NEWSLETTER 20.11.2021 - Canal Way Educate Together National School, Dublin 8

Message from Dermot

Welcome to our CWETNS Newsletter.

Thanks for your participation in this years parent teacher meetings. We really appreciate your involvement and our staff pass on their thanks. The CWETNS Board of Management met last week and the agreed report is on this page. (scroll down)

I would like to thanks the parents association committee for their ongoing work on fundraising. I know they are beavering away behind the scenes at the moment doing huge amounts of work for their upcoming events. Go raibh maith agaibh.

Like all schools, CWETNS continues to manage relentless challenges in staffing. The combined effect of COVID with a chronic teacher shortage has created a perfect storm, which is impacting special education the most. The new contact tracing guidelines are going to further compound the problem. Our 3.6 special education teachers often take the role of the class teacher in the absence of external substitute teachers. I would like to thank our SET team for their patience and understanding, as we continually rely on them to teach mainstream, often at very short notice. Like every national school principal today, I am saddened and regret the effect that this is having on our school. If you have any influence politically or publicly, I ask that you raise this on behalf of our most vulnerable children. Know that I am doing the same.

Beir Bua – Dermot.

NB – COVID Updates – NB

PLEASE DO NOT SEND SICK CHILDREN To SCHOOL

We have COVID in our school on an ongoing basis now and we are no different to any school in that regard. We are currently aware of 6 cases throughout the school at the moment.We send children home daily, who arrive unwell into school. We insist that you do not send your child in if they are unwell.

Please do not call the school for medical advice. Please make the decisions yourself by consulting with a GP or following HSE guidelines. We do not have the personnel nor the qualifications to offer medical advise.

ANTIGEN TESTING IN SCHOOLS – The DoE have published new guidelines on COVID in schools, with specific regard to antigen testing. The new system, will be launched at the end of the month. From the end of the month onwards, if a school is informed of a positive COVID case and there has been exposure in your child’s class, the following will apply:

CWETNS will email the class to inform you about the positive case.
CWETNS will email the specific pod where the case is, and we shall inform you that you can phone the HSE, and request 3 antigen tests to be sent to your home.
Children from the pod will do 3 antigen tests over 5 days.
All children can remain in school unless symptomatic.
If there are more than 2 pods affected in a class, then the whole class will be instructed to call for antigen tests.

Please keep up to date with guidelines, both in the media and on the HSE website.

CWETNS Family Quiz with Colm O‘ Regan – Parents’ Association

Winter Family Quiz with Colm O’Regan

SAVE THE DATE Sunday 5th, 5pm

Our winter family Zoom quiz is back and promises to be lots of fun for everyone in the family.

We’re collecting great prizes so please get in touch with the Parents Association Committee, through your class rep, if you have any vouchers, gifts or creative skills you can offer as prizes.

This year we are fundraising for PE resources. Last year YOU helped the PAC raise money to buy iPads for the school; your donations really make a difference! So please save the date!

Science Week 2021

This year we celebrated Science Week and blasted into our outer orbit with Michael’s class. They held a CWETNS Science Expo in the hall for every class. This was ‘space’ themed, and children made models and presentations to demonstrate:

– white light & the spectrum

– the solar system

– how craters are formed

– models of the space station, satellites & rockets and the planet size demonstrations

CHECK OUT PHOTOS HERE

Fiona explored bubbles for the week, and has us all enthralled. There were lots of other cool activities for everyone to enjoy that lasted the week. Thank-you to Luke and Fiona for leading this initiative.

Important Information for Parents – Curriculum

Parents! Do you know that the Primary Curriculum is changing? What children learn and how children learn in primary school is changing. The proposed changes aim to enhance children’s learning in school and provide for even more relevant and meaningful learning. You can find the proposals HERE.
As a parent, it is important that you have a say in shaping your child’s future learning. Consultation will close by the end of February 2022. Please take 8-10 minutes to tell the NCCA what you think HERE

Want to know more? Visit their website www.ncca.ie/primary

Beanies and Hoodies

Our very popular Canal Way Hoodies & Beanies are back and available to order online.

A rail will be displayed in the yard all week next week to give you an idea of colours and sizes – Age 5/6 up to adult sizes.

The Hoodies & Beanies are available to purchase online – HERE – and will be posted out to your home address.

Put in your own address and they will be delivered to you when ready. Proceeds from the sales will go towards the Parents Association Committee Fundraising.

LOTS OF DIFFERENT COLOURS AVAILABLE & can make special sizes if necessary. Also can make adult sizes for all members of the family.

Housekeeping in CWETNS

No Dogs on our school premises. We are an inclusive school and have families and students who for many reasons do not like to be in the presence of dogs.

No cycling or scooting on the premises.

Please keep lunches nut, pesto and seed free – we appreciate your ongoing support with this.

Please keep lunches healthy. Again thankyou for your support here.

Please be on-time as continual late coming causes much upset for your child’s learning.

Lost and found will be hung in the yard every Friday morning. Please come in and have a look at all the items. Please label your child’s clothes, as our lost and found is full of items unlabelled.