Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
I would like to bring a number of
important items to your attention as your son sets out on his journey through
secondary school with us.
School Contacts
1. It is very
important that your son settles into the school quickly and that his early
experiences here are positive. If you have any concerns regarding his progress,
please contact the school. Each first year class has a Class Tutor. The first
year group also has a Year Head. You should address your concerns initially to
the Subject Teacher, Class Person or Year Head. However, if your concerns are
of a more serious nature, please feel free to make an appointment to meet the
Deputy Principal or Principal.
First Year Year Head: Mr. Walsh
Class Tutors:
Beethoven: Mr. Dennehy
Handel: Mr. Kehoe
Mozart: Ms. J. Roche
Strauss: Ms. B. Roche
Vivaldi: Ms. Wallace
Homework
Journal
2. The homework
journal is a very important communication vehicle between you as parents and
your son’s teachers. Please ensure that your son has his homework noted in his
diary on a daily basis. This journal should be checked every evening for notes
etc. from his teachers. Each first year
is expected to do at least one and a half hours at homework and study every
evening, with some additional time over the weekend. You are expected to
sign the diary on a weekly basis. The journal also contains an Individual
Merit/Reward Chart. This will be used by teachers to affirm and reward positive
behaviour. I would encourage parents to monitor their son’s progress in the
chart and perhaps use it to build in home based rewards for their son on
reaching agreed target
Personal
Property
3. School
jackets are an intrinsic part of the school uniform and have been distributed. Please
ensure that your son has written his name on the jacket. Please also ensure
that all property belonging to your son has his name on it. This will
facilitate reuniting lost property with the rightful owner in the event of
items being misplaced.
Uniform
4.
Please ensure that your son comes to school in full uniform every day,
unless you are informed otherwise. You will be informed by text in the event of
a ‘no uniform day’. Non uniform jackets, hoodies etc. will be confiscated.
Facial
Jewellery
5.
Please note that facial jewellery is prohibited and will be
confiscated.
Personal
Contact Details
6. If you change
your mobile number, please let us know as you will not be in a position to
receive texts from the school. A text message will be sent home in the event of
your son not presenting for morning and or afternoon classes. If he is absent
without your permission, please contact the school. If your son is absent with your permission, please write a note in his
journal explaining the reason. His journal should be presented to all his
teachers on his return to school. Please also let us know if you change
address.
Mobile Phones
7. Students are
not allowed use phones during class and should have them switched off. Those
breaking this rule will have their phones confiscated. They will be returned to
the student or parent at the principal’s discretion.
Staying In
8. As you are
aware, first students are not allowed to leave the school premises during the
school day unless signed out and collected by a parent/guardian or accompanied
by a teacher. Each class group has been assigned a classroom for lunch.
Extra-Curricular Activities
9. There is a
wide range of extracurricular activities on offer in the school. Cycling,
swimming, public speaking, Gaelic football, rugby, hurling, golf, soccer, table
tennis and basketball are available so I would encourage your son to get
involved in one or more of these activities.
Nut Allergy
10. I would also
like to draw your attention to the fact that a number of our students and staff
have severe nut allergies. Students should not bring nuts, peanuts, peanut
butter sandwiches, nut bars etc. to school. It would be helpful if you had a
discussion with your son on the matter and to further impress on him the
importance of vigilance on this issue.
Information
Evenings
11. We will be holding information meetings for
parents of first years on the following dates and times in the school:
Mozart/Handel: Tuesday 29th September @7.30pm in
Room 11
Beethoven/Vivaldi/Strauss: Tuesday
13th October 2014 @ 7.30pm in Room 11.
You
are invited to attend to discuss how your son is settling in, raise issues of
concern etc. The
meetings will last one hour approximately.
Voluntary Contribution
12. Thank you to
those who paid the Voluntary
Contribution. Any parent who has not yet paid and wishes to do so may drop
the money into the school office. This
money helps to ensure that the school can pay the electricity, phone and water
bills etc.
School Lockers
13. Lockers have
been distributed by the Parents’ Council. Any first year who wishes to rent a
locker should contact the school caretaker if he hasn’t already got a locker.
Literacy and Numeracy Campaigns
14. As part of
our literacy campaign, I would ask you to continue to encourage your son to
read. Your support and example in this regard are vitally important. We have a
number of initiatives in the school promoting literacy including ‘Drop
Everything and Read’ and ‘Book in the Bag’. For these initiatives to be
successful programme it’s very important that your son brings a novel to school
every day. We also organise ‘numeracy moments’ throughout the school year,
where all students engage with numeracy challenges.
Parents’
Council
15. The Parents’
Council would like to encourage parents to become involved with the Council and
new members are welcome. The first monthly meeting of the new term is scheduled
for Tuesday 29th September
@7.30pm in Room 5. The Parents’ Council AGM is scheduled for Tuesday 6th October @ 7.30pm
in R.11.
School Mass
16.
The school will celebrate the beginning of the new school year with Mass
in Bride Street church on Tuesday 29th September @12pm.
Parents/Guardians are welcome to attend.
Child
Protection
17. Any concerns on child protection or child
welfare issues relating to any of our students should be reported to the
Designated Liaison Person (Mr. McMahon) or in his absence the Deputy Designated
Liaison Person (Mr. Hegarty).
Attendance
18. Full
attendance at school is vital if your son’s learning is to progress and he is
to reach his potential. Family holidays etc. should be scheduled outside of the
school calendar if at all possible.
School Redevelopment
19. Work has
begun on our school redevelopment project. Health & Safety is of the utmost
importance. Students have been given clear instructions not to enter the
restricted areas under any circumstances.
Talent Show
20. The C.B.S.
Talent Show will take place on Thursday 1st October. There will be
an afternoon and an evening show. Parent(s)/guardian(s) are invited to the
evening show @8pm. Admission for evening show: Students €5/Adults €8. Venue:
Dun Mhuire.
Student Leaders
21. This year we
are endeavouring to provide further leadership opportunities for our students.
Each First Year class has elected a Class Captain and Class Vice-Captains.
These students will represent their classes in meetings with Management, Year
Head etc. and will be asked to liaise with Meitheal leaders etc. The First Year
representatives (2) on the Students’ Council will be elected from the list of
Captains by the First Year cohort. The class representatives for 2015-16 are as
follows:
Beethoven:
Captain- Daniel Bent
Vice-Captains-Ben Hynes, Gergely Pap and
Nathan Murphy
Handel:
Captain-Darragh Collins
Vice-Captains-Patrick O’Reilly
and James Molloy
Mozart:
Captain-Cillian Larkin
Vice-Captains-Wiktor Janczy,
Conor Keane and Ben Kehoe
Strauss:
Captain-Joey Jackson
Vice-Captains-Denis Miculescu and
Jason Kelly
Vivaldi:
Captain- Seán White
Vice-Captains-Aaron Doyle, Adam Gourlay-Mackey
and Bart Pakula
Best
wishes to you, your family and your son for the forthcoming academic year.
Michael McMahon (Principal)
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