St. Brendan's Boys Primary School

Green Flag Awards Ceremony: Hudson Bay Hotel, Athlone

Dear Green-Schools Committee,

An Taisce has great pleasure in informing you that your application for the International Green Flag award has been successful. Congratulations on all your hard work and achievement, we hope you can celebrate with us at an upcoming National Green Flag awards ceremony.

Great work and well done to all involved-

26th April 2017

Dear Parents

BULLYING/CYBER-BULLYING: INTERVENTIONS & PREVENTION

As part of our ongoing Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme in our schools, we have invited Mrs. Marion Flanagan to address you and the pupils in 5th class on the topic of ‘Bullying/Cyber-Bullying: Interventions & Prevention’.
These final years in Primary school are a crucial time in your child’s emotional and personal development. They are developing their own personalities and require support and guidance to enhance their personal self-esteem and confidence. They need to be aware of the consequences of exclusion and the importance of acceptance of difference. Marion will address difficult parenting issues, the sometimes negative influence of social media and the importance of encouraging independent and critical thinking.
The presentation will discuss the area of Cyber-bullying and Internet Safety as well as the traditional means of bullying which are still rampant and how parents can support the school to intervene and prevent such behaviours.
We have chosen 5th class to take part in this evening as we feel the lessons to be learned from this presentation need to involve our senior pupils. We are giving them the ownership of the lessons to be learned from Marion’s talk. We are requesting that each child and a parent/guardian are in attendance on the evening which will include a questionnaire for pupils, a power-point presentation and some relevant handouts.
VENUE: St. Brendan’s Boys School – Hall
Date: Wednesday 3rd May 2017
Time: 7pm
Tea/Coffee and refreshments will be served on the night.
Please fill out the information on the attached sheet and return it with your son to school tomorrow.
Kind regards,
_________________________________________
Richelle Treacy H.S.C.L.

Dear Parents,

we have been asked by an Garda Síochána to make you aware of an App that has been developed in recent times. The App is called LIVE ME.
This is a communication app and the children build up followers. However, this App allows people to see your child but your child cannot see who they are talking to unless they get to a certain level on it.

There are concerns around LIVE ME and the Guards are requesting that you are vigilant and check if your child is using the APP.

Also with this theme- we have rescheduled our INTERNET SAFETY talk with Marian Flanagan for WEDNESDAY 3RD APRIL for all parents- pupils in 5th class also invited.

Kind regards,
Niall Crofton
Principal Teacher

NEPS – National Educational Psychological Service

Parents/Guardians of 3rd Class pupils

5th April 2017

Re: Friends for Life Programme

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We are planning to teach an evidence-based anxiety prevention and resilience building programme designed for use in schools. Designed by Dr Paula Barrett in Australia, the programme is designed to teach students the skills required to manage their thoughts, emotions and body responses to life stresses. The programme also seeks to develop self-esteem and teach coping skills in a simple and structured way. It is a positive, fun learning experience that does not require any clinical assessment or diagnosis and avoids labelling young people as anxious or different.

Friends for Life consists of ten sessions plus two booster sessions. During these sessions pupils are guided through a series of class-based activities which were built around the core themes of the programme. ‘FRIENDS’ is the only anxiety management prevention programme acknowledged by the World Health Organisation for its 12 years of comprehensive validation in schools and health clinics across several countries and languages. The programme meets many of the aims of the SPHE curriculum in terms of promoting physical, mental and emotional well-being in addition to providing pupils with opportunities for reflection and discussion. Your child may bring home worksheets which will inform you on the topics being covered in class and how you can reinforce the messages at home.

You can familiarise yourself with the FRIENDS programme at http://www.friendsresilience.org/friends-for-life-ages-8-11/

Please contact me if you wish to discuss the programme further or if you do not wish for your child to participate in the programme. The programme will be co-facilitated by Ms. Paula Doyle, Class Teacher and Ms. Helen Fitzgerald, Educational Psychologist, NEPS and will commence on Thursday 6th April 2017 during school hours. It will continue each Thursday for approximately one hour for ten weeks.
Thank you.

Yours sincerely,
__________
Niall Crofton
Principal.

Music Day Timetable 2017

Purpose – To celebrate music in the school.To participate through performing or listening and to give each boy the opportunity to perform on stage in front of his school. Some parents of boys who are performing solo or instrumental can come in to view but it won’t be a full concert for families to attend as hall can’t cater for the numbers involved. Open invitations to parents for xmas concerts and school masses enjoy such massive support that music day is being kept low-key. We hope parents can understand this and support this. The day belongs to the boys of St Brendans PS- Enjoy !

10.00- 10.50 : Stage set-up / practice- if required
Sos Please ensure chairs etc are organised in hall if using them. Audience: Ind teachers.
11.10 – 2nd class – 3 songs – Oscar ( Guitar)
– 1st class – 2 songs
– 5th class (tin whistle groups)- 2 songs / 2 songs / group songs
– Senior Infants- 4 songs
– some 6th instrumentals
12.20 back to class
Lunch break 12.30-1.00 Infants packed to go home at 2pm
Time is at 1.10 to give us a chance to get settled etc ( JI can come to stage from room)

1.10pm – – Junior Infants – 2 songs ( one with 6th)
– 6th class ( Tin whistle GROUPS X 4) –
– 6th instrumentals
-3rd class ( tin whistle x 2; song x 1) – some 3rd class individuals
– 4th class ( whistles / song/ whistle / 2 songs)
– Mr Kelly guitars and band “ Kelly’s Heroes”
– Individuals / singers / – pupils
– Staff + guests + past pupils + individual pupils

Abhaile ! Would be nice to finish up at 2.30 / 2.40 to give classes a chance to go back to rooms and leave them in orderly manner.. Thanks…Pack up…Home!!

Thought for the day :
“Sometimes music is the only thing that gets your mind off everything else”

The school held its annual EASON SPELLING BEE event in February. The school hall was packed as over 40 boys from 5th / 6th classes stood up to take part. Each boy was asked a spelling at the podium and all deserve great credit for having the courage and self-confidence to take part. Eventually the final few remained.

Fifth class placings:
1st – Kiefer Shalloe
2nd – Conor Lally-Greijmans
3nd – Keelan Franks

Sixth class placings
1st- Damien Delaney
2nd -Thomas Martinez
3rd – Aran Corcoran

Then after a few days we held the play off between both class champions for the school title.
10 WORDS each – Damien V Kiefer.
It was a draw at 7 / 10 each.
To a play off it went with the words VIVACIOUS / BABYLON.
Damien Delaney emerged victorious and will go on to represent the school at the EASON offaly spelling BEE in Tullamore next week. Best luck to Damien,

Community games-

Sincere thanks to Birr community games ( Margaret and Valerie) group who have allowed our boys the excellent opportunity to take part in art / modelling and handwriting. Lots of classes took part supported by Mrs Kelly with prizewinners ( pictured). Best luck to all the boys going forward to Offaly round in Daingean next weekend.