Principal's Newsletter - May 6th 2021

Newsletter to Parents and Sixth Year Students

Dear Parents/ Guardians and sixth year students,

The purpose of this newsletter is to keep you informed on all matters Leaving Cert. for our students sitting the Leaving Certificate in June, whether it be Accredited Grades or written exams.

It has to be said that our school community at St Farnan’s Post Primary School are very proud of all our students but our current sixth years are an exemplary bunch of young people. It must never be underestimated the role and the sacrifice that these students have made in adhering to Covid Guidelines while also bringing a sense of normality to school life since their return to in school education. All our sixth years deserve huge credit and respect for the way that they have coped with completing a Leaving Cert is such difficult conditions.  They were helped in no small way by our excellent staff at St Farnan’s. I want to take this opportunity to thank all our staff, teaching, administrative and cleaning as well as our SNA’s who have worked tirelessly to ensure near normality for the school year '20/'21.

The final months of the academic year create a sense of occasion, as schools and students recognise the end of the school year and begin to prepare for the new one. For sixth year students, preparing for the Leaving Certificate and the natural rites of passage to a world of third level education, apprenticeships or employment, and the formal ending of time in school, is traditionally marked by schools and students in graduation ceremonies or other forms of celebration at the end of the school year.

The Department of Education has said Schools can continue to hold end of year graduation ceremonies for sixth year students, however it will not be possible for schools to carry these out in the traditional format. It is important that schools continue to implement key infection prevention control measures to minimise the spread of COVID-19.

Schools must make every effort to avoid organising events that could lead to the unnecessary congregation of students or family members.

At St Farnan’s we have decided to hold a Virtual Graduation Ceremony again this year for our students. It takes place on Thursday, May 20th at 7pm. Sixth Year students will be invited through their school e mail accounts. It is important that this is a family occasion where Public health advice must be followed. It is not permitted to have gatherings or private parties as this is against HSE Guidelines. It must be remembered that Covid 19 is still a real and present danger in our society.

We must also bear in mind that the majority of our student still intend to sit the written Leaving Cert. in a number of their subjects so we must do everything in our power to make sure this can happen so that our students get every opportunity to do their very best in this year’s Leaving Cert.

Thank you for your continued support for our school.

Eddie Collins, Principal.