School Newsletter-September 2023

A huge Céad Míle Fáilte to our new Junior Infants-Seamus Sloyan, Callum Murphy, Tadhg Johnston, Jack Daly, Ted Regan, Cian Cooney, Max Regan, Ceoladh Duffy and Hannah Towey. We were also delighted to have Dylan Treadgold join the pupils of Fifth Class and Saerlaith Haran joining Sixth Class. We wish these children every happiness and blessing for the year ahead.

We were delighted to welcome Ms. Carol Keane to the staff, as she covers the Principal release days in our local cluster. A warm welcome also to our new part time Special Needs Assistant, Ms. Sharon Shiel. We congratulate them both on their appointments and wish them satisfaction and contentment in their new roles.

The following pupils received prizes for an Art Competition organised by The Urlaur Pattern Committee- Conor Cooney, Molly Regan, Talia Reid, Luke Duffy, Ava Casey, Chloe Loughney, Peter Duffy and Eloise McDonnell. In addition we congratulate Fourth Class pupils, Kiera Roddy, Tara Rose Lynchehaun and Chloe Loughney who were the winners of the Michael McDermott Perpetual Cup for traditional music at the Pattern.

We received a very generous financial gift from the Committee of the Seosamh Mac Gabhann Summer School last year. It was decided to spend a portion of this on a concertina for the school. It is currently being used by a pupil who is making tremendous progress on it! Again we thank the Committee for thinking of us and are committed to providing further musical experiences from this donation in the course of the school year.

Tennis lessons with Tim Clark began for all of our pupils. These were hugely enjoyable and children improved in their skills during the period.

Pupils from Fifth and Sixth Class attended the East Mayo National Schools’ Cross Country competition at Mellett’s Hill in Swinford. Congratulations to Casey Purcell who finished in sixth place, which qualified him for the Connaught Finals. Well done to everyone who participated and completed the course.

We were thrilled to hear the jingle of the ice-cream van outside our school on the last day of the month. Many thanks to the Committee of the Kilkelly-Kilmovee Parish magazine for providing this wonderful treat!

The Aistear theme in Mrs. Shevlin’s room for the month of September was ‘Myself’. Four stations were set up. In exploratory play children used faces with Velcro features to make different expressions. Lots of fun was had exploring angry and sad faces in particular! At this station pupils also had a sensory bin where they each had two minutes to find five school themed objects hidden among pinto beans, pom-poms, beads, sticks and seeds. They rose to the challenge! At the socio-dramatic station, children got involved in role play and taking care of babies. Babies were fed, changed, washed, taken out, comforted and dressed. Pupils were so gentle, fantastic parents of the future! In constructive play, students worked together to build a model of the school. They enjoyed building each of the classrooms, the office, a helicopter pad and a swimming-pool. What a school!! In junk art, recycled materials were used to make an array of creative art, including teachers, football players and jigsaws. The children also explored their sense of smell by using containers of different fragrances. They guessed each smell- rosemary, coffee, vanilla essence and of course their favourite-chocolate chips!! Lots of fun and learning took place!