TO THE PARENTS OF…
I may not be the fastest
I may not be the tallest
Or the Strongest
I may not be the best
Or the brightest
But one thing I can
Do better
Than anyone else ………
That is
TO BE ME
Welcome all parents to a new and exciting stage in your child’s life. During this year your child will make new friends and enjoy lots of new experiences.
We now, teacher and parents, have the chance to work as partners to ensure that at the end of this school year your child will have a positive attitude towards education based on social and academic confidence.
FIRST DAY – A HAPPY ONE!
Please be positive with your child in preparing her for school and explain to her what will happen re: teacher, other children, breaks, sitting down and tidy-up time.
On arrival it is very helpful if you can show your child where to hang her coat. After meeting the teacher and some other children and finding a place to sit please leave promptly because your child will pick up your anxiety.
Most children, even if initially upset, soon become distracted by their surroundings and settle down.
COMING TO SCHOOL
School doors open at 8.50 a.m. School begins at 9:00 a.m.so please be on time. It would help if you got everything ready the night before, as small children don’t like to be rushed. The school day is long and tiring for them and they would need to be asleep before 8 O’Clock each night.
When children arrive in School, they go to the Hall via the back Hall door and continue to their classrooms.
Please Note:
Junior Infants to be collected at 12:00 p.m. from 29th August to September 7th. From Monday, 10th September Junior Infants will go home at 1.40 p.m.
SEATING
The different tables are colour coded and after a couple of days your child will be given a special place to sit.
IN THE CLASSROOM
Worried children cannot learn, so be sure to tell the teacher about any problems which your children may have.
- Illness, e.g. cough, cold, sleepless night, asthma, diabetes etc.
- Physical, e.g. speech, eye or hearing defect, physical handicap.
- Emotional, e.g. moving house, death, separation, accident, new baby etc.
- Other, e.g. kidney problems.
Encourage your children to remember to bring home their belongings. Clearly name all articles of clothing and belongings e.g. lunch boxes. They will have to learn to do things for themselves e.g. putting on coat, opening and closing lunch box / lunch items / school bag etc.
MONEY
Please settle all money matters promptly. A lot of time can be wasted collecting money and reminding people to pay their bills. Please put any money in an envelope and label it. Monies will be collected from the child in the classroom or else they can be given to Colette Brennan, School Secretary (Monday – Friday – mornings only).
HOMEWORK
Your children will get simple homework to do. When helping them, if you find you are getting cross, STOP.
While it is important that you help your children with homework, NEVER DO IT FOR THEM
TELEVISION
Children’s programmes can be fun and worthwhile, but television should not be allowed to take up all of children’s free time.
Remember, children need a quiet place to do homework.
HYGIENE
Your child will now be one of a large number in the class. Therefore, it is important that a good standard of hygiene is maintained, e.g. hair, change of uniform, use of toilet.
BREAK
There are two breaks, 11:00a.m. – 11:10a.m. and 12:30p.m. – 1:00p.m. All children go outside except during rainy weather. Your child will have a designated area in the yard. Additional time for eating lunch is given before break begins.
FOOD
Children need a good breakfast to start each day and plenty of time to eat it.
Hunger can make children sleepy. That makes it hard for them to enjoy school. Fruit, sandwiches and a drink make a healthy lunch.
Yogurt is great but best eaten at home. Please no yogurt or frubes in school. Spillages in the infant room can lead to a stale odour.
THINGS YOU CAN DO AT HOME TO HELP YOUR CHILD
Show an interest in your children’s schoolwork and help them with their homework. Praise and encourage them but avoid comparing them with others. Remember that every child is different.
Talk to your children. Children can learn a lot from everyday experiences, e.g. counting things, naming colours, numbers on houses, buses etc. Listen to them and answer their questions.
Children enjoy crayoning and scribbling. Encourage them to do this on recycled paper. Buy them colouring and activity books.
Show them picture books and read stories regularly to them. Remember to talk about the stories and the pictures. Teach them nursery rhymes. The local library has a great selection of children’s books.
Encourage your child to use a child scissors as they will be using cutting skills in school.
UNIFORM & TRACKSUITS
Uniform and tracksuit may be purchased at:
Hydes
Main Street
Midleton
Co. Cork
School Uniform
Girls
- Grey pinafore
- Grey blouse
- Navy and yellow tie
- V-necked navy jumper
Boys
- Grey pants
- Grey shirt
- Navy and yellow tie
- V-necked navy jumper
Tracksuit
- Dungourney school tracksuit
- Grey polo shirt
Runners – no laces please.
Uniform is to be worn every day except on Class P.E. Days
SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES
Developing good behaviour will be a shared responsibility. Parents and teachers can help children develop good behaviour by:
- Helping children feel positive about themselves.
- By teaching children to respect others.
- By teaching children good manners.
- By teaching children right from wrong.
- By teaching children to share.
- By encouraging children to tell the truth.
- By encouraging children to behave politely towards each other.
- By encouraging a sense of co-operation.
- By encouraging children towards a shared responsibility and self-responsibilities.
ABSENTEEISM
When a child is absent a note must be sent to the Teacher, dating the absence and the reason.
If a child has to leave school during school hours, a note is required and a Home Early Form is to be filled out and signed.
ACCIDENT & ILLNESS
If a child is injured or becomes ill in school parents will be contacted by phone. It is essential that the school has your home and work telephone numbers as well as that of a responsible person chosen by you to act on your behalf in an emergency.
BIRTHDAY INVITATIONS
If the invitations are not inclusive either by gender or class groupings, please do not distribute in school.
GOING HOME
Infants go to the School Hall at 1:40 p.m. The children will be walked by the class teacher. Parents wait in the Hall for their children to be sent to them.
Please make sure that your child is collected on time. Children quickly get anxious if they are kept waiting.
COLLECTIONS
Please send a note if someone other than the regular person is collecting your child.
SCHOOL BAG
- Check school bags daily for notes.
- No toys in school please.
- Ensure your child does not overload the bags with unnecessary articles.