Monday, September 28, 2009

Parents' Council AGM

Parents Council AGM - Wednesday, October 7th 2009, 8.00pm.
6th class room, Cahir Boys NS. All welcome to hear the information and help support the education of the children in the school.

Calendar - Changes

Lisbon Treaty Referendum - Friday, October 2nd 2009 - school closed to pupils
School Planning Day - Monday, October 5th 2009 - school closed to pupils
Staff Meeting - Friday, October 16th 2009. Half-day for pupils commencing at 12.00 midday
Mid-term Break - October 26th-30th

Thursday, September 17, 2009

CAPER

The junior classes are setting up Children And Parents Enjoy Reading (CAPER) for this coming year. This very successful programme has run through the voluntary efforts of adults, parents and grandparents. If you would like to give of your time, up to an hour a week, please contact the school, give your details and we’ll get back to you.

Art & Craft Fee

The fee for this year is €40 for one child and €60 for a family with more than one child. This covers the perishable items that have to be replaced each year. Art & Craft, photocopying, inks, school reports etc. Many thanks to those who have already paid. We appreciate the efforts parents go to to help their child’s education.

Friday, September 4, 2009

School Calendar 2009-10

First Term: Start 31 August 2009
Mid-term: October 25-29 2009
Holy Day: December 8th 2009
Christmas Holidays: December 22nd 2009

Second Term: Start Jan 7 2010
Mid-term: Feb 15-19 2010
St. Patrick’s Day: March 17th 2010
Easter Holidays: 26 March 2010

Third Term: Start 12th April 2010
Bank Holiday: May 3rd 2010
Bank Holiday: June 7th 2010

Summer Holidays: June 30th 2010

Minor alterations to the Calendar will be made when necessary, but these are the main dates.
Meetings, planning days etc. will be notified to parents as they arise.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Swineflu Information

As we return to school the swineflu pandemic is our greatest concern. In the school we are purchasing the necessary sanitary supplies. This note is for parents and will be sent home on the first day back. Other instructions will be given to teachers and the pupils themselves when we get into the classroom.

Following the spread of the Swineflu Pandemic the school is issuing the following instructions
· If your child displays any flu-like symptoms (sore throat, fever, cough, aches & pains, tiredness, blocked up etc.) do not send him to school.
· Make contact with your doctor.
· Look for advice from the HSE.
· Keep your child at home until the flu-like symptoms have cleared. The HSE advises 7 days from the time the symptoms start.
· Should your child display symptoms in school you, the parent, will be contacted immediately. Please ensure that the correct phone number is available to the school, especially if you have changed phone. Put full contact details in the section available in your child’s homework diary.
· Your child will be taken from the classroom as a precaution, until he is collected.

Class teachers will instruct children on how to deal with hand hygiene, the spread of germs and infection control. Information is available from www.hse.ie

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Re-opening

School Reopens Monday, August 31st 2009 at 9.20 am. All new enrolments should arrive to the school office for that time. New 1st class pupils should go to the yard.

Engineering Ireland - STEPS National Finals


Cahir Boys National School represented at the ‘Xperience Engineering’ National Final

On Thursday 18th June Cahir Boys National School were represented at the ‘Xperience Engineering’ National Final in The Helix, DCU, Dublin.

The ‘Xperience Engineering’ competition is organised by Engineers Ireland and its aim is to promote engineering in primary schools. The theme of this year’s project was ‘Engineers Save Lives’. The boys in 6th class chose to look at Lifebuoys for their project as they felt that in a town like Cahir Lifebuoys can help save lives.

The project began by researching Personal Flotation Devices and in particular Lifebuoys. A number of classroom experiments were then carried out to examine floating and sinking and to explain why certain materials float while others don’t. The boys then completed a site visit to The Mall in Cahir where they met Brendan O’Dwyer, the South Tipperary Water Safety Officer. Brendan spoke to the boys about the location of the lifebuoys in Cahir and the materials they are made from. He also talked to them about the correct way to throw a lifebuoy and the importance of looking after the lifebuoys in our community.

