SCOIL COLM NEWSLETTER

1. SCOIL COLM NEWSLETTER Volume 4, Issue 4 February 18th 2014 Principal: Ms C NíChianáin Deputy Principal: Mr O’Donnell Closures: The school will be closed on Thursday, 20th February and Friday, 21st February for our mid-term break. It will re-open on Monday, 24th February at 8.50am. The school will also be closed Friday, 14th March, Monday, 17th March and Tuesday, 18th March for St Patrick’s weekend. It will re-open on Wednesday, 19th March at 8.50am. Welcome to the fourth edition of this year’s newsletter. We are now over half way through the school year and there is lots going on in the school. Our sixth class boys are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation and have recently had a Ceremony of Light in the school hall and Ceremony of Commitment in the church with their families and Fr Paul. I would like to congratulate our boys who play in the Orchestra who gave a tremendous performance in the National Concert Hall on Saturday, 8th February at the IAYO Festival. I know that their parents were very proud of them and I was certainly the proudest principal in the audience. Well done, boys! Our fifth class are undertaking a cycle safety class on Tuesday afternoons and with GAA classes and the polytunnel project back up and running, things are certainly busy! If you are in a position to support our bag-backing fundraiser in Dunnes Stores in the Ashleaf Centre on Friday, 21st and Saturday, 22nd March, we would love to see you there. Claire Ní Chianáin • MOBILE PHONES / ELECTRONIC DEVICES • Please note that there is a new policy being prepared for our pupils in relation to mobile phones and other electronic devices. This full policy is available on our website: www.scoilcolm.scoilnet.ie. • The main points are as follows: • Aim: • To lessen intrusions on and distractions to children’s learning • To discourage cyber-bullying • Internal School Procedures: • The following are the guidelines for mobile phone/electronic games usage in the school; • Children are not allowed to use mobile phones/electronic devices during school hours. • Pupils are not allowed to bring mobile phones or electronic devices into school. In exceptional circumstances, such as when after-school activities and after school games are scheduled, school tours etc., children may be allowed carry a phone as parents may need to be contacted. In these instances, the phones must be presented to the class teacher at the start of the school day. They will be returned at the end of the school day. • Children who need to contact home during school hours may do so through the school secretary using the school landline phone. • All electronic devices are banned, even during after-school activities. • Any pupil who brings a mobile phone or electronic device to school and does not present it at the start of the school day will have their phone or device confiscated. It will then be available for collection at the school office by parents only. • Staff members have access to the school landline if urgent calls need to be made to parents. • NOTE: No responsibility will be taken for damage to any mobile phone/electronic device by the school authorities.

2. Page 2 of 4 Students’ Page Scoil Colm Newsletter My new apartment I am moving into a new apartment. There is no landlord in the apartment. I have my first bunk bed. My sitting room is in the kitchen. Two young boys are going to become my new neighbours and friends. Jamie D., Room 1 My weekend At the weekend, I went to the park with my brothers. I went on the swing. Joseph and Brian pushed me on the swing. My brothers got me a new bike. It is black and white. Noel, Room 1 Chinese New Year We had a party in our class for Chinese New Year. We had a lovely Chinese meal. We made Chinese paper hats and wore them when we had our food. We had fortune cookies My fortune cookie said ‘Don’t take things so seriously!’ It was yummy. Kyle, Room 1 Communion I have picked out my Communion outfit. It is black and red and white. My nana helped me pick it out and my sister Emma also helped. I can’t wait for my Communion. I am so excited and happy! Séan, Room 1 My Birthday I went to Blanchardstown for my birthday. We went to KFC. I got chips and chicken. After, we went to see the Lion King in the cinema. It costs €50. I saw cars for sale. They were called Nissan cars. It took a long time to get there. After the cinema, we went to O’ Neills. I got football boots and a gum shield. Nathan Doh., Room 1 Venetian Masks Carnival is a public event held all across the world on the 26th of December. On this day, poor people and rich people are seen as equal people because they wear beautiful Venetian masks. In our class we made Venetian masks. It was really fun and all the class enjoyed doing it. Firstly, we got a white blank mask, and we thought of designs that we could make to put on them. Then we brainstormed designs and put our thoughts on a piece of paper. When we thought that they were ready, we sketched some onto the mask and painted them. If we wanted to, we could add feathers. Then we hung them up on our wall outside our classroom for passers by to admire. Art isn’t my best subject, but for me this was really fun and I would recommend it to anyone that wants to get into art, no matter how good they are at it. Mark B, Room 6

