Parents Association
The newly elected Parents Association have met and lots of interesting activities are currently being planned for the year ahead … the Committee are currently trying to recruit volunteers and dancers to take part in Strictly Come Dancing! A premiere cinema event is also in the pipeline and the possible launch of a Ballyraine Cook Book and cookery demonstration. If you have any novel ideas, please contact committee members.
We would really appreciate having a few more parents on our committee so it’s not too late! Our next meeting is on Monday 10th December at 7.30pm in ‘The Port’. Please think about coming to the meeting and providing support and encouragement.

Chairperson: S. B.
Secretary: D. B.
Treasurer: V. B.

I wish to thank most sincerely, the parents and past pupils who contributed so generously to my retirement functions, both the one at School Assembly, on the day we closed for the summer holidays and also on the ‘Big Night’ on 19th October. I am overwhelmed by the cards, good wishes, gifts and general kindness I have received since I announced my intention to leave Ballyraine NS this year.

I did not make the decision lightly, I assure you, and it was made even more of an emotional trial by your kind words and generous gestures of giving towards my gifts. I appreciate all the gifts so much and the sentiments that went with them. My ‘Retirement Night’ was a lovely occasion for myself and my family and I will always have warm memories of it, never mind the photos and the DVD!

Class Teachers

Thank you to all teaching, SNA and ancillary staff for making last year another
very happy and productive year. Due to career break and other vacancies, there are a number of changes in our staffing schedule. Some appointments have been delayed due to circumstances beyond our control however will be filled shortly. This is the staff team for the next academic year:    

‘Roots of Empathy’ Programme

1st Class have been invited to participate in a HSE Education initiative entitled ‘Roots of Empathy’. This programme which originated in Ontario, Canada aims to promote empathy, emotional literacy and to reduce levels of bullying and physical aggression through the promotion of positive social behaviours.
Ms P. G. will facilitate the workshops and the central focus of the programme will be monthly visits from a ‘mother and child’. There will be a total of 27 lessons with 9 family visits.
We are particularly delighted to welcome school parent, R. M. and her new baby A. to the programme. We look forward to learning about A.’s development during his first year.
Keep in touch with the progress of this exciting venture by visiting our ‘Roots of Empathy’ noticeboard outside the Port or on our link.

Start collecting now! The vans will call to collect your ‘Clobber’ after Halloween. Collection bags will be sent out on Monday. Extra bags are available from reception. Please ask your friends and family to support this Autumn ‘Spring Clean’!

   Time Magazine Offer

We have been kindly donated issues of Time Magazine dating from February 1978 to December 1995. Any issue can be purchased for €10 each. All proceeds will be put towards school funds. If you would like any copies you can contact Kevin O'Sullivan on 0872366702 or Lynn in school office on 9124758.

If you obtained a new mobile this Summer,  please send in your old mobile phone for our Jack and Jill Appeal ! We were delighted to obtain a free wonderful top class Promethean interactive board as a result of the appeal last year, thank you all so much for your great efforts and generosity. All our classrooms including learning support rooms have now lovely interactive boards, and please ask friends and family for their old mobile phones and computer games. Wii, Xbox, PS, Ds and psp are accepted. All games must include the box and cover art, instructions and the working game. we can now obtain a new laptop, great sets of library books and P.E. equipment for the school by collecting more phones.

'Jedward' created an electric atmosphere and made the day/year of over 1700 school children when they visited the two winning schools of the Jack & Jill Phones for boards competition on Thursday the 23rd of June. The two schools St. Colmcille’s National School, Knocklyon who collected the most phones overall at 2293 phones and Presentation Primary, Drogheda who collected the most phones per head at 5.8 phones per head received the surprise of their lives when Jedward literally bounded into their classrooms. The screams were deafening and Jedward took time to interact with all 1764 children.

All the phones collected will go a long way towards helping Jack & Jill continue to help the families of the 270 children currently under their wing. The schools campaign around Ireland has raised 300,000 phones which will allow Jack & Jill to look after 100 babies for one whole year!

Fresh eggs are available from reception €1.50 per half dozen. The farm managers harvested and sold potatoes and other vegetable produce from the poly tunnel raising €20 for school garden fund. Well done boys!