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Holy Family play Ardfert in Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Division 1 final tonight at Austin Stack Park Tralee at 7.30 pm. We wish our team the best of luck in the Final HFNS Abú. 


A new app launched by Google 'Family Link' allows parents to control their children's online access. 

Article from Irish Times: Click here to read

Link to the app: Click Here








     




On Thursday evening next Nov. 9th our school will play in the County final for 6-8 teacher schools at Austin Stack Park Tralee at 7pm.  All support welcome.  We wish our team and their trainer Mr. Dineen the very best of luck on the day.

Newsletter
                                                Holy Family National  School 
                                                            Rathmore, Co. Kerry
                                                            Tel. 064/7758492
                                     e-mail hfnsrathmorekerry@gmail.com
                                                                        http://hfnsrathmorekerry.blogspot.ie/
25th October 2017
Dear Parents,
Parents Committee - Fundraiser
BINGO
RATHMORE COMMUNITY CENTRE
SAT. NOV. 18th 2017
at 7.30pm
Fabulous Prizes
All welcome
Children attending Bingo must be accompanied by an adult
Bingo Books €10 each, Double Books €12, Jackpot Sheet €2
We hope that everyone will have an enjoyable night
Bring a biro or marker to mark your numbers – Best of luck

HEALTH AND SAFETY
Parents have raised the issue of children’s safety on entering and exiting the school premises.  The Health and Safety Officer of Kerry County Council visited the school this week.  He promised to return as soon as possible with a Roads Engineer and hopefully we will find a solution to make it safer for the children.  In the meantime please drive slowly and carefully at all times on the school grounds and be particularly vigilant at home time when exiting the car park at the entrance as children are usually on the footpath and great care and attention is needed.  Denise, our School Warden, has been advised not to take children across the road where cars park along by ditch so it would be best if people were to use the car park rather than parking along the ditch at the road.

FIRST COMMUNION AND CONFIRMATION – DATES FOR DIARY
Talk for parents of First Communion children by Sr. Aileen Murphy and Maura O’Leary will be on  Tomorrow Thurs. 26th Oct. at 8pm in Holy Family N.S.
This year we have a new Diocesan programme for our First Communicants and the First Mass in this programme will be on Sun. 12th November at 11.30am ‘We celebrate the Saints’ 
First Confession -  Wed. 14th March           First Communion – Sat. 5th May at 11 am

Talk for Parents of Confirmation children by Fr. Donal O’Connor was postponed due to weather event and is
re-scheduled  for   Monday November 6th at 8pm in Holy Family N.S.
Children from Confirmation class will have an active part in Masses during the year – They took an active part in the Harvest Mass on last Saturday 21st Oct. and did themselves and their school proud.  They will be part of Advent Mass in December and we will let you know of date nearer the time.
Penitential Service/Pledge:    Thurs. Feb 8th in Gneeveguilla at 8pm
Confirmation – Tues Feb. 13th (Shrove Tuesday) at 3.30pm in Rathmore






HALLOWEEN DRESS UP DAY  
Friday 27th October will be our last day at school before Halloween and will be a No Uniform Day. We are inviting children to dress up in their Halloween costumes or their favourite jersey for the occasion.  This year all proceeds will be going to Annette Cronin, Knockdurath, a nurse in Bons Secours hospital Tralee who will be travelling to Sudan as part of a medical team in December.   Children can donate a voluntary contribution on the day.  No need to buy costumes for this event.

PARENTS’ COMMITTEE REPORT 2016/2017
The following are the Members of the Parents’ Committee for the year 2017 – 2018:
Junior Infants               -          Eileen Hartnett
Senior Infants              -          Arthur Moynihan 
First Class                    -          Tara Healy
Second Class               -          Antoinette O’Leary
Third Class                   -          Catherine Daly
Fourth Class                 -          Nora McAuliffe 
Fifth Class                    -          Sinead Daly
Sixth Class                   -          Joanne Breen
B.O.M.                        -           John Kennedy
B.O.M.                        -           Carmel Healy 
                       
We thank Kay O’Keeffe, Evelyn Casey, Bernie Rea and Lorraine Dineen for their dedicated service to Holy Family N.S. over the last two years.  We thank Arthur Moynihan, Antoinette O’Leary, Nora McAuliffe and Joanne Breen for agreeing to serve for the coming year.  We welcome Eileen Hartnett, Tara Healy, Catherine Daly and Sinead Daly as new representatives for Junior Infants, First, Third and Fifth classes for this year.  
The function of the Parents Committee is to support the activities of the school and also to represent the views of parents and guardians on relevant matters.  The bulk of our activity is fundraising and to date the funds raised have provided weekly music lessons for every child from 1st through to 6th classes.   Last year every class had drama and gymnastics classes.  We also subsidised swimming lessons.  The fundraising activities and funds raised for the year 2016-2017 are presented below. *All of the figures are net profit which is the figure realised after all the expenses have been paid.   We have an opening balance of €7,186.61. This year we hope to develop a Sensory Room in the school.  This will be a welcome resource for the children in our school.  We would like to thank everybody for their ongoing support of these activities  and also the many sponsors that provide prizes and assistance.  


