Green Schools Meeting Friday 27th May 2009.

During today's Green Schools meeting a number of important issues were discussed namely our yard cleaning rota and the establishment of a Green School's Notice board.
Unfortunately last weeks cleaning rota was not implemented sucesssfully as weather conditions prevented the children collecting rubbish at the times they were appointed to. We have altered this rota a little, providing more flexibility for the yard rubbish pickers.
Another matter which we discussed was the establishment of a Green Schools Notice Board. This shall be erected in the school over the course of the next few weeks. It shall outline Green Schools responsibilities for both staff and students. It is located at the end of the downstairs corridor near the gym. (feel free to check it out!) Each of the Green School's Commitee members have been delegated a responsibility with regard to establishing this notice board.
Also a letter shall shortly be sent to all parents explaining exactly what the Green Schools Commitee is.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Friday 29th May.

Communication May 2009

Visit to Dail Eireann: Our fifth and sixth class visited Dail Eireann (Irish Parliament) on Thursday. They travelled by public transport to the city centre

Adamstown Race: The first annual 8k race will take place on Sunday 24th . As this is the first fundraising event we would ask you to support this race by taking part or by turning up to cheer the participants along. Thank you to those who have volunteered their time to act as marshals at the event.

New Parents’ Night: This will be held on the 3rd of June at 8 O’Clock.

Enrolment: We are still enrolling children in to our classes. If you know of anyone who intends to send their child(ren) to this school next year please suggest that they inform the office as soon as possible. If you already enrolled you child in the school and have not received any offer from us: please contact the office immediately.

School Website: Our website, as you know, is up and running. On this website there is a link to the blog which contains up to date information on the day to day activities in our school. Please be assured that no individual photographs of your child will be published on the web. However, we would like to publish group photos: it is your responsibility to inform the school if you do not wish to have your child’s photo on our website.

Child Not Returning: If you are aware that your child will not be returning to school next year it is vital that you inform the school in writing so that we can offer a place to another child on the list.

School Tours: At this time of year it is customary for classes to go on field trips. The class teachers will let you know shortly of the details.

Sports Day: Sports day will be on the 11th of June at the hockey pitch and athletics track across from Superquinn. You will be given more information closer to the date.

Tara Leaving: Tara will be leaving (career break) us at the end of the school year to take up a position in university in New York. She has been a brilliant member of staff and we sincerely wish her the very best in her new role as a teacher of teachers.

Green Schools: The green initiative is really going a pace thanks to our energetic green schools committee. On Wednesday we had an environmental awareness day where the children examined the amount of waste that is generated by the school in one week. Martha is our green schools staff coordinator: we are looking for a parent who has an interest in this area to get involved on this committee.

Inter Cultural Day: The Parents’ Association are organising an intercultural day on the 7th of June in the school from 3pm to 6pm. Class Allocation: Our class arrangement for next year is as follows:

Junior Infants: Joanna
Senior Infants: Martha
First Class: Freda
Second/Third Classes: Lara
4th/5th/6th: Dermot
Language Support: Grainne and Tom
Learning Support: Ita

Because of the increase in pupil teacher ratio and the reduction in the number of language teachers there will be a noticeable increase in the class size. A number of teachers will engage collaboratively with Dermot in a team teaching approach whereby certain teachers will have direct responsibility for certain areas of the curriculum in individual classes.

Environmental Awareness Assembly Review

Green Schools: Minutes from last meeting.

After discussing the success of our Environmental awareness assembly the Green Schools commitee decided that on a whole they felt that the assembly went very well. They feel that it was successful in its efforts to create greater awareness about Environmental care. They felt that the display of rubbish sorting went very well however they decided that this would be more effective if it was carried out by each individual class teacher whereby the children would have an opportunity to see up close the different bins into which their rubbish should be placed.
Over the nest couple of weeks the commitee decided that they would like to set up 3 bins in each classroom; one for domestic waste, one for compost and one for recyclable waste. They decided that these bins would need to be colour coded so chidlren can associate a certain bin with a certain coloured label from as early as Junior Infants.
With regard to the speeches and questions which were presented/asked by both the teacher and the children, the green schools commitee agreed that in future these would need to be kept to a minimum unless there is a microphone available.
Other issues which the commitee discussed were the possibility of setting up a Green Schools Notice Board within the school and also the possibility of putting into practice a Yard Cleaning Rota. These shall be reviewed in our next meeting: 22nd May.

