WINTER 2014

newsletter
Kill Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, 01 230 3696;
[email protected]. Principal: Rosario Kealy. Roll No 20060G From the Principal
in short
SCHOOL CLOSES at 12pm on Friday
It is with great pleasure that we issue our first
newsletter of this year and I hope that you are
In line with our School Self Evaluation (SSE),
we are specifically targeting Mental Maths,
19th December for the Winter break
well settled into the busy life we have here Comprehension and SESE. We will shortly
at METNS. I especially hope that all the new publish our SIP (school improvement plan) on
WINTER SONGFEST at 11pm on families and staff of the METNS community our website for a more detailed account.
Friday 19th December in yard. All feel at home in METNS and are enjoying the
year so far. Many activities are already taking place in
welcome so bring your winter woollies
school this year including GAA and Soccer
and your festive hats.
In our last year as a growing school, we coaching for all classes in-school. Cycling
LOST PROPERTY will be given to a now have 412 pupils, over 300 families and skills took place in Sept for 5th class (partial
charity by 17th December so please a staff of 39! We are delighted with the new funding by DLRCC), Science workshops for
check it before then extension and welcome this addition to classes from 1st 6th (funded by PTA). We
create the much needed space for our ever have decided to book the science workshops
NO NUTS
expanding number of children. again next year for the whole school as the
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED URGENTLY children were so impressed. A big thanks to
As always our ethos is at the forefront of our IADT who generously facilitated an animation
FOR CAR PARK DUTY in the lives here at METNS. The Learn Together
mornings. Even if you can give one workshop by Alan Nolan for 3rd class b as
curriculum is currently being reviewed part of their animation festival. Classes from
morning a month please contact Ciara
and developed at all levels within Educate 1st, 3rd and 4th also did some wonderful Art
OMahony : 087 7917066
Together, and at METNS, we are working on workshops from Art Rediscovery. This group
ENROLMENT OF NEW PUPILS. many aspects at a cohesive level. concentrated on using recycled materials for
Please remember that siblings must be We have been exploring the values of some wonderful creations.
registered on pre enrolment list before respect/kindness, responsibility/co-operation,
they are 12 months old to avail of sibling We look forward to more workshops and
thankfulness/mindfulness and peacefulness/ activities for all children and we have music
preference. It is not automatic.
feeling safe as part of our whole school plan and dance workshops booked in the New
Thank you for SLOWING DOWN and this term, and much of our our assemblies Year.
parking carefully and classroom work reflects this.
We are benefitting from the many new
The restorative practice talk for parents resources and improvements to our school

the P T A committee
was greatly received and appreciated as and thank all involved in supporting the
it complimented the implementation of funding of i-pads, sports equipment, musical
this practice throughout the school. Our instruments, the new outdoor classroom in
Welcome to the 2014-15 year, we commitment to restorative practice is a
have many great events and activities our garden and seating for the children in the
process that will take years to fully implement,
yard. We are currently working on a small
planned for this year. Thank you for however, many of the principles within the
your support of Grandparents Day sensory room as a quiet and relaxing space.
practice are already a part of our culture. We hope to have this completed by the New
and the Book Fair.
Mark your diary for Sunday, 7 Our commitment to environmental awareness Year. I would also like to thank all staff and
December, the not to be missed is a core part of our ethical curriculum and parents who are helping with these projects in
METNS WINTER FAIR where we are currently on our second year of our a more practical way it doesnt just happen!
you can pick up everything from a biodiversity programme which will culminate I would like to say how supported we feel at
Christmas Tree to a bauble or two, in our 5th green flag. We have great plans for METNS by the BoM, the PTA and all parents.
Santa will be stopping by to see the completion of this programme and look It makes such a difference in so many ways
the children, and there will be the forward to this next year. and we welcome it as a huge resource for the
amazing collection of pre-loved toys,
As part of social inclusion week in Dun children as well as enriching the experience
books and more. Plan to have your
lunch in the cafe on the day! Laoghaire, we welcomed all our grandparents of the whole
on 17th October and what a wonderful day community.
Your PTA Committee. we had. Our student council represented
Audrey Burns, Treasurer the school admirably and many visitors
Erika Csibi commented on our wonderful ambassadors!
Ins Gonzlez, ECA Liaison
Finally, as a direct result of our ethos review,
Samantha Holman, Secretary
we are delighted to welcome the proposed
Rosario Kealy, Principal plan from our new and very enthusiastic ethos
Jim Scheer, NPC Liaison committee and look forward to the many
Rosie Doyle, Staff Liaison worthwhile ideas that our new committee
Cleo McFarland have for the year ahead. A group of parents
Anett Minch, Chair representing the ethos committee, BoM and
Francesca Martini PTA along with members of staff, attended
Ziene Mottiar, BOM Liaison the annual Educate Together Ethos
Amanda Plower, Class Rep Liaison conference on 22nd November.
Jana Sirotkova
As we come to the end of the first term, I
Farnaz Soltani
Veronica Surkova wish everyone a happy and peaceful holiday,
Le gach dea-ghu,
Nancy Ward with every good wish for 2015 and the
remainder of this academic year..
Rosario

