May 2022

by admin | Jun 10, 2022 | Newsletter

Wellbeing Quote for May

No matter what you’re going through, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

Dear Parents/Guardians, 

Welcome to our newsletter!
The summer term has got off to a great start. Read below about the activities that have already taken place, and you will appreciate the energy and industriousness of staff and students in our school.  From participating in Wexford’s Fittest Schools (staff and student teams) to teacher training in Finland (Erasmus + KA1 project), it is evident that our school embraces and is very much involved in activities at Local, National and European level.  This term we have a had a visit from an MEP (Grace O’Sullivan), who advised our Green School Committee on their latest venture – Water Flag; our Junior students have returned to the swimming pool and our soccer teams have represented the school at an interschools tournament in Waterford. Well done to everyone involved. 

An Important date in our annual school calendar is Fatima Day (13th May) and this year it will also be Confirmation Day.   We wish all candidates our best wishes on this very special occasion in their lives.  

Other events that will take place this term include Sports Day, Graduation and Prize-giving.  I would also like to draw your attention to the section under School Uniform.  A link is provided for parents to pre-order/purchase the new school sports wear. It offers style and comfort, and is provided by a local company. We hope you like it! 

Let’s hope for a sunny summer term! 

Best Wishes, 

Glenda McKeown 

(Principal) 

Junior 2

J2 started forest school this term and are loving it so far! We have been looking for tadpoles, making a fire, toasting marshmallows and doing lots more cool stuff in the outdoors. A big thank you to our forest school teacher Austin for having us.
 
We made some yummy cornflake nests as a special Easter treat. We melted chocolate, mixed in the cornflakes and decorated with chocolate eggs. We were delighted with how they turned out!
 
We had an Easter egg hunt around the school, we got a chance to practice our rhyming words while solving the clues!! Thankfully we found the treasure at the end!

Middle 2

Since January, Middle 2 have been very busy. We completed 4 weeks in Forest school, an experience that was enjoyed by all and hope there will be a new adventure to experience next year.
Middle 2 completed a Sketchnoting webinar. Sketchnoting, also commonly referred to as visual notetaking, is the creative and graphic process through which individuals can record their thoughts with the use of illustrations, symbols, structures, and texts. This webinar was enjoyable and showed us how to draw our feelings, emotions and a variety of adjectives which also really encouraged the students to build on extending their vocabulary.
We also were in attendance for a live interview webinar with the Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield. Chris has a wonderful and positive mindset; his interview was both inspiring and informative. We learnt lots of interesting facts about living in Space, the complexities of adapting to life on earth after spending a significant amount of time in Space was something we had not thought about before the interview.
Our dancing shoes were dusted off and strapped on with enthusiasm when we heard we were being given the fantastic opportunity of dance classes with Jonny. It has been so much fun. All the students have embraced the dance routines with gusto! It has also the closest Ms. Harney has been to a nightclub in many years! We are also participating in Soccer training, and it has been going well. We have some very talented soccer players in our class.
We have started horticulture as a project with Ms. Leonard and we have started planting seeds. We are very grateful to Ms. Leonard for her kindness and offering her time to assist us with this. Next term we will be able to update you on our progress.

Middle 3

The class visited Johnstown Castle and had a great day walking around the lake.  Another great place to visit in Wexford. See below some of our excellent work. Ms Carter and SNA Gavin and Patricia also enjoyed the day.

Senior 1

Senior 1 begun a very busy term by completing their CBA’s (Classroom Based Assessments) for both Home Economics and Art.

The students then undertook their cookery assessment on the 3^rd of May and received excellent feedback on their delicious meals. We definitely have some budding Michelin Star Chefs in Fatima. With fifty percent of the subject completed the students are now studying hard for the written examination, the morning of June 15^th. Best of luck!!
 
The students completed their art assessment and the work is amazing in terms of creativity and individuality. We are eagerly and confidently awaiting the art examiner and wish these students the best of luck.

Following this effort and dedication Mrs Mckeown spoke of how proud she was of the class and surprised the students with a class visit to the Talbot Hotel to celebrate their exams. The students relaxed and enjoyed a hot chocolate and biscuits.

The students took part in the first aid and defib training which they really enjoyed. A massive thanks to Terry Whitty and Michelle Cogley for their time and efforts in teaching the students life saving techniques.

