Wednesday letter February 12th 2025
WSE-MLL
Whole School Evaluation- Management, Leadership and Learning
Dear Parents/Guardians,
The school has been informed by the Department of Education of a Whole School Evaluation Inspection which will take place in school on the 25th, 26th & 27th February 2025. Inspections are common across all schools in Ireland, and we look forward to welcoming the Inspectorate to our wonderful school.
A team of Departmental Inspectors will visit the school and spend time in many of the classes throughout all class levels including support settings.
As advised by the Inspectorate, teachers have informed the children about the inspection today and have explained the process to them. They have also encouraged the children to speak out and contribute when/if the inspector is present. This is their chance to show the inspection team their talents and skills! We also spoke of the importance of showing respect to our visitors. We would ask that you also to please reinforce this message with your son/s. As you’re aware we have a fantastic school with amazing staff, parents (and most importantly) pupils!
Mr. O’Donovan, Principal, will share more information including survey links in due course. For more information on WSE-MLL, please click the attached link.
gov.ie - Information for parents/guardians -Inspectorate
We look forward to working with the Inspectors over the course of the week.
Kind regards,
Brendan Mc Andrew
Chairperson of the Board of Management
CAKE SALE
Valentine’s Day Nut Free Cake Sale!
We are looking forward to our annual Nut Free Cake Sale this Friday 14th February.
Whether you love baking or prefer to pick up some sweet treats from the shop, every donation counts! Cupcakes, Brownies, Rice Krispie Cakes, Muffins, Cookies, Rocky Road…all sweet treats are welcome! Please ensure the treats you are donating are nut-free. We want to make sure everyone can enjoy the day safely, including those with allergies. We will be taking donations for the cake sale in the school hall from 8.15 a.m. on Friday morning.
For the safe return of your cake box/containers, please ensure they are labeled clearly with your son’s name, class, and teacher.
A reminder for your son to bring in an extra lunchbox on Friday to safely transport his cake sale treats home! All boys will visit the cake sale during the morning with their class and teacher. Our Junior & Senior Infant boys will also have their buddies with them.
An Allergy-Friendly table will be available for those with specific allergies.
Don’t miss the chance to participate in our Raffle! Tickets will be on sale for €1.00 per strip. Join in the excitement and support of our school event! Incredible Raffle Prizes are listed below. Tickets are also available to purchase online here Valentine's Day Cake Sale Raffle for St. Patricks Boys National School, Hollypark on iDonate.ie
All proceeds raised will be used to purchase new outdoor equipment for our schoolyard!
If you would like to sign up to volunteer at the cake sale on Friday morning, please contact hollyparkboyspa@gmail.com All help is greatly appreciated!
SAFER INTERNET DAY- February 11th
Prepare / Protect / Thrive: Navigating Algorithms and Influencers
Thousands of children and young people in schools across Ireland are joining activities to raise awareness of online safety for Safer Internet Day 2025! This year's theme, “Prepare / Protect / Thrive: Navigating Algorithms and Influencers”, encourages everyone—parents, educators, and young people—to reflect on how digital influences shape young lives. Safer Internet Day empowers children to thrive online with the skills to navigate both challenges and opportunities. For more information, please click the link attached.
PEACE PROMS
Saturday, February 3rd was a night that parents, teachers, SNAs, 3rd class boys, and I will never forget! The Peace Proms event in the RDS was unbelievable. The boys were offered the opportunity to sing with the Cross Border Orchestra Ireland -a once in a lifetime opportunity. The boys didn't disappoint and they sang and danced their hearts out along with 2,000 children from other schools in Leinster. We couldn't be more proud of our boys. Well done boys, you were truly magnificent. Feedback from parents has been hugely positive and we thank you for the several complimentary emails and letters.
A huge thank you to Ms. Ryan, Ms. O Dubhagain, Ms. Feighan, Ms. Fallon, Ms. Travers and Mrs. Conroy for their work in organising & preparing the event and for accompanying the boys on Saturday, February 3rd.
For more information on the Peace Proms, please click the link attached
https://peaceproms.com/
Staff In-Service: Bí Cineálta Training
Please note that the school will close early on Wednesday 19th February to facilitate staff in-service on the new Bí Cineálta Guidelines.
We will operate a staggered closure as outlined below:
Staggered Closure | |
Junior & Senior Infants | 11:50am |
5th & 6th Class | 11:55am |
1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th | 12:00pm |
SCHOOL CALENDAR FEBRUARY-JUNE
| February 2025 | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sa | Peace Proms RDS | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Su | |||||||||||||
| 3 | Mo | Bank Hol | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Tu | |||||||||||||
| 5 | We | |||||||||||||
| 6 | Th | |||||||||||||
| 7 | Fr | |||||||||||||
| 8 | Sa | Uniform Sale 10am | ||||||||||||
| 9 | Su | |||||||||||||
| 10 | Mo | |||||||||||||
| 11 | Tu | Safer Internet Day | ||||||||||||
| 12 | We | |||||||||||||
| 13 | Th | |||||||||||||
| 14 | Fr | CAKE SALE (PA) | ||||||||||||
| 15 | Sa | |||||||||||||
| 16 | Su | |||||||||||||
| 17 | Mo | |||||||||||||
| 18 | Tu | |||||||||||||
| 19 | We | IN-SERVICE 12noon finish | ||||||||||||
| 20 | Th | Mid-term | ||||||||||||
| 21 | Fr | Mid-term | ||||||||||||
| 22 | Sa | |||||||||||||
| 23 | Su | |||||||||||||
| 24 | Mo | Engineers Week | ||||||||||||
| 25 | Tu | EW + WSE-MLL | ||||||||||||
| 26 | We | EW + WSE-MLL | ||||||||||||
| 27 | Th | EW + WSE-MLL | ||||||||||||
| 28 | Fr | EW + WSE-MLL | ||||||||||||
ARRIVE ALIVE
Unfortunately, we are (again) seeing an increase in the number of parents who are stopping their cars in the middle of the road and letting the boys alight onto the road. Just yesterday, a dad dropping his son off to school was narrowly missed by an erratic driver who had just dropped their child off. Luckily, the car stopped in time and no-one was hurt on this occasion. It is a reminder to us all, it only takes a split second for a serious accident to occur.
