Newsletter: 19th June 2024

School Calendar 2024-25

Please click here to view School Calendar for 2024-25.

Significant Dates in Term 3

Friday 21st June	PA Midsummer Cake Sale & Raffle	All classes
Tuesday 25th June	6th Class Graduation	6th Class
Friday 28th June	Final day of Term 3	All classes
Thursday 29th August	First day of new school year	All classes

We will operate a staggered finish on Friday 28th June - please see below:

Junior & Senior Infants & older siblings	11:30am
1st & 2nd Class & older siblings	11:45am
3rd - 6th Classes	12:00pm

Friday 28th June will be a non-uniform day.

Thank You!

Thank you to the 307 families (that is 73% of our families!) who have already given a Voluntary Contribution to the school during this school year. Voluntary Contributions can be made via Aladdin at any time throughout the year. Each and every contribution is very much appreciated and will be used to enhance your daughter's learning environment.

Hollypark PA

Not long to go now until the PA Midsummer Cake Sale & Raffle: Friday 21st June!

Raffle tickets are now on sale at 'drop off' from 8.20am to 8.40am at the school gate. Cash appreciated as card machine being a bit temperamental....

The Student Council will sell to the girls in the classes too!

€2 buys 1 strip of tickets
€5 buys 3 strips of tickets
€10 buys 7 strips of tickets

Fantastic Prizes include: airfryer, flat screen TV, coffee machine, Smyths voucher and vouchers for multiple different stores and local businesses.

With huge thanks to our PA and all parents and local businesses who have donated to the raffle!

Pre-Loved Uniforms

Thank you to our PA for their ongoing Pre-Loved Uniform Sales.

The PA would be very grateful if 6th Class could donate their tracksuits on Tuesday 25th June and their uniforms from Wednesday 26th June onwards.

The rest of the school can donate uniforms and tracksuits on Thursday 27th June 8:15am - 8:45am.

(Friday 28th June will be a non-uniform day.)

The PA will hold a pre-loved uniform sale on Wednesday 28th August – time tbc.

Hollypark PA 2024 - 2025

Thank you to Andrew Rhatigan who is stepping down from his two-year role as PA Chairperson this year. We sincerely appreciate all that is done by our hard-working PA. We are very fortunate to have such supportive parental involvement in our school.

As we look to the new school year, have you thought about taking a more active role in our Hollypark PA?

The Role of Hollypark PA

The Education Act, 1998 clearly outlines the role of the Parent Association in primary schools:

The Parent Association works in collaboration with the principal, staff and the board of management to build effective, positive partnership of home and school. Educational research on the involvement of parents in schools shows that children achieve higher levels when parents and teachers work together.
The Parent Association is not a forum for complaint against either an individual teacher or parent. The Parental Complaints Procedure is the mechanism for this. (ref: School Communications Policy Appendix A)

In Hollypark GNS our PA

Represents parents at school events
Invites speakers to address the parents on issues which are topical or relevant.
Organises school fundraising: cake sales, fairs, sponsored walks, Christmas cards, calendars etc
Hosts a Junior Infant Welcome Morning at the beginning of the school year
Organises the much-prized 6th Class hoodie
Hosts the Communion Reception in May
Organises pre-loved uniform sales throughout the year
Collates and produces the treasured 6th Class Graduation Year Book

Hollypark PA Communications System

PA Committee meets every month
PA Chair meets regularly with School Senior Management
PA communicates with general parent body via email, the school website and PA Class Whatsapp (ref: School Communications Policy Appendix B)

If you are interested in taking on a more active role in our PA, this year's PA AGM will take place on Monday 2nd September @ 7pm. At this meeting, parents can volunteer to become Class Reps and the PA Committee will be formed. The PA Committee will then meet to elect their officers - a Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary.

Say Yes to Languages

We are delighted that once again our application for the DE Say Yes to Languages initiative has been successful. This means that our 3rd and 4th Classes will be accessing a French Language Module in Term One.

