The process for admission to Junior Infants 2024 will open on Monday 2nd October and will remain open until Friday 27th October.
The school cannot accept applications for Junior Infants 2024 before this process commences.
All details including relevant dates/forms/policy etc are now available on www.hollyparkgns.ie.
Once the admissions process is open, 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.
School Calendar 2023/2024
The 2023/2024 calendar is available on www.hollyparkgns.ie
| Start Time | Finish Time |
Senior Infants | 8:30am | 1:10pm |
1st & 2nd Class | 8:30am | 2:10pm |
3rd/4th/5th/6th Class | 8:40am | 2:20pm |
Well done to our Junior Infants who are coming into school so independently and cheerfully.
From Thursday 14th September Junior Infants will attend for the full school day: 8:30am – 1:10pm.
School Uniform
Girls should wear the school tracksuit on PE days only.
School uniform trousers, as an alternative to the school uniform skirt, are available from our uniform suppliers The Schoolwear House.
For health and safety reasons, stud earrings only are permitted.
Nail polish and make-up are not allowed.
The current hot spell is welcomed following our washout summer. For the duration of the current spell only (expected to last until the weekend), girls may wear the school tracksuit or school shorts if more comfortable.
Mobile Phones and Smart Devices
In keeping with many schools locally and nationally and working to keep our children safe, be assured that the school strongly supports your parental decision not to give your primary school child a Mobile Phone (or other smart device).
As per our Acceptable Usage Policy (AUP) mobile phones and related devices are not permitted in our school.
Helpful advice for parents re cyber safety is available on www.webwise.ie
Please note our AUP is currently under review.
Homework
Homework should be within the capability of the attentive child, based on work already done. Homework enables parents to follow their daughter’s progress.
Homework should always be checked, and the journal signed daily by parent/guardian.
Homework is assigned for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday evenings and is not generally assigned for the weekend.
Recommended Times for Homework
Junior/Senior Infants: Class Teacher will advise.
1st/2nd Class: 20 – 30 minutes
3rd/4th Class: 30 – 40 minutes
5th/6th Class: 40 – 60 minutes.
These are suggested times. In practice, the time taken will depend on each child.
If parents feel a child is taking an excessive amount of time to complete work, they should discuss this with the Class Teacher.
Please here for Homework Tips.
Frasaí na Seachtaine #1
“Dia duit! Dia is Muire duit!”
Labhair Gaeilge linn – sa bhaile agus ar scoil!
Wellbeing & Active Week 25th - 29th September
We are looking forward to celebrating Wellbeing & Active Week during the last week of September. We will share all details with our parents in the coming weeks. For now, we are asking that parents send in a white t-shirt and one odd sock to the Class Teacher by Wednesday 13th September.
PE: Curricular Swimming
I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all of our volunteer parents who undertook supervision at the curricular swimming lessons in 3rd to 6th Class over the past two years. It would not have been possible without the generous giving of your time.
Unfortunately, due to the high cost of transporting the girls to and from the pool, the school is no longer in a position to offer curricular swimming for our girls.
Instead, a Water Safety Module will be introduced to the PE curriculum in the 3rd term for 3rd to 6th Classes.
Lego Workshops for 4th Class:
We are delighted to introduce Lego Workshops to our 4th Classes. This STEM programme will give our girls the chance to explore aspects of science and engineering outside their normal curriculum-based classroom activities.
There are 12 workshops in total with each session providing theoretical knowledge and practical implementation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through the use of K’nex® and Lego® bricks. This method incorporates stories, experiments and demonstrations that are specially designed to deliver a multi-sensory experience. In this way, the learning experience is enhanced and made more memorable.
Violin Lessons: Senior Infants to 3rd Class: Violin lessons will begin next Tuesday 12th September for all classes from Senior Infants to Third Class. Our experienced violin teacher, Martha Bredin, will take the girls as a group for a half hour class in the hall every week. She will focus on aural training, music theory and the basics of violin.
The rationale for this initiative is to give every child in the school the opportunity to experience learning a musical instrument and playing the instrument in a group setting. We have found in the past that many of the girls really enjoyed learning the violin and went on to continue with lessons outside of school after their initial introduction.
The girls will have the use of our school violins. All sheet music, necessary to participate, will also be provided.
Junior Infant Photos:
County Photos will be in the school on Monday 2nd October for Junior Infant Photo Day. Class teachers will send reminders closer to time.
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 car park at the church if it’s on your route to school: parking in the church is free to all families at drop off and collection times.
Local Roadworks
We have received the below communication from Mr Conor Geraghty, Senior Engineer DLRCOCO.
‘Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Active Tavel Section are preparing to start construction works on the Deansgrange Road cycle scheme. The contractor is mobilising next week and will be installing a one way traffic management system on Deansgrange Road between St Fintans Villas and Deansgrange cross roads on Monday the 18th of September. It is expected that this will be in place for approximately 6 months and traffic will be restricted from travelling northbound (towards Blackrock)
As part of the works the northern entrance to Deansgrange Cemetery will be closed to vehicular access. I understand that the cemetery is often used as a park and stride location for pupils attending your school. We will be notifying the public via the normal mechanisms, but I wanted to contact you so that you have the opportunity to notify parents in advance of the works commencing.’
These works are likely to further impact on the challenging traffic issues near the school and we strongly encourage parents to use the car park in Foxrock Church when dropping and collecting.
Birthdays this week in Hollypark!
Rachel Cowman
Lucy Pilkington
Ellie Rouse
Angel Luis
Ava Lowey
Lily Cruise
Eibhlin Sweeney
Camilla Maciga
Kate Nolan
Sarah Tighe
Ciara Treacy
HPGNS: United in Friendship, Together We Strive!