NewsLetter October 21st 2011

DSPNS Newsletter 19ú Deireadh Fómhair 2011

6th class and their buddies Senior Infants enjoyed a trip to Cabinteely Park last Friday. They had a lovely time playing together. 5th class have been working on a great variety of activities including cooking, art, story writing, computer skills, knitting and cross stitching. 4th class earned extra yard time in the sunshine last week by learning a new Irish phrase: Tá mé réidh fanacht amach. 3rd class produced some beautiful blow paint art and made more progress in recorder playing.

6th class students of the week

5th class students of the week

All classes have worked on showing respect through minding property – personal and school items – and through good manners. Nominations are made weekly and photos of the student/stars of the week are on the Ethical Education notice boards both upstairs and downstairs. This newsletter features nominations 3rd – 6th class. Congratulations to all!

4th class students of the week

3rd class students of the week

Several beautiful bamboos were planted into pots on the patio making it an even more pleasant space to use. Thanks to Ms Ellis for organising this and to Brian, Tom, Liz, John and Michael for helping. Our garden has had its first makeover this year. Many thanks to Declan especially for organizing the garden clear and removing all the waste, and to helpers Catriona, Grainne & Simon & family, and David.

The skipping workshops today have been very successful. We hope this will spur children on to keep up their fitness levels and to be persistent enough to learn new skipping skills.

6th class skipping

Girls' hockey team

Thanks to Christina and the girls’ hockey team for representing our school well at the Rathdown 5th 6th class hockey league on Monday.

And finally, thanks to Karen who started up choir practice with us this week. We’ll let you now how we get on with singing practice!

4th class at choir practice

Educate Together Welcomes State Commitment

Educate Together Welcomes State Commitment to Accelerate Establishment of Multi-Denominational Schools

Educate Together, the multi-denominational education charity, has welcomed the publication of the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Ireland. In its UPR response Ireland has committed to “Accelerate its efforts to establish a national network of schools that guarantee equality of access to children regardless of religious, social or cultural beliefs’.

Educate Together has been working for over 30 years to establish a truly national network of multi-denominational schools in Ireland. Its legal charter obliges it to operate schools that provide equality of access and esteem to children “irrespective of social, cultural or religious background.” The parallel with the UN recommendation is striking. Although the patron body now has 60 such schools, they still only account for 2% of primary schools in Ireland. 96% of Ireland’s primary schools are under religious patronage.

Paul Rowe, Educate Together CEO, is encouraged by the commitment made ‘Everyone involved in Irish education acknowledges that the current availability of multi-denominational schools of the Educate Together model is far below where it should be. However progress on addressing this lack of diversity has been agonizingly slow. The lack of this choice in many parts of the country is a growing problem for families. “The current Forum on Patronage and Plurality is an important step forward and the commitment of the State in its UPR response is very significant. Ireland has committed itself to accelerating the process. Many parents in Ireland who have been waiting for years to access multi-denominational education, will hold the state to this commitment – and now the world is watching”.

Ireland’s UPR report recommends a series of steps the state must take in relation to its improving human rights record and associated legislation. In the education sector, recommendations were made on access on an equal footing for people with disabilities, the Traveller community and people from minority religions. Particular reference was made to eradicating discriminatory practice in Irish law citing education legislation as an example. Ireland has also, in its report response, given a commitment to ratify the UNESCO Convention Against Discrimination in Education.

Other significant commitments made include the continued implementation of the CERD (Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination) recommendations. Ireland has made little progress on implementing these over the last 10 years.

Educate Together is currently applying to open 12 new primary schools in the next two years. It is hoped that the commitment by the state to the UPR will be proven by the establishment of these schools with Educate Together’s patronage.

October 5th Update

DSPNS Newsletter 5ú Deireadh Fómhair 2011

1st class had a great trip to Knocksink Woods yesterday, Tuesday, where they had a day of exploring  signs of autumn in the environment. Back at school, Junior and Senior Infants have started group activities that include yard games, computer skills, yoga and cooking.  The apple crumble smelled and tasted delicious!

4th class yoga

All classes are working on showing respect with a particular focus on good manners this week. We had our first whole school assembly to welcome the new junior infants and new staff. We also congratulated the new student council members. We sang Ireland’s Call in celebration of the Irish rugby team’s success to date. On Friday we will wear something green (if available at home) in support of the team playing in the quarter-final on Saturday morning.

Educate Together Forum on Enrolment

All parents/guardians and staff are invited to attend workshops on Enrolment Policy this Saturday 8 October @ 10.00am in the Central Hotel in town. Please attend if you can. The Board of Management will be organizing a review of our Enrolment Policy this academic year. It is essential parents/guardians avail of opportunities to engage in the debates on this this important issue. See www.educatetogether.ie for further details.

