Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome back to school and we hope that you have a happy and healthy New Year. Our news this week is as follows

• Amanda Corry will be teaching Senior Infants for the rest of the year as Ms. Kelleher has started her maternity leave. We wish Ms. Kelleher and Ms. Corry well.

• Thank you to the Parents’ Association who organised and ran the raffle for a Christmas hamper at our recent Christmas concert. The winner was Matthew McLoughlin O’ Sullivan in 6th class.
• We will start our Literacy Lift Off programme in 1st class next week. This programme will run for 6 weeks approx from Monday to Thursday. A team of teachers which includes Ms Burke, Ms. Riordan, Ms Fitzsimons, Ms. Halliday/Ms McGuane and Ms. Fitzgerald will work with the pupils for one hour each day to develop the pupils’ reading and writing. We are all looking forward to working with the pupils in 1st class.
• On Wednesday next pupils in 3rd/4th classes and 5th/ 6th classes will attend a workshop on raising awareness around bullying. This workshop will be provided by a group called Bully4U and will take place here in the school.
• The annual Clare Primary School Quiz will take place here in St. Tola’s on Thursday next 19th January at 7.30p.m. Pupils from schools across County Clare will attend. St. Tola’s will have two teams representing the school and we wish them well. We are currently finalising who will be on the teams.
• If you have a child due to start school next September please call to the office to collect an enrolment application form as places are filling up fast.
• Your child might be interested in attending a new Science, Design and technology Club here in Shannon aimed at pupils from 1st-6th classes. For further information please see link on the school website at www,tolasns.com
• A Communion preparation Mass will take place this Sunday in Mary Immaculate church at 11a.m. for pupils making their First Holy Communion in May. Pupils must wear their uniform and are asked to be seated by 10.45a.m.
• As we start back after Christmas can I please remind parents/guardians to take extreme care in the car park. Remember small children can be impulsive and may run in front of you or behind you without thinking, so be prepared always for this possibility. Please do not cause an obstruction in the car park. If there are no spaces the Gardai have said it is ok to park along the main road but don’t block anyone’s access. We appreciate your co-operation in this matter as we all want our pupils to be safe.

Kind regards,

Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, Principal