Walk on Wednesday; Green Schools Walk to School

Walk on Wednesday!
May 20th
Dear Parents and Students,
Our school is trying to achieve the Green Flag. In order to attain this we need to become more environmentally aware and so, this Wednesday is W.O.W Day ; Walk on Wednesday. We are encouraging all children to walk to school.
To make this day a little more exciting we are organising a costume competition, we would like all children to come in costume to school. The best dressed/funniest dressed child from each class shall be awarded a special certificate and a little prize. We would like all children to participate in this.
Looking forward to seeing what ye come up with!
Green Schools Commitee

Parents' Association

Parents' Association Meeting 14th May 09 Minutes

Present:Juna, Tom, Rao, Sofia, Wasen, Anne, Sarah, Shemsa
Minutes:

1. Cultural event: Discussed on how do do we proceed further on theevent organization. Tom suggested us to chat with Gráinne (One of theteachers) to share her views on this. Sofia will meet Gráinne onMonday morning. We want to send letters to all parents by Wednesday toparticipate in this event.

2. Break Period: We want to know how students break periods are beinghandled in the school so that we may contribute to it if required.We'll talk to Tom in next meeting on this.

3. Next coffee morning would be on 19th Tuesday at 8.45 am. Tom wouldsend notice to parents on Monday.4. Next meeting on 28th at 7.30 pm

Story Sacks

Every Wednesday between 10 and 12 we are having 'Story Sack' session in the Parents Room. This is a fun way to contribute to the school and bring out your artistic talent. Don't worry, you won't be working in the classrooms but you will be doing a fun thing for the benefit of the kids in the school. COME ALONG and lets be kids again.

COFFEE MORNING

The Parents' Association will be holding a Coffee Morning on Tuesday next at 9 am. Please come along and meet with other members of the school community.

Agreed Report Board of Management 14th May 2009

The Board met on the 14th of May

Those in attendance: Meena, Sarah, Pia, Andrea, Tom, Mili, Ita
Apologies: Kazbek

Agreed Report:

• GREEN SCHOOLS:Tom and Ita will represent the BOM on the Green School's Committee
• SCHOOL PLANS: English and Maths School plans are nearing completion
• HATCH WINDOW: A new window was put in at a cost of 860 euro plus vat.
• BALLET: We expect ballet to commence in the next school year
• ET FUNDRAISER: The board is making a contribution of two hundred euro to the ET fundraising initiative.
• TEACHER CONTRACTS: The board has decided to renew the contracts of the temporary teachers for the coming year pending department sanction.
• LIBRARY BOOKS:The board has agreed to provide three hundred euro per class for the purchase of library books
• ICT: The board has decided to look into the setting up of thin client network in the school. It is waiting advice from parents,staff and IT experts.
• PTA REQUEST: The board has agreed to the request from PTA to use the PE hall for the multicultural evening on 7th June
• RENTING FOR PARTIES:The board has decided to discuss the request from PTA to rent the hall for birthday parties further and will make a decision at a later meeting.
• UNIFORM POLICY: The board discussed the request from PTA about the uniforms and has agreed to look into the introduction of a voluntary school tracksuit for PE activities. The board also gives permission for the PTA to come up with the colour and design of the tracksuit and submit the proposal to the board.
• NEW PARENTS NIGHT: The new parents night will be held on the 3rd of June.
• NOISE FROM SCHOOL AT WEEKENDS: The board discussed the complaints from the neighbours about the noise from the school at weekends and has decided that Meena and Tom will meet the representatives of the tenants with a view to resolving this issue. The board has given permission to terminate the contract with four weeks notice should this problem continue.

Staff Meeting

Reminder

Dear Parents,

There is a staff meeting tomorrow friday the 8th of May. The children will go home at 12.10


Tom

Green Schools Committee

In Attendance: Tom M, Ruth,
Esker ETNS:Sumayaya (3rd), Aya (3rd), Casper (3rd), Hassan (6th),
ACETNS:Moses (5th), Noor (3rd), Naila (5th), Jed (3rd).

Venue: Old Staff Room @ 12.30, April 30th

1. Discussed why we should do the Green Schools: To make the school cleaner, help the environment,
2. Discussed the seven step process:

STEP 1: Need a review, identify the problem areas, rubbish, bins, teachers' bins, photocopying

Note what we are good at


Review: monitor the bins in the class rooms, do up a questionnaire
Action: Monitor the bins for two weeks,check the litter in the classrooms everyday, after breaktime check the litter in the yard.


