BAMBINELLI SUNDAY: Sunday the 15th of December is Bambinelli Sunday in the parish, when the figure of the Baby Jesus is blessed and placed in the Church Crib. Anyone attending the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass, is invited to bring along their own figure of the baby Jesus for a blessing. To further celebrate the day, parishioners are invited to donate a small gift suitable for a newborn baby e.g. vests, bibs, babygrows etc. Please place such gift items in a gift bag as opposed to wrapping paper and place into a basket in the church either before or after Mass. All the gifts will be delivered to Holles Street Hospital and given to parents of newborns who may be experiencing financial challenges at this time.
TESCO MERRION: (in The Merrion Centre, Merrion Road, D04 YX39) has chosen the St. Mary's BNS Parents' Association as one of their community fund participants, starting Monday 25 November for 12 weeks. Please drop in to do a shop and pop the blue tokens in the relevant box to support Mary's BNS.
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS: Please note that Saint Mary's BNS will close at 12:00 on Friday the 20th December. The school and will reopen its gates at 08:25 on Monday 6th January 2025. May we take this opportunity to wish everyone a peaceful , safe and Happy Christmas holiday break. Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain Faoi Mhaise daoibh go léir.
CHRISTMAS PLAYS & CAROL SERVICES DATES: We are happy to inform you of the dates and times of our Christmas performances. Our annual Christmas Carol Service will take place in Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Booterstown Ave. on Thursday 19th December at 7.30pm. Second to Sixth Classes will participate in this beautiful evening of song and scripture.We invite you all to share this evening with your family. Although the pupils of Junior Infants, Senior Infants and 1st Class will not be participating in the service, they, along with their families, are most welcome to attend. We request that the boys involved be dropped off at the entrance to the Pastoral Centre (glass door to the right of the church) at 7:15 pm. We kindly ask that parents hold on to their sons’ coats. At the end of the service, boys will return to the care of their parents from the church. Please ensure that your son wears his full school tracksuit to the service.
Junior performances will take place in the Old School Hall beside The Lighthouse on the following dates:
Junior Infants: Tuesday 17th December at 12:00 pm
1st Class: Wednesday 18th December at 1:00 pm
Senior Infants: Thursday 19th December at 12:00 pm
NEWSLETTER FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE: Please see link to December 2024 newsletter from Chief Inspector , Yvonne O' Toole, to all students in all schools. Chief Inspector's Newsletter to school children 2024.
CSL REPORT B: THE IMPACT OF GENDER-EQUALITIES IN CHILDREN'S SCHOOL LIVES: CSL is delighted to share Report 8b from the Children’s School Lives study Equalities In Children’s School Lives – The Impact of Gender which is being launched today. This report gives a unique insight into the impact of gender on children's school experiences using data collected through CSL. The report will be available on their website www.cslstudy.ie
THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL PARENTS' ASSOCIATION: Our Christmas Fair was held on Sunday December 1st. A huge thank you to all the members of the Parents' Association who gave their time so generously to this big fundraising day for Saint Mary's BNS. It was lovely to have the fair in the school and the mild weather allowed all to sit outdoors, enjoy refreshments and chat whilst listening to festive singing & music. The PA put in a huge amount of work setting up stalls, running stalls and then tidying up. The students, staff and Board of Management thank the Parent's Association for all their wonderful work. Míle Buíochas.
GENERAL ELECTION: 5th and 6th class held their own General Election on Friday. They had their own returning officer, presiding officer, gardaí, poll clerks and most importantly candidates. They were thrilled when the newly elected TD Barry Ward FG popped into 6th class to meet the candidates and explain proportional representation and how we work out the quota.They had 51 valid votes and one spoiled vote. The quota was 11 and the returning officer deemed the following candidates elected following the counting of votes and redistribution of surplus votes when quota reached and the redistribution of votes from the lowest candidates when eliminated
- Elected on the first count after having reached the quota Barry Ward (FG)
- Elected on the 3rd count after the having reached the quota Richard Boyd Barrett (PBP)
- Elected on the final count though not having reached the quota Cormac Devlin(FF) and Máiréad Tóibín ( Aontú)
The boys predicted three out of four seats correctly. They congratulate the four successful candidates in our constituency: Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (FG); Richard Boyd Barrett (PBP); Cormac Devlin (FF) and Barry Ward (FG). They heartfully thank all these four candidates who have supported Saint Mary's during many of our schoool initiative s over the years.
A great day and weekend for the boys to see how democracy, proportional representation, the single transferable vote and the whole electoral process works.
FRÁSAÍ NA MÍOSA/ GAEILGE/ CONTENT LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING: Más féidir libh cabhrú le bhúr bpáiste frásaí na míosa a chleachtadh sa bhaile. / If you can please help your child practise Irish these phrases of the month? 1. Tá an leanbh Íosa ag teacht / Baby Jesus is coming 2. Ta Daidí na Nollag ag teacht./ Santa Claus is coming 3. Nollaig Shona agus Áthbhliain Faoi Mhaise/ Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year? 4. Is maith liom bachlóga Bruiséile...I like Brussels sprouts.
PLAYFUL LEARNING: LETS TALK MATHS. Over the coming months all classes engage with the New Primary Maths Curriculum. One aspect of the new curriculum is active, playful engagement which encourages children to demonstrate creativity, agency and independence. Within these lessons, the children have 4 freedoms (Ronda 2012); the freedom to ask questions, make mistakes, choose their own methods and think for themselves. 1st to 6th classes have recently working on been working on Odd One Out. Every child has their own entry point with the Let’s Talk Wheel to help support them in their thinking, sharing, examining, revoicing, extending and reflecting. Over the coming months we will share some of these “Let’s Talk Maths” with you. Please see the link to Oide's Christmas Open Ended Tasks.
Christmas Open Ended Maths Tasks.
NEW PRIMARY MATHS CURRICULUM: INFORMATION FOR PARENTS: Please see link to the latest Department of Education communication on the Primary Maths Curriculum and The Primary Curriculum Framework. The Redevelopment of The Primary School Curriculum: Continuing the Journey. Please see link to previous parent information note from Department of Education. Information Note on Primary Maths Curriculum.
Kind regards,
Noel Scully. Principal.