Latest News - December 2011

Introduction

Dear Parents

I want to take this opportunity of updating you with regard some of the initiatives we introduced this year. I also want to advise you about some important upcoming events this term and in January. At this time of year, time flies so quickly and important information can be lost in the rush towards the end of term.

CTY

We have introduced courses in Mandarin Chinese, Medicine and Advanced Mathematics as part of the Talented Youth Programme and all have proved to be a great success. I would therefore like to introduce further courses in Journalism and Creative Writing, Computer Gaming as well as a further class in Advanced Mathematics for 1st and 2nd Year students in the Secondary School. I envisage the programme to look like this from January 2012:

Tuesday - Journalism and Creative Writing from 15:00 to 16:00 for 4th, 5th and 6th grades.
Tuesday - Computer Gaming from 15:00 to 16:00 for 4th, 5th and 6th grades.
Tuesday - Computer Gaming from 16:00 to 17:00 for 1st and 2nd Years.

Thursday - Mandarin Chinese, Advanced Maths and Medicine continuing from last term.
Thursday - Advanced Mathematics 16:00 to 17:00 for 1st and 2nd years

These new courses will require sufficient numbers to make them viable. Therefore, I would be grateful if you could contact Deirdre on info@sps.ie as soon as possible to book a place. I am afraid that I would need to ask you to pay 10 Euro per lesson or 170 Euro for the Semester course (January to May).

Anti-Bullying Code of Conduct

I am delighted to inform you that an Anti-Bullying Committee has devised a clear, pupil-friendly Anti-Bullying Code of Conduct that has been placed in the homework journals of every pupil/student in the School. Next year these will be printed in the Homework Journals but I am anxious that we start the implementation of the new code immediately. Could I ask you to take the time to sign the Parent Signature section and go through the code with your sons/daughters? In SPHE classes, the teachers have begun the process of awareness raising but it is vital that we operate in active partnership with you, the parents.

A workshop on cyber bullying will follow in February and our Anti-Bullying strategy remains at the forefront of the Board of Management and School Management agenda. Peer mentoring initiatives will also be trialled this school year and implemented fully in the next academic year.

Board of Management

I would like to take this opportunity of thanking the outgoing Board for all their hard work over the past three years. I want to especially thank Michele Ridgway who has helped steer the School through our Whole School Evaluation, ECIS inspections as well as leading the Board of Management through some very complex and essential policy-making initiatives. She leaves a Board structure in excellent health and spirit and, in my view, has left a firm and lasting legacy to the School. The new Parent Nominees on the Board of Management are Stewart Bourke and Catherine Eustace. Thank you for voting.

Astro 2012

I am delighted that so far, our drive for Astro 2012 has raised a staggering 17,000 Euro. I am very grateful for the hard work and determination shown by so many of you. We are about half way through the Programme and we still have many events in store. I believe a Strictly Sutton Park is being proposed and you recently received tickets for the Monster Draw. The prizes are very impressive and I hope you are able to purchase at least 2 tickets. A calendar of future events is on the school calendar.

Parking Reminder

I am once again sending out our very practical and common-sense guidelines for on-site parking. We still have some issues at pick up times and occassionally at drop off times. Parking issues cause perennial problems in all schools and particularly schools with multiple ages on their roll. Boards of Management devote, quite rightly, considerable time to consider all the issues. However, time and patience is never finate and I have known Boards press the nuclear button, and quoting Health & Safety, ban parking from the premises and shift the problem to the public highway.

Can I therefore appeal to you all to follow the guidelines and help maintain a safe and secure environment for all the children in our school.

The upper car park has:

• 3 set down spaces with a 5 minute time restriction.
• 5 parent with infant only spaces; please reverse in to space if possible.
• 2 spaces for maintenance staff vehicles beside the workshop.
• 1 disabled parking space.

The remaining area has 9 general parking spaces with no time limit.

The lower car park has:

• 24 general parking spaces.
• Drop off area

The Avenue has 4 general parking spaces.

The area outside the hall, to the side of the Junior School and up at the Boarding House are designated for staff only.