The project also involved a classroom visit by Mr. John Sheehan from the Cahir River Rescue Unit. John is also a member of the Cahir Dive Club. He showed the boys the equipment used by the River Rescue Unit and by the Divers.

We would like to thank both Brendan O’Dwyer and John Sheehan for their help during this project.

A large focus of the project is on the engineering skills of the children. The boys took part in the ‘K’Nex Challenge’ where they had to design a lifebuoy and use K’Nex to make their design. The boys completed a second engineering project to design, make and present a lifebuoy in class using everyday materials. The standard of the lifebuoys they produced was very high and each lifebuoy was tested to ensure it would float!

As part of the project the boys also produced a Water Safety DVD entitled ‘Lifebuoys in Cahir’ for the school. This DVD focuses on the location of the lifebuoys in Cahir town and has water safety tips which are particularly important for this time of year. The DVD also stresses the importance of looking after the lifebuoys.

All the above aspects of the project were recorded and photographed and entered into the competition. The boy’s hard work paid off when they were announced as one of the 20 finalists in the 5th/6th class category. Four boys were chosen to represent the class at the National Final; John Casey and Evan Purtill presented and explained the project to the judges and Sean Sweeney and Stephen O’Donoghue took part in The K’Nex Challenge, to build a robot.

On the day of the Final the boys did an excellent job and it was a great experience to be part of the final. Within the school the project has helped raise the awareness of the children as to the location, function and importance of the lifebuoys in the community.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Book Rental Scheme 2009-10

Following a review of the Book Rental scheme in the school and the loss of 2 very important grant schemes, the free book grant and the disadvantage grant, we have had to change our system.
Every child was given a letter showing what the Book Rental costs for their class and what books are covered by the rent and the activity books and other materials parents must purchase for next September.

School Calendar 2009-10

First Term: Start 31 August 2009
Mid-term: October 25-29 2009
Holy Day: December 8th 2009
Christmas Holidays: December 22nd 2009

Second Term: Start Jan 7 2010
Mid-term: Feb 15-19 2010
St. Patrick’s Day: March 17th 2010
Easter Holidays: 26 March 2010

Third Term: Start 12th April 2010
Bank Holiday: May 3rd 2010
Bank Holiday: June 7th 2010
Summer Holidays: June 30th 2010

Monday, May 18, 2009

Communion 2009

Congratulations to all the boys and girls who made their First Holy Communion on Saturday May 16th in Cahir. Everyone was excellent, the readings, gifts and singing made the ceremony one to remember!
Mr. Kennedy & Mr. Sherlock would like to congratulate 2nd class on such a great Communion Mass! We also thank Miss Sheehan and the girls who made communion from the girls school. Well done everyone on making it a day to remember!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Friday, May 15, 2009

Primary Science Award Winners




Cahir Boys NS
Discover Primary Science
6th class Science Open Day

Cahir Boys NS were announced as award winners in the Discover Primary Science Project in Primary Schools. Below is an account of the School Open Day held recently.

On Tuesday 28th April 2009, 1st class and 6th class held a science open-day; we showed a variety of different science experiments. Teachers, pupils and parents were welcome to come along to view them.

Stephen, Kevin and Martin made 2-D and 3-D K’nex models, showing their engineering skills. Daniel, Oskar and Richie made a lighthouse to show how an electric current can light up a bulb. Kearoles and Karl made a tornado machine by connecting two plastic bottles and putting in some water and swirling it to create a tornado effect.

Jerome, Ryan and Patryk made a diorama of the solar system, while John, Sean and Evan displayed the equipment and methods of measuring density, mass and volume. Dean produced a top-class piece of animation via a laptop and projector. Kevin also showed a computerised display of selected car facts.

Daniel, Robbie and Wotjek produced a 3-D soccer pitch to show how a magnetic force can be used in a game. Nathan, Graham, Cormac and Michael used a glass prism, a battery operated spinner and spectrum or rainbow coloured disks to show how to make white light.

