May 2021

May 2021

by | May 3, 2021 | Newsletter

Dear Parents & Guardians,

This month our Newsletter is a special edition paying tribute to Mikey Kehoe RIP, a much loved and missed member of our school community.
I don’t think anyone who had the privilege of meeting Mikey, even briefly, will not remember him!
He was and will always be an exceptional individual, small in stature but with a huge personality.
We claim him as our own, a superhero who did not let his difficulties define him, a cherished member of the family of Fatima School.
We hope you will enjoy our memories of Mikey.

Mrs. Waters

Junior 1

Remembering Marvelous Mikey

Junior 3

I had the pleasure of teaching Mikey for three years. I had Mikey in my class for two years in Junior 2 and a further year in Junior 3. Mikey was an absolute joy to teach. His positive attitude, determination and zest for life were an inspiration to all staff and to his fellow students.

Nothing was impossible for Mikey. He brought a smile to my face everyday. Mikey’s character, personality and general good nature was infectious, there was never a dull moment and he brought the best out in all of us. I can still picture his warm smile and the thumbs up gesture he would greet me with. I especially will never forget how proud and handsome he was on the day of his First Communion in Junior 3. Even when Mikey was unwell or battling ailments, his positivity and fight were obvious.

His warmth, courage and loving nature were always clear to see. Mikey will never be forgotten and his spirit will live on in us all and within our school.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h’anam dílis

Andy Lehane

 

Middle 4

Mikey, I had the pleasure of being one of your SNAs in Junior 4. Day after day you arrived in school, always with a smile on your face, guaranteed to cheer me up. You came into the class, got on with your work with gusto, as you couldn’t wait to get on the computer to play FRIV with the boys!
It was an all boys’ class and you all got on great together, you had a special relationship with each of your classmates. Mikey, you just got on with things, whatever they did, you did, big or small. You were the best at the Plank in P.E, you just couldn’t be beaten. You passed away, so innocent and true, a little boy with a precious smile. The time we spent in school with you was a privilege. You taught us so much, you were our SUPERHERO, our Captain America, First Avenger Super Soldier, nothing was impossible, only possible. With an aching heart, we said goodbye to a beautiful boy with a precious smile.
Rest now in heaven, Mighty Mike! Watch over us all in OLF.

Patricia (SNA)

For a special boy
Who brought us great joy
We made a fairy door
We will love you forever more
❤️ Junior 2

Senior 4

 

Middle 2

Junior 4

Senior 3

Senior 3 students have many fond memories of Mikey Kehoe. We shared our stories, lit a candle and said a prayer in remembrance of Mikey.
 At first, when we were thinking about what to do in memory of Mikey, Seán thought that it would be nice to paint a picture of the sky as Mikey looks down on us every day.  One sunny Thursday morning, we went up to ‘The Rocks’ and painted a picture of the sky and sea. Mikey’s light shone down on us and always will. He will be forever in our thoughts and prayers.
Shanice shares her memories with us:
“Mikey Kehoe was a lovely, kind and funny friend. I have a lot of fond memories of him. When I passed him in the hall, Mikey would always give me a high-five. Mikey always smiled and waved hello. Every time the sun is shining, I know he is looking down on us.”

Middle 3 

Our Lady of Fatima Day 2021

We celebrated Our Lady of Fatima Day on the 13th May. The sun was shining,  for the crowning of the exquisite statue of Our Lady. Mary Prunty (SNA), was the Guest of Honour at the “Crowning Ceremony”. 

Ms Weld and John Tyrrell have produced this wonderful resource for all new students who will be attending Our Lady of Fatima, September 2021. It provides them with a wonderful introduction to staff and a virtual tour of the school building. It will help all new students to navigate their new surroundings. 

A Virtual Tour of Our School - Click Here

Important Information for Parents
Sports Day takes place on Friday 11th June. Unfortunately, due to CoVid-19 restrictions, we CANNOT invite PARENTS/GUARDIANS to attend. Pictures/videos will be uploaded to class platforms after the event.
Please send in a pillow case, potato and spoon for your child’s races. These items must be brought in at least 72 hours beforehand, placed in a sealed bag and labelled.  Also please ensure that your son/daughter is wearing sunscreen/hat and has plenty of drinks for the day.  More details to follow!

Home Economics – Middle 4

Middle 4 continues to be a joy in the Home Economics room. They are a keen, polite and industrious group with a fabulous sense of humour. This month they honed their knife skills, preparing fresh vegetables for their own stir-fries. Each student baked a dozen Rhubarb Muffins. This involved lots of practice measuring different ingredients. Their textile projects are nearly finished, ready to be framed.