METNS newsletter Winter14.indd 1 05/12/2014 12:14

 How do the kids fill their day?

JI 1 1
JUNIOR INFANTS 1ST CLASS A EIMEAR 1ST CLASS B HELEN
VICTORIA AND NIAMH The boys and girls in Eimears class have We are now well settled in to our longer
Junior Infants have had a busy term so far had a great start to the year. They are now day and we are well used to our new
and have settled well into big school life. used to a longer day and are enjoying the responsibilities as First Class children. We
We love seeing our buddies in 5th Class responsibility of getting written homework like to look out for the Junior and Senior
and have enjoyed fun activities including a for the first time! Infants at playtime and sometimes even
nature walk and art. teach them games.
To begin with the children had lots of fun
In Maths we have been busy using lots with 1b while exploring the wonderful signs In class we looked at images of the work
of concrete materials to sort, match and of autumn on their senses walk. In music of Claude and Jean Christo and we had
classify, also we enjoy counting songs and they have learned all about percussion fun with our own wrapping project which
games. In art we created beautiful pictures instruments. Recently they did some involved a lot of masking tape, newspaper,
of autumn trees, a Halloween collage and composing and wrote a song about their three chairs, a desk and an easel. All of
drew amazing self-portraits. We are working grandparents. They even got to perform these objects were recognizable when we
hard learning new sounds and practising it on Grandparents Day! During English were finished but also totally changed !
handwriting. they have used their vivid imaginations to
produce spooky, Halloween writing. Along First Class A and B got together for some
We are learning about responsibility dancing and joke telling on the Friday
with Halloween writing they have listened
by taking turns doing different jobs in before Mid Term and we all had a great
to and responded to Halloween poems
our classes and are having great fun time!
and songs. In Learn Together the values
cooperating and learning to play together.
of respect, responsibility and cooperation
We are working hard to fill up our Super
were discussed and the children explained
Star charts with lots of stamps and also
how they show these values in their
enjoy taking turns to be the Secret Walker!
everyday life. They have learned about
Both classes loved Grandparents Day, the Diwali festival of lights and how it is
Niamhs Class performed songs and a celebrated by people of the Hindu faith at
rhyme as Gaeilge and Victorias class also this time of the year.
sang songs and danced.
The children have worked really hard in
We look forward to the weeks ahead where their first few months in First Class and
we will start letter formation and word lists. are eagerly looking forward to their well-
deserved Christmas break!
We have made lots of friends, but it is
important to keep discussing the Friendship
Page/Book at home so that we can
remember our friends names!!

k
1st Class delight for Science Wee

sers
1st class Halloween Fancy Dres

METNS newsletter Winter14.indd 2 05/12/2014 12:14

 2nd Cla
Timelines s
Self Po s Bs
rtraits

1 2 3
3rd class Talent Show

2ND CLASS A CLAIRE AND MOLLY 2ND CLASS B MARIE 3RD CLASS A DONAL
2nd Class are all well settled back to school There is great fun and learning taking 3A have been doing some great work
now and getting into the swing of being the place in Room 8. In SESE, we have been over the last few weeks. Wow its been
oldest and most responsible of the junior learning about ourselves, our Timelines, the busy. The class have been put through
cycle! Amongst a busy first half term, these area where we live and about Autumn and their paces with Darren in G.A.A. Theyve
are some of the things we have been up Winter time. We have just begun our an really improved their fitness, hand eye
to introduction to our Biodiversity topic which, coordination skills and movements from the
in our class, is all about Food Chains and sessions. We are lucky to have Darren right
We have spent quite a lot of time working
Food Webs. We will be having some great up to the Christmas break. The new skills
on the theme of myself right across
fun with this topic over the next couple of they learned are then consolidated with a
the curriculum. We have been learning
months. session with their teacher during the week.
about our personal histories and making
Universal Childrens day was our chosen
our own timelines with artifacts from our In SPHE, we have been focussing on

