--
Joe Lyons
Ballybrown N.S. is located in Clarina Co. Limerick, Ireland
Upcoming Events
All pupils will attend at Mass on Thursday December 8th in Ballybrown Church at 11 a.m.
Monday December 19th: Christmas pageant in Ballybrown Church at 7 p.m.
Tuesday December 20th: Confessions in school at 11.15 a.m. for Third to Sixth Classes
Tuesday December 20th. Christmas quiz for 4th. 5th. & Sixth classes 1.30 p.m.
Wednesday December 21st. Ms Day will take part Drama Games with Mrs Allen's class from 11.15 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
Thursday December 22nd; Mass in Ballybrown Church at 10 a.m. to mark the retirement of Mrs Allen from her post in the school
School will close for Christmas break on Thursday December 22nd at 12.30 p.m.
School will reopen on Monday January 9th. 2012
1-12-2011
Dear parents,
I wish to bring the following to your attention.
The new Board of Management takes up duties today. The term of office is for four years i.e. until November 30th. 2015.
The members of the Board are:
Chairman: Christy Ryan. Patron's representative: Fr. O Connor P.P.
Parents' nominees: Ann Curtin & John Hannon
Teachers' nominees: Joe Lyons & Sarah Keyes
Community representatives: Helen Kennedy & Annette Noonan.
I would like to express my appreciation to the Parents Association who recently presented the school with a cheque for €1150. This has been used in part to buy musical equipment. It is intended to put the rest towards Testing Materials for English and Maths and also towards a folding stage for Drama. All educational resources tend to be very expensive and the efforts of the Parents Association are most welcome.
As part of our Green School policy, each family has today received a cardboard box for used batteries. When the box is full, drop the batteries to the school and we will take it from there. Thanks to Mrs Hodgins and the Green School Committee for their Trojan work in litter picking, energy conservation and so many other areas.
On Wednesday December 7th., West Midlands Theatre company will visit the school to put on a performance of Aladdin, for pupils from First to 4th class. Cost per child is €3, to be given to the Class teacher.
I have made all families in the school aware of the threat to this school if the pupil-teacher-ratio is raised in the Budget. This school already lost a teacher in September 2011. If the Pupil –teacher ratio is raised, we will probably lose another, resulting in split and multi-grade classes, while Special Needs allocations have been reduced since last June. Many parents have returned postcards to the school which I will forward to local T.D.'s. I urge parents to make your concerns known as soon as possible.
Gach dea-ghuí
___________
J.Lyons
Principal
24-11-2011.
Dear parents,
I wish to bring the following to your attention.
The Book Fair was a great success last week. Total takings amounted to €2455.77.
I would like to thank the members of the Parents Association who helped in different ways with the running of the Fair.
Once again, I appeal to parents to observe good practice in the car parking area. Many parents have expressed concern about driver behaviour. I especially ask you to speak to people other than parents who may be collecting your children and may not be aware of the safety hazards. Many drivers have taken to parking in the Staff parking areas and this can lead to small children walking through the parking area. This is very dangerous as they may not be visible from tall vehicles. With winter approaching, visibility is an even greater problem.
Accidents occur every week of the year in the vicinity of schools. I earnestly hope this can be prevented in Ballybrown.
MPCC Credit Union has been in touch to announce the winners of their Art Competition.
7 Years & Under: 1st Aisling Murphy 3rd Danielle Kelly
8 – 10 years ( a clean sweep!): 1st Eoin Corby, 2nd Harry Hannan, 3rd Ella Shanahan
Well done to all.
Community Games Draughts: training will commence for U10, U12 and U14 next Monday 28th at 7:30pm in the school Hall. All are welcome. Registration is €5 for all events throughout the year.
It appears that Education will be hit very severely in the forthcoming Budget. I will be in touch with the school's Parents Association to keep them informed of consequences for the school of predicted rises in the pupil-teacher ratio. This will inevitably lead to larger classes and loss of teaching posts in Ballybrown NS. I would urge parents who are concerned about this to speak to public representatives, as I intend to do.
Gach dea-ghui,
_____________
J. Lyons
Principal
26-10-2011.
Dear parents,
I wish to bring the following to your attention.
Every family in the school this week received a letter from the Chairman of the Board of Management concerning arrangements for the election of parent nominees to the new Board which will take up office on December 1st .2011. If you did not receive such a letter, please contact the school on Friday. The meeting will take place on Wednesday December 9th. at 8.45 p.m.