Home Economics Senior 1

Senior 1 deserves a huge round of applause. Despite schools being shut down in March 2020, then again in January 2021, having the exam date changed again and again, this group persevered in the Home Economic kitchen. Of course I must give huge credit to their parents for their support. The students practiced over and over at home. Finally, the week of May 10th arrived and we were able to complete the “Food Literacy Practical Exam”. Excellent results were achieved and all the stress melted away, when the students were able to sit down and enjoy the delicious food they prepared. I am very proud of their accomplishments!

Junior 1

This month Junior 1 have been busy learning about Food. We classified foods into Healthy and Unhealthy. We’ve been playing “Shop”. We made delicious fruit smoothies and we made butter – which tasted pretty good on crackers. We learned lots of new food-themed Lámh signs. We learned about composting and recycling and we hope to have our own bag of compost by the end of June to add to the garden. 

Junior 4

This month Junior 4 have been learning a lot about the season of Summer. We have been very creative with some amazing summer artwork. We continued our hard work by completing research on Wexford and it’s county crest. 

Return to School Declaration Form

 

Parents are requested to complete a declaration form for children returning to school after any absence.
Please click on the link below to access this form!
Your child’s teacher will also have shared this link with you on class platforms (Class Dojo, Seesaw, Microsoft Teams)

Please remember if your child is generally unwell please do not send them into school for at least 48 hours or until completely better!

Click Here for Return to School Parental Declaration Form

REMINDER

School closed: Thursday 3rd, Friday 4th & Monday 7th June

Return to school – 8th June 2021

Please remember to complete “Return to School Declaration Form” on your child’s return.

April 2021

April 2021

by | Apr 3, 2021 | Newsletter

Dear Parents & Guardians,

Our Lady of Fatima School is so busy at the moment with all the activities taking place and there’s a great sense of wellbeing, energy and positivity! 
World Earth Day generated huge interest in our Planet and was reflected in the beautiful displays and buzz in every classroom!  
In addition to this, seeing the level of “working out” and the competitive element among each group there’s no doubt that our title should be “Fatima the Fittest School in Wexford”.
Well done everyone!

Mrs. Waters
Return to School Declaration Form:

Parents are requested to complete a declaration form for children returning to school after any absence. 
Please click on the link below to access this form!
Your child’s teacher will also have shared this link with you on class platforms (Class Dojo, Seesaw, Microsoft Teams)
Declaration Form

Common symptoms of Covid-19:If any of these symptoms are present children should NOT attend school 1. A fever (high temperature – 38 degrees Celsius or above)
2. A new cough – this can be any kind of cough, not just dry
3. Shortness of breath or breathing difficulties
4. Loss or change to their sense of smell or taste
5. Sore Throat
6. Headache
7. Diarrhoea
 Parents and Guardians are asked to have a heightened awareness of signs, symptoms or changes in baseline which suggests illness/Covid-19 infection.In addition to this, children should stay at home if feeling unwell in general. A precautionary approach should be taken at all times!
For more information on Symptoms – Click here
WORLD EARTH DAY 2021
Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EARTHDAY.ORG including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. Many classes in our school celebrated the day, by taking part in different activities, including discussion, research and hands on activities (e.g. Nature Bracelets – J1)
The theme for 2021 was – “Restore Our Earth”. 

Take a look below at the wonderful display board created by Middle 1 class and Junior 1 modeling their “nature bracelets”. 


 
Wexford’s Fittest School
Our Lady of Fatima are entering a team for ‘Wexford’s Fittest school competition’. This is a fundraiser to raise money for GAA coaching in schools and is a fitness competition based around the popular TV programme ‘Ireland’s Fittest Family’. This has been organised by the Wexford GAA with first prize being €5000 worth of O’Neill’s sports equipment for the winning school.  The four team members representing our school include, teachers Mr. Lehane and Mrs. Sheehan and SNAs Chris and Lorraine.  On Monday 3rd May, they will battle it out against other schools in the county, in timed trial events to see if they can make it through to the semi-final. We wish them the very best of luck and cheer them on as they go for gold!







Fatima FM
 DJ Sheehan presented another high octane show on 23rd April, that included the announcement of results of 2 recent competitions. During the show, Senior 1 class were crowned “Fatima’s Fittest Class”. In order to win this accolade, students had to hold a wall squat and plank for a long as possible (and using the correct position). A combined score of the top 5 performances from each individual class was the criteria for success.
Individual winners of each event were as follows:
1. James and David – Senior 1 – Wall Squat
2. Jenny K – Senior 1 – Plank

For the second competition, students were asked to guess the names of the staff members, who will be representing our school at “Wexford’s Fittest School” (see above). The winner of this competition was Andrew from Senior 2.  Well done everyone! 
ASD Junior Class
This month, Shreya and Chloe have been learning about keeping fit and have been practicing their yoga moves outside in the sunshine. There has been a great improvement of balancing skills using the balance beam. 
It was James’ and Scott’s turn to make smoothies for their healthy eating topic. A perfect healthy treat after all that exercise!