2
topic to study at the start of the month. We
past. We have also been learning about Ourselves as a theme, exploring our
sang songs, recited poems and performed
our own bodies through activities such features and personalities and how we are
dramas based on the topic for the whole
as experiments using our senses and different and similar to others. We have
senior end of the school. Everyone did
examining our fingerprints. We have been had fun while developing our Positive
so well! We showed great teamwork.
learning about our needs and rights and Emotions through writing positive things
Our November talent show was another
have done a project about the UN Charter about others and having them written about
roaring success. Song, dance, drama and
on the Rights of the Child. Its really us. We even involved our Grandparents
experiments were performed. Instruments
interesting come and have a look at it in in this little activity on their special day
ranging from bongo drums, guitar, piano
our corridor! visiting our class. More recently, we have
and even cello were heard in the school
been exploring how we make decisions
You might also enjoy taking a look at hall. Lets keep up the good work right up
and choices and looking at the theme of
some of our artworks. We have done to the Christmas break.
Childrens Rights.
some beautiful 2D works inspired by the
3RD CLASS B COLUM
artists Magritte and Klimt. We have also Reading is well up and running and we are
Third class b has had a lovely start to our
been experimenting with different drawing enjoying various experiences with reading
school year. We were doing lots of fun
materials such as oil pastels, chalk, pencil & e.g. shared/paired/individual. We are using
things in English like writing recipes for no-
paint. We have been exploring collage using the skills of predicting and visualising in the
cook play dough and testing them out. In
magazines and newspapers and we have stories we read and also developing our
science we were learning about native Irish
also learnt how to weave with paper. comprehension skills with exercises each
trees and we went on a walk to investigate
week based on what we are reading. It
In our classroom we have different the trees growing near our school. We
seems our new rental scheme for second
areas that we enjoy exploring every day: collected thousands of conkers and saw a
class Read at Home has become quite
writing, reading, examining things through squirrel! Third class has been studying the
a hit with the children and I hope that this
magnifying glasses, and trying to use our Georgian period: what they wore, and a
enthusiasm will continue throughout the
lateral thinking to figure out the riddles and little bit about what life was like back then.
year. Please remember to sign the record
brain-teasers in our challenge area.and We know the names of all the kings from
sheet which is inside the front cover of the
hopefully making ourselves a place on the this period, just ask us! We then worked
book!
famous wizards wall! in groups to design and make Georgian
Recently, we have been celebrating the doors. Our class presented an assembly
We really enjoyed welcoming some of
Festivals Of Light: Diwali, Hallowen, on World Food Day which was on October
the older members of our families on
Thanksgiving, Hannukah and Christmas. 16th to raise awareness of the problems
Grandparents Day and there were many
of hunger and malnutrition. We sang a
proud and happy faces, both young and I would like to thank you all for your
song called One World which we also
adult. continued support and to wish everybody
performed on Grandparents Day. Darren
and happy and peaceful holiday. I look
We also had the happy news of the arrival was back to teach us G.A.A. and we got to
forward to our next fun-filled term in 2nd
of Nias new baby sister whom we are all dress up for Halloween.
Class.
looking forward to meeting! what a lot of
Lots of new things are happening now: we
great learning, thinking, creating.
have started multiplication tables and we
have a computer in our class for learning
to type. We also have a lovely new teacher
called Colum. He is very tall and very nice.
Nature Walk

