MONEENROE NATIONAL SCHOOL
GENERAL INFORMATION
COMMUNICATION:
If at any time, you wish to speak with your child's class teacher or the principal, please make an appointment through the school office. Teachers will meet with parents between 8.45 to 9.15 am and 3.00 to 3.30 pm by appointment.
As well as sending home notes, our school operates a text-a-parent system and you will receive texts from us form time to time about different things happening in the school. We would ask you to check with your child each day to see if they have any note from the school.
PARKING:
In the interest of Health & Safety, parking is prohibited outside the school wall as cars can block the view of children crossing the road. Bus areas and Disabled Parking Spaces are to be kept clear at all times.
SCHOOL COSTS:
For the school year 2023/24 all school books, workbooks and copies will be supplied by the school and remain the property of the school and are required to be returned to the school at the end of the school year. There is a charge of €20.00 to help cover the cost of photocopying, art and craft materials. We would ask that this be paid during the first week of school.
ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL:
TUSLA, The Child and Family Agency was established some years ago to support school attendance and follow up on children who are not attending school regularly. Under the Education Welfare Act 2000, schools must report any children who are absent for more than 20 days in a school year. As a parent, you must let the school know in writing if your child is absent and give the reason why.
If a child has to go home early, (which should be an exception, rather than the rule) written consent is necessary. Parents must sign the child out stating the time of leaving the school and enter the time they arrive back if the pupil returns to school.
If a child is too sick to go to the yard he/she is too sick to come to school. Exceptions are made in the case of ongoing or chronic illness and limb injuries. Otherwise all children are expected to go to the yard as it is a vital part of social interaction.
Our school has a School Attendance Strategy. It is available on our website at here. A hard copy is in the Reception area.
FUNDRAISING:
The cost of running the school i.e., insurance, heating, electricity, telephone, etc., (as with all schools) far exceeds the grants provided by the Department of Education & Skills. The school has a very active Parents' Committee and they run some fund raisers during the year. Your support would be greatly appreciated.
PARENTS' ASSOCIATION:
We have a very active Parent's Association int he school. The committee consists of 10 to 12 members. This includes the 2 parents who are on the Board of Management of the school (elected by the Parent Body). Board of Management elections take place every 4 years and the Parents Association elections take place annually. All parents receive voting papers for both elections.
COMMUNICATION:
If at any time, you wish to speak with your child’s class teacher or the principal, please make an appointment through the school office. Office hours are between 9.00am and 3pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Requests for appointments can also be made via email at moneenroeschool@gmail.com. Teachers will meet with parents between 8.45 a.m. to 9.15 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. by appointment.
The school mainly communicates with parents via Text-a-Parent and/or email and you will receive texts and emails from us from time to time about different things happening in the school. Notes and information may also be sent via school diary, test copy and Parents Association Newsletter. We would ask you to check with your child each day to see if they have any note from the school.
We ask that you ensure the school always has an up-to-date and immediate contact number for parents. If your child has a particular health problem, e.g., eyesight, hearing, toilet related problem, asthma, nut allergy, etc., please inform the school.
HEALTH ISSUES:
Immunisation:
The HSE visit the school each year and children in Junior Infants receive the MMR and 4 in 1 vaccination. Permission forms are issued to parents from the HSE through the school.
Head Lice:
Head lice are regular visitors in all schools!
We would ask that you check your child's hair regularly. If you find that your child has head lice, lotions and shampoos are readily available from local pharmacies to treat the problem. Please report it to the school, so we can alert parents and ask them to check their children (it goes without saying that no names will be used if we have to alert parents of an outbreak of head lice.)
Medical Needs:
We would stress the importance of the school being notified of any specific medical needs, allergies, etc., that your child may have. This information will be kept in a differentiation folder in the child's classroom so that all school staff will be aware of the child's medical needs.
NUT ALLERGY:
There are pupils in the school who have a NUT ALLERGY. As you are aware, this is a very serious condition. Therefore, we would ask that children do not bring any food items that contain nuts to school.
These food items would include:
*Raw Nuts
*Peanuts
*Peanut Butter spread or any chocolate spreads or other spreads containing nuts
*Any bars or sweets with visible nut content, e.g., Snickers, Mars bars, M & M’s, etc.
*Any homemade/bought cakes with nuts
*All types of Nuts
EXTRA CURRICULAR:
SWIMMING: Takes place for 9 weeks usually starting the 2nd week of September, for pupils from 3rd to 6th class in Carlow Swimming Pool. Unfortunately, this has to be paid for by parents as we do not receive enough funds from the Department of Education to cover any extras.
G.A.A.: There is hurling training after school; one training and one match per week after St. Patrick’s Day. Indoor hurling takes place between Halloween and Christmas in Moneenroe Hall for 3rd to 6th classes. An outside coach takes hurling skills lessons for all classes during the school year. Last year due to interested teachers, our school was able to enter an U11 & U13 hurling teams, Camogie team and boys & girls football team and train pupils from 1st to 6th class together.
HANDBALL: Children who play handball can enter the Cumman na mBunscoil Primary School’s inter county league. Our school holds an introduction to handball evening for 3rd to 6th class pupils every June.
ATHLETICS: Our school takes part/competes in the St. Abban’s
inter-school’s competition annually (generally in the third term).
GAELIC FOOTBALL: Usually starts back 2 weeks after our return in September. It generally takes the format of one training session and one match per week for 10 weeks.
RUGBY: Coaches from Kilkenny Rugby Club sponsored by Leinster Rugby come to our school in the second term, to coach all classes for 6 sessions.
SOCCER: Our school enters the F.A.I. 5 a side small schools’ soccer competition. This takes place in Thomastown in March or April every year. In previous years, both our girl’s and boy’s teams reached the regional finals. An FAI Soccer Coach facilitates 4 Soccer Coaching sessions for 3rd to 6th class in Term 2.
QUIZZES: Our school enters teams in the Castlecomer Credit Union and St. Abban’s quizzes. Our school has a Geography /Biodiversity Quiz for 3rd to 6th class pupils every year. This year we had a very successful year with a team qualifying for the Credit Union National Finals and winning the St Abban’s Quiz for the first time ever.
MUSIC: This year, all classes will have the opportunity to take part in Let’s Explore Music sessions provided by The Mobile Music School. All classes received Drumming Lessons and Music Workshops in previous years.
GREEN SCHOOLS: Green schools’ meetings take place in Term 2 and 3. There are generally 3 / 4 meetings termly for the Green Schools Committee members after school hours. Our school has now received our 4th Green Flag (Transport) and are working towards our 5th Flag – Biodiversity.
BOOK FAIR: Our school will hold a Book Fair for all pupils during the year.
BICYCLE RACK: Children can cycle to school with parents’ permission on suitable days and place the bicycles in the bicycle rack at the side of the school.
HERITAGE IN SCHOOLS: Our school applies to Kilkenny County Council each year to receive Heritage in School visits. Last year, we will receive a visit from “The Big Dig Team”, where pupils will receive the opportunity to explore a former Viking Settlement.
GUEST VISITORS: Every year we invite people from different backgrounds to visit and talk to pupils. These would include Gardaí, Historians, Authors, Internet Safety Experts, Nurses, Dentists, and Sporting Personalities.
DRAMA/THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE: Our school endeavors to organize a Drama Theatrical Performance for pupils annually and endeavour to put on a Christmas Show each year. Storytelling/Drama visitors are organized for all classes in Term 3.