St. Oliver Plunkett N.S.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

As the dust settles on another school year and the classrooms fall quiet for the summer, I want to take a moment to reflect on what has been a joyful, busy, and memorable final term at our school.

The past few weeks have been filled with celebration, laughter, and learning - from school tours and special visitors to sports, music, creativity, and shared moments that brought our school community together. It’s been a fitting end to a year full of growth, friendship, and fun.

On a personal note, I would like to sincerely thank you all for the warm welcome you have extended to me in my first few months as principal. It has been an exciting and rewarding start, and I feel very privileged to be part of such a vibrant and supportive school community.

I would also like to express my gratitude to all parents for your continued support, to our fantastic Parents’ Association for your energy and commitment, and to the Board of Management for your dedication and guidance throughout the year.

I hope this final newsletter offers a snapshot of the enthusiasm, creativity, and spirit that your children bring to school each day. We are incredibly proud of all they have achieved.

Wishing you and your families a safe, happy, and restful summer.

Le gach dea-ghuí,
Ian Corbett

This week, we bid farewell to 13 wonderful Sixth Class pupils. Saying goodbye is never easy, but we do so with pride, knowing that they are ready for this next exciting chapter.

Each of these pupils has made a lasting, positive contribution to our school over the past eight years, across so many aspects of school life. On Wednesday, they marked their graduation with a joyful celebration, showcasing an impressive array of talents for all in attendance.

We are incredibly proud of each and every one of them and wish them the very best as they begin their journey in secondary school.

We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to their parents and families for their continued support and active involvement in school life throughout the years.

We wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to our wonderful volunteers (and parents!) Terry, Fiona, Denise, and John from Carbury GAA, who have been visiting our school over the past few weeks to lead football training sessions with each class. Their energy, encouragement, and passion for the game have brought a fantastic buzz to the yard, and the pupils have thoroughly enjoyed every session.

As part of Active Schools Week, they also arranged a special visit from two current Kildare Senior Team players, and proud past pupils of Killina N.S.,Tommy Gill and Claire Sullivan. Tommy and Claire joined our pupils for a training session and followed it up with a brilliant Q&A, inspiring the next generation with their stories and advice.

We were delighted to welcome Broadford GAA to our school recently, where they delivered hurling taster session to each class. These sessions provided a fantastic opportunity for pupils of all ages and abilities to try out the sport in a fun, supportive, and inclusive environment.

The children enjoyed learning and practising basic hurling skills through a variety of engaging activities and games, many of them picking up a hurley for the very first time.

We are very grateful to the Broadford GAA coaches for their enthusiasm, encouragement, and for helping to spark an interest in hurling among our pupils. We hope to see many of them take up the sport and get involved in the local club in the months and years ahead.

3rd and 4th Class brought their school year to a joyful close with a collaborative Ukulele Workshop at the Riverbank Theatre in Newbridge. The pupils played alongside other young musicians in a lively and engaging session led by a team of talented music educators.

After the workshop, the classes enjoyed some time in the park, where they explored the colourful and creative Yarn Bomb art installation, bringing a bright and playful end to a fantastic day out!

We are encouraging all our pupils to take part in Summer Stars, the free national reading programme for children, running in all public libraries and online from 3rd June to 30th August 2025.

Organised by Kildare Library Services as part of a nationwide initiative, Summer Stars is a wonderful opportunity to foster a love of reading over the holidays. Children of all ages and reading levels are invited to read books of their choice during the summer months and can track their progress with fun incentives and rewards along the way.

Whether your child is already a keen reader or just getting started, this programme is a fantastic way to keep up reading skills, spark imagination, and explore new stories during the long summer break.

You can sign up at your local library, borrow books for free, and even take part in events and competitions throughout the summer.

More information is available at www.summerstars.ie or from your nearest library.

This year’s Killina’s Got Talent was a fantastic celebration of the amazing talent in our school, from singing and dancing to skipping and gymnastics, every act brought energy and excitement to the stage.

A huge congratulations to our winning act, The HO’s, who wowed the crowd and judges alike with their brilliant performance of Riptide. Their passion, stage presence, and teamwork truly stole the show!

Well done to all our performers – you made it an event to remember!

The junior classes enjoyed a magical Teddy Bears' Picnic at school recently. With their favourite teddies in tow, the children shared snacks, played games, and soaked up the sunshine together. It was a lovely way to celebrate the end of a great year with lots of smiles and cuddles all around!

There was great excitement at school this week when the ice cream van arrived for a surprise visit! The pupils loved the chance to enjoy a cool treat in the sunshine, making for a fun and memorable day.

A big thank you to our wonderful Parents' Association for organising this special treat for the children. It was very much appreciated!

We were thrilled to welcome Ian Brabazon to our school this week for a fantastic drumming workshop with each class. The pupils had a brilliant time exploring rhythm, beats, and teamwork through music, and the energy around the school was electric!

As well as drumming, Ian also gave a fascinating demonstration on how a microphone works. He recorded the pupils’ voices and played them back with fun effects; high-pitched, low-pitched, and even backwards! It was both educational and great fun, sparking lots of curiosity and laughter.

A special word of thanks to Ian for taking time out of his busy schedule to lead these engaging and creative sessions. It was a memorable experience for all involved and a wonderful start to our final week of the school year.

Our school tours were a big hit this year!

The junior classes had an action-packed day at Causey Farm, where they enjoyed a range of activities, with bog jumping being a particular highlight! There were smiles, laughter, and plenty of muddy clothes by the end of the day.

Meanwhile, the senior classes headed to Emerald Park, where they experienced thrilling rides, exciting attractions, and a great day of fun with friends. It was a well-deserved treat after a busy school year.

A big thank you to all the staff and helpers who made both tours so enjoyable and memorable for the children.

Our annual Sports Day was a fantastic celebration of fun, celebration, and school spirit! From sprints and basketball, to a penalty shoot out and tug-of-war, our pupils gave it their all, showing great energy, teamwork, and encouragement throughout the day.

One of the highlights was the ever-popular mothers, fathers and toddlers race, which brought big laughs and great excitement from the crowd, a brilliant reminder that Sports Day is for everyone, big and small!

A huge thank you to all the staff who made the day such a success. Well done to all our pupils, you did Killina N.S. proud!

As we come to the end of another school year, I would like to express my sincere thanks to our Parents Association. The Parents Association plays an invaluable role in the life of our school, and your dedication, support, and tireless efforts throughout the year have been deeply appreciated.

From organising events and treats to supporting school initiatives, your involvement has made a real difference to the experiences of our pupils and staff alike.

On behalf of the Board of Management, all school staff, and pupils, thank you for everything you do.

Wishing all our families a safe, restful, and enjoyable summer break!