Celebration of 175 Years of Education
Dear Parents,
Our school building was opened 20 years ago this year. This year also marks 175 years of education in the Cutbush/Ballysax area as the first school was opened in 1839. So much planning, work, interest and care has been invested in the education of young people in our area over that 175 years and it is only right that we acknowledge it and celebrate.
On Friday October 17th, our formal celebrations will be twofold. We will begin with a tree planting ceremony on the school grounds at 2.30pm. Parents and friends of the school are very welcome to attend – we would love to have you there. At 7pm that same evening, Fr Larkin will celebrate mass in Suncroft Church, in honour of the occasion. We will return to the school after mass for refreshments. Again, all families and friends of the school are invited to attend.
The children of the school will be involved in preparations for October 17th and on the day itself. We welcome stories or information the children might be able to gather from parents, grandparents or neighbours about school through the years in Ballysax. We hope that children will be available to sing in the choir at mass on Friday 17th – let us know if your child can attend.
Many parents and grandparents of children in the school went to school in Ballysax. So many families and friends of the school were involved in making the lovely school building we have now a reality. We will keep you informed nearer the time about final preparations but in the meantime, please spread the word and invite anyone who might like to be here!
Le gach dea-ghuí,
Esther Reddy, Principal 26/9/’14
Spring Newsletter 2014
The Passing of Catherine Ryan
The last few weeks have been a sad and trying time for staff, pupils, parents and friends of the school following the death of our teacher, colleague and friend, Catherine Ryan. The support of each other has been crucial and will be in the time ahead. Catherine was an exceptional person in so many ways and we will greatly miss her. May God rest her and support her grieving family and friends.
Prayer Service
A special prayer service was held in school last week for Kornrawee Mc Kinney, mother of two of our pupils Love and Nina, who died recently. Kornrawee’s funeral was held abroad so the prayer service gave the school community the opportunity to pray for her and for her two lovely girls. We sympathise with the family at this sad time. We thank Fr Larkin, our Parish Priest, for leading the Prayer Service.
Confirmation
Children of 6th class will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation next Saturday, April 5th at 11.30am in Suncroft Parish Church. The children have been working hard in their preparations and we ask that you include them in your prayers at this time. Sincere thanks goes to their teacher Mrs Barbara Collins for the time and work she has put into preparing the children for Saturday. Thanks also goes to the parents who ran the “You shall be My Witnesses programme” and to Mrs Ann Madden for her co-ordination of this. We hope that the children and their families have a lovely day on Saturday.
School Photographer
The Parent Teacher Association have secured the services of The School Potrait Company to be available to take photographs following the Confirmation in Suncroft School. This company will also be in Ballysax school on Thursday April 10th to take photographs of 6th class and Junior Infants and any photographs of children in other classes if requested by parents. Forms to request this will be sent later this week.
Sports in School
Training continues after school in Basketball, Athletics and Gaelic Football. Teams from the school have been very busy recently in Cumann na mBunscol matches and blitzes. Sincere thanks to the parents and teachers who give up their time to mentor and train the children. The benefits to the children are enormous.
Book Week
A very successful Book Week was held in the school recently to coincide with World Book Day on March 6th. The Parent Teacher association organised a 2nd Hand Book Sale which was a huge success. €900 was raised and many people went away happy with reading material at a very reasonable price! Thanks to parent, George Browne and his family for the work they put into this.
The Scholastic Book Fair was also run during Book Week. Thanks to Ms Aelish Collins for organising this and to the PTA for the invaluable help. Thank you to parents who were able to support this.The school will receive 60% of the money spent on the Book Fair in the form of books for classroom libraries.
We had two special guests in school during Book Week. Mae Leonard (author, poet and storyteller) enthralled the children from Junior Infants to 2nd class with her stories and poems. Mae is grandmother to Theo in Senior Infants and we were delighted to have her in our school. We were also pleased to welcome Brendan Nolan (author and storyteller) who came to work with the senior classes. It’s very heartening to see, in this age of technology, that the love and interest in books is being fostered so strongly.
Farm in the School-Yard!
The children were delighted recently when Mr Colm Keane who lives locally, brought two ewes and five lambs to the school yard for each class to visit. It was a lovely opportunity for the children to hold and pet the lambs – triplets and twins – who were only a week old. Thanks to Colm for doing this for us and with no cost to the school.
Parent Teacher Association
The PTA will help facilitate the recycling of school uniforms and school tracksuits which are in good condition for the school year beginning in September. Parents find that when children grow out of their uniforms, many items are still in perfect condition, and could be passed on. This will be organised in June and more details will follow after Easter.
A sub-committee has been set up to start the process of running a Book Rental Scheme: Lisa Brannock, Anna Maria Kelly, Margaret Harte, Sandra Reddy (parents) and Esther Reddy (Principal). The organising of this is still in the very early stages and we will keep you informed. In the meantime, if you can return the form sent from the committee last week as soon as possible it would be much appreciated.
The PTA are organising a Night at the Dogs to be held in Newbridge Greyhound Track on June 13th. The funds raised at this will go towards creating more hard surface yard space on the school yard.
The PTA recently purchased 10 training footballs and 2 match footballs for the School Gaelic Teams.
Next meeting of PTA is on Tuesday 29th April at 8.30pm, all welcome.
Board of Management Update
At a recent meeting the Board of Management expressed its sympathy on the passing of Catherine Ryan. It thanked the teachers for their support of the children and of each other during this difficult and sad time.
The BoM congratulated the pupils, teachers and parents on recent successes in sporting events and on the running of Book Week and the Book Fair.
Quotes are being sought to replace the lighting in 6 of the classrooms as it is now outdated and beginning to give trouble. Mr Christy Sweeney, our school caretaker, will paint doors and ceilings in the school corridor over the Easter holidays.
The BoM has received 23 applications for Junior Infants in September and has given places to these children. There are 29 children due to leave 6th class in June.
Easter Holidays The school will close on April 11th at 12 noon for the Easter holidays and will re-open at 9.15am on Monday 28th April.
Month’s Mind Mass
The Month’s Mind mass for Catherine Ryan will be in Suncroft Parish Church on Friday 11th April at 7.30pm.
Thank you to all parents and friends of the school for your continued support, it is much appreciated.
Esther Reddy, Principal - March 2014
