Friday, June 30, 2017

Maths Ideas for July & August

Ballybrown NS received an Award from Science Foundation Ireland recently. As we prepare for the Summer holidays, here are some items of interest

With the School year coming to an end for all, we wish all our readers well over the summer months.
Hopefully you will have some relaxing time ahead and perhaps a little travel. As you go, do remember that Maths is everywhere for us to see and enjoy as you attend street festivals, theatres, concerts, museums etc. over the weeks ahead. Below we have a list of places and events to take in over the Summer as you may be travelling about.

Doubtless many will find themselves travelling with children. Keep them entertained and develop their maths with I Spy activities designed by Pam Buchanan – read below for details.
We also have our usual anchor piece by Douglas Buchanan who looks at how parent's motivation influences student's academic outcomes and Douglas also provides his monthly puzzles.
Colm Mulcahy's latest Blog : The Atlas of Irish Mathematics: Donegal 
will appear on Maths Ireland website tonight.  
We look forward to linking up with you again in September as we launch another exciting Maths Week.  Schools can expect to receive our posters early in September and we hope they will spark student involvement in what with your help will be a bigger and better Maths Week than ever before. We will start posting events on the website in September and remember you can attend events, participate in online events or organise your own events.

News: We don't need to teach Computer Science and Coding in our schools
This at least is the opinion of Simon Lewis primary school principal and former IT professional in arecent article on the Journal.ie. Simon is a long time advisor to Maths Week and was the instigator of Maths Week Targetboards. His arguments are based on experience and reality on the ground in schools and the article is well worth a read and reflection.  
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Things to do on your Summer Holidays

STEM EVENTS and PLACES TO VISIT
Northern Ireland
W5 at the OdysseyBelfast - the only interactive science centre on the island of Ireland. Great for kids
Armagh Planetarium Ireland's first STEM Centre. Planetarium shows and interactive exhibitions 
For LEGO fans: Bricklive Belfast August 3- 6th  
For Aeronautics fans: Airfield Open day 23rd July
National Museums Northern Ireland have plenty to interest the visitor at Ulster Museum,  Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and Ulster American Folkpark

Republic of Ireland
Ardnacrusha Dam: ESB are inviting schools and the public to visit Ireland's largest hydroelectric scheme from 1st of July -31st of August
There are Heritage Sites in every region and the OPW are offering all children under the age of 12 free entry into all Heritage sites run by the OPW commencing July 1st

 Cork: Our friends at Blackrock Castle Observatory and Lifetimelab  will have exhibitions and workshops relating to maths, science and engineering

 Discovery centres: 
There are visitor centres all around that have a STEM aspect. Check out list of Discovery Centres to find one near you. We hope to be working with many Discovery Centres in the coming year to develop maths activities. 

 And if you're crossing the water:
The London Science Museum is ever popular with all ages and  has a new maths gallery. 
National Museum of Scotland  http://www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland/whats-on/summer-holiday/


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Activities 
STEM Festivals:

The Maths Week team will be a part of the STEMZone at Ireland's largest street theatre festival in Waterford:  Spraoi and SprÓg Waterford Aug 4th – 6th

The Festival of Curiosity Dublin 2017 - The Festival of Curiosity where art meets science, technology and design. July 20 – July 23


100 day Summer Challenge - keep your maths skills sharp with this daily free challenge. Weve been doing them everyday and they are quite challenging, but great variation in them. Aimed at post-primary pupils, teachers and others for the summer. See details here.

Thursday, June 29, 2017

School Holiday arrangements

         School will close tomorrow Friday June 30th.  at 12.30 p.m. sharp. 

Junior and Senior Infant classes will be collected at 12.10 p.m.  tomorrow to alleviate the traffic situation. 

 School will  re-open for all pupils on  Thursday August 31st.

Have a lovely Summer!

