Míle Buíochas

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone in our community, Board of Management, Staff, Parents and Children who have worked so hard to ensure Kilglass National School was a place of joyful learning.

The contribution of many people, working together to create and sustain places of belonging, of care and of shared interest and experience has enabled Kilglass National School to thrive over the past academic year.

Bí Cineálta

• Over the course of the 2024/2025 academic year Kilglass National School developed a Bí Cineálta  Anti-Bulling policy that sets out how the school community prevents and addresses bullying behaviour. We engaged with the school community to develop and review our policy. During this school year staff, parents and pupils were consulted and involved in the development of the new policy for Kilglass National School which will come into effect from September 2025.  This policy has been formally adopted by the Board of Management and is now available to view on our school website.
• A student-friendly version of the school’s Bí Cineálta policy was also developed with the children in the school. We surveyed all the children from Junior Infants to Sixth Class in the school, the children across the school have created posters and artwork on key messages on Bí Cineálta and in June an artist Karen Webster came into the school to work with the children to create the Kilglass Child Friendly version of the Bí Cineálta poster for Kilglass National School incorporating all of their drawings and ideas ensuring that we are capturing the children’s voice. The student-friendly version of the school’s Bí Cineálta policy is also available to view on our school website and will be on display in the classrooms and school corridors from September 2025.

Making Memories

• Congratulations to all the boys and girls in Brogan’s Class who made their First Holy Communion in May.
• It was great to see the children heading off on school tours to Bay Sports in Hodson Bay, The National Gallery and National Museum of Ireland in Dublin and to LETS GO in Sligo ATU filling them with memories full of fun and enjoyment.
• Debates, Christmas Shoe Box Appeal, Food Dudes, World Book Day, Credit Union School Quiz, Christmas Jumper Day for Down Syndrome Ireland, non-uniform day for the Order of Malta and First Aid Foundation Course in Fourth and Fifth Class were some of the programmes which were thoroughly enjoyed by many of the classes across the school.

Music Matters

• A big thank you to Mark McGovern from Music Generation who shared his fantastic musical talents with the children in Senior Infants and First Class during Term 1 and Junior Infants in Term 2 and 3.
• Thank you to Ms Brogan and Mrs Lynott for all the work with the School Choir during the year marking all our special occasions.
• This year, our tin whistle throughout the school has gone from strength to strength. Thanks to this DEIS initiative, the children from First to Sixth Class have been learning the tin whistle from Aileen Bourke.  This has been a great success; the children have made so much progress and it is lovely to hear music wafting down the corridors on a daily basis.  It was a great marker to have the children in Second and Third Class play at First Communion and our End of Year Mass.  Thank you Aileen for all your work.

Sporting Matters

• Thank you to our local CDOs. We had football with John Kelly during the year.  A big thank you to Conor Gormley (Sligo GAA) who did lots of work with the boys and girls too.
• This year we had a fantastic Sports Day in Kilglass N.S. A big thank you to all the teachers and team of coaches from Sligo GAA who made it an event not to forget – full of fun activities, skills challenges and games for all involved.  Míle Buíochas to the Parent Association who organised an ice-cream van on the following day to mark the event.
• It was great to get our Swimming up and running once again this year in the school with Second and Third Class taking the plunge over the last few weeks.
• Cycle Right in Sixth Class, Ag Súgradh le Chéile in Ms Duffy’s Junior Infants with SSP and a Basketball Blitz in Ballina with Ms O Meara were other sporting highlights during the year.
• Comhghairdeas to the Kilglass N.S. Boys and Girls football and soccer teams on their great campaigns in the various competitions and blitzes. While we went without silverware this year these are great times for the boys and girls to treasure and look back on in years to come.  Thank you to all the teachers, parents, grandparents, siblings and classmates who brought massive support for all their matches.  A special thank you to Mrs Lynott and Ms McDermott on all the work they have put in with both the boys and girls teams during the year.

