Garda Síochána Community Christmas Card Project

Today we had a visit from Garda Paula. The Senior Room have been busy writing their cards for people within our community. 

The students were asked to colour in Christmas cards and write a short letter or note to the recipient. All cards were supplied to, delivered to and collected from our school. They will be then forwarded to the named recipient within the county. 

The children were just so creative and each card is a magical and unique piece of work. They are truly special and it is guaranteed that these cards will bring many smiles to those lucky enough to receive them.

Sometimes the greatest gift we can give is showing kindness. 🌈

Thank you to Paula and Declan and to Orla McGrath of an Garda Síochána and their work with Leitrim Community Forum in putting this project together. 

The Junior Room pupils will colour their own Christmas cards also kindly donated by The Community Garda Policing Unit and give to the recipient of their choice.

Ice-cream treat in the September Sun

Bike Week 2020

Rain Gauge Senior Room

Senior Room pupils have migrated to Google Apps for our Rain Gauge Daily Reading.

Pupils are learning how to take and record readings using the iPad and a class Google Account. We then get the average rainfall for the month and publish the doc. 20mm of rain over the weekend! 

Happy First Holy Communion Day

We wish to congratulate our wonderful pupils on their preparations and participation on their Special Day last Saturday. 

Thank you Fr. Paul for helping us make the day so memorable. 

We will all continue to fill our shopping baskets with kindness, joy and forgiveness. 

A message that we all need to uphold during times of calm seas and in times of upheaval. 

A First Communion Blessing

May you always feel as close to Jesus as you do today,

May you always count on Him to gently guide your way,

May you always trust in God to answer every prayer,

May you always feel Him blessing you with His loving care.

Junior Infant Induction

 

Dear Parents,

We are planning an induction day on Friday 28th of August in the school. This will give the children an opportunity to meet one another and see the school and to meet the teachers before officially starting school on September 1st.

• Parent(s) may drop child off at the school and enter building once social distancing and hand hygiene rules are observed.
• Face coverings will be required by parents inside the school building. 
• This will be a relaxed session and pupils are not required to wear their uniform. 
• Parent(s) may leave children at the school and return for "pick up" 30 mins later. Session should be finished by 10.45/11am allowing for drop off /collection time.
• Children are not required to bring food or bags of any kind. 

Any further updates will be communicated by text message. 

We are all really looking forward to meeting our new Junior Infants! 

Happy Holidays!

Thank you to every pupil and family in our school for the amazing work completed by each and every one of you both in and out of Google Classroom throughout school closures. 

Thank you to our teachers and staff for their stellar efforts in keeping learning and motivation going for everyone. It was so nice to feel a closing to the school year for many reasons. The digital classroom was not without its technical hitches and steep learning curves for all parties but we all got on with things as best as we could and came out better for it in the end! Children, parents and teachers did this without any formal training or advance planning. 

This was a wonderful achievement for everyone involved, perhaps one we will only fully understand in the coming months. Comhghairdeas!

We would like to wish our 6th class pupils the very best in their move to secondary school in the autumn. We would in particular like to thank Master Gerard Reilly for sending a special message to you all shared last week. We also thank our Parents’ Association for all their efforts in giving the children the send off they deserved with goodie bags, vouchers and souvenir t-shirts. 

And now for the practical: 

Booklists: 

• Junior Infants click here (note on the original booklist Handwriting Copies B4 x2 is listed. Please change to B2 x 2)
• Senior Infants click here (note on the original booklist Handwriting Copies B4 x2 is listed. Please change to B2 x 2)
• First Class click here
• Second Class click here
• Senior Room click here (3rd and 4th class to purchase Bua na Cainte 3 only)

Feedback from families is that it is useful for you all to gave access to a digital copy of our booklist in addition to the printed copy posted to you all last week.

Any important updates will be sent by text message over the summer. These may direct you to view more detailed updates on website or Google Classroom. 

Wishing you all a lovely summer, be kind, keep washing those hands and above all else stay safe. 

Le dea ghuí,

Mrs. Gilmartin and all staff at Leckaun N.S. 

First Communion Note

Admissions Policy - Consultation with Parents

Overview

As for all schools in the country, Leckaun National School is obliged to follow the steps set out below.