School note June 29th

29-6-2017.
Dear parents,
                    We have reached the end of another school year. On Monday, 38 Sixth class pupils graduated after eight years in the school. Thanks to Ms Gibbons, Mrs Barry and Ms Mulcahy for the work they put into the Graduation Ceremony.                                            
                            All pupils have received their end of year reports and book lists. Classes for next school year have been allocated  using age and gender balance as the criteria. No child will be in a class of more than 30 pupils while most classes have 24-26 children.
Two year-long temporary posts will be filled in July and details of the new appointments will be posted on the school website www.ballybrownns.ie. as soon as the interview process is complete.
               The school's  endeavours in the area of Science were rewarded when the school received the Science Foundation Ireland Award. This was the culmination of a year's of work at all class levels.  
             Yesterday, we held our  Fun Sports Day. It was originally scheduled for last week but weather put paid to those plans.
                The Great Ballybrown Run to help defray costs of buses to matches etc raised €3,092.40. Thanks to Niamh O Brien, Evelyn Adams, Marian McGregor and everybody who helped on the day. Your generosity is appreciated.
               On Monday, Liam Lenihan, Leas Cathaoirleach of Comhairle na Mumhan, visited the school to present medals to our under 13 hurling players who won the Olo Cup and the Mayor's Cup. It was a very pleasant end to a memorable year.
            The Book Rental Scheme offered by the school has met with a good response. A huge amount of work goes into collecting books returned at the end of June, re-covering and labelling them for use the following year. I am grateful to Mrs Millar for taking on the task of coordinating the Book Rental Scheme.  
           The 2017 school magazine is now available. With 72 pages in full colour it is great value at  €3 per copy or two copies for €5.
             Today, the school is reverberating to the sounds of Kids Disco. Thanks to the school's Parents' Association for organising this most enjoyable event.
         School will close tomorrow Friday at 12.30 p.m. sharp and re-open on Thursday August 31st. Junior and Senior Infant classes will be collected at 12.10 p.m.  tomorrow to alleviate the traffic situation. On behalf of the staff and Board of Management of the school,  I hope you all enjoy the summer break and I look forward to seeing you  in the new school year.
Gach dea -ghuí,

J. Lyons
Principal

Tennis For Kids
CIAC Tennis Club coaches introduced 1st to 4th class to Tennis last week. We are a friendly open club based in Rosbrien, near Young Munster RFC. If your child would like to give Tennis a go this summer click here for more information www.bryanstewarttennis.com/summer-camps-limerick

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

School note June 21st

21-6-2017

Dear parents,

                     We are approaching the end of a busy year in Ballybrown NS. This week is Active Week and there are activities every day. This involves a huge amount of organisation and I appreciate the effort that all the teachers make to ensure the day is enjoyable for all.  Special thanks to Ms Gibbons, Active Week coordinator. On Friday, we will have the School Fun Sports Day.                                                                  Today, all children take part in 'Walk on Wednesday'. Infant classes walked to Breska Rovers pitch. First and Second classes walked to Kilkeedy Cemetery, Third and Fourth walked to Carrig Castle while Fifth and Sixth classes walked to The Sailor's Haggard. We were fortunate that many parents joined the walk to ensure the safety of all concerned. In the afternoon, there is a hurling/camogie match involving the boys and girls of Sixth class.

                       On Friday, our Under 13 hurling team play a Limerick City combination in the 2017 Mayor's Cup Final in the Gaelic Grounds. Throw-in 1 p.m.

                          All classes from First to Sixth go on School Tour tomorrow. Please ensure your child is at school in time. Tour details on www.ballybrownns.ie. All children are asked to stay in the schoolyard as on a normal school morning until their teacher brings them to the bus. No spending money needed. Sunhats and plenty of water strongly recommended.  No mobile phones, cameras, or any IT devices allowed. This decision was agreed at Board of Management level. If any bus is delayed, the school will send a text to parents.

 

                      On Tuesday next, June 27th., the Sixth Class Graduation will take place. Fr Cussen will say a special Mass at 1.30 p.m. which will be followed by the Graduation Ceremony to celebrate the end of primary education for these boys and girls.

                      Report Cards: If you have not submitted your envelopes yet, please ensure that each envelope has a €1 stamp. Many envelopes have a  72 cent stamp which is no longer sufficient.   

                     Parents Association: The Parents Association will hold a meeting at 8 p.m. in the school tomorrow Thursday June 22nd. All welcome.                  

                     Please note that school will close for the summer holidays on Friday June 30th. at 12.30 p.m. It would be appreciated if all children were collected promptly. In order to alleviate traffic problems, children in Infant classes may be collected at 12.10 p.m.

 

Gach dea-ghuí, 

J. Lyons

Principal

 

                 

 

Thursday, June 15, 2017

School Note June 15th

                                                                                             15-6-2017

Dear parents,

                        All classes go on School Tour next Thursday June 22nd. Please ensure your child is at school in time. Please see the note on school tours at the bottom of this page

Junior and Senior Infants: Leaving at 9:20 a.m, back at 1:30 pm.

1st and 2nd classes: Leaving at 8:30 am, back at 3:30 pm.

3rd and 4th classes: Leaving at 8:00 am, back at 4:30 pm.

5th and 6th classes: Leaving at 8:00 am, back at 5:00 pm.

Tour details are on www.ballybrownns.ie.

                       Yesterday, the boys Under 13 hurling team played in the Limerick Leader Cup in Mick Neville Park in Rathkeale. Despite our best efforts, we lost to Doon CBS who went on to win the title for the third year in a row. However, Ballybrown never stopped trying and battled to the end. Today, Ms O Shaughnessy and Mr Keoghan bring two teams to  Manor Fields in Adare to play in a Girls Football Blitz.

                   Active Week: We are delighted to announce that Ballybrown NS will celebrate Active Week from June 19th-23rd . Details on the back of this page.

