Rathfarnham Parish N.S
NEWSLETTER
January 2010 
After a false start it’s great to welcome everyone back to school! We hope you all had a lovely Christmas and enjoyed the snow and are now ready to start the new term with energy and enthusiasm.
SCHOOL HOURS
School opens for pupils at 8.20a.m. Classes begin at 8.40 a.m. There is no supervision of children prior to 8.20 a.m. and parents are advised that children should wait at the gates until the bell rings at 8.20 a.m. Please try to be in school between 8.20 and 8.40. It is disruptive to classes and discourteous to arrive late.
Parents are welcome to visit classrooms each Monday morning. To encourage independence and to allow the class to get settled quickly please say goodbye to your children at the school door on other days. By now Junior Infants should walk down the corridor to their classrooms without their parents. Messages or notes for teachers will be passed on by the teacher at the door. Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Most after-school activities will restart next week (Monday 18th Jan.). Children taking part in these activities will have a separate note giving all the details.
BOARD MEETING
- Board of Management meeting on Tuesday 26th January at 8.15.p.m. in the rectory.
STAFF MEETINGS
Below is a list of dates for staff meetings this year. School closes at 12.30 for pupils to facilitate these meetings.
Tuesday 2nd Feb.,
Tuesday 2nd March,
Tuesday 4th May,
Tuesday 1st June.
CHRISTMAS FAIR
Thank you to all the parents who worked hard for our Christmas Fair and to everyone who donated raffle prizes. To date the fair has raised €5150 which was a great result in these difficult financial times.
WEBSITE
The current school newsletter is on the website so if you lose your copy it’s available online. Also, the school closures for the year are listed on the website. Please note these may change if the Minister of Education directs that the closures due to the snow have to be made up at another time. We will inform parents as soon as any information is available.
CHILD PROTECTION
In recent years, as a society, we have become aware of the problem of child abuse through neglect, emotional, physical or sexual abuse. Each one of us has a duty to protect children and ‘Children First’ the National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children noted that teachers, who are the main care givers to children outside the family, are particularly well placed to observe and monitor children for signs of abuse. In response to this the Department of Education and Science published guidelines and procedures for all schools in relation to child welfare and protection.
The Board of Management of RPNS has adopted these guidelines as school policy. Consequently, if school staff suspect or are alerted to possible child abuse they are obliged to refer this matter to the HSE through the Designated Liaison Person (Joyce Perdue). The HSE will then assess the situation and provide support for the child concerned. ‘Children First’ can be accessed on www.dohc.ie and the DES guidelines can be accessed on www.education.ie. Parents/guardians are also welcome to look though the guidelines here in the school.
WATER
The current water shortage is another challenge we are facing this term. At the moment we have little, and often no, water. However, we’re managing to use the water conservatively and so far the tanks are being replenished in the evenings.
SICK CHILDREN
If your child is sick please don’t send him/her to school, infections can spread like wildfire! If your child has been sick during the night it’s wise to keep him/her at home the next day. Even if they are feeling better they may be suffering from lack of sleep and find the school day exhausting. Please remember to let us know if your child will be absent from school on the first day of absence, either by phone or email at rpnsoffice@gmail.com
SWINE FLU (H1N1) VACCINATIONS
To date the HSE has not made arrangements for the vaccination to be administered through the school. Parents will be informed once the school has been contacted.
COATS
Many children come to school by car and therefore don’t bother to wear coats. However, at breaktime, it is necessary for each child to have a coat as the weather can be very cold. Please ensure that your child wears a coat to school this term.
MID-TERM
School will be closed for mid-term for the week beginning 15th Feb. School opens again on Monday 22nd Feb. School will close on Fri. 12th at the normal time of 2.05p.m.
PARKING
Please be sensitive to local residents when parking your car in the roads around the school. Some residents have difficulty in getting in or out of their driveways because of obstructing cars. As a matter of courtesy to residents, please take a minute to check that where you have parked is not causing an obstruction for our neighbours.
THANK YOU…
Thank you for:
q donating money for the homeless at our Christmas Service.
q donations of toys for St. Vincent de Paul and the creche in Darndale.
q donations to the drama fund at the Christmas plays.
q all your help and support for the Christmas Fair this year.
Only Snow
Outside the sky was almost brown
The clouds were hanging low
Then all of a sudden it happened
The air was full of snow.
The children rushed to the windows
The teacher let them go
Though she teased them for their foolishness
After all, it was only snow.
It was only snow that was falling
Only out of the sky
Only onto the turning earth
Before the blink of an eye.
What else could it do from up there
But fall in the usual way?
It was only weather really
What else could you say?
The teacher sat at her desk
Putting ticks in a little row
While the children stared through the steamy glass
At the only snow.
Allan Ahlberg | 
06 September 2010