Activity
Date
*  Net amount  raised           (€)
Bingo
October 2016
3155.00
Church Gate Collection
October 2016
792.00
Christmas Raffle
December 2016
1070.20
Sale of Christmas DVD
December 2016
285.00
Quiz
March 2017
744.00
Bag Packing
May 2017
802.26
Sponsored Walk
June 2017
2902.21
End of Year Disco
June 2017
372.50
Total Fundraising 2017

10,123.17

 





PARENT/TEACHER MEETINGS
Parent-Teacher meetings (Senior Infants to Sixth Class) are planned for Tuesday  21st  and Wednesday 22nd November  Pupils from 1st to 6th classes will go home at 2.30 pm on Tuesday November 21st and at 2.50 pm on Wednesday. 
If you will not be able to attend on either of these days, please contact the teacher as soon as possible and we will make an alternative arrangement otherwise you will receive details of times  during the week before the meetings.
Parent – Teacher meetings for Junior Infants will take place in January 2018.

CHURCH GATE COLLECTION
The Church Gate Collection was held on the weekend of 14th/15th October and realised €530. We thank all who helped out and supported us.

PRESENTATION DAY MASS
We will be attending Mass on Tuesday 21st Nov. at 9.30am in the Church to mark Presentation  Day. 
PUPIL PERSONAL ACCIDENT INSURANCE
Reminder: if you wish to avail of the personal accident insurance for your child/children please return the completed forms together with payment as specified on the form this week as we need to process this before the Halloween break.   People are free to avail of it if they wish
VISIT OF CIARÁN BLACK
On Friday October 6th, Ciarán Black a retired primary school teacher who now teaches in the Gambia, visited our school.  Children were delighted to hear all about life in The Gambia and he spent the afternoon talking and answering questions from the children.  We held a Cake Sale earlier this year and a No Uniform day and we were able to present Ciarán with a cheque for €1000.  We know that this will be put to good use for children in need in The Gambia.  You can log onto our blog where we have posted pictures of the occasion.

HEALTHY LUNCHES
We are encouraging a healthy lunch.   To that end we discourage chocolate or sweets and chewing gum, fizzy drinks, and crisps, are forbidden.  Also, as there is carpet in all the classrooms, we are banning yogurts and all yogurt products in Junior Classes and milk in Junior Infants.
Our aim is to increase and maintain children’s consumption of fruit and vegetables. We would  encourage parents to provide children with fruit and vegetables in their lunchboxes.

LEE STRAND
Again this year we received homework journals for all pupils in our school from Lee Strand.  We are very grateful to all students who brought in Mighty Mike tokens from Lee Strand Milk milk cartons and bottles and bar codes from Dawn Dairies and Ashgrove cartons and bottles during the year.  In order to provide free homework journals next year for all pupils we are asking for your help again this year to collect the tokens and you can send them to the school office.  A huge thank you to all the children who have already brought in tokens since September.

SCHOOL BLOG REMINDER
This newsletter will be available to read on our blog. http://hfnsrathmorekerry.blogspot.ie/ or google holyfamilynsrathmorekerry blog     Please log on to blog where you will find very valuable links to tips and advice for parents on Internet Safety.



CUMANN NA mBUNSCOL FOOTBALL COUNTY FINALISTS
Our school Football team are through to the Co. Final of Allianz Cumann na mBunscol 6/8 teacher schools.  On Friday October 6th our team had a great wins over Kilcummin N.S. and  Faha N.S.  This means we are Allianz Cumann na mBunscol East Kerry Champions again this year having relinquished the title last year.  On Monday November 23rd we defeated Cullina N.S. in the Co. Semi Final. We now play in the Co. Final. Before this takes place the North Kerry leg of the competition must be finalised – Ó Bréaanain N.S. v The Spa N.S. Tralee is being played today Wed. 25th October.  The winners of this game will meet Duagh N.S. and we will play the winners of that game in the County Final which will probably be played on Thursday 9th November.  We thank their trainer Paudie Dineen for his work with the team. 

CHANGE OF ADDRESS, TEL. NO
If any of your child/childrens’ details have changed e.g. address, contact details, illness, etc. please contact the school as soon as possible.   Thank You.

MOBILE PHONE NUMBERS
We have a facility for texting parents.  If you have not received any text message from Holy Family N.S. please let us know.  The text automatically goes to the mother’s mobile phone unless we have been instructed otherwise.  Thank you

PRIMARY LANGUAGE CURRICULUM DAY
Please note school will be closed on Wed. Jan. 10th 2018 to enable staff to attend training on new Primary Language Curriculum. 

DATES TO REMEMBER
Talk for First Communion Parents – Thursday 26th October at 8pm in School
Halloween Dress up Day – Fri. 27th October                                      
Halloween Break:
Closed Monday 30th October to Friday 3rd November                    
Reopening: Monday 6th November
Talk for Parents of Confirmation children -  Mon. 6th November in  Holy Family N.S.  8pm
First ‘New Diocesan Programme Mass’ - Sunday 12th November at 11.30am in the church
Parents Committee Bingo    -      Sat. Nov. 18th 2017 at 7.30pm
Presentation Day Mass -  Tues. 21st November
Parent Teacher meetings -  Tues. 21st and Wed. 22nd November
Closed Friday 8th December
Christmas Holidays:
Closing for Christmas holidays on Friday 22nd December
Closed Monday 25th December to Friday 5th January 2018
Re-opening Monday January 8th 2018
School closed Wed. Jan. 10th 2018 – Inservice for Primary Language Curriculum