                Book Rental: Tomorrow is the last day for payment if you wish to avail of the Book Rental scheme for next school year.

              Credit Union:  Tomorrow is the last day of Credit Union for this school year. Thanks to MPCC for providing this valuable service.

             The boys and girls in Sixth Class are working on the 2017 school magazine. If you wish to purchase an advertisement in this publication for a bargain price of €25, please contact the school office.

               End of year School Reports will issue to all families.  Please supply the school with a stamped addressed envelope, minimum DL size (22cm x 11 cm) as soon as possible. Separate envelopes required for each pupil.

             Graduation: The parents association are looking for a few volunteers to help out with the graduation teas/coffees on Tuesday 27th at 1.30pm for approx one hour. Please contact Susan MacNamara on 087-2257625.

               Do This in Memory (2nd Class) - The final Do This in Memory Mass for 2nd class takes place this coming Sunday morning at 10am.

Homework Club: There will no Homework Club for the remainder of term.

           The Thursday Club are hosting a Cake Sale in the Community Resource Centre on Sunday June 18 at 10.45am. All support welcome and greatly appreciated. 

 

Gach dea-ghuí,

 

J. Lyons

Principal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Active Week

 

Children will participate in a variety of activities throughout the week including orienteering, obstacle courses, rounders and tennis.

On Wednesday 21st, all students from Junior Infants to sixth class will partake in a walk from the school to the surrounding locality. We would appreciate any parent volunteers to help on this date to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable trip. We hope to leave the school at approximately 11.20 am. If you are available at this time please let Rosemarie know as soon as possible. Children will need high visibility jackets for the walk. If you have these jackets at home please bring them to school as we only have a limited supply. Also, don't forget your raincoats!

 Each night children will receive Active Homework which they can complete at home on their own or with family and friends. Please encourage as much physical activity as possible during this week.

 Remember to wear school tracksuit / shorts and comfy shoes for the week and prepare to be very active! We also recommend bringing some extra drinking water to school for the week. Thank you for your support in advance. 

 

 

School Tours

 

All classes go on School Tour  next Thursday June 22nd. Please ensure your child is at school in time. Tour details are on www.ballybrownns.ie. All children are asked to stay in the schoolyard as on a normal school morning until their teacher brings them to the bus. No spending money needed. Sunhats, sunblock and plenty of water strongly recommended.  No mobile phones, cameras, or any IT devices allowed. This decision was agreed at Board of Management level.  Every year, valuable items are lost or left behind on buses, in dressing rooms or other areas. The school is also acutely conscious of the issue of Cyberbullying. No exceptions will be made in this regard.  If there is any delay on the return journey, the school will text parents. I am sure everybody will have a great day.  The children from this school can always be relied upon to represent the school impeccably, no matter the occasion.

 

Thursday, June 1, 2017

School Note June 1st. 2017

Dear parents,

                    We have reached the final term of the school year. It promises to be a busy time. As this school year draws to an end, it is time to look ahead to next year. The school calendar for 2017-2018 has been posted on the school website. Children return to school on August 31st

                Today, we had the first public reading of our School Story for 2017. This was one of the activities for Book  Week. Every class and every class teacher contributed to the story.

               School Tours: All classes go on school tour on Thursday June 22nd. If you haven't paid for your child's tour yet, please do so as soon as possible as we need to finalise numbers for buses, etc

             On Monday, Ballybrown NS won the Olo Cup hurling competition for the first time since 2014, defeating Kildimo NS at the Gaelic Grounds. It was a memorable occasion and the school enjoyed great support from the entire community. All the children who attended behaved impeccably and it was a day that will be remembered for years. Thanks to Tom and Evelyn O Brien who provided much appreciated refreshments for the players. The victory was just reward for all the hard work and dedication of the entire panel of players and their trainers Mr Lordan and Mr Sheehy.

  The camogie team appeared in the City Final also but Milford NS proved too strong. Nevertheless, the future is bright. Ms Keyes and Ms Hayes have done great work with these girls.

          School will be closed all of next week. Enjoy the break.

Parents Association News:

We were pleased to invite two representatives from Milford Hospice yesterday to the school for the presentation of a cheque for €300 from the Purple Colours Day - thank you to all who generously contributed.

 

There are two National Parents Council courses running in the coming weeks - An Information Session for Parents on "Anti-Bullying" (Thursday 8th June in The Strand Hotel, Limerick) and also a "Shaping the Future" conference to be held in Dublin (Saturday June 10th) - both events are free of charge to parents - further details are on the school notice board in the front porch of the school.  Admission for both events is free.

 

Gach dea -ghuí,

 

J. Lyons

Principal


The River Maigue Rowing Club are holding their annual regatta this Sunday 04th June at 2 pm at De Bucket Bar and restaurant.Please come along for what promises to be a great day for all, with exciting racing, fantastic spot prizes & BBQ. Followed by music from Double Trouble, all welcome!