Dear Parents ,
Please see the following notices for your attention:
Staffing Appointments
Appointment of the new principal
The process of appointing a new principal is underway and will be concluded by the end of October.Mr. Costelloe will be Acting Principal in the interim and his e-mail address is emoprincipal@emons.ie
We wish teachers Mr. Ronan Lynch (senior autism class) and Ms. Rebecca Molloy (2nd class) the very best wishes for the coming school year. We also wish Ms. Grace Mulhall (S.N.A.) and Paul La Rosa (caretaker) every good wish in Emo N.S.
New Junior Infants
The junior infants have made a great start in Emo NS. Well done to parents for supporting their work over the last few weeks. Ms. Dempsey, Ms. Grace are delighted the way the children are settling in. We also thank parents for attending the important meeting on Tuesday 24th September.Oral language skills, fine motor skills, jolly phonics, homework and teacher support were the topics covered on the evening.
Curriculum School Self Evaluation Process
We are implementing the new Maths curriculum and planning for same. We have taken on a new Maths scheme for junior infants to second classes and hope to extend that scheme for all classes in 2025.
Our draft SPHE plan is being finalised for distribution to parents and it will be implemented in this school year.
Teachers have agreed to choose phonics and spelling for our School Self Evaluation Process in this school year.
Attendance
The attendance for the school year 2023/2024 was 95%. We had nine pupils with full attendance last year. Well done to: Alice La Rosa, Paul La Rosa, Iarla McArdle, Abbie Martin, Michael Cosgrove, Katie Moore, Sarah Bastick, James Cosgrove Darragh Donnelly.
Medical and Contact Details
Please ensure that the school has necessary medical information in respect of your child. Gráinne, our school secretary is updating this at the moment. Also, please inform the school of any changes to contact details.
School Life Questionnaire
We completed a school life questionnaire recently which, among other things, reviewed bullying procedures in the school. We can clearly see from the questionnaire that the children have a very good understanding of bullying procedures in the school and know how to report any incidences. The message remains the same for all children in the school: Gentle Hands, gentle feet and kind words.
Admissions for school year 2025/26
The Department of Education, in a letter to Patrons, has requested that all schools begin their admission processes as soon after October 1 as possible. The date for schools in Kildare & Leighlin to commence the admission process is October 25, and therefore, the admission notice for this school will be posted next week. That notice will provide a link to enrolment application forms and outline dates for the receipt of enrolment applications. Please pass on this information to any parents who intend to enrol their child in the school in September 2025.
Confirmation 2025
Confirmation – Thursday 27th March 2025 in St. Paul’s church, Emo @ 11a.m. We will have dates for First confession and First Communion next week.
Activities
Cumann na mBunscol matches are continuing and we have two teams participating in the boys’ and girls’ competitions. Cycle safety, supported by the Parents Association is ongoing.
Swimming is ongoing for 1st -3rd classes.
Our thanks to our Parents Association who organised the BBQ after our sponsored walk on Friday 27th September.
Health and Safety
All staff and pupils completed a fire drill on Wednesday last.
Buíochas faoi Leith
As I prepare to retire from my role as principal, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every person in the school community. The 23 years spent at Emo National School have been among the most rewarding of my life, and I am truly thankful for the support, camaraderie, and shared dedication to our pupils that we’ve fostered together.
To our Parents Association, your involvement in our activities has been instrumental in creating the vibrant, nurturing environment we strive for. Thank you for being such a critical part in this school’s success.
Of course, the heartbeat of our school has been the children who have filled our school with life, laughter and curiosity. It has been a privilege to watch our students grow, learn, and thrive.
I wish to acknowledge the various Boards of Management with whom I have had the privilege of working. Your guidance and wisdom have been pivotal in shaping the direction of this school. A special word of thanks to Chairpersons Michael Moloney, Tom Mulhall (R.I.P.), Joe McDermott and Mary Dunne. I thoroughly enjoyed working with each of them. I would also like to thank Fr. Dooley who has been a constant on every Board since he arrived to Portarlingon and a great source of practical advice and guidance.
To the outstanding and dedicated staff of Emo N.S., I am deeply proud to have worked alongside such committed people and I have no doubt that this school will continue to thrive under your care. Thank you for your kindness, encouragement, and partnership throughout my tenure. I will miss you all dearly, but I look forward to hearing about the wonderful things that will continue to happen at our school.
Slán is beannacht,
Cyril Duggan
principal@emons.ie