 
Senior 2Art and Craft – Continuing our Mindful Journey!
Students from Senior 2 advocate the arts in allowing for greater focus and concentration throughout the school day. It is especially important in helping them to take time out to relax and recharge.. Wise words indeed!

Junior 2

We celebrated Earth Day on April 22nd and J2 came up with lots of great ways to look after our earth. We made a poster to remind everyone to save water and to plant trees. 
We have been learning all about plants and flowers in SESE. We planted some strawberries, potatoes, some wild flowers and a sunflower. We have been watering them everyday to make sure they grow. 
Van Gogh inspired us to paint some sunflowers in our art lesson.
J2 started horse riding in the last few weeks! We are having such fun riding and looking after the horses! We are also making great progress completing jigsaws!
Have a look below at the fun we are having!




 
ASD Senior Class
This month, senior students from Ms Weld’s class worked really hard on their beautiful string art designs. Hammering nails and designing the string to make these amazing pieces of art. 

Junior 1
Our theme this month is Transport. We looked at photos and discussed trips the children have taken by sea and by air.
We’ve been learning transport themed Lámh signs and integrated the theme into our literacy and numeracy lessons too.
We’re fortunate enough to have an experienced biker in our midst in school and we were very grateful to SNA John Davitt for holding a Q&A session with the children. We saw spectacular photos of some of his trips around Europe and we got see his helmet and gloves!

In keeping with our Transport theme, we’re looking forward to taking the train or bus together to Rosslare Stand in the coming weeks.


 
Home Economics – Senior 1

Senior One has finished honing their practical cookery skills in the home economics room!  They have all learned so much, I really enjoyed teaching this group of students.   Their practical cookery exams will be the week – 10th, 11th, 12th of May.  Each student is responsible to bring their own ingredients to class for their exam.   

 
Home Economics – Middle 4
 M4 has been very busy too in the Home Economics room. This month was especially tasty and fun. Everyone was delighted with their pizza scones. They all loved learning how to twist the yeast dough into a Soft Pretzel shape. We are looking forward to baking Quiche Lorraine this week, using fresh Turkey eggs from one of our students.  
Textile Craft work continues, some students have completed their project.  Each design is different. They are both wonderfully creative and colourful.

 

 
Middle 3
Middle 3 are coming to the end of the second eTwinning project that they have been involved in this academic year – Adventurous Learners.  The aim of the project was to discover that outdoor learning can be an enrichment for pupils and can enable them to learn beyond the borders of their classroom. One of the tasks they were asked to achieve involved “Planting”.  They realised that some of the most valuable learning experiences can come from an opportunity to move, explore, discover and create. The aim of the project was to introduce the environment like a school and give the opportunity to pupils to go back to nature.



Click on the button below and you will discover how Middle 3 transformed “the garden space” outside their classroom, while learning and attaining important skills along the way.
Welcome to Our Garden
Senior 4
Senior 4 was also involved in the recent competition to find “Fatima’s Fittest Class”.  Although not the winners on this occasion, the students of Senior 4 showed determination, mental and  physical strength as they attempted to win the prestigious crown! The second picture shows members of the class enjoying a well deserved snack after their sporting exertion, made during life skills class.
Junior 3Like their fellow students, Junior 3 have also been active and involved in whole school activity this month. See pictures below of the class participating in world art day, world earth day and Fatima’s fittest school challenge.


 
Middle 1M1 has had a splendid Spring season!  Gerard, Misha and Ciara celebrated their birthdays this month. The entire class has engaged in outdoor lessons in their garden whenever the weather permits.  They celebrated World Art Day and World Earth Day. They planted seeds and hope to have a vegetable crop in the coming months! They also walk 1km a day as part of “Active Schools”. Everyone is getting fitter and stronger!  They will continue to work diligently during the final term in school this year!
Junior 4
Junior 4 has been very busy this month helping Chris prepare for Wexford’s fittest school. We really enjoyed Fatima’s fittest class and we got some fantastic times for the wall sit and plank. 
We learned all about Earth Day and why it is important to take care of our planet. We thought it would be a great idea to do some litter picking while out for some of our walks as we wanted to do our part to help the planet. We also made some paper maché planet Earths.


