KNS February 2018 Newsletter and our Term 2 Extracurricular Activities Schedule

12th Feb 2018

Kilcoskan NS Parents’ Newsletter – February 2018 12^th February 2018

Dear Parents,

This month’s KNS news items are listed below. On the reverse of this letter, we are pleased to provide this term’s KNS Extracurricular After-School Activities schedule too.

Best wishes,
Mr. Ciarán Caulfield, Priomhoide

Extra-Curricular Activities (open to pupils from 1^st – 6^th class, see overleaf): If your child is interested in any of the activities, please complete and return the slip to reception by Wednesday 14^th February. All activities will start from next week, for 6 weeks (except after school Gaelic football open to 3^rd – 6^th class, which runs to the summer and which has already started.)
Pancake Tuesday Tomorrow 13^th February: All pupils will be able to buy a pancake and toppings for €2 during our class pancake parties. Thanks to the KNS Parents Association for helping with this. Money raised will go to the National Children’s Hospital. Ashes will be distributed on Ash Wednesday.
In KNS we are selling Shamrock: This year in KNS we are pleased to be selling Paddy McShamrock’s “Living Irish Shamrock”. The “Living Shamrock” will be delivered in little golden vases which can be attached to your coat etc. Each clump of shamrock costs €4 and €2 goes to KNS. Shamrock order cards were issued to all on Friday. It is of course parents’ decision if they want their child to sell the shamrock and for those who do, we ask that the order cards and monies are returned to the school by Friday 2^nd March at the absolute latest. Children will bring the shamrock home for distribution once delivered to KNS on March 13^th / 14^th.
KNS Garden and Environmental news: Since Christmas, we have replanted 11 native silver birch trees along the southern perimeter of the yard. We are also now proud to have in the garden area a “Forest in a Box”. This is an initiative of the Swords Woodland Association with whom we are working. The forest-box contains about 20 small acorns, resting and hopefully germinating within a bed of leaf mould – replicating the floor of an ancient Irish oak forest. Also in our KNS garden we have had installed a 3 phase composting system which we’ll get up and going soon. Finally, soon we will also be setting up a school wormery!
KNS Class Multicultural themes: Thanks to those parents who are volunteering in our classes this week and next to speak on their national cultural practices (Polish and Lithuanian). One of our pupils has also bravely volunteered to speak in classes about her family’s Belarussian culture. In April we will host a speaker from Pavee Point to talk about the Traveller Community culture too.
Code of Behaviour Review: As part of the KNS Code of Behaviour review, parent feedback is now invited. Such feedback must be submitted to the school in writing, marked for the attention of the Board of Management, by Friday March 2nd. Feedback submitted anonymously will not be accepted.
Anti Bullying: Our Parents Association will host a speaker in Kilcoskan NS on the theme of anti-bullying - on Monday 19th February 2018 at 7.30pm. All are welcome.
Early School Closures this term: School will close at 1.40pm for all pupils on Wednesday March 14^th and at 12pm for all on Friday March 16^th. These early closures are to facilitate whole-staff training in a number of new Department of Education procedures, including updated Child Protection legislation. These closures are in line with Department of Education policy. Note that school will also close at 12pm on Friday 23^rd March for the Easter Holidays. School will reopen for all on Monday April 9^th for the first day of term 3.

Kilcoskan NS Extra Curricular Activities for Term 2: (Click the timetable to enlarge)