Parents, pupils and staff are requested to review this draft policy and submit comments or suggested amendments via email to info@leckaunns.ie

The Board of Management will consider these comments and suggested amendments with a view towards approving the policy for sending to the School’s Patron: Monsignor Liam Kelly, Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Kilmore

All submissions will be considered by the Board.

This Admissions policy will replace our current Enrolment policy. 

Introduction to the process

Certain sections of the Education (Admissions to Schools)  Act 2018, relating to the school admission process, commenced on February 1st 2020. The key dates for the preparation and publication of an Admissions policy are set out in the new requirements that apply to admission from September 2021 onwards.

Preparation of a draft admission policy

Section 62(1) of the act require Boards of Management to prepare a draft admission policy following consultation with the Patron, parents of students attending the school and staff.

Catholic schools have to use the template provided by the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) to prepare a draft admission policy and submit the draft to the patron for approval.

Review of draft admission policy by Patron

The Patron must approve the draft admission policy or approve the draft admission policy subject to modifications.

Where the draft policy is approved subject to modification, the Board of Management will have two weeks within which to make the specified modifications and return to the patron for Patron approval.

The admission policy must be approved by the Patron by 15th September 2020.

Publication of admissions policy

Boards of Management are required to publish the school’s admissions policy on the school website on or after 1st September 2020 and, on written request, make copies available to parents, the Minister for Education of the public.

Draft Admissions Policy Leckaun National School

Goodbye Miss Maguire

Today is Miss Maguire’s last day with us at Leckaun NS. On behalf of the staff and pupils I would like to say thank you to Ms Maguire for all her hard work this year. It has been a pleasure having her in our school this year. Unfortunately we cannot give our thanks in person but hopefully she will come back to see us soon!

Junior Room

Here is a reminder of some of the activities the pupils in the Junior Room have been up to this year.

School Transport Applications

Applications for school transport for the new school year are currently open and can be accessed at
http://www.buseireann.ie/schooltransport

Details of the scheme are also on the Bus Eireann website and the Facebook page at
https://www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/School-Transport/

Instructional Texts

Children created instructional texts for their partner to follow. 

Folens Online

Bua na Cainte

Junior & Senior Infants - Bua na Cainte B
1st & 2nd Class - Bua na Cainte 2

Topic - Siopadoireacht

Report Writing

Children worked in groups to research and present a report on an animal of their choice. 

Research work

Group One presenting alligator report. 

Research work

Group 2 presenting gorilla report.

Research work

Group 3 presenting Siberian tiger report. 

Research work

Group 4 presenting panda report. 

Project Work

Children chose their own topic to research for their project. They worked together in groups, shared their own knowledge of the topic and researched new information. They then presented their completed project to the class. 

Farming Project

Parke's Castle Project

 France Project 

World War II Project

Croke Park Project

Learning at Home Booklets

https://www.tts-group.co.uk/home+learning+activities.html

All Class Levels - Reading

Vooks

All class levels

Vooks is committed to being a resource for families to keep kids reading at home. 

Vooks can also be a welcome distraction for parents, allowing them to enjoy

time with their kids, watching and discussing books together.

To help, we have created take-home lesson plans that can be shared with

parents and guardians -

built to provide children with 20 minutes a day of read aloud time and activities.

https://www.vooks.com/ 

Notes: Free one month, sign up required

EPIC

Epic! is an online library which offers over 35000 resources including

“Read to Me” books, audiobooks, student tracking, reading level linkage

with Accelerated Reader and other reading levelling schemes.

It also offers high interest texts such as National Geographic Kids

and Guinness Book of Records. It is suitable for children from ages 4-12.

https://www.pdst.ie/DistanceLearning/SourcesofInformation#epic

Junior Room - English

Writing Legends

Junior Classes

As part of their Assistance for Schools response to Coronavirus they are

providing Writing Legends free of charge through to July 31, 2020.

Writing Legends is a comprehensive writing program, containing

hundreds of activities for students in grades 3 to 6.

The regular price is $11.50 (USD) per student. 

https://www.writinglegends.com/

Teach Your Monster to Read

Infants to 1st Class. 

Teach Your Monster to Read is a fun activity that helps infants work

on everything from initial sounds, CVC words, blends and

digraphs all the way to full words and sentences.

The Web platform is free for teachers and students

(the App costs, but is not necessary).

Teachers can set up a class quite easily and can simplify passwords.