 

School closed: Friday 30th April 2021 & Monday 3rd April 2021


Return to school – 4th May 2021

Please remember to complete “Return to School Declaration Form” on your child’s return.
 You can find link to form on this Newsletter and on your child’s class platform
March 2021

March 2021

by | Mar 3, 2021 | Newsletter

Dear Parents & Guardians,

It has been a very difficult week for the whole of Our Lady of Fatima School Community.
Despite everyone’s best efforts Covid-19 has affected our school in a huge way.
There has been a lot of fear and worry in all your homes, but this too will pass.
Please understand that any actions we have taken have been in everyone’s best interest. 
No one sets out to catch or spread the virus.  
An affected person and family need support and understanding.  
Continue to take all possible measures to lessen the chance of developing the illness and encourage your son/daughter to do likewise.
Have a peaceful, relaxing Easter.

Stay safe.
Mrs. Waters
Return to School Declaration Form:

Parents are requested to complete a declaration form for children returning to school after any absence. 
Please click on the link below to access this form!
Your child’s teacher will also have shared this link with you on class platforms (Class Dojo, Seesaw, Microsoft Teams)
Declaration Form

Common symptoms of Covid-19:If any of these symptoms are present children should NOT attend school 1. A fever (high temperature – 38 degrees Celsius or above)
2. A new cough – this can be any kind of cough, not just dry
3. Shortness of breath or breathing difficulties
4. Loss or change to their sense of smell or taste
5. Sore Throat
6. Headache
7. Diarrhoea
 Parents and Guardians are asked to have a heightened awareness of signs, symptoms or changes in baseline which suggests illness/Covid-19 infection.In addition to this, children should stay at home if feeling unwell in general. A precautionary approach should be taken at all times!
For more information on Symptoms – Click here
A Social Story – Going for a CoVid-19 Test
Our Lady of Fatima School – Sensory Garden Update
Work will begin on this project during the Summer months!  Have a look at the design below!
Students in different classes throughout the school celebrated World Book Day this year on 4th March 2021.
Over the last 24 years, World Book Day has become firmly established as Ireland’s biggest annual event promoting the enjoyment of books and reading. The main aim is to encourage children to explore the pleasure of books and reading. This year we took part in Online events, which included “Share a story Live”, a drawing/illustration masterclass and numerous readings from authors. Students can still avail of the numerous resources provided, by clicking on the button below!
World Book Day Activities
Active Schools – St Patrick’s Day Celebration
The whole school took part in our annual St. Patrick’s Day Active Schools Walk on Tuesday, 16th March. The skies were blue and the sun was shining, as we paraded proudly in green! 
Well done to the students who won class prizes this term. Each and every one of our students have shown excellent resilience, adaptability and focus throughout the term. Well done!
St. Patrick’s Day Prizegiving
J1-Aoife Lacey
J2-Kacie Meyler
J3-Leighton Kennedy
J4-Pierce Barry
M1-Liam Kavanagh
M2-Bridget McMahon
M3-John Doyle Flood
M4-Sarah Mylett
S1-Eric Woods
S2-Andrew Beaver
S3-Shanice O’Connor Moorehouse
S4-David Stewart

Student of Term – Easter Prizegiving
J1-Jason Hartigan
J2-Brendan Ahearne
J3-Cathal Wheelock
J4-Alex Murphy
M1-Aden Pitman
M2-Rachel Brown
M3-Tristan Pitman
M4-Katie Webster
S1-Jennie O’Brien
S2-Reece Holden
S3-Jonathan Dunphy
S4-Dillon Murphy
FATIMA FM – St Patrick’s Day Competition 


Students were invited to enter a St. Patrick’s Day in-school competition to celebrate our National Saint’s Day. The theme was: “Proud to be Irish”. Entries included poetry recitals, Irish Dancing, creative arts and lots, lots more!

Congratulations to our runner-up Gabrella in J2 with a wonderful Irish Dancing Performance
Click on the button below to view The Winner – Pierce from J4 in action – A star is born!
Click here to see the winner
ASD Junior Class
Students from the Junior Classes including Isaac, Dominic, Mick, Tadhg, Shreya and Chloe made smoothies as part of their healthy eating topic. 

Senior 2
Senior 2 are using mindful colouring as way to relax and help beat the pandemic blues away!
In addition to this, the entire class have started practicing Tai Chi and really enjoy it. We do it for about 10 minutes every morning. It sets everyone up for the day and helps us to focus!
Junior 2
Junior 2 have been walking the block every day trying to increase their fitness. The route is just over 1km and they time themselves daily to see if there is an improvement. They have also been busy in the garden planting potatoes and strawberries. 




J2 want to wish everyone a happy Easter ? 

Senior 1
Senior1 are beginning a class project on Dog Fouling on the Streets of Wexford. The purpose of this project is to highlight the seriousness of this topic and create awareness They are researching the health dangers of dog fouling and how it can affect humans especially if they step on it and carry it back into their homes. S1 are determined to underline this important issue by writing to the County Council and the People Paper. Watch this space!

