Dear Parents/Guardians,

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

• 5^th class have been working hard in P.E on their dance moves. They worked in groups to devise their own dance and teach it to the rest of the class. We have some great movers in 5^th class. It was lovely to see great team work also!
• Junior Infants have been learning all about the bakery this week in Aistear. They have been taking part in role play in the bakery and ordering all kinds of treats! They have been using the story of the Little Red Hen as part of this theme too. Why not ask your Junior Infant to retell this story to you in their own words?
• Both 1^st class and 3^rd class have been learning an Irish dance called the Siege of Ennis recently in P.E. There are some tricky moves and steps in this dance so it takes a little bit of time to learn. It is great fun to do when everyone knows the steps. I am looking forward to seeing the finished dance in a few weeks!
• 3^rd class have recently completed projects on Egypt. These projects are very detailed and are on display in their classroom.  I visited their classroom today where the pupils told me lots of amazing facts about Ancient Egypt. They knew all about pyramids, mummies, Tutankhamun and life in Ancient Egypt. The Ancient Egyptians used hierolglyphics for writing and the pupils wrote their names using this form of writing.  Did you know that the tallest pyramid can be found at Giza? Well done 3^rd class.!
• 4^th class made models of famous landmarks around the world for their presentations last week. We have a fantastic display in their classroom of models of Big Ben, The Taj Mahal, the pyramids, London Eye, Empire State Building and much more. Each pupil is making a presentation on their landmark building to the class. Keep up the great work 4^th class!
• St. Tola’s will close on Thursday 24^th and Friday 25^th Feb next for mid-term break. The school will re-open to pupils and staff on Monday 28^th February. We hope that pupils, staff and parents enjoy the break from routine for a couple of days.

Kind regards,

Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, Principal

Dear parents/guardians,

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

• 1^st class have started a Literacy Hour three days a week for six weeks. The pupils are working in small groups with a teacher. They are reading a familiar book, a new book, working on words and writing. They are also engaging in comprehension activities. The teachers involved are Ms O’ Neill, Ms Cleary, Ms Fitzsimons, Ms Moloney and Ms Fitzgerald. All the teachers are very pleased with the great work that 1^st class are doing. Keep this up 1^st Class!
• Senior Infants spent a past few weeks learning all about houses and homes. They designed and constructed models of different homes in their class.  Last Friday they brought their models to the hall and set up a lovely display. The other classes got an opportunity to visit the hall and see the Senior Infant creations. There were fantastic models of houses, cottages, apartment blocks, light houses and more. I think we have some budding architects and engineers in Senior Infants. We were all very proud of your work!
• Unfortunately this is the time of the year that headlice can run amok in schools. We ask that you check your child’s head on a regular basis using a fine tooth comb. If you discover headlice you need to treat your child’s head. Ask your pharmacist for advice on the best treatment options. Read the instructions carefully as many headlice treatments need to be repeated to ensure the live headlice and their eggs are killed. If your child has long hair it is a good idea to tie it up in a ponytail or plaits. If all families checked and treated if necessary  this weekend we could eliminate headlice very easily. We appreciate your co-operation in this matter.
• Please make sure your child brings a coat or jacket to school as we will be going outside for breaks every day even in light drizzle.  Please make sure your child’s coat is labelled also so we can ensure there are no mix ups with coats!
• Shannon Library are relaunching their Junior Bookclub for 9-12 year olds on Saturday 26^th February at 11.30a.m. This is an opportunity for your child to celebrate reading with books and games, make new friends and have fun.   To book a place for your child please call the library desk on 061 364266.
• Please see information attached in relation to Rainbows which is being run in Shannon Family Resource Centre. Rainbows is a peer support group for children who have experienced loss either through bereavement or parental separation.
• St. Tola’s will close on Thursday 24^th and Fri 25^th Feb for mid-term break. The school will re-open to pupils and staff on Monday 28^th February.

Kind regards, Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, Principal

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We hope you are keeping well as we head towards Spring hopefully! Our news this week is as follows

• Well done to the boys and girls in Second class who made their First Confession last night. We were all very proud of them. They have worked hard over the past few weeks to get ready for this sacrament. We are now looking forward to their First Communion day on 30^th April.
• Last Tuesday was St. Brigid’s day. Some classes made St. Brigid’s Day crosses to keep this centuries old tradition in Ireland alive. These crosses are made out of rushes and can be quite tricky to make!  Thank you to 3^rd class who gave me a St. Brigid’s cross for my office.
• 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th and 6^th classes are currently taking part in an Accelerated Reading Challenge. Each class has their own target to meet and the class who gets there first will get a little treat. There is super reading going on and we even have a few “millionaire“ readers who have read over a million words since the start of the year!  Each time a pupil completes a book they take an online comprehension quiz on the book and the AR system gives them their word count too! Keep up the good work!
• Just to let you know that Covid is still circulating widely in the community. If your child has any symptoms of Covid please keep them at home and contact your GP for advice. If there are confirmed cases in your child’s class we will send out an email with details of how to apply for free antigen tests. These tests will be delivered to your home quite quickly.
• St. Tola’s is a nut free school. We have several pupils in different classes who have been diagnosed with a severe nut allergy and even a minute amount can trigger a severe allergic reaction. Please check food labels as there can be traces of nuts in many products including chocolate spread. We thank you for your co-operation in this matter.
• St. Tola’s will close on Thursday 24^th and Friday 25^th Feb for mid-term break. The school will re-open to pupils and staff on Monday 28^th February.

Kind regards,

Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, Principal