The Talent

METNS newsletter Winter14.indd 3 05/12/2014 12:14

 1 Its Gonna
Blow!

5 6
and Abbie
James, Mikel, Alexandra, Elsie

4
ey on Rosh Hashanah. 5th Class
Show eating apples and hon Tag Rugb
y

3
4TH CLASS A EVA 5TH CLASS A CHRISSIE 6TH CLASS DAVID
Fourth Class A have had a fantastic first half 5th Class started the year with a trip to This term in sixth class we have been
term. In history, we have been learning lots Dn Laoghaire to see an exhibition a bout very busy, for a start in P.E. We have been
about school in the past and investigating volcanoes. We made our own volcanic competing in a class handball tournament.
what school life in the early 1800s was like eruptions. There is 4 teams going head to head on the
in comparison with our own school lives. pitch every Thursday, although we are still
We played in a Tag Ruby tournament. keeping a competitive game to a fun level.
We particularly enjoyed our final activity on
this project - a drama lesson in which we But the most important news of the term This term in art we have been learning a
re-created a typical school classroom from is that we met our buddies for the first lot about famous painters and styles of
the year 1825. In P.E, we have been doing time, and have been doing something art, we have learnt a lot on cubism [a form
G.A.A with Darren this term which has with them every week. We have done lots of repetitive art ] we have drawn our own
been a lot of fun. Thank you Darren! Rosh of art with them, and made play doh with cubism pictures using chalk and oil pastels
Hashanah, the Jewish New Year festival them. and we have also made cubism collages.
was on the 25th of September this year. Examples of both of these can be seen
5TH CLASS B CARO
As part of our Learn Together curriculum, outside our class room.
We have had a busy start to the year in
we learned about Rosh Hashanah and
Rang a Cig B. We are up and running in This year a lot of children in our class have
we enjoyed eating apples and honey as
languages, maths, sciences and the arts been participating in hockey an afterschool
is a tradition of this festival. We were very
and completed a unit of work on Kindness activity. We have been taking part in leagues
excited about Halloween and wed been

4
and what it means to us and how we can , blitzes, friendlies and training once a week
doing Halloween art, learning about the
bring it to our own lives. We have studied on the Newpark hockey pitch. Our teams
origins of Halloween, as well as singing a
the novel The Miraculous Journey of consist of a sixth class girls team and a fifth
spooky Halloween song Witches Fly in
Edward Tulane and made some amazing and sixth boys team. We are doing well so
music. We dressed up in our Halloween
Dioramas of our favourite scenes from the far and hope the good luck continues.
costumes on the last day of school and
novel!
took part in the Halloween parade in the We have done a lot of things this term such
hall which was great fun. In SESE we attended a stupendous aswe have learnt a lot about the Easter
Volcano Workshop in DunLaoghaire Town rising in 1916, we have talked with our
4TH CLASS B DERVLA Hall. We talked about our local area and
Fourth Class B have had a busy start to the buddies [Senior Infants ] about the rights of a
looked at the History and Geography of child and helped them colour in celebration
school year but we are settling in very well! DunLaoghaire Rathdown focusing on
As part of our Learn Together curriculum cards. We have learnt two new songs [Let
maps and project work on local historical her go and What makes you beautiful ] in
we learned all about Diwali-The Festival of sites. In science we have looked at a
Lights. We learned that Diwali is the main Irish and are now learning a third, and finally
number of aspects of human biology and at the winter fair sixth class are helping Santa
festival for people of the Hindu religion and found out how important calcium is for
that it marks the start of their New Year. as elves.
bone strength.
We learned that rangoli patterns are drawn Written by Tadhg and Kate J
on floors to welcome in visitors to peoples We undertook a course of Bicycle Safety
homes and that they are also thought to Training and had a block of Tag Rugby
welcome the Goddess of Wealth (Lakshmi). sessions culminating in a fantastic Blitz at
We designed our own rangoli patterns Wanderers Rugby Club.
using lots of bright colours! Timid ag danamh an-iarracht forbairt a
We recently invited our grandparents into chuir ar r chuid Ghaeilge labhartha agus
our school to celebrate Grandparents suim agus gr sa teanga a daingni!!
Day and we really loved showing our We have been so excited to meet and
grandparents around our classroom and make friends with our new Little Buddies
showing them the work weve been doing in Junior Infants and have already shown
over the last few weeks. We have been what great Big Buddies we will be! We
doing lots of Halloween themed work have also pledged to support the Hope
recently. In English, we made Halloween Foundation by organising the monthly
acrostic poems. In History, we learned all Tuck-shop and to help each other by
about the history of Halloween. In Irish, being the best friends we can be!!
we learned lots of Halloween vocabulary.
In Art, we made Halloween silhouettes
with black pastels and a wash of paint as Meeting Little Buddies
the background. They were very spooky!
We also had great fun making a Jack-O-
Lantern for our classroom!