Other news in Senior 1….
Junior 1

Junior 1 have been busy this month learning all about Spring and Springtime on the Farm. We saw lots of signs of spring around the school grounds and on our frequent walks. Lori May has been keeping us up to date on life on the farm and we were very excited to see pictures of the calves that arrived last weekend. We’re looking forward to seeing the lambs soon!  We have planted cress seeds and have also experimented on some without light, without water and without air. 
 
Look at the photos that display our findings, our Spring themed artwork and our St Patrick’s Day celebration.


 
Senior 3
 During the months of September and October, the students of Senior 3 cleaned up the garden- they were weeding, digging and clipping! As you can see from the pictures the garden is blooming! The students have sown a variety of seeds, such as carrots, chives, spinach, lettuce and wild flower seeds!  Students have also planted strawberry runners and potatoes! They are starting to sprout, soon we will have our own vegetables to cook with! 


  
Home Economics 

St Patrick’s Day Celebratory bakingM4 celebrated St Patrick’s Day with delicious Swiss Rolls.  There was lots of creativity with students choosing different flavours and fillings. A real treat!  All the students are increasing their confidence, skills and knowledge of how important good food is for our health. Since returning to school we have make Pizza with handmade yeast dough, Lasagne (not from a box)  and yummy Bakewell Tartlets . Super progress is being made with their textile craft CBA project. You will soon see the results.
Carima Murphy and Sarah Mylett are class prizewinners this term for excellent focus during remote learning cookery lessons. 



Food Literacy Skills exam
Senior 1 has been preparing for their Food Literacy Skills exam. As you may see in the photos they are very organized. I’m very confident they will all do very well.  We have learned a lot this year, and the students are eager to showcase their talents! I’d like to give a big thank you to all the families that have shown great support when their children take over their kitchen.  It’s been enjoyable working together.
 Darragh Moran and Kevin Kinsella are this term’s class prize-winners, for excellent engagement with remote learning.



Middle 3
Middle 3 have just come to the end of one of their eTwinning projects that they have been participating in, this academic year. We engaged online using TWINSPACE with our partners from the following countries: Slovenia, Ukraine, Italy, Republic of Moldova, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Portugal.  It is entitled, “Happy Campers”. We chose this project because around the world we are all facing a difficult challenge and living in strange and unpredictable times. We feel that now, more than ever, is the time to highlight small moments of happiness. It’s important to recognise what can make us happy and to share it with others. During the year we learned that the well-being of oneself and others, cultivated in one’s life and in one’s community directly impacts individual and collective flourishing.



A “Happy Camper” is a person who is cheerful and satisfied. We loved the title of this project. The entire experience encouraged us to take a positive look at our lives. During this project we realised and collectively agreed on what makes us all happy. 

 
Senior 4
Here are some of the activities S4 have been participating in this term
Senior 4 have been busy completing their CBA’s in Geography. Our project is called “Geography in the News”. Well done to all on their hard work. “Green Fingers” – The students have been busy planting strawberries, potatoes and many other seeds for their Incredible Edibles Project .The ‘Just A Minute Quiz’,  has become one of the highlights of the week. This is great fun every Friday morning!S4 are involved in Online Sampling through Teams with Intuition, Cúmas & The National Learning Network. We have also been engaging on a weekly basis (through Zoom & Teams) with Amy Liston (School Leavers Ability Project)
  
 
Junior 4Junior 4 Have been doing lots of exercise this month. We especially love GoNoodle and taking our daily walk!
Middle 1
M1 have had a lovely term! We have walked 1k everyday as part of Active Schools. We took part in both a “Hang Tough” and “Wall Squat” challenge! The Domino Challenge in class is getting very exciting! In addition, all the students have worked as a team to complete the necessary maintenance on The Rainbow Garden.  Middle 1 have spent much of this term engaging in “Outdoor Learning”. We celebrated National Tree week through observation and exploration. We also continued to garden – Our daffodils are looking bright and beautiful!

 

Easter Holidays begin 29th March 2021 @ 12 noon


Return to school – 12th April 2021

Please remember to complete “Return to School Declaration Form” on your child’s return.
February 2021

February 2021

by | Feb 3, 2021 | Newsletter

Dear Parents & Guardians,
 We are almost ready to reopen and hopefully all will go smoothly as we transition to 100% capacity.
This month’s Newsletter is purely dedicated to the necessary precautions we have in place to keep ourselves safe and to ensure our school is Covid-19 free and open.
Please look carefully at it, follow the links and watch the videos with your son or daughter.
If we work together and follow the advice all will be well!
Thank you for taking this seriously.
Stay safe,


Mrs. Waters
 
Returning to school Framework Plan

A framework has been developed by the DES in order to achieve a phased return to in-school provision for children with special educational needs.
The framework is an interim arrangement. Under the framework the following phased return to in-school provision has been agreed:
 Phase 1: Special schools will reopen from Thursday 11th February 2021. In accordance with this agreement pupils will attend on a 50 per cent basis to allow for attendance of reduced numbers within the school setting. This will be reviewed in line with public health advice.