In essence, it really is a matter of commonsense and respect for other members of our community. Our site is unusual in that we have many young children, older students and parents on our property from 8am until 8:45pm. During the really intense times 8-15am – 9 am and the various pick up times very young children are required to negotiated very big cars. No one wants to see an accident and we all felt that the changes we implemented last term significantly improved the safety of the whole community.

The drop off circle around the planted area in the upper car park will have 3 drop off spaces clearly marked and everyone is asked to pull forward to the furthest available space, to allow children to get out on the lefthand side of the car nearest the school entrance. We ask that the driver remains in the car. We realize this will take a little more time.

Please be patient.
Please do not overtake.
Please do not double park.

Please note that one must have their infant with them to park in parent/infant spaces and the spaces revert to visitor parking between the hours of 9am – 2pm.

It is forbidden to park in yellow boxes. Disabled space is only for driver displaying proper permit.

While there is no perfect or total solution your continuing co-operation with the above initiative should go a long way to improving the safety on the School grounds. Thank you for your support.

Cloud

Cloud Technology is the latest form of technological progress which allows us to communicate with all students through a Microsoft supported cloud. Homework, worksheets and notes are all available through student log-ins, e.g. john.smith@ssps.ie followed by a password. Further informtion is available from info@sps.ie

January Events

Monday 9 January has been designated a staff training day. Our Senior Management Team have decided to devote the morning for a whole staff (teaching and ancillary), Board of Management and Board of Governors training on child protection. The Department of Education has issued more guidelines to further strengthen its Child Protection Policy and this day provides an ideal opportunity to work as a full school.

January also marks the Young Scientist Competition. Our school has 2 teams entering as well as a project from the Intermediate School. Further details will follow on the science page of the website after the Christmas break.

2nd and 5th Year Parent Teacher meetings take place on Thursday 19 January. 4th and 5th Years go on a ski trip week commencing 30 January.

Mock Examinations for 3rd and 6th Years commence on Wednesday 1st February and finish on Friday 10 February.

Update from the Head of the Intermediate School - Mr Liam Burns

Pantomime

Christmas started early on Wed 30th November. Boys and girls of Intermediate School joined with Junior School to attend Aladdin. The trip was a great success and enjoyed by all, apart from the teachers who were insulted by the cast from the Stage. I strongly disagree that the female teachers look like the retired Spice Girls and I did not take kindly to being referred to as Jedward’s triplet!!!

Pupil Assessment

The children completed their first round of assessments just before Halloween. It’s great to see them develop positive study habits and I commend them for their efforts this term. We had initially targeted two assessments in this term but, I am sure you will agree that another assessment at this stage would be too close to the recent tests to provide any new, meaningful information. The next assessment point will be just before our February mid-term when the areas of English, Maths, Irish, Science, History and Geography will be assessed.

Pupil Teacher Conference

Following on from our Parent/Teacher meetings we launched a new initiative in Intermediate School. In addition to giving you feedback as to your child’s progress we established a Pupil/Teacher conference whereby the class teacher met each child individually to discuss their work. We hope this will give each student clear goals and also promote a positive approach to their work. The meetings are both positive and constructive in nature and we believe they have real potential to improve the quality of teaching and learning in our classrooms.

After School Pick Up

As we are now into the dark evenings we ask that you remind your child of pick up arrangements after school. Ideally those children being collected from school should be met at the reception area. However, if you wish your child to walk to the gate, please emphasise that, in the event of you being delayed, they must return to the reception area where they can be supervised.

Update from the Head of the Junior School - Ms Emer Hoy

Another very productive term has drawn to a close. The children came back to school at the end of August full of energy and enthusiasm for the year ahead. They settled into their new classrooms, welcomed the new members to their classes and got to know their new teachers.

