Dear Parents/Guardians,

We hope you are keeping well as we begin a new month. Our news this week is as follows

• Congratulations to our boys and girls in 2^nd class who made their First Holy Communion last Saturday in Mary Immaculate Church. We were delighted that so many family members and friends joined with the boys and girls to celebrate their day. We were so proud of all the boys and girls who did a great job. Thank you to Ms Kelleher, Ms Burke and Sinead who helped prepare the pupils for the ceremony.  A big thank you to the pupils in 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th and 6^th classes who were in the choir and school band and really enhanced the ceremony with beautiful singing and music. Thank you to Ms Hansbury and Ms Flynn who led the choir and band. We also appreciate the great effort put in by the Parents Association and parents in 3^rd class who organised a little party for the pupils and a cuppa for the parents here in the school. We hope our pupils and families enjoyed their special day.
• Swimming lessons are continuing for pupils in 4^th,3^rd and 2^nd classes at present. It is great for the pupils to get the opportunity to have swimming lessons as part of out Physical Education programme. 
• 4^th class have been busy this week learning long multiplication. Yesterday they took part in a digital escape room where they had to use their long multiplication knowledge to solve problems. Well done 4^th class!
• Junior Infants have been busy planting sunflower seeds and cress seeds. I can’t wait to see what will grow in the next few weeks. All we need now is some sunshine! 
• 6^th class are busy preparing for their Confirmation which takes place next Friday 10^th May at 11a.m. As per parish policy pupils wear their uniform to the ceremony. The uniform can either be the grey pants/skirt, grey jumper, blue/white polo shirt OR school tracksuit top and plain navy tracksuit pants (no branding). We are looking forward to the ceremony next week.
• Our boys hurling team are busy training with Ms Hehir at the moment for the Cumann na mBunscoil competition. Ms Kelleher is training the girls camogie team also. Tomorrow (weather permitting) both boys and girls will go to the camogie pitch in Wolfe Tones for a training session. The boys’ competition takes place next Wednesday in Clonlara. The girls’ competition has not been finalised yet. Best of luck to both teams.
• St. Tolas is closed to pupils and staff next Monday 6^th May as it is a public holiday. We will re-open on Tuesday next. We hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable long weekend and hopefully the weather will be kind to all of us.

Kind regards,

Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, School Principal