Phase 2: Primary Special Classes will reopen from Monday 22nd February 2021.
 Under Phase 1 of this interim arrangement , Our Lady of Fatima School, will reopen as follows:
 1.  Thursday 11 February: return for classes and personnel in J2, J4, M2, M4, S2, S4.
            Due to mid-term break these groups will next attend school on:
            Mon 22. Wed 24, Fri 26 February and every second day until the full reopening of
            all schools.
 
  2. Friday 12 February:  return for classes and personnel in J1, J3, M1, M3, S1, S3.
             Due to mid-term break these groups will next attend school on:
             Tues 23, Thurs 25 February and every second day until the full reopening of all                     schools.
Return to School Declaration Form:

Parents are requested to complete a declaration form for children returning to school after any absence. 
Please click on the link below to access this form
Declaration Form
BACK TO SCHOOL ADVICEClick on the button below to access information for students, parents and families from the DES
GOV.IE

Common symptoms of Covid-19:If any of these symptoms are present children should NOT attend school 1. A fever (high temperature – 38 degrees Celsius or above)
2. A new cough – this can be any kind of cough, not just dry
3. Shortness of breath or breathing difficulties
4. Loss or change to their sense of smell or taste
 Parents and Guardians are asked to have a heightened awareness of signs, symptoms or changes in baseline which suggests illness/Covid-19 infection.In addition to this, children should stay at home if feeling unwell in general. A precautionary approach should be taken at all times!
Click here for more info on symptoms

Help to stop the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) and other viruses and bacteria by cleaning your hands properly. Use soap and water and/or alcohol hand sanitiser to clean your hands regularly.

Hand hygiene is important at all times, with particular emphasis on boarding a bus, on arrival at school, prior to departure, before and after meals.  Please click on the button below to view the HSE video on “How to wash your hands”. Please emphasise the importance of this with your child.
How to wash your hands
Respiratory Hygiene and Cough Etiquette

Face masks/coveringsCOVID-19 is mainly spread through close contact and droplets that come from your nose and mouth. For example, when you cough, sneeze or talk loudly. Wearing a face mask/covering reduces the spread of these droplets. It also helps stop the spread of the virus from people who may not know they have it. 


 

Students are asked to wear masks or face coverings on buses, in class and while on corridors at all times.
Click here for more info on masks and face coverings

#
Explanatory video for children
VENTILATION
The Department has published guidance setting out the practical steps for good ventilation in accordance with public health advice ‘Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools’
The guidance sets out an overall approach for schools: 
Windows should be open as fully as possible when classrooms are not in use during break-times (assuming not in use) lunch-times (assuming not in use) at the end of each school day
Windows should be partially open when classrooms are in use.
Good ventilation can be achieved in classrooms without causing discomfort, particularly during cold weather.
STUDENTS ARE ADVISED TO WEAR EXTRA LAYERS UNDER THEIR UNIFORM IF REQUIRED. PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILD WEARS A COAT DURING COLD WEATHER
Remote Learning

  Each class will continue working as they have been for the last few weeks with Remote Learning, taking place either in school with staff, at home when peers are in school, or at home while everyone in the class is on a home-based learning day.

Return of school books

Students should not bring in School books (or any other item) unless specifically requested by class teacher. If required to do so, please place in a clean plastic bag and label with your child’s name. Anything brought into school will be put into isolation for 72 hours. Please check you child’s class platform for further information (i.e. Class Dojo; Seesaw or Microsoft Teams).


 
NOTE: There will be NO EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES (provided by external agents) during this Interim period. These include Drama, Stretch and Grow; Horse-riding class etc.  Please do not send in any monies to school in the meanwhile. 

There will be no absolutely NO ADMITTANCE to anyone other than the necessary personnel into the school for the time being. Please contact the school by telephone or email if necessary. You can also contact your child’s teacher using class platforms, -(Class Dojo, Seesaw or Microsoft Teams). 
Your understanding in this matter is greatly appreciated.
January 2021

January 2021

by | Jan 3, 2021 | Newsletter

Dear Parents & Guardians,

We looked forward to the end of 2020 and the hope of better things to come in 2021.

Here we are in the first month of the new year and all is not as we had anticipated.