Great fun game that children can engage with at home

(pupils work through independently).  

https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/

Poetry - 1st/2nd Class

Over the past month we have been looking at poetry. Write your own poem about St. Patrick's Day and Spring.

https://www.twinkl.ie/resource/t2-t-1080-st-patricks-day-acrostic-poem

https://www.twinkl.ie/resource/spring-aistear-acrostic-poem-roi-t-20162628

Free Twinkl membership can be gotten for one months as per previous post.

Sligo Weekender - Activities for Kids

ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS DAY 3🖍️

The Sligo Weekender launched a daily art challenge for primary school aged children and younger.
Children will be given a theme every morning and asked to draw or paint something that inspires them related to that theme (it can be as basic as the child wants).
Something to keep the kids occupied while self-isolating.
The response we have had is phenomenal, we could literally put out a paper with just kids pictures in it so please dont promise them it will be in, however unfortunately there is no end in sight yet so if its the picture they draw isnt in this week it may be in in the coming weeks

🤳 Parents are then asked to take a picture of the artwork with their phone and email us a picture of the artwork to kids@sligoweekender.ie

🖼️ We will print random pictures every Thursday from the selection along with the childs name address and age.

👨‍👩‍👧 Our theme for Wednesday has been picked by Eireann Healy from Kilglass Co Sligo and it is "Your Favourite Cartoon" the deadline for submissions is today at 10pm

As always if you or yours want assistance of any type message us here or text or call 0877084943

Much Love
Dot & team xxxx

https://www.facebook.com/139420522800336/photos/2145906748818360/

Jolly Phonics

This week we are revising the letter sounds p & n. Please revise making this letter and the Jolly phonic songs and stories.

Continue to practice Tricky Words. - Junior Infants 1 - 30

Senior Infants 30 - 60

https://www.jollylearning.co.uk/resource-bank/handy-tricky-word-list/

Junior & Senior Infants

Following on from our stories The Bad Tempered Ladybird, The Very Quiet Cricket and The Tiny Seed lets look at the story The Very Busy Spider. This links to our topics on the Garden Centre, minibeasts and Spring.

Draw a picture and retell the story. SI -Try to write 2 sentences about the story.

Find other resources and activities to try at https://teachingmama.org/the-very-busy-spider-activities/

Twinkl

All Classes

Twinkl are offering all parents and teachers a One Month FREE Ultimate Membership to Twinkl.ie. This will allow parents and teachers unlimited access to every single resource for every single curriculum subject from junior infants to sixth class.

www.twinkl.ie/offer

Notes: Setting this up is really easy to do - go to www.twinkl.ie/offer and enter the code IRLTWINKLHELPS. This code will only work for new memberships. If you are an existing member with a Core or Extra membership, please get in touch and we will upgrade you to Ultimate right away.

Useful Websites

Here is a list of some useful websites for pupils to continue their learning from home.

*Scholastic has created a free learn-from-home site with 20+ days of learning and activities.

https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html

*Pretend to travel the world..Go on a virtual tour of these 12 famous museums. 

https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/museums-with-virtual-tours

https://allinonehomeschool.com/

*List of thinking games by grade: https://allinonehomeschool.com/thinking/

**More awesome free learning websites that we like to use**

https://www.starfall.com/h/

https://www.abcya.com/

https://www.funbrain.com/

https://www.splashlearn.com/

https://www.storylineonline.net/

https://pbskids.org/

https://www.highlightskids.com/

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/

https://www.coolmath4kids.com/

http://www.mathgametime.com/

https://www.uniteforliteracy.com/

http://www.literactive.com/Home/index.asp

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/

https://www.switchzoo.com/

https://www.seussville.com/

https://www.turtlediary.com/

https://www.e-learningforkids.org/

Learning Resources

Here are some additional online resources to keep pupils busy over the next couple of weeks.

Online resources:

- BrainPop

- Curiosity Stream

- Tynker

- Outschool

- Udemy

- iReady

- Beast Academy (Math)

- Khan Academy

- Creative Bug

- Discovery Education

YouTube Channels:

- Crash Course Kids

- Science Channel

- SciShow Kids

- National  Geographic Kids

- Free School

- Geography Focus

- TheBrainScoop

- SciShow

- Kids Learning Tube

- Geeek Gurl Diaries

- Mike Likes Science

- Science Max

- SoulPancake

Lots of board games, library books (and Kindle), tinkering/upcycling with household junk, etc.