Senior 2

Senior 2 had a busy month. We took part in a 6 week digital leadership programme. The course covered exciting topics including computational thinking, coding, pixel art and game creation. The students thoroughly enjoyed their experience and gained a wealth of new skills. 

We also went to see the exhibition in the County Council which was inspired by the famous wexford artist Eileen Gray. This exhibition was curated by a local wexford man, Richard Malone. The students loved seeing the wonderful creations such as pottery, sculptures, iron works and spectacular rugs. 

Senior 3

Senior 3 enjoyed lot of activities this term (Forest Schools, tennis, GAA and dancing)

Forest Schools

Forest School was the highlight of this term for all students. We really enjoyed our block at Forest Schools. We found frog spawn and kept an eye on how the tadpoles were developing from week to week. We researched the life cycle of a frog. Each week we set up a campfire and toasted marshmallows/ made popcorn or made hot chocolate. We also made pendants, log cabins and a raft.

Tennis

Senior 3 are continuing to improve our tennis skills from week to week. All the students are very good at serving the ball now. Keep practicing Senior 3.

GAA

Senior 3 also enjoyed GAA the last few weeks. The leaned how to hand pass and to kick the ball correctly. They had great fun participating in the fun warm up and cool down drills.

Dancing

Dancing was another popular activity this term. Senior 3 liked learning lots of new dance moves from Johnny.

Senior 3 won the St Patrick’s Day class award. Well Done

This term the school learners also began to get more prepared for moving on to the next chapter in our lives. They have been working on communication/passport booklet with Amy. We have started to visit some of the places our school leavers will be attending next year, and we will continue to do this after Easter.

Senior 4

 Senior 4 have been having fun planting their vegetables for their Incredible Edibles Project.

 All students had great fun dressing up for World Book Day 3^rd March.

Senior 4 organised the St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations which were held outside in the basketball court. Each class performed their party piece. Senior 4 students danced “The Walls of Limerick”.

They coupled this up with a fundraiser for Ukraine. Students made Ukrainian badges and sold them to everyone. They raised €200.00 for the cause.

On 21^st and 22^nd March, the Senior classes attend a First Course facilitated by Terry Whitty and Michelle Cogley from our Parents Association.

Some students from Senior 4 have been attending Work Experience at Rehab Care, NLN and the Railway Gallops.

Tuesday 5^th April the school quiz team travelled to Portlaoise Parish Centre for the Regional Quiz. The came second and have made it into the All Ireland final, which will be held in Portlaoise in May.

Home Economics Class – Preparation for the Practical Examination

Middle 4 – Craft Work for their Home Economics CBA – See Below

School Uniform: From September 2022

Sports Uniform: New Official School sports wear can be purchased using the link below. Portal closes 22^nd May 2023. Parents can do this directly.

• Official sports top (order using link) or Navy school jumper/sweatshirt with crest
• Blue Polo shirt
• Official School sports bottoms (order using link) or plain navy bottoms

No other sports wear to be worn please.School Uniform (No Changes)

• Blue Polo Shirt
• Navy trousers/skirt
• Black shoes or all black runners
• Navy jumper (with crest) only available from Hore’s Stores).
• School Badge available in the office for €3 each

Soccer Blitz

Our girls took part in a soccer blitz in Waterford WIT on Thursday 28th April. They played 3 matches and won 3 matches winning the tournament. They scored lots of great goals, showed great skills and conducted themselves perfectly on and off the pitch. They made us very proud!

Parents Association – News

Terry Whitty message to our school community.

The Parents Association would like to thank the volunteers for the church gate collection, it covers the Wexford district. Thank you for giving up you time any raising much need funds to help support Our Lady of Fatima.

The Parents Association would like to congratulate the senior classes on the completion of Basic life support which include CPR and Defib training. Great to have these life saving skills well done all.

The Parents Association would like to thank Kilmore Quay savings club who kindly donated €500 to the Lady of Fatima school. The club was discontinued this year and surplus monies donated to different charities. 

Erasmus KA1 Mobility

Three teachers undertook an exciting and rewarding trip to Helsinki in Finland as part of training required under our Erasmus+ KAI. Ms Sinnott, Ms Ryan and Ms Shannon went for a week to train within the Finnish education system which has been proven to be one of the best in the world, scoring consistently at the top of different international studies (PISA, The UN Education Index, etc.). They were given a chance to discover, discuss, share knowledge, exchange ideas and experience everyday Finnish schools. They learnt first-hand how the Finnish education system operates at all levels.

