School Information

  • The school opens to receive children at 8.50a.m.
  • Parents who leave children off before this time do so in the knowledge that the Board of Management does not accept responsibility for the children before this time.
  • School finishes for Junior Infants and Senior Infants at 1.50p.m.  All Junior Infants and Senior Infants must be collected at this time.  Junior Infants will finish at 12.30 for the first week at school.  Parents must collect children from the front door of the infant school.  For safety reasons Junior Infants are not allowed to go to the school gate without being accompanied by a responsible adult.
  • School finishes for all other children at 2.50p.m.
  • All Cars should park in the community centre car park and children can walk from the car park to school (or vice versa) in the morning and afternoon.  Parents collecting children from infants classes at 1.50p.m. should do so also. The school car park is for staff cars only.
  • As a matter of health and safety parents are asked not to turn at school gates or drive into school entrance.
  • Break Times are as follows:
    • Small Break 1:   10.45am – 10.55am
    • Small Break 2:   11.00am – 11.10am
    • Big Break   1:     12.15pm – 12.45pm
    • Big Break   2:     12.45pm – 13.15pm
  • If you have a problem with your child in school, the first step is to speak to your child’s teacher.  Many problems can be resolved when the teacher and parents work together.  If this is not successful, you should speak to the principal of the school.  If the problem is still not resolved, you may need to raise the matter with the chairperson of the Board of Management.
  • When it is necessary for a pupil to leave school early, a note must be sent to the class teacher.  Parents/Guardians are asked to call personally to the classroom to collect the child.  Any person collecting a child on behalf of the parent/guardian should present written authorisation with a telephone contact number.
  • If you wish your child to remain indoors at break times they must have a note for their teacher stating why.
  • According to School Policy there is always a teacher on yard duty at break times.
  • During inclement weather the pupils are allowed to remain indoors.  They must remain seated unless given permission to do otherwise by the supervisory teacher.   Suitable games and activities are distributed during lunch time.

Each child to whom the School Attendance Act applies (that is those between the ages of 6 and 16) must attend school every day on which the school is in operation unless there is a reasonable excuse for not attending.

The school Board of Management is obliged by law to report to the Child and Family Agency TUSLA the names of children who have been absent from school for 20 days or more during the year, even if these absences are accounted for by letter.

In the event of a pupil being absent through illness or for any other reason, please inform the class teacher of the reason for absence via the Aladdin Connect App.  If it is anticipated that the absence will be of a lengthy duration, the class teacher should be informed in writing as soon as possible.  This is required by the Child and Family Agency TUSLA.

  • The roll is called at 9.40a.m. each morning.
  • Only children in attendance can be marked present at that time.
  • If your child has a morning appointment, will be absent for the roll call but intends arriving later, please inform the teacher.
  • In the event of your child being absent, the class teacher must be informed of the reason for absence in writing on the child’s return. This is required by the Child and Family Agency TUSLA.

There is an agreed school uniform for pupils to wear. It consists of

  • Boys: grey trousers, blue shirt, red tie and navy jumper.
  • Girls: grey skirt/pinafore, blue shirt, red tie and navy jumper/cardigan.

Alternatively, the school tracksuit which has the school crest can be worn. Studs, earrings and jewellery are discouraged. Extreme hairstyles or colouring are not permitted. Body piercing other than single piercing to the ear lobe are not permitted.

School tracksuits are available from:

  • The Fabric Centre, Monaghan
  • Declan Loughman, Castleblayney
  • Kevin Atkinson’s Castleblayney

Parents are advised to shop around for quality and value. Tracksuit bottoms are sold separately.

Runners must be worn on P.E. day. For safety reason, we encourage the use of velcro fastening runners for the younger children.

All children’s clothes should be clearly labelled.

The school uniform/tracksuit is to be worn at all times.

Hoodie tracksuits are not permitted.

We actively encourage healthy lunches.  We ask you to encourage a healthy lunch right from the start, which should include fruit, bread, a dairy product and a drink of milk, water or juice (no fizzy drinks or cans allowed).

Morning Break – Snack.   Good examples are fruit, cheese, plain biscuits.  This snack should be placed in the child’s school bag rather than in their lunch box for ease of accessibility.  Be realistic by packing only what your child can comfortably eat while allowing time for social interaction in the playground.