Junior and Senior Infants enjoy lunch in the sun

Extra-Curricular Activities – Free Kung Fu Trial!

There will be a free Kung Fu trial for children in 4th, 5th and 6th classes on Monday 10th October.  This will take place in the Halla from 2.15 – 3.00.  Please confirm your interest in this free trial with Sinead O’Sullivan on 086 8969182.

Monkstown Educate Together Charity Fundraiser

Clothes Swap Fundraiser for Monkstown Educate Together Thursday 6th October 8pm. Bring a bag of clothes (including children’s clothes) pay €10 in and have a look around. When the bell goes at 9pm you take what you want home!! If anyone has any queries you can contact Ziene at 087 2940173

DSPNS Newsletter 21ú Meán Fómhair 2011

All classes are showing a pleasing ability to settle in to class routines. Please continue to encourage your children to deal with the challenges of doing all school tasks. Basic tasks need to be addressed before more complex activities may be approached as a whole class. The pictures below show some of the range of learning opportunities children have experienced in the past two weeks.

1st class movement exercises
5th class self portraits
4th class drama activities

Board of Management (BoM)

A sincere thanks to Nic Grant for taking on the duties of Acting Chairperson over the past number of months. Following BoM meeting and consultation with DSP Patron, Liz McGovern is now Chairperson of the Board. We are very fortunate at DSPNS to have parents willing and able to undertake BoM membership and help run the school efficiently. BoM membership is a considerable investment of personal time and commitment.

DSPNS Newsletter 7ú Meán Fómhair 2011

We are experiencing a blustery start weatherwise to the new school year. Indoors, school life is calm with children settling well into class routines. Establishing routines is an essential factor in creating a positive learning environment. Parental support in terms of reminders to children will be most helpful. We have been very lucky to have one of our parents leading an art group already. Thanks to Tiggy for her batik work! 3rd class will be going to the Mountains to Sea book festival event on Friday. It is great to have the DSPNS tradition of an impressive variety of approaches to teaching and learning at the start of the new school year.

Below are some some quotes and pictures from the first week back at school.

1st class line up quietly and safely

1st class quotes

“ I like drawing.” “I like going in the big yard.” I like making new friends.” I like doing harder homework.” I like the way the yard is bigger.” I like my new teacher.”

3rd class quotes

“Is maith liom recorder.” We have been playing dodgeball.” Is maith liom making scrolls.” Is maith liom súgradh le Lego.”

5th class quotes

“I liked the batik tie die.” “I liked making the giant handmade jigsaw with all our faces.” I liked taking our photos for the puzzle.” “I walked in the patio door upstairs. Everything looked new and nice.”

2nd class quotes

“Is maith liom yard.” “ Is maith liom reading.” “ Is maith liom playing with my friends.” “ Is maith liom rang a dó.”

4th class quotes

“We were very excited to meet our buddies from 1st class.” “We are doing a project on Schools in the Past.”

6th class quotes

“Maths is harder but good.” “I’m feeling advanced.”

5th class batik activity

Please check your child’s bag tomorrow for this term’s ECA form which has some changes to days/times of activities!! Completed forms should be returned by Tuesday 13th September at the latest.  If you have any ECA queries, please contact Sinead O’Sullivan on 086 896 9182!

Slán, Brendan, a chara – Rest in Peace

As most of you know, the DSP community lost a very committed father of two, husband, friend, and Chairperson of the Board of Management during the summer holidays. Brendan Kehoe will be sorely missed. Below are some words of appreciation from Elana.

Patrick, Eoin and I would like to thank the entire school community for their support, generosity, and caring the past 6 months.  Brendan remarked on it quite a bit while he was in hospital, and I know it gave him a lot of comfort knowing that we were being looked after in the great DSP fashion. I never, ever would have thought that a school could pull together so wonderfully as you all have; the outpouring of love and sympathy has proven that we made the right choice in being here. Brendan loved being chairperson of the BoM, as well as being on the Board of Directors of Educate Together, and it really tore him up having to leave both–he believed in the ethos of ET deeply. I’m so glad that we were all able to share in his love of education, and hope that his little bit of work in the school will live on for a long time.—-Elana Kehoe

Miriam Hurley

It is with great regret that I announce the passing of our Chairperson and DSPNS parent Brendan Kehoe on the 19th of July 2011.

Brendan’s dedication and contribution to our school (and the Educate Together movement) were second to none and he will be sorely missed. The Board of Management offers its sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Arrangements for his funeral service are available via rip.ie

Nic Grant, Acting Chairperson, Board of Management