Category: Newsletters

Happy New Year
All the best for 2023 to all our pupils and their families.

Parents Association
A big thank you to our parents association for helping out during or carol service before Christmas.

Uniform Matters
A reminder that our uniform is as follows:
Green jumper/cardigan, white shirt, grey trousers/skirt/pinafore.

Our tracksuit is available through the school and is to be worn with a white polo shirt on P.E. days only. Replacement navy legs (plain only) may be purchased in any shop. In warm weather, plain navy shorts of an appropriate (knee) length may be worn. Grey, tailored knee-length shorts with the main uniform are also acceptable. Football shorts etc. are not acceptable. We recommend practical footwear, preferably in a dark colour.

The use of hair dye is not permitted during term time and we encourage pupils to tie up their hair. Earrings should be neat (no large loops etc.) and fake nails or nail extensions are not permitted. We discourage the wearing of other jewellery for health and safety reasons and because it can get lost or damaged.

Here are examples:

Standard Uniform:

Tracksuit:

Warm Weather:

Grandparents Mass
As part of Catholic Schools Week (and for the first time in three years), we will hold a mass for grandparents in Ballylinan church on Wednesday, 25th January at 12:30 p.m., with an invite to visit the school afterwards. More details to follow.

Smart Devices
A reminder that smart watches, phones, tablets etc. are not necessary for children during the day. In exceptional circumstances if they need to be brought, they need to be turned off and handed to the class teacher in the morning.

First Confession
Children in 2nd Class will make their first confession in Ballylinan church on Tuesday night, 24th January.

Preschool Places
Contact Siobhan Lacey at 083 – 390 0533 or email barrowhousepreschool@gmail.com if you have any queries.

Admissions (Enrolment) 2023/24
Applications to enrol are being accepted until 3 p.m. on Friday, 3rd February 2023. Please complete this form if you wish to enrol your child for the 2023/24 school year.

Any applications after that date will be considered as late enrolments.

The school will contact you in due course with further details. When your child has been enrolled, additional information will be required.

School Calendar
These have arrived later than usual so we’re only charging €5 per calendar this year or – even better – 3 for €10. There are some photos of all the children and it would make a nice gift for someone. First come, first served! Please pay via the Aladdin app. or contact the school. Thank you.

Christmas Carol Service
Pupils from 1st – 6th Classes will be taking part in a Carol Service in Ballylinan Church on Wednesday night, 14th December. Due to the numbers involved, we have divided the children into two groups. We have allocated 4 tickets per family and there will be a charge of €3 per ticket. Payments may be made via the Aladdin app.

You are most welcome to come and join us for just a few prayerful moments to focus on what’s most important at Christmas. Please note:

• The first service will begin at 7 p.m. and finish around 7:30.
• The second service will begin at 8 p.m. and finish around 8:30.
• Pupils are to wear proper school uniform on the night. To make sure that uniforms are clean and ready, pupils may wear tracksuits tomorrow and Wednesday.
• As children enter the church with you, please remove and hold on to their coats. This will make it easier for them to move to and from the altar.
• If children have a Santa hat or festive headgear, they are welcome to wear them for the final two songs of the night.

While there should be room for all, seating on the night will be first come, first served.

Nativity Story
Junior and Senior Infants will be taking part in ‘Wriggly Nativity’ on Friday of this week (16th) at 12:30 p.m. in the Dunne Sourke hall.

Food Appeal
Many thanks to you all for your very generous support of our food appeal.

Christmas Carol Service
Pupils from 1st – 6th Classes will be taking part in a Carol Service in Ballylinan Church on the night of Wednesday, 14th of December. Due to the numbers involved, we have divided the children into two groups on the night. The service will take place at 7 and again at 8 p.m. We have allocated 4 tickets per family and there will be a charge of €3 per ticket. Payments may be made via the Aladdin app from this Wednesday 7th December. Thank you. You are most welcome to come and join us for just a few prayerful moments to focus on what’s most important at Christmas.

Wriggly Nativity
Junior & Senior Infants and 1st Class will be taking part in the ‘Wriggly Nativity’ on Friday week (16th December) at 12:30 in the Dunne/Sourke hall in the school. There will not be any tickets for this event and all are welcome.

Ballylinan N.S. Christmas Food Appeal
We are trying to help in a small way by having our food appeal this week on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th December. If you – or a family you know – would benefit from a hamper this year, please contact Ms. Goff: maryegoff.ballylinan@gmail.com. Please be advised that any enquiry will be handled discreetly and in the strictest confidence. Click to read more details.

Online Presence
We are also reviewing our online presence with a view to better communicate what goes on in the life of the school. We are considering using a social media platform such as Instagram etc. If you would like to comment or make suggestions, all views are welcome at feedback.ballylinan@gmail.com . Thank you.

Admissions to Ballylinan N.S. 2023/24
Please note that applications for the 23/24 school year will be open from Thursday, 5th January until Friday, 3rd February 2023. Further information on how to apply will be issued in due course. If you are aware of anyone who may wish to enrol a child for next year, please let them know these dates. Thank you.

