All classes are practising hard for our whole school concert in December. Here are some photos of dance lessons with Ms Casey.

There will be a great line up of music, song and dance on the night of the show. Put this event into your diaries:

Date: Tuesday 13 December 2011

Time: 7pm

Venue: CBC Monkstown school hall

PTA Christmas Card Fundraiser

Christmas cards designed by your children are in bags today. Please read accompanying letter. Return letter and cards order to PTA Box near office entrance in a sealed envelope, marked with your child’s name and class.

Family Charity project

As you know every year at this time, St. Vicent De Paul hold their annual Toy appeal which will help many underprivileged families this Christmas.  Next week from Monday 28^th Nov to Friday 2^nd Dec, there will be a box in Gillian’s office where you can leave your presents.  Perhaps you would like to buy a present for your child’s age group, or some generic suggestions from SVP are book tokens, cinema vouchers, DVDs.  They also ask that you do not wrap the gift.  If you have any questions please contact Ailish  (086-150 4633) or Colette  (087-202 9932)

School News

Teachers and parents/guardians are working together through participation in our annual Parent Teacher meetings this week. Thanks to all for changing schedules to facilitate this event that is essential for every child’s progress at school. Meetings for Individual Education Plans for many pupils are also in progress. Again, these meetings are vital for the children’s educational development. Thanks to all for participating and working on the children’s behalf.

In spite of the challenges of changes in routines, several projects continue during the school day. The Food Dudes project has resulted in lots of tasting and eating of fruit & veg for children. Enthusiasm is building for our Christmas Show. Keep evening of Wed 13 Dec, 7pm in mind for show date; venue CBC School Hall, Monkstown. More details to follow.

Thanks to all who have signed up for Severe Weather Volunteer group. Please phone office if you would like your name added.

BOM

Jonathon Westrup, Chairperson DSP, and Liz McGovern, Chairperson BOM, met with me on Monday. BOM nominations and school ethos were discussed. The various positive behaviour strategies in progress in school – e.g. focus on an Ethical Education value each month – were acknowledged as helping towards maintaining our ethos. The issue of a minority of school community members not respecting our ethos was raised as a matter of concern – e.g. refer to letter from PTA overleaf. One of the duties of the DSP is to support and encourage our school ethos. Cooperation from all school community members will be needed at all events if our current traditions and variety of events are to continue.

Miriam Hurley

Re: Halloween Disco

Dear Parents/Guardians

If news has not filtered back yet from the children already, we just want to confirm that The Halloween Disco was once again a great success. This year, the PTA made a profit of €246! Special thanks go to the organisers Julie Hennessy, Orla Doris and Isolde O’Leary.

Although the majority of children who attended behaved themselves showing respect and good manners in accordance with all the work that is being done within school at the moment, a minority of children did not.

Problems arose when a few children tried to leave the school premises by climbing over/under the railings and charging at adult supervisors at the gate. This behaviour was not only dangerous but it showed a lack of respect towards those who had given up their time to organise and supervise this event. Also some children used unacceptable language towards others, again showing a lack of respect.

To avoid a reoccurrence of this next year, it was agreed by the PTA that a code of conduct will be drawn up for next year’s Halloween Disco. Information will be issued to parents in advance outlining the rules of the disco and consequences of inappropriate behaviour.

It would be a shame to eliminate this event, as so many children enjoy it. We ask parents for their cooperation and to discuss the importance of good behaviour with their children. In addition more adults will be needed to be on duty outside the school building to supervise any children who want to take a break from the disco and go to the basketball courts.

Thanks again to all the adults who made this event such a success! And to all the children who simply enjoyed the dancing, mad hair, face painting and having fun in a cooperative way, thanks – it was a pleasure!

Many Thanks,

PTA