Ryan, Joe and Hayden demonstrated how our self-made life buoys work in a water pool. Brian, Sean and Ian demonstrated how to create static electricity. Whilst Patrick, Eoin and Brian demonstrated how we would know if a substance was an acid or a base using a red cabbage indicator.

Monday, April 27, 2009

School Contact Details

Cahir Boys NS
Address: Cahir, Co. Tipperary
Phone/Fax: 052 7442062
Email: cahirboys@eircom.net
Website: http://cahirboys.blogspot.com

Enrolments 2009-10

Enrolment forms and the School Information Booklet were sent to parents of Senior Infant children last week. If you have not received a form or wish to enrol your child in the school for September 2009 please make contact with the school.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Post Easter Notes

Congratulations to the Credit Union Team who represented the school and the local credit union in the National Finals in the RDS on April 5th last.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Easter

Holidays commence 12.00pm on Friday, April 3rd
School Reopens, Monday, April 20th, 9.20am

Good Luck to the U-11 Credit Union team in the National Finals of the Quiz in the RDS on Sunday, April 5th.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Calendar - March

The school is taking 2 half-days to facilitate In-service training programmes. The first on Thursday, March 12th, enables the staff participate in a seminar on "Managing Challenging Behaviour" by the Special Education Support Service.
The 2nd In-Service afternoon is the "Buntus Tipperary Sports Initiative Partnership" on Tuesday March 24th.

The timing of the 2 In-service seminars close together was beyond the control of the school.

Credit Union Quiz


Chapter 10 - Winners
Congratulations to the U-11 school team who won the Chapter Final in Waterford yesterday. The team of Kenneth Conlon, Conor Cashman, Ben Halpin, Jack Malone and sub Eoin Tobin won following a play-off in The Granville Hotel, Waterford. They now represent the area in the National Credit Union Quiz Final in the RDS on Sunday, April 5th. Well done to you all.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Great Famine Heritage Project






5th and 6th class participated in the South Tipperary Co. Council Heritage Project on the Great Famine.






5th Class' work concentrated on the Cahir area and the children's workhouse in Tincurry. Stories based on the time provided a present insight of the lives of the victims of the Famine.






6th class' work focused on the effect of the potato blight, growing methods of the time, models and art work symbolic of the Great Famine.






At the prize giving presentation in The County Museum in Clonmel on Tuesday, Feb 24th, 5th class won the Class award and 6th came 3rd in their category. Congratulations to all involved and it was a most rewarding project to be involved in.


Monday, February 9, 2009

Reminder

Church Gate Collection, Sat & Sun Feb 14th & 15th
First Penance, Tues, Feb 17th
Mid-term Break - Thursday & Friday, Feb 19th & 20th

Monday, February 2, 2009

School Information Booklet 2009-10

A revised version of the school booklet is being prepared for Parents of pupils in 1st class next September. Here is the list of contents. Please return to the school any suggestions before the booklet is actually produced.

Contents
Mission Statement
School Aims and Objectives
General Information
School Enrolment Policy (An enrolment form is included separately)
Code of Discipline
School Rules
Administration of Medicine
School Activities
Homework Policy
School Attendance
Parent – Teacher Meetings

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Animal Magic


Rosie Campbell returned to the school with 6 animals to show to the pupils, a 10 day old lamb, a toad, a skunk, an owl, a snake and a tortoise. With each animal she described where they would have originated, their individual habits, diet etc. and let the children touch and hold the animals.

The excitement was up to 90 and every child got the chance to hang the snake over their shoulders, touch the skunk and rub the lamb.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Change to Substitution Arrangements

Following Budget 2009, the following arrangements are being implemented in the school.

When a teacher is sick for one day, the pupils of their class will be split throughout the school under supervision by the other teachers. Age-appropriate work will be provided. Pupils will do the work without interrupting the normal class work of the teacher.

Should that teacher be sick for a second or subsequent days, a substitute teacher, where available, will be employed. Every effort will be made to employ a qualified teacher but this has not always been possible.