Out of nowhere, we got the devastating news that Mikey Kehoe in Middle 1 had passed away on 15th January. We will always remember him fondly. We pray that he is happy in heaven and we offer comfort to his parents in their loss of such a beautiful individual. Rest In Peace Mikey.

Boys and girls, parents and guardians, thank you for the great effort you are making in managing remote learning. Things are far from ideal at the moment. It is hard not to see your friends on the buses and in school. Try to make a routine for your day and do the best you can. We all miss school but we will be back in the classrooms soon.

Looking forward to our return!

Stay safe and well,

Mrs. Waters

Covid-19 Vaccine

UPDATE – 5 Marathons/5 Days

OVER €14000 RAISED !!
Huge CONGRATULATIONS to Lorraine and Anthony on their amazing completion of 5 marathons in 5 days raising in excess of €14000 for our Sensory Garden. The final tally will be revealed when all monies are collected upon our return to school. A big heartfelt THANK YOU to them both for giving their time and energy for a truly worthwhile cause. In addition, we would like to extend our gratitude to Chris for his participation in The 12 Runs of Christmas, which contributed to the success of this entire event.
To all the parents, friends, staff, businesses and the Wexford community in general, we acknowledge and appreciate all of your kind and generous donations. Thank you to everyone involved in making the fundraiser happen. We look forward to beginning our Sensory Garden Build later in the year️
Please checkout Fatima Fundraiser page for videos of the event and students participation!
Click on the link below

Fatima Fundraiser Facebook Page

Staff Lámh Song – You’re a Superstar!
The story continues ……….

As was reported in the December Newsletter, the entire school staff at Our Lady of Fatima, was involved in recording a Lámh song to acknowledge our wonderful students. We chose the song, “You’re a Superstar”, as it reflected exactly how we feel about each and everyone of them. It was great fun recording the video. We wore our Christmas outfits and danced while doing Lámh signs to the song. There was a lot of time spent editing the video before it was ready to be released! It was worth it, as the students loved it! A big thank you to both Emily and John T for making it happen!
The video became very popular on social media and as a result we received quite a lot of publicity. This included an interview on South East radio with Alan Corcoran – Well done John!

Click on the links below!
Included below is a lovely message from the lead vocalist Simone Denny, Love Inc.


A message from Simone Denny – vocalist with group – Love. Inc

Independent.ie online article
A message from Simone Denny – vocalist with group – Love. Inc


Remote Teaching and Learning – Around the classrooms.

Senior 3

The students in Senior 3 have been working extremely well at home. Students are completing work in their English and Math activity packs, daily activities on SeeSaw and reading galore on Epic each week! The students are completing a variety of life skill activities. Cooking and baking skills are also under way! We have our video calls twice or three times a week, where we hear all the news! Here are some pictures ……..

Senior 2

We have been busy with live classes – logging into Microsoft teams and attending lessons this way.
We are working on completing our Geography CBA – geography in the news and we are concentrating on the weather in particular.
We are continuing our lessons on the French Revolution and the Irish Rebellion in History.
We have had our breaks in supervised breakout rooms on MT.
We had a fun science class whereby we tried to blow up a balloon with a mashed banana!!
Next week we are doing some baking and we are bringing it along to “class”.
We are running a class competition for the most steps and we also opened it up to the Senior School.
Activities are found in their assignment section of teams and student answer questions via the chat !
We have had some general knowledge quiz questions too! It is good to be busy!
It has been very successful although we miss each other greatly


Middle 1

A big clap for M1 on their amazing engagement in remote learning this month.

Students in M1 have been incredibly busy with their school work at home. Everyone is working so hard on their reading, math and written work!
Emily has been putting up Life Skills videos incorporating Lámh signs and also doing fun videos everyday such as ‘guess the Lámh sign?’ It’s so important to continue using Lámh as much as possible at home!
Chris has been busy doing exercise videos for dojo and encouraging all the students to get fresh air and exercise daily!

We have been getting a huge amount of photos from parents of the students doing their school work and also taking part in life skills and exercising. Thank you for your continued support!

Senior 1

Here is a picture of students from Senior 1 who meet every Friday for a quiz! It is great fun! It is important to meet and connect! It is important for our Wellbeing to stay in touch!

ASD Groups

Ms Sheehan has been chatting regularly with her students through Zoom. They have started covering the topic of ‘taking care of ourselves’ and have focused on ‘the importance of sleep’ and ‘things we can do to get a good night’s sleep’. They had a group yoga session where they went though some of the yoga moves that help to calm and relax the mind.

Junior 1


Here are some examples of fine-motor work from Junior 1 – sorting, threading, cutting, colouring and making sets. Lots of “hands on” work!
Can you spot the picture of the class taken during a recent “Zoom” call?