Please park safely and with consideration for our neighbours before letting your child out of the car. Please remind the boys to cross the road with Caroline, our fabulous school warden. We understand and appreciate how busy the roads are each morning. We continue to engage with Dlr & An Taisce, Safe Routes to School, for a safer school zone. In the meantime, if we can use Foxrock Church to park and stride it will reduce a lot of cars on New Grange Road.
Deansgrange Cemetery have requested that our parent body do not park and stride from the Cemetery carpark.
This week is special for these great boys: Rian Aherne, Cillian Hanly, Barry Maxwell, Jafar Ahmed, Antoni Kowalewski, Jean Senecal, James Dillon, Eoghan Kenny, Noah Dundon, Harry Mc Keogh and Adam Matalang.
Have a wonderful celebration boys!
Beir Bua agus beannacht,
Principal
12.02.2025
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SCHOOL CALENDAR FEBRUARY-JUNE
| February 2025 | March 2025 | April 2025 | May 2025 Testing Month | June 2025 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sa | Peace Proms RDS | 1 | Sa | 1 | Tu | 1 | Th | 1 | Su | ||||
| 2 | Su | 2 | Su | 2 | We | 2 | Fr | 2 | Mo | Bank Hol | ||||
| 3 | Mo | Bank Hol | 3 | Mo | 3 | Th | 3 | Sa | 3 | Tu | ||||
| 4 | Tu | 4 | Tu | 4 | Fr | 4 | Su | 4 | We | |||||
| 5 | We | 5 | We | 5 | Sa | 5 | Mo | 5 | Th | |||||
| 6 | Th | 6 | Th | 6 | Su | 6 | Tu | 6 | Fr | |||||
| 7 | Fr | 7 | Fr | 7 | Mo | 7 | We | 7 | Sa | Confirmation | ||||
| 8 | Sa | Uniform Sale 10am | 8 | Sa | 8 | Tu | 8 | Th | 8 | Su | ||||
| 9 | Su | 9 | Su | 9 | We | 9 | Fr | 9 | Mo | Conf. Photos 6th | ||||
| 10 | Mo | 10 | Mo | SNAG | 10 | Th | 10 | Sa | 10 | Tu | ||||
| 11 | Tu | Safer Internet Day | 11 | Tu | 11 | Fr | 11 | Su | 11 | We | ||||
| 12 | We | 12 | We | 12 | Sa | 12 | Mo | 12 | Th | Sports Day | ||||
| 13 | Th | 13 | Th | Paráid | 13 | Su | 13 | Tu | 13 | Fr | ||||
| 14 | Fr | CAKE SALE (PA) | 14 | Fr | 14 | Mo | Easter Holidays | 14 | We | 14 | Sa | |||
| 15 | Sa | 15 | Sa | 15 | Tu | 15 | Th | 15 | Su | |||||
| 16 | Su | 16 | Su | 16 | We | 16 | Fr | 16 | Mo | |||||
| 17 | Mo | 17 | Mo | Bank Hol | 17 | Th | 17 | Sa | First Communion | 17 | Tu | |||
| 18 | Tu | 18 | Tu | 18 | Fr | 18 | Su | First Communion | 18 | We | ||||
| 19 | We | IN-SERVICE 12noon finish | 19 | We | 19 | Sa | 19 | Mo | Communion Photos | 19 | Th | |||
| 20 | Th | Mid-term | 20 | Th | 20 | Su | Easter | 20 | Tu | 20 | Fr | |||
| 21 | Fr | Mid-term | 21 | Fr | 21 | Mo | Easter Holidays | 21 | We | 21 | Sa | |||
| 22 | Sa | 22 | Sa | 22 | Tu | 22 | Th | 22 | Su | |||||
| 23 | Su | 23 | Su | 23 | We | 23 | Fr | 23 | Mo | |||||
| 24 | Mo | Engineers Week | 24 | Mo | 24 | Th | 24 | Sa | 24 | Tu | 6th class Graduation | |||
| 25 | Tu | EW +WSE-MLL | 25 | Tu | 25 | Fr | 25 | Su | 25 | We | ||||
| 26 | We | EW+ WSE-MLL | 26 | We | 26 | Sa | 26 | Mo | 26 | Th | ||||
| 27 | Th | EW+WSE-MLL | 27 | Th | 27 | Su | 27 | Tu | 27 | Fr | Final Day of term | |||
| 28 | Fr | EW | 28 | Fr | 28 | Mo | Return to School | 28 | We | New Infant story Day 13.45 | 28 | Sa | ||
| 29 | Sa | 29 | Tu | 29 | Th | 29 | Su | |||||||
| 30 | Su | 30 | We | 30 | Fr | 30 | Mo | July Provision | ||||||
| 31 | Mo | 31 | Sa | |||||||||||