Latest News
Thankful Tuesday
At school:
- Intercom message from Mrs. Shanahan to start the day on a thankful note.
- Each class will meditate during the day.
- Each child can write/ draw three things she is thankful for.
- Some girls may write a thankful note/card to a family member.
- We will say ‘Grace After Meals’ to thank God for all the wonderful gifts he has given us.
- The Daily Mile and Brain breaks
At home:
Mams and Dads, did you know that research links being thankful with lots of benefits, including strengthening your immune system and improving sleep, feeling optimistic and experiencing more joy and pleasure and feeling less lonely and isolated.
Check out the poem ‘Weather Report’ by BJ Gallagher. https://youtu.be/X89rZkKBnPU
Wellbeing and Friendship Week
This week, we are highlighting the importance of wellbeing and friendship in our lives. Each day we will focus on a different aspect of wellbeing, and we will do lots of lovely activities that will help us to stay well, both physically and mentally. We will also learn new ways of making and keeping friends. We would love Mams and Dads to join in too because more than anyone, you need a little time and space for yourself. Check in here every day to read about some of the things we are doing and for some ideas for Mams and Dads.
P.S. – Get your brightest, most colourful clothes ready for Wednesday!
Mindful Monday
At school
- Intercom message from Mrs. Shanahan to start the day on a positive note.
- Each will class meditate for a period during the day. We will use our senses – sit very still and notice one thing we can see, hear, feel, taste and smell.
- We will learn a breathing technique to help us when we are upset.
- Mindful colouring, the Daily Mile and Yoga
For Mams and Dads
Source: https://www.mindful.org/busy-working-parents-can-make-time-mindfulness/
- Today, when you are having a cup of tea or coffee: Pause before the first sip. Smell the aroma, feel the heat of the mug on your hand, and take three deep breaths. Now enjoy.
- Today at work or at home: Each time you sit down, take a pause. Close your eyes, notice the sensation of your feet on the floor, your body in your chair, feel your breath come in and out of your body. Continue with your day.
Easter Break
25th March 2021
Dear Mams and Dads,
The school will close tomorrow for the Easter break. The girls will go home at the following times:
Junior and Senior Infants @ 12.10p.m. (Because both Infants classes are going home at the same time, there may be extra traffic in the car park. Please stay in your car and a staff member will bring your child to you. We will get you moving again as quickly as possible.)
First and Second Class @ 12.20p.m.
Third to Sixth Class @ 12.30p.m.
If you have a child in an older class, they may go home at the pick-up time for their younger sister.
We have all worked well together in keeping everyone safe over the past four weeks and please keep up the great work over the Easter break. We can get a bit fed up hearing the same messages over and over again, but if we want our school to stay open, then we have to keep going.
Dr Abigail Collins and Dr. Kevin Kelleher of the HSE have asked school Principals to pass on this message:
- Symptoms – Please make sure all staff and families are aware not to attend school if they have any symptoms of Covid-19 infection.
- Symptomatic household members – Please remind all staff and children that no-one should be attending school if they have any household member who has signs or symptoms of Covid-19; they should be restricting their movements until it is clear whether the household member has Covid-19 infection or not.
- Close contacts – Please remind all staff and children that they need to restrict their movements and undergo testing if they have been told by their doctor / HSE services that they are a close contact of a case of Covid-19; they should not be attending any school.
- Re-enforcing general public health messages – Please restrict your movements and social contacts (that means no play dates or sleep overs), social distancing, use face coverings and wash or sanitise your hands regularly.
The girls have been a credit to you since they came back to school. They are doing everything we have asked them to do and they are being kind to and considerate of everyone around them. Well done on the great effort to scoot, cycle or walk to school this week.
Have a lovely Easter break and we look forward to seeing you all again on Monday 12th April.
Yours sincerely,
C. O’Reilly – Principal
Pick Up Times on Friday 26th
School will close for the Easter break on Friday 26th March. These are the pick-up times for Friday.
Junior and Senior Infants @ 12.10 p.m. As both Infant classes will go home at the same time, there may be extra traffic in the car park. Please stay in your car and the staff will bring your child to you.
First and Second Class @ 12.20 p.m.
Third to Sixth Class @ 12.30 p.m.
Video for Parents from the Department of Education
12th March 2021
On Monday next, 15th March our school re-opens for all pupils and staff. We are very much looking forward to having the girls from 3rd Class to 6th Class back with us again. Girls, please put your books and any other belongings in a plastic bag, write your name on the outside of the bag and bring it to school on Monday. Your things will be quarantined in your classroom until Thursday morning. Remember to bring your Return to School Form.
To try to cut down on the number of cars driving through the car park next week, we are encouraging as many of you as possible to walk, scoot or cycle safely to school. (Remember to wear your helmet!) Whether you are walking or coming by car, please wear your high-vis vest. It makes you more visible to traffic.
Our ‘Stop, Drop and Go’ system worked extremely well from September to Christmas. Please continue to use the system. Mams and Dads should stay in their cars, and a staff member will collect your child from the car or bring her to your car in the afternoon. It is absolutely essential that you wear a face covering and keep your distance. We need your help to keep our pupils and staff safe, and to keep the school open.
Wednesday of next week is St. Patrick’s Day – our national holiday. The girls may wear their national colours to school on Tuesday.
As a staff, we would like to say a huge ‘Thank You’ to all the superhero Mams and Dads who have been supporting their children with Home Learning since January 6th. We know that it has not been easy at times, and we truly appreciate the effort that you have made to help your children keep engaged in learning. We are very aware that the last thing you will want to do right now is deal with Homework. For the next two weeks, the girls will have only 1 easy task per week assigned for them on Seesaw by their teachers. It can be done and uploaded at a time of their choosing. This is to make sure that the girls, the staff and their parents stay familiar with all the online learning skills we have developed over the last few months.
Our lovely new classroom extension is almost finished. After Easter, Sixth Class will move into the new room for their final term in Primary school, and Fifth Class will move to a classroom upstairs.
Today, it is one year since the first lockdown began. We have learned to live in a different way and sometimes it has been difficult. However, we have made it through the year by working together and we have learned so much that will help us to keep going until life returns to some form of normality. Next week, we will do some collaborative artwork with the girls to help them to reflect on the past year, the tough times and the good times.
Thank you to everyone in our school community for your ongoing support. We look forward to the next couple of weeks leading up to the Easter break, and please God to a good final term to this school year.
Our most recent newsletter is available to read on the School Bell tab and girls, be extra nice to your Mams and Grans on Sunday!
Miss o’Reilly and all the staff of OUr Lady of Good Counsel GNS