Middle 3

There has been wonderful student engagement with remote learning in Middle 3. Students have been following a weekly timetable reflecting all subjects within the JCl2 curriculum. In addition to this that have been meeting on Microsoft Teams three times per week for online PE workouts, online bookclub, a Kahoot weekly quiz and eTwinning activities. They are currently working on “science outside” activities for one of their eTwinning projects – “Adventurous Learners”. They are making birdfeeders from recyclable materials. The aim is not only to feed the birds during this cold period but also to be able to recognise and identify common Irish garden birds.

Junior 2

Below are some pictures of J2 during this period of remote learning! We’ve been doing lots of work on our number stories, letter formation and rhyming words. Lorraine has also been motivating everyone to get fit this January with some amazing exercise videos. The kids are also having lots of playtime, to help them relax after a hard day’s work! Well done!

Senior 4

Alongside our JC work, Senior 4 are participating in the “Incredible Edibles” Project as part of Life skills module. We are also counting our steps and following the ‘Jump into January’ Active School challenge. We met on Microsoft Teams for ” Just a Minute quiz” on Friday and Alanna was the winner. There was great excitement!
Below are some pictures of activities we are involved in.

Middle 4

The students in Middle 4 have been engaging in their online learning through Microsoft Teams and also the online learning platform Seesaw. Students have been working hard everyday on their school work and are meeting on Microsoft Teams with Ms Harpur and Mary as well as engaging with Mrs. Elliott and Ms Gallagher for cookery and art. So far, students have made a lovely healthy breakfast and lunch under the instruction of Mrs. Elliott. Middle 4 will also be involved in a keep Well project with Wexford Library in February. The project is titled “Animal Crackers” and will be three bespoke live online events with lots of fun facts, quizzes and activities presented by the very talented author Sarah Webb and author/illustrator Alan Nolan. We are looking forward to these events. Well done Middle 4 on all your hard work.

Healthy eating – Making healthy choices for breakfast and lunch!
Cooking with Mrs. Elliott

Home Economics – In YOUR kitchen!

Life goes on in HOME ECONOMICS, except everything is happening in your kitchens, instead of the school. M4 has studied healthy breakfast and lunch choices (see pictures above!). One week they each made a healthy breakfast, and proceeded to eat it. They also made a healthy lunch. They ate that too. It was wonderful to see the variety of choices and the students working so independently. A big thank you to the parents for their support in the kitchen.
S1 has been very busy too. Baking the perennial favourite, Brown Bread! We also made the classic Macaroni and Cheese Bake. Everyone was very proficient in their home kitchen. It’s been nice to chat with the parents as well.
Serious preparation has begun on the CBA. Each student will prepare one of their recipes for their exam one week and the following week, the second recipe.

Good luck S1! You’ve got this.

Art with Ms. Gallagher – M4 and S1

Here are some examples of the wonderful pieces that have been created by Middle 4 and Senior 1 this term.

Junior 4

Junior 4 are embracing remote learning. They have been involved in many activities including exercise workouts and cooking. Look, someone enjoyed the recent fall of snow!

Middle 2

Middle 2 have been very busy learning remotely and concentrating on their Junior Certificate Level 2 course.
Students have used a variety of ways of completing and uploading work on their ClassDojo Portfolios, using pictures, videos, worksheets and word documents.

Within our Numeracy lessons students have learnt about weight and they have found some interesting things to weigh for example:
• Bridget discovered her face mask weighs 11 grams
•Grace discovered her mobile phone weighs 200 grams
•Sinead discovered her remote weighs 65 grams
•Taidgh discovered his wrestler weighs 100 grams.


Students have also been phoning their friends, as part of a “Mindfulness” task!
In conjunction with this, as a class, we have been staying connected, through “Zoom” classes!

Take a look at M2 ‘in action’:

Junior 3

Junior 3 are using ClassDojo as their platform for remote learning. It has been a great way to upload the wonderful work that they have been producing.
Keep it up!

Active Schools

Students throughout the school have sent in some fabulous sporty pictures of themselves engaging in a variety of fun activities!
Remember to get outside for fresh air every day or do some exercise indoors if it’s raining! No excuses!
For the remainder of our time engaging in remote learning, here is a grid of fun activities to keep The Daily Mile interesting and fun at home!!
Don’t forget to keep skipping and practice your hops!

The Daily Mile Challenges

Week two of our Daily Mile Challenges! Here are three activities for
you to complete this week –
‘The Mobot’, ‘Silly Hair Day’ and ‘Train
Spotting.’
Remember to send pictures of yourselves doing these fun challenges to
your teacher.

February Mid-Term:

Monday February 15th to
Friday February 19th Inclusive.