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