3. Page 3 of 4 Students’ Page Scoil Colm Newsletter Credit Union Art Competition winners Congratulations to the three winners of Crumlin Credit Union Art Competition 2014. All three boys are from Ms Forde’s sixth class. The winners were presented with their prizes and certificates in Scoil Colm by Philomena from Crumlin Credit Union. Well done boys! 1st place: Aaron Johnston 2nd place: Rommel Fajardo 3rd place: James Tohill-Doyle Well done to all the pupils in the teams who took part in the Credit Union Quiz. Congratulations to the three winners of the Dublin 12 Drugs Awareness Campaign Creative Writing Competition. The prizewinners, all from Ms Watkins’ class, are: 1stPlace: Carl Jones 2nd Place: Jake Murray-Lyons 3rd Place: CianVerlin-Osbourne My Communion Suit My Communion suit is grey with ice blue thread. My shirt and tie are aqua blue with dots on the tie. My shoes are white ‘Nike Air Force’ with black padding and they have black laces! Callum, Room 1 My Weekend On Sunday, I went swimming with my friend and I went down to the deep end. There was a Jacuzzi down in the deep end. I brought my goggles with me down to the deep end. We played for an hour. We got out and got dressed. My daddy dropped me to my friend’s house and we played on his playstation. We played Batman and after an hour, my Daddy came and we went to a film. In the morning, I got up and went to school. James, Room 1 Matisse Once, there was a man called Matisse. We are learning about him at school. He painted a picture about a man called ‘Icarus’. We painted a picture of him flying in class. We painted the background blue and painted yellow stars. We drew a heart on Icarus. Icarus was better than Elvis. Nathan H.S., Room 1 My Weekend On Friday night, I went to a disco. There were lots of songs on at the disco. I danced to two slow dances. After the disco, I went to my Grandad’s flat and we had a party. On Saturday, I went to my uncles house to stay the night. I played on the auntie’s Ipad. I downloaded a game called ‘StarWars’. I went to see my Grandad with my dog Jessie. Afterwards, my Grandad went to the pub and I went to bed. Peter, Room 1 My Weekend We celebrated Chinese New Year in school on Friday. Then, I went home and had a sleepover in my Nanny’s. On Saturday, we got Apache Pizza. On Sunday, I was playing with my brother Cian. Corey, Room 1 Playing U-9 I left GAA but I came back and now I am under 9. Our first match playing U-9 is on this Saturday. I am so excited. We will celebrate if our team wins. If we lose, we might be sad. I will also go to my brother’s match. We will celebrate if they win. After the matches, we will go home and go out to play with our friends. Joshua, Room 1 Rollerskating On Friday, I went roller skating with my friends. We went to KFC and we got chicken and chips. We loved it. On Saturday, I played out. I played with my friends. I got a new friend and we played together. He is cool. Aaron D., Room 1

4. Page 4 of 4 Parents’ Page Scoil Colm Newsletter • INFORMATION FOR PARENTS: • As a result of the Croke Park/Haddington Road Agreement, we would like to keep you updated with the following information: • Between September 2013 and February 2014: • Our monthly staff meeting has taken place outside school hours. • School Development Planning meetings have taken place outside school hours. • Continuing professional development for staff members has taken place outside school hours. • I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff, parents and other members of the community at Scoil Colm for the many hours of their own time which they give voluntarily to activities that enhance school life for our pupils, such as training teams, supervising pupils, after-school programmes and clubs, accompanying pupils to events/matches, attending training courses, etc. Their contribution is very much appreciated. • C Ní Chianáin Principal Trócaire: Once again this year, the pupils of Scoil Colm and their families will support the Trócaire campaign. Boxes will be sent home with your children. Please give whatever support you can. Parents, if your mobile number changes throughout the school year, please inform the school office so that our Text-A-Parent and contact details can be updated. Thank You My News Last weekend, I went to a christening. It was great fun. In school, I have three compliments for being good. Next Saturday, I am going to a party. I am doing lots of work at school. I love school. I might be going swimming soon. Christopher, Room 1 Chinese New Year On Friday, we had celebrations for Chinese New Year. We had noodles and rice, spring rolls, drinks, prawn crackers and sauce. We wore our Chinese hats that we made. After our food, we got a fortune cookie. We had great fun celebrating Chinese New Year. Nathan Du., Room 1 Matisse We are learning about a famous artist called ‘Matisse’. When he passed away, his son opened an Art shop showing all of his paintings. Matisse painted Icarus falling out of the sky. Icarus thought he could fly but he flew too close to the sun. Matisse was a very special artist. Adam, Room 1 Damage caused by the recent bad weather outside Scoil Colm