Dear Parents/Guardians,

We hope you are keeping well as we head into the bank holiday weekend. Our news this week is as follows

• In 2021 St Tolas opened our two special classes – one for pupils with Autism and one for pupils with multiple disabilities. We were also approved a two SEN classroom extension to house these classes in appropriate accommodation. We are finally at the stage of applying for planning permission to build these classrooms and our application was submitted to Clare County Council last week. We are delighted to be at this stage of the project and hope the project can progress from this point in a timely manner.
• School tours have started this week! 2^nd class had a lovely day yesterday as they travelled to Galway to Galway Leisure World and the Galway Aquarium. They had lots of questions about marine life and got to see some amazing creatures. Juniors and Seniors are off to Turoe Pet Farm today. We hope the weather improves for them and that they have a great day out. Tomorrow 3^rd and 4^th classes are going to Adventure World in the University of Limerick to try out lots of activities. We hope they have a great day too.
• Congratulations to our team who qualified for the Paddy Carrig final on Monday evening in Wolfe Tones GAA club. They met a very strong St Conaires side who were victorious on the night but I was so proud of the sporting attitude displayed by our team as they kept playing until the end of the game. Thank you to Muinteoir Maria and Muinteoir Noreen who coached the team on the night.
• Well done to our school band who travelled to Cusack park in Ennis on Tuesday to take part in a celebration of school music with schools from around the county. We were delighted to take part and to see our band representing our school. Thank you to Muinteoir Kate and Muinteoir Alanna for organising this event for us.
• Congratulations to Robyn in 6^th class who was the winner of the recent Earth Day art competition organised by Skycourt Shopping Centre. Well done to Ivy in 6^th class who represented Clare in the Primary game at the Clare v Limerick match last weekend.
• Please see flyer attached re Pixel Portraits event in Shannon Library this Saturday.
• Please see flyer attached re Clare mela event in Shannon Town Park on Monday 2^nd June.
• We thank Muinteoir Aisling for all her hard work and dedication in her time in St Tolas since the start of the year. Tomorrow is her last day with us.  We welcome Muinteoir Lisa back next week.
• St Tolas will be closed to pupils and staff next Monday 2^nd June as it is a public holiday. The school will re-open on Tuesday next at 9a.m.  We wish all our past pupils well who will start their Junior Cert and Leaving Cert exams next week. We hope it goes very well for them.

Kind regards, Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, School Principal

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We hope you are keeping well and enjoying the fine weather for however long it lasts. Our news this week is as follows

• Our pupils in Solas and Aoibhneas Special classes are travelling to Cusack park in Ennis today to take part in the first Réaltaí na Clár (Clare Stars) day. We wish them well and hope they have a very enjoyable day.
• Congratulations to the boys and girls who made their First Communion on Saturday last. We were so proud of you all.  Thank you also to the choir and band who provided the music.  Thank you to the Parents’ association and 3^rd class parents who provided the lovely treats and party for the Communion children here in the school after the ceremony. Mile buiochas to Muinteoir Siobhan, Muinteoir Kate and Muintoeir Fiona for all their hard work and to Muinteor Alanna for leading the choir.
• Well done to all the pupils who took part in the first Shannon Schools Athletics competition in St. Senans Rugby club and on the athletics track yesterday. The pupils were fantastic and did themselves proud. Thank you to Muinteoir Lorna, Muinteoir Diana and Sinead who accompanied the pupils.
• Well done to our boys hurling team who took part in the Cumann na mBunscoil hurling competition on Tuesday last in Caherlohan. Although the games did not go their way the boys gave a good account of themselves and had an enjoyable day out. Thank you to Muinteoir Maria and Muinteoir Noreen who accompanied the team.
• Tomorrow pupils from 4^th, 5^th and 6^th classes take part in the Paddy Carrig memorial football competition in Wolfe Tones GAA. We have a number of teams taking part and we wish them well. Thank you to Muinteoir Maria for co-ordinating this event on our behalf.
• We are starting our annual Quizbrain of St Tolas today also. All pupils from 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th and 6^th classes take part in the first four rounds with 30 questions asked. The top 20 then go through to two semi-finals with 30 questions per round with the top 5 qualifying for the grand final at the end of June. I wish everyone the best of luck in this year’s competition.
• Our school band have been invited to Cusack park in Ennis next Tuesday to join with school bands from all over Clare to perform a number of tunes. I know our band have worked so hard all year and we hope they enjoy this experience too.
• Next week our school tours also start. Class teachers will let you know the specific details for your child’s tour this year. 2^nd Class are off to the Aquarium in Galway on Wednesday. Juniors and Seniors are very excited about visiting Turoe pet Farm on Thursday and 3^rd and 4^th classes are going to Adventure World in the University of Limerick on Friday next week.

As you can see it is a very busy time of the year in St Tolas!