Ms McCormack is undertaking an exciting visit to Spain this week as she was successful in securing a place on the KAI course also, which will complete all our mobilities. We wish her good luck on her trip and look forward to hearing from her when she returns.

Both Terry Whitty and Michelle Cogley spent two days in school undertaking first aid and defib training with the senior classes. It was a very valuable experience and possibly life saving. A huge thanks you to Terry and Michelle for their time. Some pictures of students in action during their training….

Ms Harpur organised Food Dudes which started after Easter on April 25^th. 

It was very successful in supporting healthy eating and lifestyles.

What is the Food Dudes Programme? 

In Ireland, the EU School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme is delivered through the Food Dudes Healthy Eating Programme. It works by changing children’s attitudes towards healthy eating, allowing them to cultivate a liking for fresh fruit and vegetables. Built and developed on three pillars of scientific merit, (1) repeated tastings, (2) rewards and (3) role modelling, Food Dudes has proven itself as an effective evidence-based school-based healthy eating programme.

Wexford’s Fittest School

For the second year Our Lady of Fatima has entered 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 SNA Chris and new to the school this year SNA Lyn.  On Monday 5th of May, two student school teams competed in a student event and both our teams were just amazing. The entire school shouted and roared in support of our students in Wexford Park. Inspired by the students the staff team put in a mammoth effort as they battled it out against other schools in the county, in timed trial events to see if they can make it through to the semi-final. They deserve a good rest!!

Confirmation

We had a double celebration on May 13th with Fatima Day and Confirmation. Students enjoyed a wonderful  time that included a visit from the Ice Cream Van. Pictures to follow in next edition.

The Schools Sports Day will take place on Thursday 23rd of June. We look forward to another fun packed day for the students to enjoy. All parents are welcome to attend the sports day at St Marys GAA pitch.

Class Platforms
Remember to check the Class Platforms for updates on the events and dates until the end of the school year!!!!

Spring 2022

by admin | Jun 10, 2022 | Newsletter

Wellbeing Quote for February –
 
Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there’s footprints on the moon.

 
Dear Parents/Guardians,
 
Welcome to our Spring Newsletter. We have had a busy and productive time in school, since our return following the Christmas holidays.  As you are aware, the Covid-19 guidelines have stayed the same for special schools and we await an update from the DES at the end of the month. We will inform you of any changes but for now, we thank you for your cooperation in ensuring OLF remains safe and operational.   Below you will read of the many activities that have been happening: Green schools initiative; Student Council elections; eTwinning promotional video; Erasmus KA1 mobility, planting in the garden etc. None of this would happen without the input and dedication of our very committed staff.   We hope to continue and add to the variety of activities offered by the school in the term ahead, so keep an eye on Aladdin and/or your child’s class platform.
I wish everyone from the entire school community, a relaxing and enjoyable mid-term break.

Kind regards
Glenda

We have done lots of artwork for Spring and Valentine’s Day. We hope you all like it. 

Junior 4

Middle 3

Middle 3 class are in the middle of Horse-riding and they are having a great time.  They are learning all about how the horse is minded and what food the horses eat.  Everyone of the students adore horse-riding and you never know they might make great Jockeys!!!!!

Ms Murtagh was away for a few weeks and Ms Carter did fantastic work in the class when she was away.  They finished a project on The Oceans of the World which is up on the board for all to see.  They presented their projects on video and Ms Murtagh was very very impressed with their work.  Ms Carter did a Valentine Box for all the students, which will be given to each student on Valentines day to share the love amongst each other.  Each box is full of treats and surprises for all in the class. 

The class took part in an art competition for the Green Schools which Ms Kent is running.  The Theme of the Competition was “Ground Water, Our Hidden Treasure”,  they really enjoyed that also.  Dancing classes has commenced as well as soccer.  The students are really looking forward to their Mid-Term as they all need a well deserved break and Patricia the class SNA is about to fall down after all the work they did over the last term.

Senior 1

Senior 1, returned to school after a well deserved break and continued working at pace particularly now that they are heading towards accomplishing their learning goals in their Junior Certificate Art and Home Economics subjects.

In Art, the students completed their portfolios, with their artistic talents really coming to fruition in the amazing work they are producing.

In Home Economics, the students made the difficult decision with regards the choice of meal to cook for their practical element of their examinations. They showed great maturity and decision making in deciding on their meals.

