
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:
The school operates a book rental scheme. Some books are rented to the children and there is a small charge for this facility depending on the class of your child. There is also a charge of €20.00 to help cover the cost of photocopying, art and craft materials.
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.
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.
EXTRA CURRICULAR:
Swimming: Takes place for 9 weeks usually starting the 2nd week of September, for pupils from 1st 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.
GAA: There is hurling training after school, usually one evening a week (Tuesday or Thursday) starting on the pitch in February for 3rd to 6th Class. Indoor hurling takes place between Halloween and Christmas in Moneenroe Hall.
Handball: Children who play handball can enter the Cumman na mBunscoil Primary School's inter county league.
Athletics: Our school takes part/competes in the St. Abban's inter school's competition annually.
Gaelic Football: usually starts back 3 weeks after our return in September. It generally takes the format of one training session and one match per week for 5 weeks.
Rugby: Coaches from Kilkenny Rugby Club sponsored by Leinster Rugby come to our school in the second term, to coach children from 1st to 6th classes for 6 sessions.
Soccer: Crettyard F.C. offer 2 soccer coaching sessions to all children in the school in the 3rd term.
Quizzes: Our school enters teams in the Castlecomer Credit Union and St. Abban's quizzes.
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 hour. To date we have received our 5th Green Flag.
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.