Events this term

We started the Curriculum Enrichment Programme with an introductory yoga lesson. Each class had a half hour class during which they learned yoga postures through story and then finished with some relaxation. Our next event was a wonderful concert given by the instrumental teachers in the school, where they played the piano, guitar, flute, recorder, violin and double bass. We listened to many styles of music and the children were enthralled. The following week we had a talk on oral health. The children went home with lots of Colgate goodies and a star chart for teeth brushing. The last activity in September was a Playball introductory class. The children learned different ball skills by doing individual and team tasks

October started with a talk on Sutton Park School through the years. Mr. Emlyn Jones, a former teacher, gave the presentation, which included maps and photographs dating back to 1957. We continued with the theme of presentations when the visiting teachers, Sarah and Vera, gave a talk on Germany. We had a busy afternoon that day, as each class also made flapjacks with some very kind parents! Our first trip out was a visit to the Botanic Gardens. The older children were given a tour and the younger classes followed an Autumn trail. The highlight of the trip was the pumpkin display. We finished the half term with a fancy dress parade and Halloween parties, managing to raise money for Temple Street while we were enjoying ourselves. Thank you to the PTA who provided the prizes and treats for everyone on the day.

The new half term started with Science week and a visit from Jungle Dave. The children (and teachers!) held spiders, lizards and snakes and got very close to an iguana, a crocodile, a turtle and a python. We also had Friendship week where the focus in the classes was on Friendship and saying no to bullying. The PTA organised a coffee morning and talks for parents and the children finished the week with a lovely assembly. November marks the time when you get a chance to meet with your child’s teacher and to hear how they are getting on at the Parent Teacher meetings. These meetings are important for the children, teachers and yourselves so it was wonderful to have everyone attending. The last week in November saw our whole school trip to the Helix. Junior Infants to Grade 6 all enjoyed Aladdin, especially the dance off at the end! This got the children in form for practising for their own Christmas productions.

It was a busy end of term. Some of the children from Grades 2 and 3 performed in the school carol service in Howth. They sang beautifully and were a credit to Ms. Hauer. The St. Vincent de Paul food appeal saw a busload of food that you donated being delivered to Sutton church. There it was put in hampers to be given to people in need this Christmas. Grades 2 and 3 collected for St. Joseph’s school for the blind. Junior and Senior Infants went ‘on tour’ with their Christmas play, taking it to Howth Lodge nursing home on Monday. They also performed for the children in Bumblebees Montessori School. The classes put on their plays for each other on Tuesday and this was followed by a surprise visit from Santa. The PTA kindly provided the treats given out by the elves, as well as the refreshments at the concerts. I was delighted so many of you were able to attend the Christmas plays on Wednesday. The children learned their lines and their songs and delivered them with gusto. The applause and cheers from the audience showed that their efforts were not in vain! Thanks to all who helped to put these plays together, especially Ms. Hauer, Mr. Tobin, Adam Ellison and the Junior School teachers. The excitement of the term did not end there because we were lucky enough to have a visit from the fire brigade - the siren was going and the children got a chance to see inside the fire engine and to use the hose. Great fun was had by all!

Resources

Two very generous donations from parents allowed us to purchase a class set of HP mini 100e netbooks over the summer holidays. All the children took to them quickly and were totally unfased by the transition from mouse to touchpad. The netbooks enable the children to access all the resources that are on the school network from their desks.

After school activities

This term saw the launch of the Sutton Park Junior School Challenge clubs. During this pilot project, the literacy group published two newspaper editions of the Sutton Park Times. When they were not working hard on the newspaper, the children were busy preparing props and taking photographs for the Photo Story project they have recently undertaken. The Science and Math’s group constructed fantastic creations from Lego and learned to programme these structures to perform a range of movements. Science week inspired Ms. Gannon and the children to carry out some exciting experiments and tests. The children learned how to use chemistry to make aliens explode. They also learned how force can be used to make a paper clip float in mid air. Due to the success of the clubs, more fun and learning will continue after the Christmas holidays with projects involving levers and pulleys, chess, pod casts and lots more. There will be a presentation on Tuesday 10 January at 2.30pm for any parents who are interested in finding out more about the clubs.

The introductory yoga class proved to be such a success that the teacher decided to offer an afterschool class. A number of children enrolled and they have thoroughly enjoyed the term. The classes will run again in the Spring term and new children are welcome to join.

Forthcoming events

All children in Grades 2 and 3 will have 5 weeks of swimming classes as part of the enrichment programme and the younger classes will be doing 5 weeks of Playball. Please refer to the school calendar for details of assemblies, staff meetings and other events

I would like to thank the Junior School staff for their continued dedication to the school and your children. They have worked tirelessly all term.

Michael Moretta
Head of School

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