Dear Parents/Guardians,

I hope this finds you well and that you had a good week. We are all getting a bit more used to the limitations placed on us but hopefully they will work and stop this terrible disease from spreading.  Our news this week is as follows

• Thank you to all the staff who have been working hard at home to prepare a menu of suggestions for the pupils. Please remember parents that this is a guide for you. We understand that for some children or families it may not be possible to engage fully or even at all with the activities suggested. Please do not add undue pressure on yourselves or your children. If it suits do it and if not that is not a problem. Whenever we get back to school every teacher will be putting a plan in place to ensure that every child gets back on track with their schoolwork. You can contact your child’s teacher at office@tolasns.com if you need any guidance and support. Just mark your email for the attention of your child’s teacher.
• Our school twitter account is being constantly updated with lots of suggestions, news and interesting information. Please follow us on @StTolasNS for the latest.
• Fr. Arnie got in touch today re a competition he is running for primary pupils. I will attach the link  on with this note. Some pupils may like to take part in this.  Prayer for Protection
• A very useful resource for parents and pupils is the RTE Hub School on TV. Its available everyday at 11a.m. on RTE 2 or can be watched back on the RTE player at the following link  https://www.rte.ie/player/series/rté-home-school-hub-s1-e1/SI0000006854?epguid=IP000065950
• We hope that some of the pupils made their Easter bonnets or ties. If they would like to share please send a photo to office@tolasns.com and we can upload on our school website in our Easter bonnet/tie gallery.  Please note we will not be putting names up with the photos.
• We are asking that many of you would get behind the Flags for Frontline Heroes campaign. Hang your flags – Club, County, Provincial or National at your gate, window, in your garden etc to show your support for Frontline Workers during the COVID 19 crisis.
• Finally tomorrow is when we should be getting our Easter holidays. We would urge every one of our pupils to take a break from school work over the next two weeks. There are still lots of fun online and offline activities that can be done to keep routines going.  – baking, letter writing or make a card for older relative/neighbours who may be cocooning, jigsaws, board games, card games. GoNoodle has lots of fun movement and mindfulness activities that can be done by the whole family. Most importantly everyone needs keep their social distance so we can all play our parts in flattening the curve!
• At present schools are closed until 19^th April. If there is a change to this we will let everyone know via text. Stay safe and keep healthy. I hope you and your family has a lovely Easter.

Kind regards,

Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, Principal