May Newsletter
Muff NS Newsletter May 2023
Communion: First Holy Communion takes place on Saturday at 10:30 in Muff Church. There will be a reception in the hall afterwards where we have asked 1st class parents to help out if they can. We would appreciate if anyone could bring baked goods in on the day – no chocolate please! The school will be open from 9.30am to allow baked goods to be dropped off. Ms. Campbell will be meeting the 2nd class parents on Thursday at 2.45pm in the Church. Please note there is a wedding in the Church after the ceremony, so it is important that the grounds are left in good condition. We look forward to everyone having an enjoyable day.
Graduation Mass: The 6th class will have their Graduation Mass on Saturday June 24th at 7:30pm. There will be a short reception afterwards in the hall.
School Tours: Below is a list of the School Tours for the coming year. Parents will receive notes about their own individual child’s tour this week. Please note that the tours will be subsidised by the Parents Association.
Junior Infants/Senior Infants/ 1st – The Crystal Maze – Friday June 9th
2nd/3rd Class – Armagh Planetarium – Thursday June 1st
4th Class – Tanagh – Tuesday June 6th
5th/6th Class – National Museum/National Art Gallery/Aquatic Centre – Thursday June 8th
Sports Day: Our Annual Sports Day takes place on Thursday June 15th. As per usual, parents will be invited in from 10:00 to 10.45 to watch children participating in Fun Races.
Green Schools: Ms. Swinburne and members of our Green School Committee will be going to the City North Hotel next week to pick up our latest Green Flag in biodiversity. Meanwhile we had two quiz teams who performed fantastically well in the Green Schools Quiz organised by T.Y. students in St Louis Carrickmacross. The participants were: Cillian Kierans, Laila McKenna, Senan McCormack, Eimear Byrne, Ellen Monaghan, Nadine McKenna, Emma Tierney & Liam Clarke.
SPHE/Stay Safe: All classes will be completing the Stay Safe elements of the SPHE Programme over the coming weeks. Our 5th and 6th class are also completing the Relationship and Sexuality Education component. If any parent has any query, they can contact me through the school office.
Parents Association: The P.A. will have their annual Family Fun Walk on Sunday May 28th on Lough an Lae. There will also be a clothes collection on June 6th & 7th.
Junior Entrepreneur Project: Well done to all the pupils in Mr. Byrne’s class who have completed the Junior Entrepreneur Project. Their “Crafty Cards” business has proved to be very popular and successful. We have sent in our final project and will be wrapping up the project completely in the coming days. There are some packs of cards still available to purchase from the school office.
Sport: Well done to both the boys’ and the girls’ football teams who have played outstandingly well this year in their respective competitions. They have had some fantastic victories and some very narrow defeats thus far and will be finishing up in the next couple of weeks. Many thanks to Ms. Swinburne, Mr Kiernan, Alison, Therese and Gillian for coaching the teams. We also completed 6 weeks of swimming in Navan where the children again had a thoroughly enjoyable time. I have to pay compliments to the coaches there who display great professionalism.
Code of Behaviour/School Uniform: We are reviewing the Code of Behaviour prior to our next Board of Management meeting at the end of the month. The school is also conducting our regular review of the uniform policy in the school. One aspect I would like to mention is the wearing of make-up/jewellery/ fashion items. This is not currently a major issue in our school at all but from speaking with colleagues it is something that has begun to appear in senior classes in some schools. This isn’t appropriate for primary schools. Children can wear small single ear studs and a single ring. Other jewellery such as necklaces/bracelets should not be worn as they can get lost or broken and there is a health & safety aspect to children pulling at jewellery during games. Make-up/fake tan/hair dye etc. of any kind is not permitted.
Standardised Tests: These tests will take place from May 30th – June 8th inclusive. As required, the Sten Score will be given in end of year reports for 2nd, 4th and 6th classes.
School Calendar: Please find below the school calendar for the remainder of the school year and also the provisional calendar for the 2023/24 school year. Please note that dates are subject to change.
School Planning Day – Closed Friday May 26th
Standardised Testing – (1st-6th class only) Week 1 – May 29th – June 1st.
Week 2 – June 6th – 9th
June Bank Holiday – Closed Friday June 2nd and Monday June 5th
Summer Holidays – Finish Thursday June 29th, 2023, at 12pm
School Calendar 2023/24
- School reopens on Wednesday the 30th of August.
- Mid – term October 30th – November 4th.
- Christmas Dec 22nd – Jan 8th.
- St Brigid’s Day – Monday 5th of February.
- Feb Mid – term Thursday and Friday 15th and 16th.
- St Patrick’s Day Monday March 18th.
- Easter Break – March 25th – April 6th.
- Friday 3rd and Monday 6th of May.
- Friday 31st and Monday 3rd of June.
- School closes Tuesday 25th