Happy New Year
Dear Mams, Dads, Pupils and Staff,

Welcome back to school for Term 2 and a very Happy New Year to everyone.
The New Year usually brings change and our school is no different. Mrs. Power has begun her Maternity Leave and we look forward to the safe arrival of her baby. Mrs. Feana Foley will teach Sixth Class for the rest of this school year.
Mrs. Emma O’Neill will remain on with Fifth Class until the end of June and Miss Alice Irish has taken on the Learning Support role until Mrs. Shanahan returns from her Maternity Leave.
I am sure you will have seen and heard reports on the news in the last week about the current shortage of substitute teachers at primary level. We are very fortunate that we have been able to ensure that all the girls have qualified teachers working with them and I would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff members for their willingness to be flexible and to change roles when that is needed.

Yours sincerely,

______________________
C. O’Reilly – Principal

Little Red Kettle
Little Red Kettle will visit the school tomorrow, Friday January 12th. Little Red Kettle’s play is always great fun and educational and the children get to take part in the action. All of the children will see the play and the cost per child is only €2. If you have not already done so please send €2 to your child’s teacher tomorrow morning. Thanks to your Parents’ Association, the girls do not have to pay the full cost to see the performance.
A photographer from the local newspaper will be present at the play and will take some pictures of some of the children. If you do not want your child’s picture to appear in the newspaper, please let her teacher know, in writing, tomorrow morning.

Yoga
For six weeks before Christmas, Sixth Class had the chance to take part in Yoga classes with Rachel O’Keeffe. Yoga improves flexibility and it helps with posture and muscle tone which are all important for physical health.
Fourth Class will begin a six week course of Yoga with Rachel this afternoon and I know that they are looking forward to it.
We are very grateful to the Waterford Area Partnership who has provided the funding for these courses through the Early Intervention Task Group.
St. Dominic’s Credit Union
A staff member from the Credit Union will visit the school today so that the girls may lodge money into their accounts. It is never too late to open an account and Rachel will visit every second Thursday. If any parent would like to speak with her when she is here to set up an account for a child, please let the school office know and we will arrange an appointment for you.

Waterford Dyslexia Support Group
Is your child Dyslexic or finding it difficult to read?
Come along to our Open Coffee Morning in the Ardkeen Library
• 17th of January 2018
• 14th of February 2018
• 14th of March 2018
• 11th April 2018
• 9th of May 2018
• 13th of June
For Information, Advice & Support check out the Waterford Dyslexia group. Contact Mari Carmen on 089 4596614
New Bishop Appointed
Congratulations to Monsignor Dermot Farrell who has been appointed as the next Bishop of the Diocese of Ossory. Monsignor Farrell was the Parish Priest of Dunboyne and Kilbride in the Meath Diocese. As Bishop, Monsignor Farrell will also become Patron of the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Ossory, including Our Lady of Good Counsel GNS.
The Board of Management, Staff and Pupils wish him every blessing in his new role.
Catch It. Bin It. Kill It.
As we are in the middle of the ‘flu season, please help to stop it spreading. You can do this by:
Following the advice of the HSE and keeping your child at home if she is unwell.
Making sure your child has her own packet of tissues to bring to school.
Practising ‘sneezing into your elbow’ if you do not have a tissue.
Using the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ slogan at home – catch the sneeze in a tissue, bin the tissue and wash your hands.
For more information, check out www.hse.ie/flu and www.undertheweather.ie
Here’s to a healthy year ahead for everyone.
Catholic School Week
Catholic Schools Week will take place at the end of January. This year, the focus is on Family, in preparation for the World Meeting of Families, August 21st to 26th 2018.
The daily themes are:
Our Family at Home
Our School Family
Grandparents: A Special Part of Our Family
Our Parish Family
Our World Family
Parent/Teacher Meetings
Parent/ Teacher Meetings will take place in the school during the week beginning Monday 5th February. You will receive an invitation to meet with your child’s teacher so keep an eye out for a letter in the coming weeks.
Dates for Your Diary
1st New Year’s Day
6th Epiphany
8th Term 2 begins
12th Little Red Kettle
14th World Day of Migrants and Refugees
18th Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
22nd Vasant Panchami
26th Australia Day
29th Catholic Schools Week begins