Green Schools News

• Kilglass National School received their ninth new Green School Flag on the theme of Global Citizenship and Travel. A big thank you in particular to Ms McDermott and the Green School Committee who have worked tirelessly on this theme.  Míle Buíochas to Mrs Mulhern who marked this special occasion for Kilglass National School by raising the Green Flag with committee members, Ione Reynolds, Rian Finnerty and Kai Mahon.
• The children in Fourth and Fifth Class did a series of Biodiversity workshops with Daithi Lavelle over the last few weeks. They visited Kilglass Woods, a local bog and the shoreline in Easkey and were exposed to wealth of information and hands on workshops.  The children learned loads as their curiosity was sparked.  A massive thank you to Daithi Lavelle for all his work with the children.
• Sixth Class enjoyed an excellent visit to SSE Dunneill Wind Farm led by Martin Burns. The students enjoyed a tour around the site, seeing the windmills in action and even got to explore the inside of one.

Creative Arts

• Thank you to Lorraine Battle for involving the children in the creation of many marvellous constructions for the Scary Woods Walk in Kilglass House at Halloween.
• We continued our great work this year in the exciting, innovative project involving our Creative Cluster of Excellence in conjunction with the Department of Education and our neighbouring schools of Stokane N.S., Rathlee N.S. and Killeenduff N.S. Puppetry with puppeteer Carmel Balfe from Little Gem Puppets was the focus.  The children in Second and Third Class created a 7-foot Black Pig of Enniscrone, who we christened Dubhán Muc Dubh.  Lorg na Sceálaíochta was the centre piece of this creative collaboration which was a fantastic success in Kilglass Woods.  Kilglass N.S. were lead-school of this project, a big thank you to Ms Brogan for co-ordinating and pioneering this project and we look forward to sharing more of this project on our School Website in the weeks ahead.
• BLAST is an artist in residency scheme funded by both the Department of Education and Skills and Creative Ireland. Under Ms. Brogan guidance’s Second and Third Class worked with the illustrator Linda Farhlin. Using the Kilglass NS stories from the Dúchas Schools Collection, we worked with Linda, who is an award-winning professional illustrator to bring 5 of these stories to life, in keeping with the theme of our Creative Cluster project.
• We had an artwork on display in the foyer for the last few weeks of Term 3, a piece by Róisín Hahessey entitled Education which was an Art Loan from the Glucksman
• Our Christmas Plays went from strength to strength this year. A Miracle in Town, Straw and Order, Rudolph agus an Nollaig, Mr Scrooge My Teacher and Home Alone in Kilglass were the productions which showcased the talent of all the boys and girls in the school.
• March 2025 saw the establishment of our Buíon Ildánach, a group of children representing the overall pupil cohort in Kilglass NS who were are working to support the development of creativity in our school. Watch this space, we envisage this key student led committee going from strength to strength next year.

Literacy

• Recount writing has been a key focus during Term 1, Narrative writing for Term 2 and Procedural writing for Term 3. Samples of writing have been continually changing and on display on our School Writing Board.  First and Second Class completed a great programme of Literacy Lift-Off.
• The children from Second Class to Sixth Class enjoyed a series of writing workshops with author Gerry Boland during Term 1. The children explored different forms of poetry and narrative writing and the quality of writing produced was fantastic!
• Fighting Words was another great writing workshop which the children from Second and Third Class were fortunate to participate in during Term 2.
• Jackie Clarke Storytelling Workshops took place in the school with Ms Duffy’s Junior Infants and Ms Meeneghan’s Senior Infants and First Class. All of these enriching curricular experiences are of huge benefit to the children.
• Well Done to Ms Brogan and the boys and girls in Second and Third Class who were filmed teaching a Gaeilge lesson. This will be on the NCCA website as an exemplar for teachers and part of the PLC/CTB Toolkit for Teachers.
• Kilglass National School received a bursary in conjunction with the Teaching Council and SCOTENS to enhance CLIL methodologies in Mathematics of €5,000. This project will be rolled out in the 2025/2026 academic year.