Due to the school being used as a polling station tomorrow, the Halloween fancy dress celebrations went ahead today. There was wonderful colour and pageantry in evidence. Well done to the boys and girls in Sixth Class who decorated the Halla and restored it to its original state so that everything is in readiness for polling tomorrow.
On Friday October 28th, the pupils from First to Sixth classes will participate in World Board Games Day from 1 to 3 p.m. It is surprising the number of pupils who do not know how to play Ludo, Monopoly, Snakes and Ladders, Draughts etc. At the moment Mrs Dillon teaches Board Games to interested children during lunch break. In order to build up our stock of Board Games we would ask each child in the participating classes to bring €2 on Friday to be used to buy additional sets.
Maths Week was a great success last week. I would like to thank all the teachers for their work in this area.
Our Under 13 football final which was scheduled for Tuesday was postponed due to the waterlogged pitch. It will now be played on either November 9th. or 10th. , weather permitting.
School reopens after midterm break on Monday November 7th.
Yours,
____________
J. Lyons
Principal.
Problem of the Day Friday
Mary, Cian and Paul went picking apples. Mary picked twice as many as Paul. Cian picked 10 more than Mary. Paul picked 40 apples.
How many apples did Cian pick?
How many apples did Mary pick?
20-10-2011.
Dear parents,
I wish to bring the following to your attention.
The Recycling Day in aid of the Parents Association will go ahead tomorrow, Friday. Clothes, shoes etc to be dropped into the Halla by 10 a.m. Old mobile phones also accepted.
I wish to remind parents once again that the school will be closed for all pupils on Thursday next October 27th as the school is required as a polling station.
As a result of this, the Hallowe'en fancy dress will go ahead on Wednesday next October 26th. Sixth Class decorate the hall on the previous day.
The term of office of the current Board of Management expires on November 30th.2011. Please note that all families will receive a letter by post next week with information re the election of parent nominees to the new Board.
Parking is still an issue. Some parents/ minders are parking in the area between the Car Park and the Staff Car Park, especially on wet days. This means that children on their way to the Car Park have to walk around cars moving in all directions. Safety of pupils is my only concern.
Third Class pupils have just finished a 6 week programme with John Clancy of Cycling Safety Ireland. Every child in the class is now able to cycle and has received training in road safety. This is an excellent programme and we are lucky to have Mr Clancy's expertise at our disposal.
Well done to the Under 13 girls football team who reached the semi-final of the City Cumann na mBunscol league. Best wishes to the boys Under 13 team who play the Model School tomorrow in their semi final. Training for 3rd and 4th class boys continues with Mr Sheehy.
Maths Week is proving a great success. Pupils in all classes are busy doing Maths trails while the Problem of the Day is providing a challenge for all. The Problem of the Day may be seen on www.ballybrownns.ie
Gach dea ghuí,
_________________
J. Lyons
Principal.
Problem of the Day Monday
A toy and a comic cost a total of €5. The toy costs € 4 more than the comic.
Problem of the Day Tuesday
One orange and 2 apples cost 50 c.
One apple and 2 oranges cost 40 c.
How much does an apple cost?
Problem of the Day Wednesday
How much are 3 magazines worth if 2 magazines are worth as much as 5 comics, and a comic costs 30 cent?
Problem of the Day Thursday
Whenever Mr Lyons has visitors everybody shakes hands with everybody else.
Yesterday, Mrs Green, Mr. Browne and Mr. White arrived to meet him at 3 p.m.
How many handshakes were made?
6-10-2011.
Dear Parents,
Second Class travelled to Currachase yesterday as part of tree Week activities. A busy morning collecting leaves, acorns etc was greatly enjoyed by all. The highlight was a sighting of a squirrel in the woods.
The Parents Association will be holding their next recycling day on Fri Oct 21st, all old clothes, shoes, bed linen are accepted. Bags will be issued next week. Any old mobile phones will also be accepted.
Please note that the school will be required as a polling station on Thursday October 27th. and will be closed to pupils as a result.
Some families have not returned permission slips for school related outings such as Music in the Classroom, Limerick City Sports etc. Please check in case you did not receive a form.
