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PROSPECTUS  2000 - 2001  CONTENTS

Introduction	Playtimes	Parent Involvement
Principal's Message	Homework	Parent Council
Holidays & Closures	School Uniform	Board of Management
Staff Meetings	P.E. Gear	School Discipline
Absence from School	Lunches	Reminder -Hygiene
School Times	School Books	Reminder - Pets
Safety First	Parent Teacher Meetings	To Parents of Junior Infants

An Introduction to Scoil Réalt na Mara 

Fáilte. This information booklet sets out information about the school, which should be of help to those who are new to our school and to parents whose children already attend the school. The prospectus refers to the 2000-2001 school year and was correct in September 2000. It is possible that changes could affect the things described. 

Scoil Réalt na Mara is a co-educational school catering for boys and girls from Junior Infants to Sixth Class. 

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A Message from the School Principal 

Tá fáilte romhaibh go léir go Scoil Réalt na Mara. We would like to extend a special fáilte to those parents who are joining us for the first time. This year we have new pupils joining us from several areas of the country and from abroad.

We would like to extend.  a special fáilte to our new teachers this year. We hope they will be very happy with us here in Scoil Réalt na Mara.

This booklet provides information about arrangements for the coming academic year. Short notes on school policy in the area of homework and school discipline are also provided. It is important to us that we have your support and co-operation in the joint task we share of preparing our children to meet the many challenges that will face them in the future.

Slán go fóill,

Máire Ní Odhráin,

Príomh-Oide.

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Holidays and Other Closures-School Year 2000-2001

The School will be closed on the following dates: 

Monday 30th October - Friday 3rd November:	Public Holiday, Mid-Term, and Holy Day.
Friday 8th December:	Holy Day.
School will close for Christmas holidays on Thursday 21st. December at 12 noon and re-open on Monday 8th January:	Christmas Holidays.
Monday January 29th:	Holiday.
Monday 26th. February - Wednesday 28th. February:	Mid Term Break.
Monday 19th March:	Public Holiday.
School will close for Easter holidays on Wednesday 11th April at 12 noon and re-open on Monday 23rd. April:	Easter Holidays.
Monday 4th. June and Tuesday 5th. June:	Bank Holiday and Holiday.
The school will be closed for In-service Curriculum Days as laid down by the Department of Education and Science, the dates for which we have not as yet been notified:
The school will be closed for one other day, the date for which has yet to be decided:
The school will close for summer on June 28th. 2001:

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All parents are requested to send a note to the teacher if their child has been absent from school. Without a note it is difficult for us to know if a child is sick or has 'gone astray' on the way to school. If a parent needs to take a child to a doctor, dentist etc. during school times, please send a note in with the child. We cannot allow a pupil to leave the school without the written permission of the parent.

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School Times 

8.50 a.m.    School opens
9.10a.m.        Formal classes begin
1.30 p.m.       Infants go home. 
1.30 p.m.       is hometime for Junior and Senior Infants.

Parents are asked to note that the school building does not open until 8.50 a.m. For insurance reasons we cannot allow children who arrive early to come into the school building until 8.50a.m.

Formal classes begin at 9.10 a.m. We would appreciate if parents would vacate all rooms before 9.10a.m. as teachers need to begin the day's work. Children who arrive late without a note must report to the office. We would appreciate if there were no more interruptions made to classes during the day. Lunches or any other items left at home may be left by parents in the office.

Under no circumstances are mobile phones allowed in the school.

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Because of the danger to small children, parents are asked not to drive or cycle into the school car park. Again for safety reasons no pupil is allowed to ride a bicycle in the school grounds. Bicycles left in the school grounds are left at the owners risk and should be locked at all times. It is advisable that all pupils who cycle to school should wear helmets. Roller Blades may not be worn inside the school gate or in the immediate vicinity of the school as at any one time several hundred children may be leaving the grounds. Parents are asked to observe the no-parking signs painted on the road outside the school in the interest of safety to all and to ensure that they leave the school bus space free.

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Playtimes 

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Homework 

Homework is an important part of the child's work. It helps to reinforce what has been learned at school. It also enables the child to do a limited amount of work on his or her own. This independence and acceptance of responsibility is an important part of the child's development.

Homework is given four nights a week:   Monday - Thursday

In the event of work during the week being unsatisfactory, some teachers may also require additional work to be done over the weekend.

The following is a guide as to the length of time homework should take the average pupil:

 

Ranganna 6 agus 5	One Hour
Ranganna 4 agus 3	45 minutes
Rang 2	30 minutes
Rang 1	20 minutes
Senior Infants	10 - 15 minutes
Junior Infants	5 minutes

If it regularly takes your child considerably more or less time to do homework, it would be worth considering the following.

 

If time taken is too short.

(1)Is all of the homework being done?

(2)Is the work being done tidily and  carefully?

