September Newsletter 2026

Welcome

A very warm welcome back to everyone as we begin another exciting school year! We hope all our pupils, families and staff enjoyed the wonderful summer weather and made the most of the break from school. We are delighted to see everyone back at school and are looking forward to a year filled with lots of fun, friendship and learning. We extend an especially warm welcome to our eight new Junior Infants – Fairn, Ahamad, Ailbhe, Odhran, Connie, Robyn, Scarlett and Alexandria. We are also delighted to welcome Liam, Luiza, Kayla and Amy who have joined our Middle and Senior classrooms

Aladdin Connect

Aladdin Connect is the platform used by the school for communication with parents. At this stage every family should have signed up for Aladdin. It is important to have the app on your phone. Please ensure notifications for Aladdin are ‘on’ in your settings. By doing so you will receive instant notifications (just like a text). Messages are sent about school events, sudden closures or reminders for payments, meetings etc. Parents must also use Aladdin to inform school of pupil absences and the reason for absence. Slots for Parent Teacher meetings (held in November) are booked on Aladdin and the end of year school reports are also available on Aladdin.

If you change address or phone number or you wish to add an emergency contact number to your child’s profile you may do so on your Aladdin Connect.

Consent on Aladdin

Please check your Aladdin connect page to give or refuse permission for the following –

Consent for photographs to be taken of your child/children. Photographs may be used on the school website, newsletter, local newspaper etc. (Children are not named in photographs)
General School Activities – consent for children to participate in all school activities that take place outside the school grounds, in local park, hall etc.
Consent to walk to/or home from school – please note that staff accept no responsibility for children once they leave the school grounds.

It is important to complete the permission section on your Aladdin immediately. If you are unsure or are having difficulty with your Aladdin Connect please call into the office with your device.

Fresh Today School Lunches

Fresh Today are the suppliers of hot school meals in our school. Please ensure that your children like the lunches you order for them. Some children do not like their meals and don’t want to eat them. All children must bring a lunch box to school to put their cardboard container/packaging in to take home. If you are having difficulty accessing the app for Fresh Today you can contact them on 043 3347568 or email them at office@freshtoday.ie and they will help you. Changes to lunch orders must be made before Thursday each week for the following week. If you do not wish to receive lunches for your child, please let the office know and your child will be removed from the system. There is an option to have no lunch some days by clicking ‘no meal’ for a particular day if you want to send a lunch with a child on that day.

Please remember the schools ‘Healthy Eating Policy’ when sending snacks/lunches. The full policy is available for viewing on the school website: www.ballybaycns.com – please take note of the following foods which are recommended, not recommended and not permitted:-

Foods which are recommended for snack include:

Brown, wholemeal Bread/Rolls, Pita Breads, Wraps, Crackers, Rice Cakes, pancakes
Vegetable Salad (cucumber, sweet-corn, tomato etc.) Vegetable Sticks (carrot, celery, peppers etc.)
Fresh Fruit (apples, mandarins, peaches, pears, plums, bananas, kiwis, oranges, melon, blueberries, strawberries etc.)
Dried Fruit (raisins, sultanas, apricots etc.)
Cheese, Yogurt, Fromage Frais
Water, Milk

Foods which are not recommended:

Any snack known to be high in sugar, saturated fat, salt, additives and preservatives e.g. chocolate spread, nuts (for young children due to a choking hazard)

Foods that are Not Permitted:

Chewing Gum
Sweets / biscuits/buns
Crisps • Lollipops
Fizzy drinks (carbonated drinks)
Sports or energy drinks
Chocolate**- (** including any items that contain chocolate)

Pupil Insurance

We have used this insurance cover for several years and we feel it is the best cover out there at the moment for school pupils. This year we will again purchase cover on a ‘compulsory’ basis whereby all pupils in school are insured for €5.00 per pupil where cover is limited to School Related Activities only. Please do not send cash to school – Payment for Insurance must be received by 30^th September.

Pupil insurance covers costs incurred if an accident happens on the school grounds e.g. doctor/minor injuries expenses.

Payments should be made by:

Online banking – IBAN IE20AIBK 9324 2601 2651 56 or
Cheque/draft from bank or Credit Union
If using Online banking please put your name on the reference line so we know it’s your payment.
Mrs McBride will issue receipts of payment.

P.E.

P.E. takes place every Friday for this term. We are looking forward to welcoming Euan back on Friday 11^th September for 6 weeks. Euan is an FAI soccer coach and the children love his sessions. Children must wear tracksuits and runners on Fridays for P.E.

Voluntary Contribution

As a school, we have always tried to keep costs for our families as low as possible. However, with the cost of everyday school supplies continuing to rise, it has been decided to introduce a voluntary contribution this year to help towards the cost of photocopying & arts and craft materials. Unfortunately, the grants we receive from the Department of Education do not fully cover these costs. The suggested contribution is €30 per child or €50 per family with two or more children and can be paid directly into the school account by Friday 25^th October. Please reference your payment with your family’s surname. We are very grateful for the continued support of all our parents ad families.

Attendance

If your child is absent from school please fill in reasons for absences on Aladdin each day that they are off. It is the responsibility of parents to do this, not teachers. You may enter planned absences also (e.g. appointments etc). Please use Aladdin to inform staff of late arrivals and early leaving. Parents will receive a letter each term stating the number of days their child has been absent to date. When a child is absent for 20 school days plus in any given year, the education section in Tusla (TESS -Tulsa Education Support Service) is notified. This is a mandatory requirement for schools.

See help sheet below -

The Education Welfare Officer may contact you if your child’s attendance is giving cause for concern and you will be required to attend a series of meetings with the Education Welfare Officer.

Active School Flag

We were delighted to be awarded our Active School Flag in June. This was awarded to our school having successfully completed all the requirements. Many thanks to Ms Brown and The Active School committee(s) for all their hard work.

Photographer

A photographer will visit the school in early October (date to be confirmed) to take individual/family photographs as well as Junior Infants, 6^th Class and a whole school group. Please ensure your child wears their full school uniform on the day. There is no obligation to buy photographs.

School Holidays

School will be closed on Monday 7^th September for inservice training.

Ballybay Central National School

School Calendar 2026-2027

School Re-opens	Thursday 27^th August 2026
Mid-Term Break	Monday 26^th October – Friday 30^th October inclusive
Christmas Closing	Tuesday 22^nd December at 12.00 (last day of school)
Re-opening	Wednesday 6^th January 2027
St Brigid’s Day	Monday 1^st February
Mid-Term Break	Thursday 18^th February & Friday 19^th February
St. Patrick’s Day Weekend	Wednesday 17^th March
Easter Closing	Friday 19^th March at 12.00 (last day of school)
Re-opening	Monday 5^th April
Bank Holiday Weekend	Friday 30^th April & Monday 3^rd May
Bank Holiday	Monday 7^th June
Summer Holidays Closing	Tuesday 22^nd June at 12.00

Additional closures for staff in-service/planning days will be forwarded to parents as soon as the school is notified by the Department of Education.