Numeracy

• Our Maths Puzzler of the Week went from strength to strength during Term 1 and Term 2.  Children are full of excitement and enthusiasm as they eagerly engage with the maths puzzles each week. Hands-on materials, Izak 9 and the Prim Ed Maths Box series continue to delight throughout the classrooms.
• Maths Week 2024 was a great success in October with an assortment of activities such as Exploring Maths in Art, Maths Eyes, Maths Stations and Games in the Hall and Maths Trails around the School.
• The key pedagogical practices of Using Cognitively Challenging Tasks, Promoting Maths Talk, Emphasising Mathematical Modelling, Encouraging Playfulness and Fostering a Productive Disposition were interwoven in teacher practice as we engaged in the roll out of the PMC.

Aladdin Connect

• Thank you to parents who have downloaded the Aladdin Connect App. Parents providing reasons for absences via Aladdin Connect is proving a great success, the Parent Teacher Meeting Scheduler was very effective and releasing our School Reports where you can keep them all safely in the same place has been a great new feature.
• A reminder that every day counts. Please support the school and help your child by making sure that he/she is in school every day every week for the full day all year round. This is very important and your interest and support in this crucial area of school attendance is vital.

School Reports

• Please find your child’s/children’s school report(s) enclosed on the Aladdin App. End of year reports are shared with parents through Aladdin Connect. If you have any difficulty accessing your child’s report please contact the school. Should you wish to speak with your child’s class teacher please make an appointment with Colette in the office.

Book Rental Scheme

• The Free Primary Schoolbooks Scheme in primary schools continues again next year and will remove the cost from families of funding schoolbooks for children enrolled in primary schools. Parents are no longer required to make any contribution towards the cost of schoolbooks, including the cost of any workbooks and copybooks. These books will be on loan to children and returned at the end of the year.
• Class stationery lists for September will issue this week.

School Development and Maintenance

• Thank you to the BoM who facilitate many projects which continue to maintain and develop the school making it a lovely learning environment for all the children.

Parent Association

• Thank you to Kilglass Parent Association for the various ways that they supported the school during the year including:
• The Christmas Raffle
• Quiz Night in the Hilltop
• 6^th Class Hoodies
• First Communion Reception
• Ice-Cream Van
• This summer, the Parent Association in conjunction with one of our School DEIS initiatives, have revitalised and introduced new playground equipment for all the children in the school. Míle Buíochas.

Slán le Rang a Sé

• On Wednesday 18^th June, we had our 6^th Class Graduation Mass in the Church of the Holy Family. This was followed by a Reception in the school and our 6^th Class video, cake etc.
• We send our very best wishes to all of the children in Sixth Class. Kilglass National School is where you have been making friends, working together in teams, discovering your talents and developing them to the best of your ability.  You have shown a great sense of community as a class, by being kind, supportive and generous.  As you now say goodbye to your primary years, and look forward to your first year in secondary school, we wish each and every one of you every happiness as you continue your educational journey.
• This year marks the end of a chapter for the Coggins, Gordan, Hanley, Healy, Kearns, Jones, Lynott, Sheridan and Tuffy families who are finishing their association with Kilglass National School after a long number of years. I would like to thank them for their support and wish them well.  Beir beannacht d’on todchaí.

New Junior Infants

• On Wednesday 11^th June we had an induction day for all our new Junior Infants between 10.00a.m. and 12.30p.m. It was great for the children to meet each other and acclimatise to their new surroundings in a safe and reassuring way before the new academic year.

Blúiríní / Snippets

• A big thank you to Ms Duffy, Mrs Meeneghan, Ms Brogan, Mrs Lynott, Ms McDermott, Ms O’Meara, Ms Dillon, Martin, Lisa, Colette and Helena for all their commitment to the school over the year.
• The school calendar for 2025/2026 is available to view on our school’s website.
• School for the academic year 2025-2026 will re-open for children on Thursday 28^th
• School Opening Times: 09.10 to 13.50 Junior and Senior Infants; 09:10 to 14:50 First to Sixth Class.

Finally

Thank you once again to all our parents for your ongoing support, cooperation and understanding over the last academic year.  We wish everyone a safe, restful and fun summer.

Le gach dea-ghuí,

Jarlath Brennan (Príomhoide)