Parents’ Association

Dear Parents & Guardians,

We hope you all had a lovely and relaxing Easter break and the children are ready to face their final term in St. Josephs for this academic year!

As always, the Parents Association are busy working behind the scenes to bring as much fun and joy to your children’s lives in St. Josephs. Here are some of the highlights of the last month & some events for the children to look forward to over the coming months:

On April 1^st we held our first ‘in school’ coffee morning for parents in over 2 years. It was a huge success. We were delighted that so many parents turned up to meet us and each other. And we’d like to thank all those parents that helped out with the organisation and clean up on the morning.

You may have heard from your children about the Easter Egg hunt in school! All children from Junior Infants – 3^rd Class got to take part in an outdoor Easter Egg Hunt. Great fun was had by all. But don’t worry, those classes that didn’t take part in the Egg Hunt still got to have a share of the chocolate.

2^nd Class students are currently celebrating their First Holy Communion. Historically the Parents Association held a party for those students & their families in the school, but due to restrictions this has not been possible for the last 2 years. We are delighted to be finally able to hold a Communion Party for all 2^nd class students and their families on Saturday 11^th June in the school.

Pádraic Fay has confirmed that School Tours are back this year and have been organised by the class teachers. Your class teacher will be in contact in due course with all the details.

He has also confirmed that Sports Days will take place in the school. Details of which will be communicated by the school at a later date.

Shhhhh…..we have a few more nice ‘treats’ planned for the children and staff alike, but we like to keep them a surprise!

Should you have any questions or suggestions for the Parents Association you can e-mail us at stjosephspadunlaoghaire@gmail.com.

The Parents Association

May 2022

Frequently Asked Questions

About the School in General

Can you share more information on the plans for the growth/expansion of the school?

The Board are in the process of applying for planning permission. Once this application has gone through, they will be happy to share the plans with the whole school community.

What are some of the ‘School Spirit’ building events and activities that happen during the year, and where can I find out more about them?

The following are some of the activities that are part of the children’s everyday lives in St. Joseph’s:

Green Schools
Amber Flag
Active Flag
Halloween Dress Up Day
Design, Decorating their own Christmas Cards
Meet n Greet with Santa & Reindeer
Learn & Perform Christmas Carols
Engage in different reading activities & experiences to celebrate World Book Day
Have the opportunity to join Student Council
Enjoy lots of spraoi agus craic (fun and games) celebrating Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish Week)
Have the pleasure of listening to and meeting people from all over the world and learning about their traditions
School Tours
Sports Day
Easter Egg Hunt

The above are just some of the many moral building events that the children get to experience. They change from year to year. In order to keep up to date in what the children of St. Joseph’s have been up to, please follow the school on Twitter @StjosephsNS1

Is there a list of supplies my child needs for school?

Payment for Photocopying, Art & Craft materials, book rental, etc., may be made through the Aladdin Connect App.

There is a link to the Michael Doherty website, www.schoolbookshop.ie, on the home page of the school website. The book lists for each class may be viewed through the link. The books are also available from other schoolbook suppliers.

Parents must also provide the following for their child:

A pencil case with pencil, sharpener, eraser, pritt stick, colouring pencils, crayons or twistables

In the senior classes children also need 2 blue pens, a red pen and a 30cm ruler

A lunchbox and water bottle that your child can open and close

A school bag into which an A4 homework folder can fit

Velcro fasteners on shoes are advised (in Junior classes)

How do I join the Parents Association and when do you hold meetings?

In September each year, we send out communications via Aladdin and WhatsApp looking for parents to join the Parents Association. Those who put their name forward are elected at the AGM (which is held in September).

We hold our meetings on the first Monday of every month and are currently via Zoom.

We always welcome new members to our committee. However, in line with our Constitution we can have a maximum of 14 members.

Throughout the year we may look to parents to volunteer at different events too. You do not need to be a member of the committee to get involved.

Should you wish to find out more information about what being a member entails you can e-mail us at stjosephspadunlaoghaire@gmail.com

What do I do if I have any concerns about bullying at school?

Please contact your child’s teacher immediately with any concerns, and refer to the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy which can be found on the school website to inform you on the correct procedures to take for you and your child.

School & Home Connections

At what age will my child be allowed to walk home by him/herself?

St. Joseph’s recognises that every family and every child are individual. What works for one, may not work for another. In order to make this decision the family and child/children in question should figure out if it will work for them.

After-School/Extra-Curricular Activities

Is there any current facility in the school for aftercare from 1.30pm – 2.30pm?

We are very fortunate to have a good number of After School Care Providers that drop off and collect children from St. Joseph’s in the mornings and at 1.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. Parents who need to avail of this service should contact the After-School Care Provider. Parents should also advise their child’s class teacher of the name of the After-School Care Provider who will be collecting their child/children from St. Joseph’s (e-mail to office@dunlaoghairens.ie).

What extra-curricular activities are run by the school for my child?

The school are currently facilitating after-school clubs for 2^nd-6^th Class. The have decided to focus on GAA & Tag Rugby. All students from these class groups are welcome to join.

When will swimming be part of the after-school activities?

Swimming is practiced as part of the P.E. curriculum for senior classes during school hours. The school do not facilitate swimming as part of after-school activities. Please see below a list of swimming pools in the area that offer lessons.

Can we have a list of popular activities for children outside of school hours?

The following lists have been drawn up by the Parents Association with information received from those parents and through their knowledge of the local community.

GAA/Football/Rugby

Cuala GAA – Football and Hurling/Camogie
Granada FC – Soccer
St. Josephs FC – Soccer
Cabinteely FC – Soccer
Blackrock Rugby Club
Seapoint Rugby Club
Monkstown Rugby Club
Emerald Soccer – Newpark Sports Centre

Swimming lessons are offered at the following pools:

Monkstown Swimming Pool
Loughlinstown Swimming Pool
Newpark Sports Centre
Castlepark Swim Academy & Sports Centre
Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel – Swimming Pool
St. Augustine’s Pool
Westwood Leopardstown

Other sporting activities

Bounce Gymnastics
Trojan Academy Gymnastics
Park Tennis Club
Martial Arts Academy Monkstown
East Coast Jiu Jitsu Academy Monkstown

Art/Drama/Music

Behave Dance Classes (Bollywood & Kathak Dance) – Run by one of the parents of St. Josephs
Mel Ryan Drama School
Goode School of Dance (Ballet)
Dawson McDonnell Academy of Irish Dance
Girls Brigade – Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire School of Music
Comhaltas (Monkstown) – Traditional Irish Music

Secondary Schools

There are many excellent secondary schools in the area. St. Joseph’s has been named as a “feeder school” for many of these schools. Many secondary schools do not operate a “feeder school” system.

When choosing a secondary school for their child, parents should gather as much information as possible about the school (visit school website and talk to other parents).

Before considering a secondary school, parents should read the Admission Policy of the particular school. All schools are obliged to publish their Admission Policy on their website.

A list of these schools cannot be published as some may be omitted by the PA and in doing so your child could miss out on a school that best suits them.