Holiday List

Spring Term

Jan 9 - School Re-opens

Feb 16 & 17 - Mid Term Break

March 19 - St Patricks Day Break

April 6 - April 13 - Easter Vacation

Summer Term

April 16 - School Reopens

May 7 - 9 - Spring Break

June 4 - Spring Bank Holiday

June 5 & 6 - School Development Days 7 & 8

June 29 - School Closes for Summer Holidays at 12 noon

Please Note - School Assessment Week - May 28 - June 1

Happy New Year to you all. I hope you all enjoyed the Christmas break and I’d like to thank you for your great support for our Christmas concert.

Elections and School Council
The following pupils have been elected:
Head Girl – Aoife Bailey
Head Boy – Christopher Burden
Sports Captain Girls’ – Caitlin Trainor
Sports Captain Boys’ – Tyrone Fegan

School Council:
P7 – Michael Burden, James McCartan, Aaron McComb
P6 – Niall Sloan
P5 – Cian Rogers
P4 – James McAstocker

We wish our council success in their work. We hope these young leaders will grow in responsibility and care for everyone in school and will lead by their example.

The Council are planning a non-uniform Fun Day in the Longstone Hall on Wednesday 15th February to raise funds for new soccer nets.

Milk
Milk is available at break time – cost £10.56 for the term. Cheques should be made payable to the school.

Catholic Schools’ Week 29th January – 5th February
As part of our celebration of Catholic Schools’ Week we will recognise the contribution made by grandparents in our lives. On Wednesday 1st February (St. Brigit’s Day) we are asking grandparents to come into school and take part in a special Grandparents’ Assembly, from 9.45am until 10.20am, with refreshments afterwards.

This was a lovely event last year and we hope it will also be a success this year. We would be very grateful if you could encourage someone from your family to take part. Please give in the names to the teachers.

Clann Trip
Binnian has won the Autumn term’s Clann competition which aims to promote positive behaviour and good relationships, and to foster good attitudes towards work. The members of Binnian Clann will have a trip to the cinema as their reward – details will be sent home next week. Comhghairdeas!

ILLNESS
If your child is feeling unwell, please keep them at home until they are completely well, otherwise they run the risk of becoming sick again or passing sickness on to others.

St. Brigid’s Day 1st February
In honour of one of our patron saints, the children in P4-7 will be making St. Brigid’s crosses on Monday next, 30th January. We would be very glad of rushes if you have any. We are very grateful once again to Mr Hugh Cox for teaching the children this ancient traditional craft.

Review Meetings
Meetings to review the progress of those children who are on the Special Needs Register will be in February – we will send out the details to you.

Music
Grúpa Ceoil continues on Tuesdays from 12.00noon – 12.30pm. Guitar and Choir now take place on Thursday afternoons, changed from Tuesdays. Violin lessons are on Friday mornings.
Irish Dancing for P1-3 continues on Friday afternoons from 1.45 until 2.45pm.
The following websites are very good for traditional music: www.pipers.ie/imco; www.itma.ie
See also the school website for tunes: www.moneydarraghps.org

Sport
Swimming: P6&7 will start their swimming lessons in Kilkeel on Fridays, beginning 3rd February.
Skills: Down County Board coach Ambrose Rogers is teaching ball handling, jumping, catching and running skills to P4-7 on Friday mornings.
Ulster Council coach Gareth Thornton is teaching fundamental skills to P2-5 on Tuesday afternoons in Longstone Hall.
P1-2 continue to have PE lessons in Longstone Hall on Friday afternoons.
Hurling: A team from P6-7 will take part in a hurling tournament at Dunavil tomorrow, Friday 27th February
Soccer: An indoor soccer tournament will be held in Kilkeel Leisure Centre on Monday 6th February – a team of P6-7 boys will represent the school.

Friends of Moneydarragh
The Friends are holding a Fashion Night on Friday 30th March in Longstone Hall. Please keep this date free! We will need a lot of help for this event and would really appreciate if you could participate in the organising and running of this function. Please come along to our next meeting – Tuesday 31st January at 7.30pm in school.

Quizzes
A P6-7 team represented the school in the Cumann na mBuncoil quiz recently held in Castlewellan GAC Clubrooms and they acquitted themselves very well.

A teams from P6-7 will represent the school in the Credit Union Quiz to be held on the evening of Monday 6th February in St. Colman’s P.S., Kilkeel.

Picking up Children after School
Thank you for your punctuality in picking up children at 1.45 and 2.45pm.

Sacraments
Dates for Sacraments

First Penance: Wednesday 28th March 10.30am, St. Mary’s Church, Glasdrumman
First Holy Communion: Saturday 19th May 11am, St. Mary’s Church, Glasdrumman
Confirmation: Monday 21st May 11 noon, St. Joseph’s Church, Ballymartin

Sensory Motor Group
Mrs McConville will run a sensory motor group in school starting Thursday 2nd February and running until Easter. This Occupational Therapy designed programme, which will help improve motor co-ordination and concentration skills, is aimed at P2-3 children. Mrs McConville will send out details to those parents whose children would benefit from the programme.

Mid-term Break
School will be closed for the mid-term break on Thursday and Friday 16th and 17th February.

Thank you for your support and co-operation. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.

Yours sincerely

_________________
Margaret Rogers (Ms)
Principal