Parents
Parents are the primary educators of their children and while all children are at school, teachers are in loco parentis.
This unique scenario, in the school setting, illustrates the importance of a close link between teachers and parents.
All parents are valued members of our school community. We aim to maintain excellent relationships at all times.
Mutual respect, care and support for the child and clear communication are the cornerstones of all interactions between staff and parents.
Communication with the school
Your child's homework journal provides the primary means of sending a note to his teacher.
In the event that the journal cannot be used, email and telephone messages to the school office can also be forwarded to your child's teacher.
We have an Open Door Policy, any parent may contact the school at anytime. If you have any concern about your child's learning or their development, please let us know.
We will help lead your child's learning in our role as educational professionals. Should the need arise, we may refer you to other specialists in other disciplines if we feel it necessary. We have great experience of liaising with psychologists, speech and language therapists, play therapists, occupational therapists and counsellors. If your child requires additional support, we will guide you.
Parent Teacher meetings are held annually. These meetings are a valuable means to allow both parents and teachers to highlight each child's abilities, to plan for maintaining good routines, to aid the child's development and to plan further learning. To facilitate working parents we can facilitate telephone meetings if desired.
Parents' Association
Our Parents' Association provides tremendous support to our school. They organise interesting talks for the parent body on topics such as internet safety, healthy eating, parenting and the transition to secondary school. They have also facilitated talks by individual parents.
All parents are members of the Parents' Association. There is also a committee that helps to organise events.
Our PA has always played a vital role with fundraising. We, as a school community, concentrate all efforts into a single annual fundraising event, the Cake Sale.
Annual Cake Sale
The Cake Sale sees parents, staff and pupils making and baking items for sale. There is also a bric a brac section.
Our Cake Sale was traditionally held before St. Patrick's Day however in recent years we have moved the event to the final term, usually in late June.
The Cake Sale is a highlight of the school year with many raffle prizes on offer.
Come and join us for our next Cake Sale, you might grab a bargain or a tasty treat !
Funding Support
Funds raised by our parents have been used to buy resources and develop resources to support the education of all pupils.
In recent years we have purchased a great deal of additional ICT equipment, built an outdoor classroom and an all weather playing surface.
We have many plans for future development of our school facilities, support of the Parents' Association is key to us achieving our goals.
If you have some time to offer to volunteer for our PA, please contact the school office by email at office@1867.ie and we will pass on your details to the committee members.
Home School Community Liaison Teacher
Niamh Mc Gonigle is our Home School Community Liaison teacher. Niamh links in with all parents to help support their child's education. She provides a vital link between school and home.
You can read more about Niamh's role here LINK.
DEIS Status
We learned in 2022 that St. Mary's was one of the new schools granted DEIS Status. We are delighted to be included in the DEIS scheme as it affords great benefits to our pupils.
Hot Meals Daily
One of the most tangible and impactful measures relating to DEIS is the provision of hot food to all pupils every day.
The children can login online with a unique PIN and change their menu options up until Thursday afternoon of the week before.
