Principal's Christmas Newsletter

Christmas Newsletter to Parents/Guardians.

Welcome to the St. Farnan’s Christmas Newsletter.  As usual, it has been a very busy and productive term in our school. As we come to the end of the year, I would like to thank all members of the school community for their dedicated and enthusiastic engagement with all school activities, both academic and extracurricular this year thus far—students, staff, parents and members of our Board of Management. All of these activities successfully completed under unusual conditions.

As mentioned previously, we opened our doors to our students on Monday, 31^st August. Apart from a small number of times that we had to leave classes at home for a day here and there, it has been business as usual.

There is great credit due to all members of our school community who have attended /worked in very different conditions to make sure that Teaching and Learning has continued. The majority of this teaching and learning has been in the classroom while students have experienced on line/remote teaching where necessary in a few instances.  Google Classroom is now a common phrase heard in St. Farnan’s. This has caused challenges in relation to the relaxing of our mobile phone policy as students need to use phones to access Google Classroom.

In this regard, I am asking Parents NOT to contact students directly as this may lead to a phone being confiscated. Please continue to write note in their journals and calling the office to let us know if your child has to be collected.

Teaching and Learning:

• The vast majority of classes are classroom based with the additional benefit of Google Classroom.
• Parent teacher meetings have been replaced by a written report to parents on each subject.
• At this stage both our Woodwork and Engineering rooms are open under strict Covid guidelines.
• Home Economics Practicals have started back under appropriate restrictions.
• Art, while not in its normal room continues for all years.
• Christmas tests have been completed and it is hoped to have results made available before the Christmas Holidays.
• A PE program continues to be rolled out also with restrictions.
• Mocks exams will proceed this year. They will commence on Monday, February 1st. 
• Our Sixth Year Geography Field Trip will take place on January 11^th

A huge thank you to all our staff who have implemented these new regimes so that your daughters and sons can have as near normal a school experience as possible. It has to be recognised that the wearing of masks and the change of conditions due to Covid have been difficult for all concerned. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our staff and students and to you as parents and guardians for your understanding and adherence to these changes.

Extra-Curricular Activities:

Obviously our extracurricular program has taken a hit this year in relation to sport etc. I am happy to inform you that we have still had a number of extracurricular events.

• Our School Business Partnership is taking place again this year. This year our second Year students are participating. Such was the interest and calibre of applicant, all students who applied were accepted on the course. We are linked with SAP Ireland again this year.
• Christmas Doors: This is a lovely initiative that we have done over the past number of years. We are doing them again this year following Covid guidelines. Please check elsewhere on website for photos.
• Jerusalema Dance: This has been one of the highlights for our school community so far. It was a school wide initiative where all students were allowed to participate. It was a wellbeing initiative that lifted the spirits of all involved. It is available on our website and Facebook page. At time of writing it had over 3,500 hits and has been shared over 100 times. It also showcases the new community park and playground which has opened recently. I would like to say a huge thank you to our past pupil William Cribbin for his very professional production.
• Christmas Hamper Collection: Under the watchful eye and great organisational skills of our Transition Year students, all our students and teachers have donated non-perishable items for our Christmas Hampers. It is hoped that these hampers will be distributed early next week.

Transition Year Programme:

While a lot of schools are struggling to have a meaningful Transition Year Programme, the St Farnan’s programme continues to excel with a very high satisfaction rating among students and parents. Below is a flavour of the many activities as described by Ms. Flanagan, TY Year Head and Coordinator.

“Our large cohort of Transition Year students have engaged fully in a busy and comprehensive curriculum and programme of events this term. Students are following an innovative programme of core and modular subjects as well as weekly work experience and an online programme of courses in Driving Skills, Organisation and Communication Skills and ICT. 

While only one trip was possible under the present restrictions, many guest facilitators have met with our students and presented workshops on personal development, workplace etiquette, manual handling, entrepreneurship, local history and film-making. Other popular events included the classes in Self-Defence and Dance Fitness, while undoubtedly the Bodhrán making workshop was a real treat.

In addition, they have been exemplary in their assistance of whole-school community events such as the Jerusalema Dance and the Christmas Hamper Collection.

Their end of term interviews were a testament to their positivity, maturity and resilience and I wish them continued success and enjoyment of their Transition Year”.

SPHE Workshop:

As part of our SPHE programme our SPHE Coordinator, Ms. Cassidy, has organised a Drug and Alcohol Awareness Workshop for our Senior Cycle student on January 28th.  

The workshop will be run by experienced facilitators and will cover the effects and consequences of drug and alcohol misuse. It will also empower the students with the tools that can be used to help them avoid certain situations where drugs and alcohol are offered. The supports available to young people struggling with Drug & Alcohol misuse will also be shared with them. 

To compliment this, there will be a Parents’ workshop, on Drugs and Alcohol misuse by teenagers. The same facilitators will run this workshop in the evening, through zoom. Our HSCL coordinator, Mr. Little will be in touch after Christmas about this.

Dates for your diary:

1. January 11th - Leaving Cert Geography Field trip.
2. January 26th - Whole school Junior Cycle In-service. School closed to students.
3. January 28th - SPHE workshop on Drug and Alcohol awareness.
4. Feb 1st  - Mock exams commence.
5. March 8th - Whole School In-Service. School closed to students.

Finally, I would like to thank all our hard working staff, Teaching, SNAs, Office, Cleaning and Caretaking, who have gone above and beyond to make sure that Teaching and Learning continues and that our school continues to adhere to our Covid 19 response plan.

To you as Parents/Guardians, thank you for your cooperation making sure your sons/daughters are compliant in relation to Covid 19 protocols. A special mention to our fantastic students who continue to remain positive and in good humour. Well done and thanks!

It is important that during Christmas that we continue to adhere to all the Government Guidelines and the associated levels.

Have a safe and happy Christmas Break which commences on Tuesday, 22^nd December at 12 noon. School will reopen on Wednesday, January 6^th 2021.

Eddie Collins, Principal.