Parents’ Association

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We have made it through another school year! And what a year it’s been. It was wonderful to be allowed back in the school grounds & buildings and to see our children taking part in the recent Sports Days.

Our year kicked off with the AGM at the end of September. We also started planning the children’s Christmas Cards the same month! But thankfully we did so that they all came back in plenty of time to meet the Christmas postage deadlines!

The biggest event of the year was the Christmas Raffle in December. Thanks to all of you we raised the largest amount ever and all these funds are being put to use to better our children’s experience in St. Josephs. Once the prefabs are moved from the yard the ground will be painted with lots of new colourful games, lines etc for the children to play on at breaktime.

We are extremely lucky to have Santa & his Reindeer come visit the school. Thanks to Solvegia, one of our own parents, the yard was well decorated for the visit, and for the children to enjoy the run up to Christmas.

We took a well-earned break from organising events for the first few months of Term 2, but were back to work with the wonderful Easter Egg hunt before the Easter Break. It was enjoyed by students & teachers alike.

We asked…and you delivered…thank you again to all the parents that donated their much-loved books to the school. These were distributed amongst all the classrooms and have been enjoyed by all the children.

This year it was wonderful to invite parents back into the school, and the Parents Association were delighted to be able to host a Coffee Morning. I think there were almost 100 of you in the hall at one stage.

Term 3 began with 2^nd Class celebrating their Communion in May and we were delighted to be able to finally host the class Communion Party after a break of 2 years. This took place on Saturday 11^th June and was organised by some of the 1^st class parents. It was a wonderful afternoon & enjoyed by all.

After a wonderful week of sports in the school all the children deserved a visit from the ice-cream van! This was another event enjoyed by staff and students alike.

This year we also decided to launch a ‘Uniform Swap Shop’. It was a great opportunity for us to pass on our children’s old uniforms and pick up some in the next size up. We think it was a success and plan on doing the same next year.

And the treats for the children didn’t end there. We couldn’t finish the year without Pizza Day. Thanks to Zero Solveig Pizza in Dún Laoghaire for supplying us with their delicious pizzas.

We round off the year with the 6^th Class Graduation. The Parents Association give leaving gifts to all 6^th class students as well as providing refreshments on the night.

We think you’ll all agree that the school wouldn’t be as fun a place without all the staff, and they deserve a treat too! We arranged a Coffee Van to come to school & provide them all with some extra caffeine & sugar!!

We would like to take the opportunity to thank all the parents who helped us throughout the year. The Parent’s Association is All Of Us together. The committee is the smaller group that meet to help organise and arrange events. But all of us working together is what the PA is about. So, thank you for all your generosity with your time.

We would like to wish everyone a very happy summer break and look forward to seeing everyone in September.

Thank you,

The Parents Association

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

Bhave 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.