Today, Ms Margaret Walsh visited the school to introduce the 'Pitch for Shane' project, in memory of the late Shane Geoghegan. Shane was a pupil in this school. Margaret delivered bags of clay which will be used to make figures to be displayed along with thousands of others in Limerick City Hall in November. All children from Third to Sixth classes will get an opportunity to make a clay figure.
Gach dea-ghuí,
_________________
J. Lyons
Principal.
Dear parents,
This week, Tim Toomey and John Looney of Ballybrown Tidy Towns Committee visited the school. They met the Green Schools Committee and presented us with two bird houses, a hedgehog box and a bat box. The school grounds contain many habitats and we are fortunate to be located in such a beautiful rural environment. Any adults interested in joining a local Wildlife Committee should contact John or Tim.
The school's Under 13 Girls Football team has been busy on the playing front. Last week, Mrs. Mulroe's charges defeated an Mhodh Scoil and yesterday Milford NS were the opponents. The Under 13 boys team, trained by Mr Lordan, has played one game so far this season while Mr Sheehy's 3rd & 4th class team play Lisnagry tomorrow.
Staying on a sporting theme, we would like to wish Ballybrown hurlers the best of luck in the county intermediate hurling final on Sunday.
With the county final in mind, the school's Parents Association is holding a Green and White Colours Day tomorrow Friday. All funds to the Parents Association. €1 per child.
Clarina Thursday Club will hold a Cake Sale in the School Hall on Sunday September 25th after 11 o'clock Mass. There will be a 'cup cake' competition for children under 14 years of age.
If you need to meet with any of the teaching staff, please contact the school to make an appointment. If you have concerns about your child, please arrange to meet the class teacher as the first step.
Gach dea-ghuí,
8-9-2011.
Dear parents,
The perennial issue of parking and safety is always with us. Parents who are new to the school may not be aware of parking arrangements for morning and afternoon. . There has been some confusion about entrance/ exit procedures. Please note that traffic enters near Fr O Connor's house and exits near to the school.
Safety of pupils is at all times our first concern. I would ask parents not to park or drop off children near the area reserved for buses or the staff car park. Children should not walk through the staff car park. Children using Mc Elligott's or Madigan's buses must enter and exit at the gate near the oil tank. This is to avoid the risk of children walking in front of parked buses or oncoming traffic.
MPCC Credit Union will return to the school on Friday September 16th and every Friday from then on.
The AGM of the school's Parents Association will take place in the school on Monday September 12th. at 8.30 p.m. All parents are welcome.
I would like to express my gratitude to all the families for their Art & Craft/Photocopying contributions. If you have not yet paid this money, you can give it to Rosemary in the school office any day between 9a.m. and 2p.m.
Best of luck to our hurling team who will take part in the Ard Scoil Rís Blitz on Saturday morning.
Allianz Pupil Personal Insurance: Should you decide to avail of this insurance, please hand monies to the School Office by Friday September 16th.
Yours,
______________
J. Lyons
Principal
16-3-2011
Dear Parents,
I wish to bring the following to your attention.
School will be closed tomorrow Thursday and also on Friday 18th.
Parents who wish to avail of school transport in the school year beginning September 2011 are required to apply to the School Transport Office, Colbert Station before March 31st. Forms are available from the school, from www.education.ie and from www.buseireann.ie .Please do not return forms to the school.
Well done to the girls from 3rd. and 4th. classes who took part in a Girls Football Blitz last Friday in Mary Immaculate College.
Congratulations to Aoife Quinn, Sixth Class, who won the First Prize of a scooter in the Limerick Racecourse Colouring Competition.
Recently, Fifth Class enjoyed a visit to the Harbour in Foynes and received a tour of the Harbour Office and a trip through the Dock area. The Shannon Foynes Port Company invited the children to enter an essay competition called 'Energy: How is Foynes Useful?' The winning entries were announced yesterday. First Place: Mairead Hannon, Second Place: Kevin Leahy. Third Place: April O Neill. Well done to all and a special Thank You to Evelyn Adams who co-ordinated the visit.
I would like to remind parents that it is essential to contact the school if your child is absent, stating the reason. The school has a statutory obligation to inform the National Education Welfare Board when a child has been absent for 20 days in a school year, stating the reasons for the absences. Returns are made at the end of every quarter.
A meeting of the Parents Association will take place on Monday week March 21st. at 8.30 p.m. in the school.
Gach dea-ghuí,
________________
J. Lyons
Principal