Public Health Update
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are:
fever (temperature of 38 degrees or more), including having chills
dry cough
fatigue (tiredness)

Your child may not have all of these symptoms, they may vary. S/he may go to school with a runny nose or sneezing as long as they:
have no other symptoms
do not have a fever
are otherwise well

but if your child has a runny nose and feels unwell or is off form, they should stay at home. Thank you for your cooperation.

Advent Friends
As in previous years, each child in the school has been allocated an “advent” or “special” friend in the lead up to Christmas. We are asking that children should be particularly kind to the person without letting them know that they have been chosen. No cards or gifts are required; the pupils will make cards in school.

Christmas Holidays
The school will close for the Christmas holidays at 12:15 for Infants and 12:30 for all others on Wednesday, 21st December.

Thank you for your support as always.

Halloween Hike
It was great to see parents on our recent hike! Thankfully the weather was kind on the day and a great time was had by all. There were some wonderful homemade costumes! A total of €3,680.80 was raised. Thank you all very much for your wonderful support as always.

Online Presence
We are also reviewing our online presence with a view to better communicate what goes on in the life of the school. If you would like to comment or make suggestions, all views are welcome at feedback.ballylinan@gmail.com . Thank you.

First Communion 2023
There will be a meeting for all 1st Communion Parents on Wednesday, 16th November in Arles Parish Hall at 7.30pm. (First Communion will take place on Saturday 13th May at 11 o’clock. First confession will be on Tuesday 24th January at 7:30 p.m.)

Gaeilge
Táimid ag déanamh iarracht níos mó Gaeilge a úsáid i rith an lae. We’re trying to use a little more Irish during the day. Déanann na páistí sár-iarracht ar scoil. The children make a great effort at school. Why not have a go at a cúpla focal at home? Bainigí triail as! Or try even one word – sláinte – which means health. Instead of using “cheers’ etc., why not use our Irish word “sláinte“? In a toast, it means “good health to you.”

School Rules
We are reviewing our school rules with the aim of making them simpler and clearer. Here are our draft rules:
1. We are kind and helpful
2. We are honest
3. We are gentle
4. We work hard
5. We listen
6. We look after property
You are welcome to comment at feedback.ballylinan@gmail.com . Thanks again.

Parent-Teacher Meetings
These will take place on the afternoons of Tuesday 22nd and Thursday 24th of November. More details to follow shortly.

Inservice
As mentioned before Halloween, teachers are required to undertake inservice on the revised primary language curriculum. The next session will be next Monday afternoon (14th November). School will finish for all pupils at 12:30 (12:15 for infants) on the day.

First Communion 2023
First Communion will take place on Saturday 13th May at 11 o’clock. First confession will be on Tuesday 24th January at 7:30 p.m. There will be a meeting for parents in mid-November in the school, details to follow once confirmed by Arles parish.

Confirmation 2023
Confirmation will be on Saturday 25th March at 11 o’clock. Ceremony of light will be on Tuesday, 7th February at 7:30 p.m.

Cumann na mBunscol
Well done to our boys and girls teams who will compete in the Roinn 2 Shield semi-finals tomorrow (Tuesday 25th) at the Laois Centre of Excellence. Girls v. The Rock at 10 a.m. and Boys v. Emo at 12 o’clock. Go n-éirí libh go léir!

School Rules
We are reviewing our school rules with the aim of making them simpler while keeping them positive. Here are the ones we have been working on:
1. We are kind and helpful
2. We are honest
3. We are gentle
4. We work hard
5. We listen
6. We look after property
If you would like to comment please do so at feedback.ballylinan@gmail.com . Thank you.

Online Presence
We are also reviewing our online presence with a view to better communicate what goes on in the life of the school. If you would like to comment or make suggestions, please do so at feedback.ballylinan@gmail.com . Thanks again.

Meeting for Parents
Thanks to those who attended last week’s meeting. The next step will be the AGM of the Parents Association which will take place in November, details to follow.

Amber Flag
This year we will be engaging in activities as we work towards an Amber Flag. The Amber Flag initiative recognises the efforts of schools, community groups and clubs to create healthy, inclusive environments that support mental well-being. Details to follow throughout the year.

Christmas Carol Service
We are planning to hold a carol service this year (on Wednesday, 14th December) in Ballylinan church for the first time since 2019. We all know what happened in the meantime! Our infant classes will hold a nativity play in the school around that time, details to follow.

Halloween Hike
We will combine fun for the children with some fundraising on Friday morning. Fingers crossed that the rain stays away. We will hike in our costumes from the school to the village and back again. As our voluntary collection has been paused since the start of the pandemic, we are asking you to sponsor your child/ren. We are sending home one card per family and appreciate any contribution that you can make. Please return as soon as possible. We do aim to return to voluntary contributions in electronic format at some stage. Thank you all again for your support.

Halloween Break
Teachers are required to undertake inservice on the revised primary language curriculum. This will take place this Friday afternoon (28th October). School will finish for all pupils at 12:30 (12:15 for infants) on the day. School reopens on Monday, 7th November.