Dear Parents/Guardians,

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

• Thank you to everyone in our school community who came together to support each other since we learnt of the tragic loss of our beloved pupil Dylan Coady Coleman. We were especially proud of all our pupils who paid their respects to Dylan’s family last weekend.  Please rest assured that the staff in St Tolas will do all they can to support every pupil in the weeks and months ahead. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dylan’s family at this time. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
• We applied for free hot lunches for all the pupils in our school and we have been informed by the Department of Education that our school can enter this scheme this year.  The Lunch Bag company will be the provider for St Tolas. Please see flyer sent home in your child’s bag with information for parents from the Lunch Bag. We are awaiting confirmation of our start date but expect it will be in the summer term.
• Pupils from 4^th, 5^th and 6^th classes took part in the Paddy Carrig Memorial Football Tournament on Tuesday last organised by Wolfe Tones GAA. One of our teams has qualified for the A final which will take place tomorrow evening. Thank you to Ms Hehir, Ms Flynn, Ms Hackett and Ms Fitzsimons who accompanied the pupils to the competition. All the teams gave a sterling performance despite the muddy conditions.
• Our boys and girls basketball teams took part in the Marian Keane memorial Schools Competition yesterday in Shannon Leisure centre. Unfortunately neither team progressed to the next round of the competition but they played well and gave a great account of themselves. Thank you to Dean Flynn and Cliodhna Curley from Shannon Jets club who gave up their time to come in and help coach our teams. It is greatly appreciated.
• Today our 6^th class pupils have gone to Ennis N.S to take part in a schools Chess competition. This is the first time St Tolas has participated in this competition and we wish all our pupils well. Thank you to Mr. Tyrrell and Ms McGuane who have accompanied the pupils today.
• Today is World Book day and to celebrate everyone in our school took part in D.E.A.R time – Drop Everything and Read. Senior classes will buddy read with Junior classes today and early next week.  There is always great excitement when the older pupils go and read with the younger pupils.
• The Scholastic Bookfair will be in the school next week. This is an opportunity for parents to purchase books  for their children.  The bookfair will be open to parents and pupils at the following times

Thursday 14^th March and Friday 15^th March 1.40p.m. – 2.20p.m. for Junior and Senior Infants and                2.40p.m.-3.30p.m. 1^s to 6^th classes

Depending on how many books we sell the school will get credit to buy additional books for our school libraries.

• St Tolas will be closed to pupils and staff tomorrow Friday 8^th March as the school is being used as a polling station. We will re-open at 9a.m. next Monday 11^th March.

Kind regards, Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, School Principal