4th B Halloweeners

METNS newsletter Winter14.indd 4 05/12/2014 12:14

 Report from the Board of Management

ETHOS NEW STAFF

The BoM was delighted to approve the inaugural action plan We have several new people joining our staff for the coming
of our new Ethos Committee. This plan covered activities year , and some who have changed positions within the
in the current school year until end February 2015.Charged school. So, a big welcome/congratulations to Dervla Bergin,
with supporting and nurturing the lived ethos in the school, Niamh McCann, Colum Christie, Sarah Jackson, Jennifer
our new committee is made up of parents, staff and a Geoghegan and Lorraine Costelloe.
representative from the BoM. Each year, the committee
will strengthen our ethos through holding special events; POLICIES
keeping the ethos page on our website up-to-date with The BoM has recently reviewed and approved the following
interesting Educate Together information; having a presence policies: A new Communications policy and one covering
at all major school functions/fairs (keep an eye out for the Continuous Professional Development of Staff. Policies
Ethos Committee stand at the coming Winter Fair!!) and by currently being reviewed include RSE (Relationships and
supporting staff and parents in many ways where our school Sexual Education) and our Fundraising Policy.
ethos is concerned. The current committee will serve for two
years. We must always remember that the Educate Together SCHOOL FINANCES
ethos is what defines us and our school, and we must ensure You will have received this years request for you to consider
that it thrives in METNS! giving a Voluntary Contribution to the day-to-day running of
DSP AND EDUCATE TOGETHER the school. This is different from any other once off type
fundraising. As we said in our letter, this helps to pay our
A significant delegation, representing the BoM, parents and electricity, phone, heating, cleaning bills etc. Simply put, we
staff will attend the Educate Together Annual Ethos conference cannot run the school to its high current standard without this
in November. Rosario and I have met with the Chairperson of support. So, we would please ask that you consider making a
our Patron body (the DSP Exec), Jonathan Westrup, where we Voluntary Contribution. Any amount will be most helpful.
discussed and examined ways in which the two sister schools
could co-host an ethos based event and other ways in which PARKING
the two schools could come together to support our shared It has come to the attention of the BoM that there have been
Educate Together ethos. instances where parents/guardians volunteering on Traffic duty
RESOURCE HUB in the morning have been spoken to abusively and treated with
disrespect by other parents. I would like to remind everyone
As you can see, the Resource Hub is almost that this system was put in place for the safety and protection
finished with some final snagging still to of our children, after quite a few near miss accidents. Those
complete. volunteers that we see each morning - out in all weathers-
FUNDRAISING are providing an invaluable service to the school. We must
remember that our Positive Behaviour Policy is not just for the
The Fundraising campaign has been receiving fantastic children - it is for the grown-ups too! On behalf of the BoM,
support. Thanks to everyone who has already Made Their we would like to extend a huge Thanks to all our Traffic
Mark on METNS. With your generous support so far, we have volunteers, and in particular to Ciara OMahony, who does an
been able to install a new out-door classroom at the rear of amazing job co-ordinating and organising the entire system.
the school, we have purchased furniture for the yard, a new
hockey goalie kit, a computer trolly and are now looking to Wishing our wonderful 412 pupils, our fantastic staff and
buy a piano. We still would love to dramatically improve our all our METNS families another fantastic year, as we work
resources in IT, music and the arts and in the area of outdoor together to make MENTS a special place to learn!
play. We are now into the final stages of our Little Big Ask Clodagh OBrien
campaign, where we are asking those who can afford to give
a bit more, to consider doing so. This is a once in your childs Chairperson, Board of Management
school life-time request. We believe that each successive
generation of parents/guardians, should try to help maintain
and develop our school and to safe-keep it for generations
to come - as previous generations have done for us and our
children. We have decided to extend the closure date for
donations to the Little Big Ask from end-November to mid-
February and would ask those who can, to really consider
going the extra mile for METNS.
BUILDINGS AND MAINTENANCE
As a green school, the BoM is committed to protecting the
environment and in conservation. The BoM has approved the We would ask you to remember, when
installation of a Rain Harvesting System. It is estimated that choosing afterschool care for your children,
this can reduce our water consumption by up to 80%. We that The Den is an important source of on-
are just finalising prices and ensuring that the water produced going income to the school, now and in to
would be of the highest quality. It is estimated that the initial the future. We welcomed Genevieve to the
cost of installation of this system would be recouped in about staff in September, and The Den continues
8 years. to be a great success.

