Thursday Note 14th March 2024

March 14th, 2024

Dear Parents/Guardians,

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

  • We will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow in St Tolas with Lá Glas. Pupils may wear green tomorrow if they wish to mark our national holiday. Please be mindful that the weather is cold and wet so ensure that your child is dressed appropriately for the weather too. At Cruinniu tomorrow we will have lots of performances of songs and poems as Gaeilge. Classes have been busy preparing over the past few weeks.We will also have a Tráth na gCeist for pupils from 3rd to 6th classes tomorrow morning. Go n-eirí an t-ádh le gach dalta . (Best of luck to all pupils)
  • Pupils from 5th class represented our school yesterday in a Tráth na gCeist (Quiz) as Gaeilge for primary schools organised by Wolfe Tones GAA. We had several teams entered and all did very well. Well done 5th class.
  • Last Friday evening our football team took part in the final of the Paddy Carrig memorial Tournament and they won the cup competition against St Conaire’s. Thank you to Ms Hehir for coaching the team. Well done to all involved.
  • Our annual bookfair is taking place today (Thurs) and tomorrow Friday in the school hall. You may purchase books for your child at the following times 1.40p.m.-2.15p.m. Junior and Senior Infants and 2.40p.m.-3.15p.m. for 1st to 6th class pupils. Please note that transactions will be cash only. Depending on how many books we sell the school will get free books for our school libraries.
  • Pupils from 3rd and 4th classes are taking part in an Indoor hurling competition today in Cratloe. We wish them all the best. Thank you to Ms Hehir, Ms Connolly and Michelle who are accompanying the pupils to the competition.
  • St Tolas is taking part in a project called Agree to Agree organised through Clare Education Centre. The purpose of the project is to come to a school wide agreement around the use of internet enabled devices by pupils and to support parents in implementing this. The first step of the project is to survey pupils, staff and parents in relation to digital wellbeing. I have gone into 5th and 6th classes so far to carry out pupil surveys. I would like to thank the pupils for their co-operation. It has been very interesting. I will carry out the survey with 3rd and 4th class pupils in the coming days. We would love if we could have a parent focus group to look at benefits and challenges for parents around the online world. If you would have an hour to spare next week and would like to be involved please contact the school office.
  • Please see flyer attached from Shannon Athletics club.
  • St Tolas is closed on Monday next 18th March as it is our national holiday. St Tolas will close next Friday 22nd March at 12p.m. for our Easter break. The school will re-open on Monday 8th April for Term 3 of the current school year.

Kind regards,

Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, School Principal


Thursday Note 7th March 2024

March 7th, 2024

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 4th, 5th and 6th 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 6th 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 14th March and Friday 15th March 1.40p.m. – 2.20p.m. for Junior and Senior Infants and                2.40p.m.-3.30p.m. 1s to 6th 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 8th March as the school is being used as a polling station. We will re-open at 9a.m. next Monday 11th March.

Kind regards, Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, School Principal


PRESS STATEMENT

February 29th, 2024

We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of our beloved pupil Dylan Coady Coleman. Dylan’s gorgeous smile and kindness endeared him to all in our school community. He was a very popular member of 4th class and will be greatly missed by everyone here in St. Tola’s.

On behalf of everyone in St. Tola’s we would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Dylan’s parents Laura and Garry, his sister Zoe, his baby brother Shane, his grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and his wide circle of friends here in St. Tolas and in the wider Shannon community.

Our focus here in St Tolas is supporting our pupils now and in the weeks ahead. We have had support from the National Educational Psychological Service who have been available in the school this week to advise staff as they support our pupils. 

We will always treasure the fond memories we have of Dylan and his time in our school.  He will always be a member of our school community.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis


BELOVED DYLAN

February 28th, 2024

It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the tragic death of our beloved pupil Dylan Coady Coleman. Dylan is a much loved 4th class pupil in St Tolas N.S. His gorgeous smile and kind heart endeared him to everyone in our school community. He will be greatly missed.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his Mum Laura, dad Garry, little sister Zoe and his new baby brother Shane, his grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, his wider family and his wide circle of friends, especially here in St Tolas.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dilís.


Thursday Note 22nd February 2024

February 22nd, 2024

Dear Parents/Guardians,

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

  • Thank you to all our families who supported us last week in our Bingo fundraiser in Newmarket-on-Fergus Community hall. Thank you also to all our sponsors Curtronics; C&F Ceilings; David O’Flanagan Carpentry; Eirtech Aviation; Evcone Consruction; Hansbury Family; ICODA; Newmarket on Fergus Bingo Committee; Rogerson Reddan & Associates; Ryan Oil; Shannon Springs Hotel; Skycourt Shopping Centre; St Tolas Parents Association; TNT Buses; Tony Mulcahy. We are very grateful for your support. Thank you to all the staff who helped out in any way and especially Ms Hansbury who did so much work in organising this fundraiser. I am delighted to report that the school will receive €5050 from the night. All the monies raised will be used to purchase additional maths equipment and resources, additional readers for emerging readers and other resources for the pupils to use. We have been told that we can have a night again next February and we are looking forward to it already!!!!
  • Our boys and girls indoor hurling and camogie teams took part in the Cumann na mBunscoil competition in Shannon Leisure Centre on Tuesday last. The boys competition is for pupils from 3rd and 4th classes only. The boys did a great job and won all their matches. They now progress to the next level of the competition. Thank you to Ms Hehir and Michelle who accompanied the boys to their match. The girls’ competition is for pupils from 3rd, 4th and 5th classes only. The girls did very well also winning one of their matches and being narrowly defeated in their other two games. Thank you to Ms Kelleher, Ms Riordan and Aoife for accompanying them to their games. Well done to all involved.
  • 6th class have been working with songwriter and author David Donohue as part of the Teacher Artist Partnership programme run through Clare Education Centre. David has guided the pupils to compose the lyrics and music for their own song which they recorded yesterday. It is a fabulous song and we are looking forward to 6th performing it at Cruinniu soon. Well done 6th class!
  • The school photographer will be here next Tuesday to take school photos. If you wish your child to have their photo taken please ensure you have returned the consent form before then.
  • Our basketball teams are busy practising for the next round of the Marian Keane Memorial basketball tournament. They are going to Shannon Leisure Centre tomorrow morning for additional training.
  • Please see attached flyer from the HSE National Immunisation office about Measles and parents can get more information on www.immunisation.ie
  • Can we once again ask all parents/guardians using the car park to take extra care and caution. It can get very busy in the morning. For the older pupils it would be great if you can drop and go to avoid congestion in the car park. For the younger pupils please do not cause an obstruction or block an empty car park space in the morning. Staff need these to get into school on time. The gardai have told us it is ok for parents to park on the road for a short time as long as you do not cause an obstruction to the neighbours.  In the evening please have patience and exit the car park slowly. Try not to cause an obstruction and block other drivers in. Please remember that our car park is used by our pupils and exercise due care and caution. We thank you for your co-operation with this very important matter. We all want our pupils to be safe.

Kind regards,

Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, School Principal