Newsletter 13.09.2024 - Canal Way Educate Together National School, Dublin 8

Message from Dermot

Welcome to our latest newsletter, where you can read about the happenings in our school community. Our children have been enjoying the new furniture in the senior yard. This improvement has brought great change and calmness to their yard time, and we owe a big thank you to our Parents Association for their tireless fundraising last year, that made this possible.

Next week, the Board of Management will hold its meeting, and we are looking forward to also meeting with the newly formed Parents Association Committee to make plans for the school.

Our core value this month is Belonging. A highlight from this morning’s assembly was the fantastic rendition of Madness’s “Our House” by our 6th class students. Our song for the month is “We Are Family”.

Lastly, I want to extend a huge thank you to Aline from our Parents’ Association, who tirelessly organises our afterschool activity initiative. This is an monstrous task, so if you make use of these activities, please be sure to thank her the next time you see her. We couldn’t manage without you, Aline!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Introducing Our 2024/2025 Leadership Team

Our CWETNS Leadership Team for 2024/2025 is as follows:

Dermot – Principal
Aileen – Acting Deputy Principal & Special Education Co-Ordinator
Simon – Acting Assistant Principal I
Clíona – Assistant Principal II
Orla T – Assistant Principal II
Dee L – Assistant Principal II
Siobhan – Assistant Principal II

Enrolment for Junior Infants 2025

Parents with children eligible for Junior Infants in September 2025 are encouraged to register their application by emailing the school office at [email protected] before September 30th.

Please note that siblings of current students will be given priority during the enrolment process. Applications for the wider community will open in October.

School Hoodies Available: Order Now and Size Up!

We wanted to remind everyone about the availability of our school hoodies, especially with new families joining us. The hoodies can be purchased through the following link:

Canal Way Educate Together School Hoodie

Although the preview shows a plain hoodie, your order will come with the school logo. Please note, the hoodies run small, so sizing up is recommended.

Upcoming Webinar: “Your Teen & Their Sleep”

The ISPCC is offering a free webinar featuring Madeleine Connolly, a Family Psychotherapist and Senior Psychiatric Social Worker. This session is tailored for parents, carers, and practitioners, with a focus on the critical role of sleep in a teenager’s well-being. The webinar will cover why sleep matters, how to recognize sleep issues, and strategies to improve sleep.

Date: Tuesday, September 24
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Venue: Online Event

This is a valuable opportunity for those looking to better support the sleep health of teenagers. Registration is open now! See poster.

5th Class Students Newsletter – Check this out !!

We are proud to share the first edition of a student school newsletter written and published by our talented 5th class students, Maria and Daina. They took the initiative to create and publish their own newsletter, Canal Way Kids News, and we are very proud of them. Their newsletter provides a snapshot of school life, covering after-school activities, upcoming events, and sports updates. We look forward to more contributions from our budding journos in the future. CLICK IMAGE TO READ

Second Class Explores Biodiversity in National Hedgerow Week Workshop

Second Class celebrated National Hedgerow Week by taking part in a workshop on moths and hedgerows last week. The children enjoyed examining live specimens of a variety of different moth species, learned about the importance of moths to biodiversity and took part in a nature hunt in the garden. This free workshop was funded by the Heritage Council and was facilitated by Nessa Darcy, a Heritage in Schools specialist.

6th Class Collaborates on ALTAR Art Project with Renowned Artists

6th Class are helping artist Clodagh Emoe and architect Donal Lally with a collaborative artwork entitled ALTAR by stitching four large fabric panels made with natural dyes. Many of us will gather with them and other visitors at the 18th Century Mortuary Chapel at Goldenbridge Cemetery on Thursday evening the 12th of September to explore how we are all, living and the dead, intrinsically connected to the natural world.

Canal Way ETNS Senior Teams Kick Off Their Journey to Croke Park

On Thursday, the Senior Boys GAA team played Stepaside ETNS on Suir Road in their first round match of the season. The sun was shining and the birds were singing as the Canal Way boys showcased an exhibition in shooting, tackling and passing throughout the match. In the end, it was a comprehensive victory for the boys in green. The final whistle blew and a huge win under their belt as the joy and cheers sent shockwaves back to Basin Lane. The comradery and hard work put in by every player was admirable and we wish them the best of luck with the rest of the season. We will keep you updated with future matches for the girls and boys teams.

Thank you to Simon, Luke and Amy for organising.

Congratulations to Staff & their new Arrivals!

We are delighted to share some wonderful news from our community. Last week, two of our staff members welcomed new additions to their families –

Hazel and her family are celebrating the arrival of their daughter, Annie.

Ciara and her family are overjoyed with the birth of their son, Louis.

Congratulations and we look forward to you visiting with your bundles of wonderfulness real soon !

Free School Books & More.

While we appreciate the Department for Education’s buying every child school books, I would like to remind everyone that that books are just one part of our educational approach.

At our school, we prioritise a well-rounded learning experience, incorporating hands-on projects, group activities, creative tasks, and interactive learning. This helps develop critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

You may notice that not every page in your child’s books will be completed by the end of the year. Our focus is on meaningful learning, rather than simply finishing a textbook. Thank you for supporting our approach in Canal Way ETNS.

Hot School Lunches

Canal Way have been approved for hot school lunches. The Board of Management is currently working on infrastructural modifications and establishing the necessary space needed to make this initiative possible in Canal Way. This is a substantial piece of work and we are making progress with this. We will be updating you as we get closer to launching this. Thanks for your patience.