If the time taken is too long.

(1)Does your child understand what he/she is doing?

(2)Are there other distractions e.g. television, friends calling while work is being done

Every child  in Ranganna 1 - 6 has a Homework Diary. This should be signed each night on completion of the work. The purpose of the notebook is to keep a check on the child's work during the year. Each notebook is checked regularly in school and if  homework is not being done satisfactorily, this will be commented on by the teacher. It is then up to the parents, in the child's interest to make sure  that the work is properly done. Homework is the responsibility of the home. It would in fact be much easier for teachers not to give any homework. This however would not be in the interest of the pupils. So please check your child's homework diary every night and sign the notebook on the completion of the work. The establishment of a routine with regard to homework is of great benefit to all children. We look forward to your co-operation in this matter.

School Uniform

The school uniform was introduced to the school many years ago at the express wish of parents. It is important that each child wears the uniform every day. We look forward to support from parents in implementing this rule.

School crests are available from the office at a cost of £1 each. 

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Children work hard at school and so they need a good wholesome lunch to sustain them during the day. During the year we in school will be talking to children about healthy eating habits. We would encourage parents to give children fruit, sandwiches etc. We would discourage sweets and 'junk foods'. No crisps or crisp related products or glass bottles are allowed in the school and chewing gum is absolutely forbidden.

Under an E.U. scheme milk is available at a reduced cost.

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Maths, atlas, dictionary, table book, and foclóir agus litriú are not included in the rental scheme.

Some of our current text books are not in the condition we would like them to be. Please bear with us as  the school curriculum will be changing over the next two years and we will have to purchase all new books to replace those currently in use. English has already been changed this year.

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Parent - teacher meetings are arranged for all classes during the second and third week of November. This is a formal opportunity for parents to meet with the child's teacher to discuss their child's progress. We will inform you later of these dates. However if at any time you are concerned about any aspect of your child's work or development, we will be happy to meet with you to see how our joint efforts can best help your child. Please make an appointment to meet with the class teacher, if there is anything you would like to discuss, and we will make arrangements for the supervision of the class.

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A strong tradition of parent involvement has developed in Réalt na Mara. We are very conscious of the importance of the link between home and school  and our school motto - Ní neart go cur le chéile - Unity is Strength - reflects our concern to continue to develop these links. Over the years many new initiatives have been undertaken to strengthen this link - a school newsletter  'Nuachtlitir', introductory meetings of parents of new pupils, receptions for First Communicants and their families, and graduation celebrations for pupils i Rang 6. On all occasions we have received tremendous support  and encouragement from parents for which we are grateful. Our thanks must go to many parents who help with providing transport to matches, assisting with school tours, catering at functions, maintaining the school grounds and building, and countless other and very often hidden services, without which we could not maintain the high standards we wish to provide for our pupils.

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The school has a very active and hard working parent council which works closely with the Board of Management and the school staff to promote the educational and welfare interests  of the pupils. The Annual General Meeting to elect new members to the council will take place later in the year. We look forward as usual to working with the parent council during the coming year.

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The present Board of Management was formed in 1998. It consists of 2 elected parent representatives, an elected teacher representative from the school, 2 representatives of the patron, 2 representatives from the community and the school Principal. The Board of Management has overall responsibility for the running of the school.

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Every child coming to school has a right to expect an atmosphere where he can learn, play and be safe. It is to ensure this right that a certain code of discipline has to be in operation in any school. Children respond well to a definite code of discipline. They feel more secure and more confident in a situation where they know what is expected of them, and whatever behaviour is unacceptable in school.

Some parents may not be aware of the disruptive effect their child may have on the class. They may see him/her as just 'lively'. It must be stressed that a school situation is one in which work is expected to get done. It is not a minding service for children. 

We circulated our 'Code of Discipline' to all families and we ask for your support in implementing this code. Copies of this code can be obtained from the school office on request.

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This opportunity is taken to remind you of the constant need for vigilance with regard to hair infection. The advice from the Health Education Bureau is that all children's hair should be checked at least once a week with a fine comb, as a matter of routine, and if necessary appropriate action taken promptly.

The possibility of injury to children during break-times is a constant concern of the teaching staff. In the interest of safety we would ask that children not wear any jewellery to school as the potential for injury to themselves or others is a possibility (Watches are excluded).

We would ask that girls have their hair tied back neatly every day.

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Dogs in the school grounds are a menace and a great danger to children. We would ask you to ensure that your dog is kept at home. Although you may think of your dog as a pet this is not always the case when the dog is outside the home. Stray dogs will be reported to the Dog Warden.

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Please collect your child from his/her classroom and exit through Exit No 2.

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©Scoil Réalt na Mara  
Skerries, County Dublin, Ireland.

+353 1 8490049 

Web: www.realtnamara.ie

Email: info@realtnamara.ie