METNS newsletter Winter14.indd 5 05/12/2014 12:14

 From the
Student Council
From November 2015, when the new student
council reps are elected, 4th Class A and B will
take responsibility for running the Council and each
class from 2nd to 6th will have reps that will be in
charge of bringing matters to their attention. Thank
you to the outgoing student council for all their
Introducing...
ideas and hard work during the year.

Fundraising Event
Green Schools the Green Team

A Pyjama Day would be held in January 2015 In the garden we had a bumper crop
of potatoes and carrots. We sold
(exact date to be decided) in aid of Blood Bikes potatoes at the bargain price of 2 over 50 kilos of
a kilo, and have saved the money
a charity that operates a motorbike system of seeds. Senior Infants and 1st clas for next years
ses were the harvesters, and they
delivery of important samples between hospitals green team for the year 2014-15 have had great fun. The
been elected and will start to com
and homes. The outgoing Student Council will directly after Halloween. Mle buo e to meetings
chas to the last team who worked
work with the new Council on this event. so hard with me.
We are delighted with the new out
door classroom on the patio at the
Benches for Hall school. It will be an amazing resource back of the
for staff, children and parents alike
, and was
Several new benches for the hall were delivered mostly funded by the Little /Big Ask
. ( go raibh mle maith agaibh) Its
in September. Thanks to Jack and Lauren who faoin Spir, and for any older pare called Amuigh
nts, that title will bring back memories
wrote to the PTA and BOM looking for funding for nature. It will mean a lot of classes of all thing
amuigh faoin spir, throughout the
these benches. lainn for the tuismitheoir to suigh year, agus it
sos agus a scith a ligint.
Grandparents Day We are continuing our work on Biod
this year, the 2nd year of the them
iversity
The Student Council enjoyed meeting, greeting e. Last
years team took lots of photos of
and directing our special visitors around the our school
environment throughout the year and
school and their warm welcome was much have
made a photostory of the changing
appreciated by all. seasons
around our school. They showed
it at
Final meeting Grandparents Day, in the hall, and
it
We had our final meeting in November and was really lovely. We hope to show
it
enjoyed the celebration of our year in office. on the screen inside the front doo
r
pretty soon, so if you are about,
have a look at it.
Remember, keep trying to
walk/cycle/scoot or at least
parknstride to school. If you
park a bit away from the school
in the mornings, youll avoid the
carpark delay.
Win, win! B slntil, b ag sil.

2,067
I have a cat his name is Leo Every night when Im in bed, Amount raised by the

winter fair
I think hes really nice He jumps onto my lap,
Hes warm and soft and fluffy Purring and with his eyes closed, book fair for the school
And never cold as ice He has a little nap. to spend on books

412
Leos nose is pink and wet, Even though hes scratched & bit me, Sunday 7th December 11am - 3pm
His nose I really adore I really love my cat,
He meows a bit, unlike most cats And look at that! My poems ended
Admission 1 per person
Wandering round on the floor So theres no more time to chat. METNS pupils Visit santas grotto
Dont miss his specta
Dearbhail OMahony, 4th Class
cular arrival at 11.15
granD raffle anD Prize
amazing prizes to be won!
Draw
festiVe Photobooth

Poetry Corner
Pop up photo studio

winter Market
arts, crafts, gourmet food, gifts and
more
Clothes shoP
Childrens and adults, vintage
and nearly new
Cafe anD Cake shoP
tea, coffee, hot choco late and soup
sPin the wheel
try your luck and win a bottle

ChristMas trees
Christmas trees (onsale friday 5th, from 3pm;
saturday 6th, 10am - 1pm and
sunday 7th, 11am - 3pm),
wreaths and plants

seCret santa
Children only! gifts for grown
ups, teaching children
the joy of giving

2nd class As Join the festive fun and help

suppo rt our schoo l
Riddle Wizard

METNS newsletter Winter14.indd 6 05/12/2014 12:14