Kilcoskan NS November 2017 Newsletter

                                                     

           

                                         Kilcoskan NS November 2017 Newsletter

                                                                                                         9th November 2017    

Dear Parents,

We hope everybody is well rested after the recent midterm break. Below are some news items to note this month here in Kilcoskan NS.

Best wishes,

Mr.Ciarán Caulfield, Priomhoide

·      October’s Harvest Fair: Thanks to all for supporting this recent annual school event which was a great success again – and thanks especially to those parents who baked / provided fruit and vegetables on the day. It was great also to have a past-pupil parent who now works in farming to present to our pupils on the day too!

·      Parents Association Annual General Meeting: Scheduled for Wednesday 22nd November 2017 at 8pm in the school.

·      Christmas Cards: Tomorrow, Friday 10th November is the last date to order school Christmas cards designed by your child.

·      KNS beanie hats, caps, mugs and pens: Available for purchase from Monday 13th November as stocking fillers – or just as very cool gifts for friends and family. Samples can be seen and purchases made at reception.

·      Parking: Road safety and parking around the school have improved greatly in recent years. Thanks to all for this. However, a small number of parents still unfortunately park on the Keep Clear and no parking yellow zigzag lines. Please do not park on the zigzag lines or the Keep Clear zones. This is a matter of law and is obviously a safety issue. 

·      KNS on RTE TV: Over the midterm break, we were delighted to appear on the Today Show on RTE 1 TV. The clip which is still available on the RTE Player shows some of our infant pupils visiting Newpark Care Home back in September, during Positive Ageing Week. Thanks to Newpark for inviting us down for what was a lovely visit.

·      Christmas carols: This coming Monday 13th November we will announce the date for this year’s KNS Christmas Carols Concert.

·      After school activities: The Term 1 program is now up and running. Thanks to all staff for giving of their time voluntarily to run this program.

·      Feet First Friday: We’ll walk to school on Friday mornings from the Coolquay Lodge for the next 3 Fridays, up to 24th November, weather permitting. We depart the Lodge at 8.45am each Friday.

·      6th Class Confirmation Date: St.Canice’s Parish have informed us that Confirmation will be on Thursday 8th March 2018 in St.Margaret’s Church.

·      Shoebox appeal: We are extending the closing date for the annual  Team Hope Shoebox Appeal to Tuesday next, 14th November. As per the flyer, if you wish to be involved just pack a boys or girls shoebox with appropriate gifts for less fortunate children in other countries.

·     Class Resources system feedback and KNS Code information – please see the reverse of this newsletter for important information on these newly developing school systems.

Guidance Statement for Parents and Pupils on the KNS Code:

In primary school, pupils develop knowledge and skills to help them think. In Kilcoskan NS pupils don’t solely learn to think about Irish, English and Maths etc. Here, pupils are helped to develop values, knowledge and thinking skills with which to understand and in time reflect upon and control their thoughts, reactions and behaviours. Educational research shows that developing such self-awareness and thinking skills can help pupils to grow and flourish together. In talking with pupils about such matters daily, KNS staff use the language of the “KNS Code” which is:

·         Be kind to yourself and others.

·         Always do your best.

·         Think and make smart choices.

So, in addition to ongoing assessment of pupil class and homework, each day our pupils receive meaningful feedback to help them reflect upon their developing self-awareness and positive behaviours. Again, we use the language of the Code for such communications. To help our pupils self-reflect in this regard, teachers currently describe pupil behaviours as Excellent, Good or Needs Improvement. Having listened to parent and Parents Association feedback, to clarify the message, from next week we will add a sticker to journals explaining the KNS Code for all and we will enhance the stamp system by stamping “KNS Code – Excellent / Good / Needs Improvement”. The KNS Code system can be differentiated for pupils with additional needs and it has been devised in consultation with our National Educational Psychological Service Department of Education school psychologist. The KNS Code is part of the school’s recently revised Code of Behaviour, which can be read in full at www.kilcoskanbloggers.blogspot.ie

A Message re. the School’s Books and Resources Rental / Purchase etc. Scheme

We hope you will agree, having completed the first half of term 1, that the new books and resources / rental scheme has started very well and was an improvement on previous years. As we start the second half of the term, we now ask the parents of all children who chose Option 2 (ie. those who chose to purchase some of their children’s educational resources over the summer) to now send all of these resources into school. (Eg. glues / folders etc.)  Please label these before they are sent in. We will then keep them safely here, in individual bags, for when your child needs them. 

Along with the above request, may we also take this opportunity to ask you, the parents, for any meaningful feedback which could help us to refine and improve the rental / class resources system still further for this and future years. We ask you to email such feedback to kilcoskansecretary@gmail.com by next Friday 17^th November - Thanks.

Please turn over to read the November 2017 school newsletter.