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About St. Catherine's N.S. |
Timetable
School starts at 8:40 a. m. and finishes at 2:20 for all pupils except
Junior and Senior Infants, who go home at 1:20 (12:20 in the month
of September). Staff Meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday of every
month and the school closes early on these days.
Uniform
There is no school uniform, but the children are expected to be suitably
dressed for work and play, e. g. no high heels! Runners must be worn
for P. E. and long hair must be tied up at all times.
Fees
A Book Rental Scheme is in operation. All books are supplied by the
school and are expected to be returned in good condition at the end
of the year. The book rental fee is currently €80 for infants
and €100 for all other classes. We also ask all parents to make
a voluntary donation of €100 per child per year to help cover
the cost of educational materials, heating, lighting etc.
Code of Behaviour
A copy of the school Code
of Behaviour is issued to all parents at the start of each year.
We expect full parental support and co-operation in this area; however
parents are welcome to contact their child’s teacher if any
disciplinary incident causes them concern.
Extra Classes
The school employs extra teachers from time to time on a short-term
basis, e.g. a football coach, a cookery teacher, a gymnastics teacher
and a dance teacher. The school also organises swimming lessons for
some of the classes. There is no extra charge for these classes as
they take place during the school day and are compulsory.
Special Projects
The school is currently involved with the Liberties Learning Initiative
which is sponsored by the Digital Hub. This initiative focuses on
helping the children to learn to use digital technology while working
on a variety of educational projects. We are also involved in the
Green Flag project, aiming to make our school more environmentally
aware. We earned our first green flag in 2008 and are currently worked
towards our third one.. We also take part in the National Children’s
Choir, and occasionally in musical competitions, e.g. the Wesley Feis.
From time to time the school is involved in charitable fund-raising
events.
Extra-Curricular Activities
These vary from time to time according to demand. Currently on offer
are basketball, arts and craft, computers, drama and swimming. These
activities are organised by the Parents’ Association. Have a
look on their webpage for more details. We also have a chess club
which meets within school hours on Friday afternoons, and the school
chess team takes part in national competitions.
Tours and Visits
Each class is taken on a “school tour” during the summer
term. We generally aim for a tour which is both educational and enjoyable,
with an emphasis on “fun” activities. Class teachers also
take their classes on trips from time to time, to such places of interest
as museums, art galleries, the Ark, the Concert Hall, theatres etc.
Parents are expected to pay the cost of these visits, with a small
subsidy usually paid by the school. We also invite music and theatre
groups to bring performances and workshops to the school occasionally.
Lunches
An important school rule is that NUTS are banned, this includes peanut
butter. All children are expected to have a healthy lunch and on Friday
one treat only is allowed. Treats are such items as crisps,
sweets, chocolate bars, fizzy drinks etc. Chocolate spread is also
a treat! Chewing gum is also banned as it tends to cause a mess. Why
not have a look at our Draft
Policy on Healthy Eating.
Fund-raising
A number of fund-raising events are held during the year which we
ask parents to support as much as possible.
Parent-Teacher Communication
A parent-teacher meeting is held once a year. At other times, parents
are welcome to arrange an appointment if they would like to discuss
a child’s progress, or any difficulties they may have. Teachers
are not normally available at 8:40 a. m. but brief messages may be
passed on to the teacher at the door. School reports are issued at
the end of each academic year. Please check your child’s bag
regularly for letters, and the homework journal for messages. All
newsletters are displayed on the school's website. Click
here to view them. Please remember to check your emails regularly
for updates.
Absences
Children should not be absent from school for any reason other than
illness. Holidays, shopping for Christmas or the illness of other
family members are not acceptable excuses. Under the terms of the
Educational Welfare Law, all children who are absent from school for
20 days or more in any one academic year, or whose attendance record
gives any cause for concern, must be reported to the Educational Welfare
Officer who will contact the parents to discuss the matter. A written
explanation for any absence is required and we expect a medical certificate
if the absence has been longer than three days.
Religious Services
Our school is affiliated to the local Church of Ireland Church, St.
Catherine and St. James. The Harvest Service is usually our first
service. A carol service is held at Christmas time and we also hold
short services once a week during Lent. All children are expected
to take part in these unless their parents object; such an objection
must be discussed beforehand with the school principal. Parents and
friends are most welcome to attend these services.
Click here to view the parish website
The Board of Management
The body responsible for the running of the school is called the Board
of Management and is made up of 8 people. The Board is elected every
4 years. The members of the board are representative of the various
partners in education. The Chairperson and one other member of the
community are appointed by the Archbishop of Dublin, 2 parents are
elected by the general body of parents, 1 teacher is elected by the
teaching staff, 2 others are chosen from the local community and the
school principal is also a member. The Chairperson of the BOM is Canon
Mark Gardner.
The Parents' Association
The school has an excellent Parents' Association which organises many
worthwhile activities. These include extra-curricular classes, fund-raising,
social events for both parents and children, road safety campaigns
etc. A committee is elected every year. The A.G.M. is generally held
before the end of October. The present chairperson is Mrs. Orla Honer.
If you would like to offer your time, ask a question or offer your
expertise please contact the Parents' Association. All parents and
guardians are very welcome to become involved. Please click
here to visit their webpage.