enjoyed the event and both junior teams were placed second and third in the junior section while one of the senior teams was first in the senior section. They now go on to the Chapter final later this spring. Sincere thanks to all the teachers who put the work into planning the quiz season in school for all pupils since November, especially Ms. Gerrard who co-ordinated it.
  5. Soccer lessons continue for junior infants to 1. Thanks to Slane Wanderers for the coaching.
  6. GAA lessons continue for 3rd Thanks to Slane GFC for the coaching.
  7. A parent Relationship and Sexuality Education parent meeting and follow up workshop for pupils took place this month and a workshop for pupils takes place on Monday the 12th of February.
  8. School staff hosted two professional development meetings in the school recently. Topics discussed included creative clusters, reading recovery, child behaviour training, film making and outdoor learning.
  9. GAA and 5 a side soccer coaching continues for pupils from 3rdto 6th Thanks to Mr. Dineen, Mr. O’Connor, Mr. Ó Braonáin and Ms. Gerrard for giving up their lunch breaks to provide the coaching.
  10. Workshops for pupils in 3rd, 4th, 5thand 6th classes on online safety and device use have been provisionally booked for Wednesday the 24th of April.

Other School Life Matters

  1. A Hot School Meals focus group was set up to assist in evaluating the successful company to provide school meals for children. Many thanks to the 24 children and group of parents who volunteered. Three companies presented to the group. Along with food quality, logistics, school set up requirements, waste management and staffing form the criteria for evaluation. Feedback from the parents present on the days would be appreciated.
  2. The Board of Management requires estimates for the wall adjacent to the school car park to be repaired. If anyone knows a building contractor who is Relevant Contract Tax compliant and is interested in providing a quotation, please email Paul at office@slanens.ie
  3. The admission process for places in junior infants ends today Thursday 8th of February. Communication will shortly be going to parents regarding places.
  4. Catholic Schools Week took place last week including the making of St. Brigid’s crosses and Grandparent’s Day, which was a great occasion in the school.
  5. Vaccinations took place for junior infants in January and all went well.
  6. Mr. O’Connor’s 3rdclass hosted the January assembly. As part of the event, a discussion took place with all pupils in relation to healthy eating and anti-bullying strategies to help maintain good friendships.
  7. Lorna and I met with our Special Educational Needs Organiser recently. Lorna has applied for a review of our allocation of Special Needs Assistants as a result of the meeting.

Parent’s Association Update Beginning March 2024

Parents/Guardians

  1. Thanks to parents who assisted with the Book Fair this week in school, which finished today.
  2. Thanks also to the parents who are made themselves available to assist with swimming lessons and with BOWOW on Wednesdays. BOWOW was a great success on its first two days, despite the weather.

Curriculum Activities

  1. The Diocesan religious inspectors visited our school last week and all went well.
  2. Confirmation takes place for 6th class pupils next week. 6th class pupils and the choir continue preparation this week.
  3. Additional maintenance works are being carried out in the outdoor learning area. We hope to have an open day for parents, guardians and the wider school community in the final term.
  4. One of our Credit Union senior teams took part in the regional final in the Lakeside Manor Hotel on Friday last and finished in 2nd They now go onto the national final in April in the RDS.
  5. Seachtain na Gaeilge takes place the week of 11th -15th March with events taking place on each day of the week, including lá glas agus céilí mór on Tuesday 12th
  6. Séan Flanagan has applied for a school grant to purchase digital technology from Meta for €3,000 and we have just been informed that our grant application has been successful. Sean will be purchasing programmable BeeBots and Lego kits for use by pupils in the school with the grant.

Other School Life Matters

  1. After a review of our Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocation, we have been granted an additional 1.5 SNAs for our school. Recruitment for the additional positions is taking place at the minute.
  2. The Board of Management has made a submission on the proposed Slane bypass. It is available to read on the school website.
  3. Dineen’s 3rd class hosted the February assembly last week.
  4. Work continues in preparation for the hot school meals scheme to begin after Easter. I will have more information for parents as soon as I get it.
  5. Boys and girls took part in the GAA mini sevens last week. The teams performed very well and were both unlucky not to get to the county finals. Boys’ 5 a side soccer also took place this week. Lunchtime GAA and 5 a side soccer coaching continues for pupils from 3rdto 6th.