Frasaí na Seachtaine #7
"Cén rang ina bhfuil tú? Tá mé i rang a cúig!"
See below to listen to the girls from Ms Flanagan’s Rang a Cúig
showing us how to pronounce our Frásaí na Seachtaine!
Labhair Gaeilge linn – sa bhaile agus ar scoil!
Child Safeguarding Statement
The Board of Management has undertaken its annual review of the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement at the Board's first meeting of the new school year on 21.09.23.
This review was conducted in accordance with the Checklist for Review of the Child Safeguarding Statement published on www.gov.ie.
Please click here to view our Child Safeguarding Statement September 2023.
Admissions for School Year 2024/2025
The process for admission to Junior Infants 2024 opened on Monday 2nd October and will remain open until Friday 27th October @ 3pm.
All details including relevant dates/forms/policy etc are now available here.
Applications may be posted to the school or delivered by hand. As original documents supporting the application must be included, applications cannot be made by email.
PT Meetings
PT Meetings for 1st to 6th Class will take place in the week beginning Monday 20th November. Please keep an eye on our newsletter for further details re scheduling your PT Meetings via Aladdin.
Children Accessing Learning Support
Our Learning Support Team will make direct contact with parents/guardians with specific arrangements for these PT Meetings.
School Calendar 2023/2024
The 2023/2024 calendar is available here.
TY Students
We are delighted that some of our past pupils will be coming to the school next Monday 23rd October to participate in our Hollypark GNS Transition Year Programme. These 4th year students will be very busy working in our school, helping teachers for the duration of the week. We hope they get a good insight into the profession and that some of them will go on to qualify as teachers in the future!
'Is proifisiún í an mhúinteoireacht a mhúineann na proifisiún uilig eile'
Lost Property
Many coats, tracksuit tops and school jumpers are being mislaid each day. Please check your daughters' uniforms this weekend, to ensure that they have their name and class on each item. Many of the items being found have no names, or names from children who are no longer in the school. Don’t forget to label their jackets and raincoats too.
HSE Flu Vaccine Initiative: Monday 23rd October
St Patricks GNS, Hollypark have teamed up with Allcare Pharmacy this year to provide students with a FREE Flu nasal vaccine. Allcare Pharmacy are setting up a vaccination centre within the school on Monday 23rd October. All of their experienced vaccinators are qualified pharmacists who have undertaken specialist training. Children are offered a nasal spray as it is quick, painless and very effective.
For the past number of years, the HSE has offered free flu vaccinations for children. This is because children play a key role in the transmission of flu and may pose a threat to those who are at higher risk of complications from flu such as the elderly, those who are pregnant or other children with underlying conditions. Schools know that parents can often struggle to get vaccine appointments for their children without taking time off work or taking children out of school. This has proven to be a barrier to vaccine uptake. Vaccination in schools will increase the uptake rate and ensure a successful flu vaccine campaign, which will help to protect the vulnerable members of our community.
All parents have been sent an online Flu Vaccination Consent Form via Aladdin. Please complete this form if you would like your child to avail of the flu nasal vaccine in school on Monday 23rd October.
Please note: For parents with more than one child in the school, you will need to fill in one consent form for each child. The team cannot vaccinate any child without the online consent form being completed in advance.
Vaccination will be scheduled over the school day to suit the operational needs of the school.
STEM Week in HP: 16th - 20th October
A New Primary Maths Curriculum has been launched by the DE. This is the first change since 1999 and marks an exciting development in your children’s education. The aim of the new curriculum is that children see maths as important and useful to their everyday lives. Over the next two years schools will undertake CPD on the curriculum with a view to implementation in schools from September 2025. Throughout this special week in Hollypark we are enjoying Maths Trails during our PE lessons with Mr. Oreo and our beleaguered principal, Ms Gunning, has dealt with Daily Principal's Problems!!!
On Maths Monday we ......
Guessed the Jellies in the Jar
Started on our Tables Competition
4th Class enjoyed their weekly Lego Workshop. This week they created a washing machine! (See below)
On Technology Tuesday ......
JI & SI undertook a STEM Blocks Challenge
Some classes took part in Maths Trails around the yard
1st-6th played Maths Loop Games
6th Class enjoyed an Hour of Coding
3rd & 4th tackled a STEM Challenge
On Wizards Wednesday ......
We competed in the Tables Competition Final!
Junior Infants used their 'Maths Eyes' to search for maths all around the school
6th Class undertook a further Hour of Coding
5th & 6th tackled their STEM Challenge
On Thinking Thursday ......
6th Class will host a 'Science Expo' for 1st to 5th Classes in the hall
1st & 2nd will tackle their STEM Challenge
4th-6th will compete in a STEM Quiz in the afternoon
On Fun Friday we will....
Announce all winners - including Guess the Jellies!!
Fun STEM games in all classes
See below for additional maths resources
Green Schools Update
The Green School Committee hosted two very informative assemblies last Friday. Girls from the Green Committee in 6th Class presented two PowerPoints relating to issues around Travel in the context of Global Citizenship. Our understanding of Global Citizenship, as a concept, is key to our application this year. To this end every class from 1st to 6th has been asked to research different countries in the world and find out how children in those countries get to school.