The Board of Management of Scoil Mhuire request that the parents of children in infant classes and younger, cut grapes/cherry tomatoes in four and cut sausages length ways to help reduce the risk of choking on such foods.  Should you require your child to eat these foods whole, please inform the Board/school in writing.  We acknowledge that this may cause some inconveniency but the safety of all children is our priority.

Here in Scoil Mhuire we continuously strive to ensure the holistic development of all the children in our care. Part of this involves the successful implementation of a Healthy Eating Policy, with the support and co-operation of you, the parents. During this academic year we will be engaging with the HSE as part of the Health Promoting Schools (HPS) Programme with a view to further developing and strengthening our focus on healthy eating in our school community. To this avail the ‘Friday treats’ has been discontinued.

Parents should ensure that their children eat a nutritious breakfast before coming to school. The benefits of this have been repeatedly proven in scientific studies. 

A selection of the following can be included in lunch boxes: bread, scones, sandwiches, fruit (except nuts), see note on Nut Allergy, natural or fruit yogurts (as opposed to those with ‘chocolate corners’), vegetables, pasta, cous-cous, water, milk or diluted fruit juice. Where senior pupils prepare their own lunches the same recommendations apply.

Inclusion of the following is unacceptable: chocolate, sweets, cake, buns, snack bars, crisps, cereal bars, nuts, fizzy drinks or fruit drinks with a high sugar or saccharin content.

Working together, we can make a positive and lasting difference to lifelong eating habits.

Nut Allergy

We have children attending the school who have a severe allergic reaction to peanuts/nuts.  This allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock) can occur through ingestion of peanut/nut products, cross contamination and breathing peanuts in the air.  Since this condition can be life threatening, we are asking for your help in minimising the risk to these children by:

  1. Avoiding giving children peanuts in school lunches.
  2. Avoiding giving peanut butter sandwiches, other spreads containing nuts such as Nutella and snacks/bars containing nuts or labelled “may contain nut traces” in school lunches.
  3. Asking children not to share their lunches.

Due to the severity of the problem, it is important that all parents carry out the suggested measures and reduce the risk of allergic reaction to these children.

Frequent communication is of vital importance in developing and nurturing co-operation between home and school.  In our school, communication between parents and teachers may take one of the following forms:

  1. School Policy states that we have one formal parent-teacher meeting per year.
  2. School Reports are issued at the end of every school year.
  3. Details of school holidays or early closures are always communicated in writing or by email.
  4. Details of school events e.g. school trips are always communicated in writing or by email.
  5. Notes may be written in pupil’s homework diary.
  6. Messages are also sent to parents using our Aladdin Connect App. The school uses the Aladdin Schools software service for administrative purposes and Connect will give you secure access to messages from the school and to details of your child’s attendance, test results, reports cards etc. via secure login from your internet browser or Aladdin Connect App. Aladdin Connect is a fantastic way to enhance a school’s communication with parents. It enables parents to stay connected and informed about their child’s education. You can rest reassured that Aladdin Schools uses state-of-the-art security to safeguard information entered by the school and data is stored and processed in strict compliance with Irish and European data protection laws.
  7. Individual consultation:  If you have any concerns or queries it is important that you speak to the class teacher or Principal.  Parents are asked to make an appointment by phoning the secretary between 9.00a.m. and 1.00p.m. to arrange a suitable convenient time for both parent and teacher.
  8. Unless of an emergency, we ask that if you need to contact the school that you do so between 9.00a.m. and 1.00p.m. when the secretary is available.  This will minimise disrupting class time.
  9. Meetings may be held in connection with the preparation for the Sacrament of Penance, First Holy Communion and Confirmation whenever deemed necessary.

Please note that all written forms of communication will be placed in infant’s school bags.  It is important to check school bags daily.  Children in all other classes will have notes in the homework diary.  It is important to check for notes daily.

All information regarding your child’s schoolbooks will be emailed to you in June.

Children who have reached the age of four by the 30th of September of the year of enrolment are eligible to be enrolled.  Children cannot start school prior to their fourth birthday.  Only pupils newly resident in the school catchment area will be enrolled during the school year.

Illness

  • Children who are ill should not be sent to school.  Parents are asked to inform teachers in writing of any physical disability or allergy that a child may have.
  • When a child becomes ill or has an accident that may require special treatment, staff will endeavour to contact the child’s parents.  We will require parents to provide an alternative contact person who will take responsibility in the event of the parents being unavailable.  If this source is not available, then the class teacher in consultation with the Principal will take what they deem to be appropriate action.
  • NOTE – For minor illnesses and accidents a member of staff will be asked to treat the child.
  • Requests to remain indoors at break times should be made in writing to the class teacher and only for good reasons e.g. injury or illness.

