Dear Parents/Guardians,

 We hope you are well this week. Our news is as follows

• Catholic Schools week starts this Sunday. Our pupils in 6^th class who are making Confirmation this year have a preparation Mass at 11a.m. in Mary Church. Pupils need to wear their school uniform and be seated by 10.45a.m.

• As part of Catholic Schools week we will have a short prayer service on Wednesday next 31^st Jan at 11a.m. We extend a warm invitation to all grandparents who are available to attend. We will remember grandparents who live far away, are unwell or have passed away at this prayer service.
• First Confession takes place for pupils in 2^nd class who are making their First Communion this year on Tuesday next 30^th January at 7p.m. in Mary Immaculate Church. The boys and girls have been working hard getting ready for this and we wish them well.
• The Department of Education has published updated Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary schools following the recent publication of the updated Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children and the full commencement of the Children First Act 2015. The Department of Education and Skills is allowing all schools two separate half-day closures during the 2017/18 school year to allow time for all school personnel to engage with the revised procedures and to access training support. St. Tola’s will take the first half day on Wednesday 14^th Feb when the school will close to pupils at 12p.m.   
• The school photographer will be here on Wednesday 7^th if you wish to get a school photo of your child/children please fill in and return the form which went home yesterday.
• The Credit Union Quiz takes place here in St. Tola’s on Saturday next 27^th January at 2p.m. We have two teams taking part and we wish them well. The pupils concerned have worked very hard over the past few weeks preparing for the quiz during lunchtime.
• Some of our girls from the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th classes indoor hurling team are taking part in an Indoor hurling competition in Cratloe today. Ms. Kelleher has been helping them train this week and we wish them well.
• 3^rd class have been busy over the past few weeks working on projects about Egypt. They are currently presenting their projects in class. The pupils have showed great imagination and creativity with the presentation of these projects. Well done 3^rd class!
• We are currently accepting enrolment applications for Junior infants for Sept 2018 at present. If you have a child for this class or you know a family who wish to enrol their child please contact the school office for an enrolment application form. The closing date for applications is Fri 2^nd
• All pupils have been doing great with their Active Homework – we are encouraging pupils to keep doing the exercises and try to increase activity levels over the coming weeks. Well done to our Active Schools Committee who are encouraging all pupils to do their exercises on wet days.

 Kind regards,

Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, Principal