A teacher from the LFI will continue to teach French to the girls in 5th & 6th.

Booklists

Booklists for 2024/25 have been issued to all classes.

All current school books are to be returned to the Class Teacher by today Wednesday 19th June. Parents/Guardians are asked to ensure that books are returned in good condition for re-use in the following year. (Pencil markings rubbed out, etc.)

School Choir: Summer Concert Wednesday 29th May

Representatives from our School Choir were delighted to present a cheque for €2400.00 to Paul Markey, ambassador for Laura Lynn. This money was raised at the choir's recent Summer Concert in Foxrock Church.

Well done girls!

Auditions for our choir will take place in the coming days. Girls who will be in 4th, 5th & 6th Class in September and who are not already in the choir are eligible to audition. (Girls who are in the choir and returning, do not audition).

NB: From September, rehearsals will take place on Tuesdays after school - 2:20pm - 3:20pm.

Creative Schools Week in Hollypark

Creative Schools Week took place in the school last week. The girls had a fantastic week full of fun and creativity!

The theme of Creative Schools Week this year was ‘Make, See, Do’. The girls took part in a variety of thematic activities throughout the week.

Creative Schools Week - Daily Themes

Monday 10th June	Tuesday 11th June	Wednesday 12th June	Thursday 13th June	Friday 14th June
Music Day Monday	Time to Dance Tuesday	Arty Wednesday	Theatre Thursday	Fun Friday

On Monday the girls from 3rd to 6th Class took part in the Senior Art Exhibition. They loved showcasing their favourite pieces of artwork that they created in school this year.

The junior girls (Junior Infants to 2nd class) displayed their beautiful artwork at the Junior Art Exhibition on Tuesday.

It was lovely to see so many parents/guardians and family members at our art exhibitions. And thank you to our PA for supplying refreshments.

The girls also got to attend the 5th and 6th class plays in the hall during the week. They really enjoyed seeing their senior role models performing on stage!

We hope all of the girls had a wonderful week and enjoyed using their creativity.

'A Hint of Snow White'

Drum Nature

We are delighted to welcome Drum Nature back into our school this week. All classes will be enjoying percussion workshops with Neil throughout the week.

After School Activities 2024/25

The full timetable for next year's After School Activities is now available on our website. In addition to our established activities, we will be introducing STEAM Academy, Champion Coaching Football (with Stephanie Roche) and a new Art Class to our timetable.

Please note Irish Dancing classes will not be restarting until January 2025 as Orlagh is currently on Maternity Leave.

Please click the link below to register for the STEAM Academy.

STEAM Academy - registration for parents, St Patricks GN

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Health & Safety

A gentle reminder that for health and safety reasons all children (including pre-schoolers and other siblings) and adults must dismount bikes and scooters upon entry to the school. This applies at drop off and collection times and throughout the school day.

We also remind parents/guardians that for health and safety reasons, no dogs (with the exception of guide and assistance dogs) are allowed on the school premises.

Respect for Our Neighbours

Parents are reminded that for the health and safety of our girls, there is no vehicular access to the school for drop-off in the mornings.

As a Green School, with a very active Coiste Glas, we actively encourage our girls to walk, cycle and scoot to school. As 80% of our pupils live within 2km of the school, this is very doable for many.

Unfortunately, but quite justifiably, our neighbours frequently complain of inconsiderate parking on the roads close to our school.

Please use the Church car park if it’s on your route to school: parking at the Church is free to all families at drop off and collection times.

Nice news!

In Ms. Cunneen's 3rd class, students are honing their math skills by planning and designing houses. Working in pairs, the children practise measuring the perimeter and area of various rooms, allowing them to apply their understanding of these concepts in a practical context. This hands-on activity not only reinforces their mathematical knowledge but also encourages collaboration and problem-solving as they work together to create accurate and functional house designs. One design had an adults' pool and a kids' pool!