The staff cannot take responsibility for administering any medicines to children. Any child who is attending the school and who is on a course of medicine will have to be able to take responsibility for this themselves or alternatively parents can visit the school during school hours to administer this medicine.

Headlice occur occasionally.  If your child has contacted headlice you should inform the class teacher or Principal and treat the hair immediately.  If there is an outbreak of headlice in the school all parents are informed in writing and asked to take immediate action to prevent infestation.

The same arrangements apply for scabies, rashes, ringworm or anything contagious.  In the case of infectious diseases, a doctor’s clearance certificate may be sought before the child may attend school.

All pupils enrolled in the school avail of the Allianz insurance for All Pupils.  Pupils are insured for 24-hour cover, 365 days a year for school activities, social, domestic and leisure activities.

If parents wish their child/children to travel to school on the school bus they should contact the Bus Eireann School Transport Office in Dundalk  – Telephone number  042 9334075.

The school will hold a fire drill once per term.

Children are carefully supervised on the schoolyard and are expected to co-operate with the teacher on duty.  Parents should be aware that accidents occur occasionally and cannot be 100% prevented.  In the event of an accident, the staff will respond in a caring and professional manner.

Teachers will make all reasonable effort to prevent accidents from happening.  Parents will be aware from their own experience that even the most carefully supervised children may have accidents occasionally.

The school nurse visits the school to carry out vision and hearing tests with the Junior and Senior Infants and Fifth and Sixth Class.  However, if you have any concerns the nurse can be contacted at any time during the school year through the school or directly through the H.S.E.  Parents are advised to avail of this free service.

As a general rule homework is given on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  It usually consists of both oral and written work.  Children are expected to have a homework diary into which they write the day’s homework.  Parents should check this diary each day and sign it when they are satisfied that homework has been completed satisfactorily.  Parents should be careful not to do homework for the child.  They can help by explaining difficult words or concepts.

As rule, homework is always within the capability of the child.  Explanations for unfinished homework or work not done should be communicated to the class teacher by means of the homework diary.

Untidy work or work not done may have to be completed by children during breaks, or at the weekend.

Remember, oral work such as reading, spellings and tables are important aspects of homework.

In the interests of health and safety please do not take your dogs or pets onto the school grounds.

Distribution of invitations to parties etc. are not permitted through the school.  In the interests of health and safety, as some children have allergies in the school, please do not send in birthday cake/party treats.

  • May/June: Book Rental Fee (The school buys all rental books. Book bills are sent home).
  • May/June:
    • School Tours – During the year there may also be:
      • School Photographs
      • School Trips
      • Swimming Lessons
  • Help and Support
    • If for whatever reason you have difficulty in paying the school bills, please contact the Principal.  The matter will be addressed with understanding and in the strictest confidence.

  1. Pupils must show respect for themselves, staff and others at all times.
  2. Children should be truthful and honest at all times.
  3. Pupils must treat their property, the property of others and school property with respect.
  4. Incidents of bullying will be dealt with as per procedures.
  5. Pupils should refrain from using foul or abusive language.
  6. Pupils must be in school by 9.10a.m. every morning.
  7. Dangerous equipment such as scissors, compasses, needles, tin whistles, etc. should only be used under the supervision of the class teacher or tutor.
  8. Glass bottles, cans, fizzy drinks, lollipops or chewing gum are not allowed in school.
  9. Mobile phones or any such electronic devices are not allowed in school.
  10. Pupils must ensure to take home with them the appropriate books for homework and to return them for school the next day.  Pupils from 1st to 6th  class must have a homework diary into which they write their homework  daily.
  11. Pupils must enter and leave the school in an orderly fashion at all times  taking due care of their own safety and that of other pupils.
  12. Pupils must submit a written request to leave the school grounds at any time.
  13. Where a parent knows a child will be absent from school for a specific reason the class teacher should be informed beforehand and absenteeism should be explained to the teacher in writing as soon as possible.
  14. Parents are expected to check their children’s homework each night and sign  their homework diary to acknowledge this.
  15. Pupils are encouraged to wear their school uniform/tracksuit each day