November 2019 Newsletter
Welcome
We welcome Ethan and Sarah Lynn Maloney to Junior Infants and First Class and we wish them well as they settle into our school.
New Class Groupings
As the Department of Education have given permission for the appointment of a 3rd mainstream class teacher for the remainder of this year, the new teaching arrangements for 2019-2020 only are as follows:
Junior/Senior Infants - Ms. Hazlett
1st, 2nd, 3rd - Mrs. Patton
4th, 5th, 6th - Mrs. Pepper
Many thanks for all the offers of help we received in order to get classrooms ready for the new arrangements. Due to the new appointment our staff room has now become the Special Education Teacher’s room and the hall will now be used as a library, equipment storage space, SET support (for larger groups), staff room and so will not be suitable for PE on wet days! As Mrs. Pepper is moving back to the classroom the SET position is being filled on a temporary basis for the coming few weeks by Irene Flynn. We welcome Irene to Ballybay Central and look forward to having her working with us. The new appointment of a 3rd mainstream class teacher will greatly benefit all children as they will now be in smaller groups. We acknowledge that it has been difficult for teachers to teach and children to learn when in a classroom of 20+ children. In order to retain this 3rd mainstream class teacher post it is required that our enrolments for the coming years remain above 50 pupils. Presently we have 54 pupils enrolled.
P.E.
This term all pupils will participate in G.A.A. classes with the local G.A.A. coaches. These classes take place on THURSDAYS so all pupils must wear tracksuits and runners on Thursdays instead of Friday from now until Christmas.
Cash for Clobber
Many thanks to those who have donated bags of clothes to the Cash for Clobber scheme. It’s great to have past parents also donating to the collection. The bags will be collected on Wednesday this week so if you wish to leave in bags please do so before then please. Money collected from this scheme will be used to buy much needed resources for the classrooms.
Evening of Music and Song
What a wonderful evening of music and song we had on Friday 18th October. The feedback following the event was extremely positive. Many thanks to the Parents’ Association Committee and all parents who helped out in any way on the evening. To date the total amount raised is €2859.65.
Parents’ Association Committee
Following the A.G.M. of the school’s Parents’ Association the following committee was elected:
Chairperson –Wendy Leonard
Vice-Chairperson – Jason Pollock
Treasurer – Elaine Fuller
Secretary – Nicola McAdam
BOM Representatives – Catriona Burgess and Alan Hamilton
Committee – Stephanie Moffett, William Patton, Christine Phillips, Sabina Vogel
Dates for Your Diary
Thursday 5th December Parent Teacher Meetings
Tuesday 17th December Christmas Play
Friday 20th December Christmas Holidays – closing 12.00
This will be the last newsletter you will receive in a printed format. From December the newsletter may be viewed on the school website – www.ballybaycns.com