Kind regards, Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, School Principal

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We hope you are keeping well and enjoying the fine weather. Our news this week is as follows

• We are delighted to let you know that from today the Lunch Bag are providing a fruit bowl with apples and oranges in every classroom for pupils for a snack at breaktimes. There is no charge for this. Please see flyer attached from the Lunch Bag with details.
• The school photo proofs went home with the children this week. If you would like to order any photos please complete the order form and send in the required amount of money. We would appreciate if the orders can be in by tomorrow Friday 4^th April.
• We celebrated World Autism Day here in St Tolas yesterday with pupils and staff wearing blue to show their support. A total of €155 was raised which will be donated to Ennis Voices for Autism, a local charity that supports families in Clare who have a family member with Autism. We thank our pupils and staff for their generosity. Every pupil in the school is painting a handprint which will be put together in the hall as a collage to show that we are all different and we celebrate our differences.
• Juniors are going on a Spring walk today with pupils from 6^th class. They will be looking out for signs of Spring while out and about.
• Our Girls’ football team have qualified for the next round of the FAI school’s competition and will be going to Lee’s Road next Thursday. We wish them every success.
• Swimming started yesterday for 3^rd class and today for 2^nd class in Shannon Leisure Centre. It will start after Easter for 4^th class.
• Congratulations to Ivy in 6^th class who has been selected to play in the Primary game at half time in the Gaelic Grounds Limerick at the Clare V Limerick match in the championship on May 25^th. We wish Ivy well.
• Good luck to Conor H in 3^rd, Seanie and Franek in 4^th class who will be travelling next week with Thomond Football Academy to play a tournament with West Ham in London. While there they will also get a tour of Wembley Stadium. We wish them well.
• We had a very successful fire drill on Tuesday morning and the pupils exited the building safely and quickly.  We’ll have another drill in due course.
• The staff are currently working on updating our Anti Bullying policy and will be attending training tomorrow   Friday 4^th April. To facilitate the training the school will close to pupils at 12p.m. tomorrow.
• Next Friday 11^th April the school will close at 12p.m.to all pupils and staff as it is the start of the Easter holidays. St. Tolas will re-open on Monday 28^th April at 9a.m. for Term 3. We hope the dry weather continues for the Easter break.

Kind regards,

Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, School Principal

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We hope you are keeping well and enjoying the fine weather at the moment. Our news this week is as follows

• Pupils making Confirmation this year in 6^th class attended the Ceremony of Light last night in Mary Immaculate Church. I want to congratulate the pupils and their families as it was a really lovely ceremony and we were so proud of all our pupils. Thank you also to the boys and girls from 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th classes who gave up their evening to sing and play in the choir which enhanced the ceremony. Thank you to 6^th class teacher Múinteoir Alanna and Múinteoir Kate for preparing the pupils.   We are looking forward to Confirmation now which will take place at 11a.m. in Mary Immaculate Church on Friday 2^nd May next.
• Swimming lessons will start next Wednesday for 3^rd class and next Thursday for 2^nd class in Shannon Leisure Centre and run for six weeks (two before Easter and four after the Easter holidays). Swimming lessons start after Easter for 4^th class. Swimming instruction is part of the Physical Education curriculum and barring medical reasons all pupils are expected to attend.
• The samples for the recent school photos were sent home yesterday. If you wish to order photos please return your order form with the money required by Friday 4^th April.
• 5^th class have been learning all about the 1845 famine in Irish history and have made beautiful dioramas to show their understanding of this time. A diorama is a model representing a scene with three dimensional figures in miniature. They have put a lot of work into their diorama and will display them for the other classes at our weekly Cruinniu tomorrow. Well done 5^th class!
• Shannon Library have organised lots of events for primary aged children for over the Easter holidays which run from Monday 14^th April to Friday 25^th April inclusive. See email attached with details of these events.
• For health and Safety reasons pupils are not permitted to wear long or hooped earrings to school. They are welcome to wear stud earrings. As you can appreciate long or hooped earrings can get caught in clothing etc and could hurt the pupils themselves or another pupil. We appreciate your co-operation in this matter.
• The staff are currently working on updating our Anti Bullying policy and will be attending training on Friday 4^th April next. To facilitate the training the school will close to pupils at 12p.m. on that day. You might want to mark this in your diary.

Kind regards,

Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, School Principal

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We hope you are enjoying the fine Spring weather this week. Our news is as follows

• Best of luck to our boys’ and girls’ soccer teams who are travelling to Lee’s Road today to take part in the schools FAI soccer tournament. They have been busy training over the past few weeks at lunchtimes and we hope they do well today and enjoy the competition. Thank you to Muinteoir Gary and Muinteoir Amanda for organising and training and Muinteoir Lorraine and Muinteoir Alanna for accompanying the teams today.
• Well done to our boys basketball team who took part in the Marion Keane competition on Tuesday. They played well but luck was not with them this time and did not qualify for the next round. Thank you to Dean Flynn and Cliodhna Mulcahy from Shannon Jets who gave up their time to coach the boys with the assistance of Múinteoir Clare over the past few months.
• Can you please make sure that your child has a drink in school every day in a reusable bottle.  Water or dilute fruit juice is best. Pupils can get very thirsty during the day particularly as the weather improves. We appreciate your co-operation in this matter.
• 6^th class pupils making Confirmation this year will have their Ceremony of Light next Wednesday in Mary Immaculate Church at 7p.m. We wish them well on this step of the journey towards Confirmation on 2^nd May.
• We had a wonderful Cruinniú (assembly) last Friday to celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge. All classes performed a song or poem for the rest of the school and we finished with the whole school doing a dance to An Dreoilín. It was a great celebration of our language and song. Well done everyone.
• Thank you to all who supported our bookfair last week. The orders were sent in on Tuesday and we expect to take delivery of outstanding books shortly. We are thrilled that the school has earned €1281 in free books from Scholastic and this total will be used to add to our AR library and class libraries.
•  Just to let you know that we will be carrying out standardised testing in 1^st to 6^th classes in reading and Maths in early May this year. We hope that all pupils will be present for these tests.
• The staff are currently working on updating our Anti Bullying policy and will be attending training on Friday 4^th April. To facilitate the training the school will close to pupils at 12p.m. on that day. You might want to mark this in your diary.

Kind regards,

Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, School Principal