Lights: Monitor the lights, electrical equipment and water usage in own classes.

Sumayya, Aya, NAila, Noor will devise a checklist


We will check classes to see what is reusable

Moses and Hassin will check the displays

Monitor the notes home to see if it would be better to use a web based system

CHEWING GUM: Identify the problem and source of the problem.
Tom will get a si=gn and a small bin.

PRIORITY:
Show it is a problem: We will need to get evidence

Rubbish mountain
Chewing gum awareness day will involve parents' and teachers
one weeks litter in the yard

Water Meter

Wednesday 13th - rubbish mountain
chewing gum awareness day
litter in the yard
Wednesday 6th - read water meter
Wednesday 5th- Start monitoring

2nd April Parents' Association

Here are PA meeting minutes held on 2nd April 2009 at 7:30 pm atACETNS.
The meeting minutes were signed off on 30th April meeting.
Attendants :Sofia, Rao, Tina, Amm Abdul, Chucks, Kazbek, Meena, Yemisi and Tunde
1. Discussed in brief on how PA can involve in setting up schoolpolicies. Meena asked Parents to discuss and suggest ideas/views onthe following policies to the Board:
(a) Relationship & Sexual Education policy
(b) Ethics committee
(c) SwimmingWe debated on the need for the Sexual policy for some time.

We need to contact other schools/associations to get bigger picture of the issue.
2. Communication with Parents: Want to have a notice board near the entrance and a box forsuggestions.
3. Representation to Adamstown VEC from Parents: Chuck volunteered to represent
4. Coffee morning: We had good response to the coffee morning on 2ndMarch.
Decided to continue this event. Next one on 28th March
5. Social event: Strong urge to have social events for Parents and Children. Someideas floated are: Football, Car boot sale, group jogging, fun games
Actions:Rao to follow up with Tom on notice boardEveryone to think on social event to be held soon.
ThanksRao

Parents Association Meeting 30th April

Attendants:Juna Rosaies, Maria Cristina, Rahul, Titilayo, Tom, Rao, Tina, Kazbek
Minutes:
1. Cultural Event:We decided to hold cultural event on June 7th at 3 pm. Every countrywould represent a unit and mutually exchange their culture. Itinvolves food/music/story/cloths/short presentation on country'sculture.
2. Next Coffee morning on 13th May at Griffen Avenue Educate together,Lucan
3. Policies: Tom would get someone (Sean O'Cassidy) to brief parentsabout Relationship and Sexuality policy before Summer4. Uniforms: PA would write to the Board of management to discuss theissue and get back to PA
5. Translation Service: Ask parents for their language skill input intranslation of notes, policies, etc.
6. Adamstown Road Race: Tom updated on the 8K road race to be held on24th. Decided to send letter to parents soliciting their activepartnership to make this event a success.
7. Green School: Tom informed that we aim for green flag by 1010.Students council need a representation from PA to join the greencommittee. Any volunteers?
8. Logo for ACETNS: Tom informed that we need to campaign for the Logofor the school.
9. Renting the school for social events: Mainly for Sports andBirthday parties. PA would write to the Board to discuss the issue andget back to PA
10. Fund raising: A couple of thoughts like design and sell schoolpost cards and sell toys to raise funds.
11. Next meeting on 14th May at 7:30 pm

Actions:
1. Meet soon to discuss Cultural event logistics
2. Tina to write to the BOM on Uniforms and Renting school for socialevents
3. Tom to distribute letters to Parents on road race
ThanksRao

Adamstown Road Race

The Adamstown Road Race will be held on the 24th of May. All proceeds will go to the Adamstown Schools.
Support Your School By:

Running or walking in the race

Circulating information on this race in your place of work or among your friends and associates

Volunteering your time to help make this race a success

Sourcing and securing sponsorship be it financial or otherwise

Check out the link on our website at acetns.ie or on Adamstown.ie

ThankYou,
The Parents’ Association


To the Parents’ Association

I will run or walk

I can source sponsorship

I would like to volunteer

I will circulate information


Signed (Parent/Guardian) …………………………..

Contact Number: ……………………………

Child’s Name: ………………………….

Child’s Class ………………………….

Please leave in the Green Post Box at the Door
Thanks Again,
The Parents’ Association