Children were surprised to hear that in some countries children travel very long and perilous journeys every morning by foot, by boat and sometimes even by donkey or camel! We will be doing a lot of work on this topic over the coming weeks in our efforts to highlight the links that we as global citizens have with other people all over the world.
Please be mindful of your travel choices to and from the school. If you can walk or cycle or scoot, please do! Your actions impact children all over the world!
Goal Jersey Day: Friday 13th October
We enjoyed a wonderful GOAL Jersey Day in Hollypark last Friday. Through our bucket collection we raised over €900!!!! Thank you as always for your generosity to our chosen charities.
Jersey Day is GOAL's flagship annual fundraising campaign held across Ireland and throughout the world. GOAL Jersey Day sees tens of thousands of people across Ireland coming together and wearing their favourite sports jerseys to support GOAL's work with vulnerable communities.
Our next chosen charity will be the St Vincent de Paul Annual Christmas Appeal which supports the vulnerable in our local community.
Registration for Sacraments
Registration Opens: Wednesday 1st November Registration Closes: Wednesday 29th November |
Foxrock Parish Family Mass Group
Foxrock Parish Family Mass Group (FMG) 2023/24 is back, following the Summer break. Choir practice is on Thursday evenings in Tír na nÓg room, Parish Centre, 7-7:45pm for 10am Mass on Sunday.
We will also encourage children to take part in Prayers of the Faithful and/or acting out the Gospel reading (but only if they would like to participate), which is great for their confidence in public speaking.
Come along to the Parish Centre any Thursday evening to try it out without any commitment or contact davypaula@icloud.com/0868449509 for further information.
Hallowe'en Dress Up Day: Friday 27th October
Friday 27th October, the last day of this half term will be Hallowe'en Dress Up Day.
Any girl who does not wish to dress up on the day may wear her school tracksuit.
Some practical points re Hallowe'en Dress Up Day in school:
No accessories, i.e. nothing a child needs to hold in their hand or things that can be put down for others to potentially pick up and handle.
Be mindful of the length of the costume - avoid costumes that are too long and may be a tripping hazard - bear in mind we have lots of staircases in our school!
Costumes - including shoes - should be comfortable and practical for sitting in the classroom for the day, and for going out on yard at break times.
Be mindful that the costume isn’t going to scare a younger pupil. If you think a Junior Infant will be frightened, then tone it down or reconsider.
Hallowe’en Safety Tips for Our Girls
Don’t assume that motorists can see you: cross at traffic lights or pedestrian crossings.
Put electronic devices down, keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.
Make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
Always walk on foot paths.
Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
An adult should always accompany children under age 12 for trick-or-treating. (Ensure that each child has a parent’s phone number with them in case they are separated from the group)
Avoid dogs, even if you know them, as fireworks can startle even the friendliest dog
Avoid knocking on the doors of elderly neighbours
Costumes for a Safe Halloween
Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colours.
Ensure that fancy dress costumes are flame-resistant (look for the CE mark)
Beware of any small parts on which a child could choke (look for the CE mark)
Make sure that the costume length will not cause the child to trip
Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision. But if choosing a mask double check to ensure that children can see, hear and breath (look for the CE mark)
Have children carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
Bonfires and Fireworks
Keep a safe distance from bonfires at all times
Never approach a firework that has failed to go off
Keep pets indoors to avoid them being injured by fireworks or bonfires
School will finish at the normal closing time on Friday 27th October. |
School will re-open on Monday 6th November. |
PA: Christmas Card Fundraiser
Christmas Cards have been completed and sent to the printers. Further details to follow shortly on how to order your cards for Christmas. Thank you to our PA for organising this traditional fundraising endeavour.
Folens Christmas Annuals
Folens Christmas Annuals are now available to order through our school's Aladdin System.
The annuals cost €4 each. Last orders - 13th November 2023.
Junior & Senior Infants | Súgradh |
1st & 2nd Class | Spraoi |
3rd & 4th Class | Siamsa |
5th & 6th Class | Sonas |
Budding Artists!
Date for your Diary: Parent Talk on Wellbeing
In a joint initiative, Fiona Forman, expert on wellbeing, has been invited to talk to the parents of Hollypark GNS & BNS on Thursday 19th October @ 7:30pm. Hollypark BNS are kindly hosting the event in their school hall. Thank you to the PAs of both schools, who will be providing teas/coffees on the evening. We look forward to seeing you then.
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken adults”
Frederick Douglass
Respect for Our Neighbours
As a Green School we actively encourage our girls to walk, cycle and scoot to school. As 80% of our pupils live within 2km of the school, this is very doable for many.
Walking, cycling and scooting not only provide a wonderful opportunity for chats with friends, improving our physical and mental health and caring for our environment, but these methods also help to reduce traffic, making the area around our school a safer place not just for our pupils but for all our neighbours. Unfortunately, but quite justifiably, our neighbours frequently complain of inconsiderate parking on the roads close to our school.
Please use the Church car park if it’s on your route to school: parking at the Church is free to all families at drop off and collection times.
Birthdays this Week in Hollypark!
Alice O'Keeffe
Rhea Close
Ava Conlan
Evie Cahill
Rachel Hyland
Anna Ciara Gleeson
Ada Delaney
Eleanor Whelan
Anna Rose Marron
Lucy Reynolds
Lucia O'Brien
Juliette Rose Perkins
HPGNS: United in Friendship, Together We Strive!