Newsletter

As we head into the winter break, we want to acknowledge the hard work and positive attitude shown by all our students this term. They’ve been engaged, curious and full of energy, and it’s been great to see their confidence growing across the school.

We’re already looking forward to Term 2, which will bring plenty of learning, new projects and - of course - our preparations for the school show in the spring. The excitement is building, and we’re delighted to see the children so enthusiastic about getting involved.

Thank you to all families for your support throughout the term. There are only three weeks to the Winter Holidays. So I hope you have a restful and enjoyable break, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back in the new year.

We were blown away by the amount raised by you for the Spooky Sponsored Walk event organised by our dedicated PGA.

You raised a whopping €3800

Thank you so much for your incredible generosity and support! This money will go towards the playground plans that are already well underway! Watch this space! It was a fantastic event and a great day out!

Thank you to our wonderful PGA for all the work that goes into organising these community building and fundraising events.

It was an incredible sight to see the generators being craned out on Friday. These have kept our school going since September 2021 but I have never been so pleased to see the back of anything. Cranking genies in the cold and wet is not something we will miss.

We are finally fully connected to mains ESB now 🎉

We have newly ratified policies to bring to your attention. These are available to view via our website www.sletns.ie under the policies tab.

• Communication Policy
• Dignity at Work Policy
• Smart Devices Policy
• Swimming Policy
• Safety, Health and Welfare Policy
• Internet Acceptable Use Policy
• Autism Class and Integration Policy

All Smart Devices (phones, watches etc.) must be handed into the office in the morning and may be collected at home time.

Thank you to all the parents and guardians who have already offered to take part in our “W”Intercultural Fair.

We’re really looking forward to showcasing the many cultures, languages, and traditions that make our school community so special.

If you’re still thinking about getting involved but haven’t filled out the form yet, please know that you’re very welcome to do so. Every contribution, big or small, adds to the experience for the children.

During Intercultural Week, we would also love to invite parents and guardians to visit their child’s class to read a story, teach a song, share a tradition, or simply talk about where your family comes from. If this is something you’d like to do, just contact the office and we’ll help you arrange a time with the class teacher.

Celebrating our diversity helps the children see that all cultures, languages, and backgrounds are valued here - and we would be delighted to include as many families as possible.

You can have a look at the chart below to see what countries are represented so far. The link to the Form is here if you would like to get involved:

https://forms.gle/JiYNYuDTToVWhvFT9

We are very excited to present our first whole-school show. The production will be led by 4th and 5th Class, with all classes taking part. Because of our school’s size and the capacity of the venue, the show will run over two nights in the Nano Nagle Theatre at Presentation Secondary School, Ballyphehane on the 23rd and 24th of March. Save the Date!

Auditions for 4th & 5th Class will take place on Monday, 1st December. There is no obligation for children to audition, only if your child is interested in a slightly bigger part.

Every child in 4th & 5th classes will have the option of a small speaking part if they would like one. We will cast two children for each main role (e.g., Matilda X and Matilda Y). Matilda X will perform on Night 1 and Matilda Y on Night 2 etc.

We will share more information for the other classes soon. For now, our priority is to ensure that children with speaking parts receive their scripts before the winter break so they can begin learning lines and songs if they wish.

As we move into the festive season, it’s a good time to reaffirm an important part of our Educate Together ethos: our school community includes many different family traditions, celebrations, and beliefs. This diversity is something we value and actively support.

In school, we encourage children to share what they believe, while also helping them understand that others may believe something different. What we emphasise is simple:
It’s okay to believe what you believe, and it’s okay for someone else to believe something different — but we don’t tell someone else that their belief isn’t real or is wrong.

This approach helps protect all children. It can be upsetting for a child to be told that something they believe “isn’t real,” and equally confusing for a child to hear a belief they don’t share stated as fact. By focusing on respect and kindness in how we talk to one another, we support every child’s sense of comfort and belonging.

We kindly ask parents and guardians to have a conversation at home to help prepare children for the different viewpoints they may hear in school. For example, some families have strong traditions around Santa, while others do not; some celebrate specific religious festivals, and others choose not to. Talking about this in advance really helps children navigate these conversations respectfully.

Thank you for your support in reinforcing this message. Working together helps us create a school environment where all pupils feel respected and included, whatever their family’s beliefs or traditions.

We know how busy this time of year can be. We do not set homework for the month of December.