The students researched the dietary needs and nutritional requirements of their task and matched them to the meal they are cooking. See pictures of Lee’s, Eddie’s and Abigail’s macaroni and cheese meals.

The student’s decided as part of Wellbeing within the school they are going to choose a student or staff member to cook their meal for and provide them with a first class service. Fingers crossed they pick you!!

Senior 1 read different genres of books when they visited the local library.

The students tennis skills continued to develop and particularly their timing was getting better each week, as they undertook their tennis lessons at the local club.

Senior 3

Senior 4

Senior 4 Newsletter Items Jan/Feb

• Senior 4 have been preparing for when they leave school by visiting different further education centre’s in Wexford.
• On Tuesday 8^th February students travelled to Intuition in Enniscorthy for a presentation.
• Student Council: The Student Council Virtual Election took place 14th January 2022.
• A suggestion box has been placed in the hall for staff and students to put in their suggestions.

David Brown, Chantelle Campbell and Muireann Hore were successful Candidates.

• Senior 4 took part in a Live Wellbeing Webinar.
• Senior 4 are attending Soccer in North End and Tennis every week.
• Students in Senior 4 have been enjoying a little bit of freedom by going out to An Boker Nua for lunch every Friday.

Numeracy Support

Since Christmas all the children in the Junior classes have been having extra support for Numeracy with Ms Shannon. The children are withdrawn individually or in pairs. The work they cover is the same topic as they are doing with their teacher that week. They have extra time for hands on activities when concepts are revised and consolidated.

Here are some pictures of the children engaged in their work. 

Green Schools

Parents Association – News

Terry Whitty message to our school community.


We have an upcoming parents association meeting on the 9th March @ the Maldron hotel at 11am, all are welcome.

We will also be looking for as many volunteers as possible to assist at  the Church Gate collections this year. The collections will go on throughout the County from early March to Easter and any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Monies raised going towards supplementing activities within the school.


The Parents Association would also like to thank everyone who contributed to the raffle at Christmas which was a great success.

Over 8 thousand euro was raised for the refurbishment of the playground.


The Parents Association would like to thank Corrina Ormonde for all her hard work as secretary over the last few years, as she steps down from the position. 

A big welcome back to Ms. Harpur who resumed teaching in Middle 4. Thanks Ms. Harpur for organising the Safer Internet Day and arranging for  Garda David Fitzgerald to visit the school and support the student’s online knowledge and awareness. The students learnt a lot of valuable tips on how to stay safe online.

Erasmus KA1 Mobility

Ms McCormack is going to undertake an exciting visit to the Netherlands in April as she has been successful in securing a place on the KAI course on Innovation in Dutch Education. 

The School was awarded an eTwinning National Thematic Prize (Apple Store Gift of €500) for the entry of Mrs McKeown and her students into the competition. Well done!!!!

The school has been offered to part-take in a promotional video for eTwinning later in the next term. We will get a visit from Leargas and present our schools long history of success in promoting and learning from eTwinning.

Wellbeing Committee

The school had its Whole Staff Meeting on the 16^th of February. A big thanks to Ms Leacy and Ms Harney for organising such a lovely Wellbeing Treat of delicious foods for all staff. 

Student of the Term – February

Well done to the following students who received the student of the term award at the February Mid-term Prizegiving Ceremony:
 
Junior 2: Aoife Leacy

Junior 3: Kacie Meyler

Junior 4 : Sophie Saunders

Middle 1: Lauren Pettitt

Middle 2: Clodagh Darcy
 
Middle 3: Sinead Martin

Middle 4: John Doyle Flood

Senior 1: Katie Webster

Senior 2: Jenny Keeling

Senior 3: Ella Bates

Senior 4: Nicky Kemp

December 2021 Newsletter

by admin | Jan 5, 2022 | Newsletter

Our Lady of Fatima School – Newsletter December 2021

Principal’s Message,   As the festive season is just around the corner, I want to take a moment to thank the entire school community for your support and dedication in giving our students the best educational experience. We are very grateful for the wonderful contribution from the PA in organising a very successful Christmas raffle, coordinated to obtain funds to refurbish the junior school play area.   In addition, they created a magical Grotto for Santa’s visit.  A special mention to the Cogley family who presented each student in the school with a Christmas annual! Thank you for such a generous gift! As usual, the dedicated and hardworking staff of OLF have continued to adapt to the ever-changing covid-19 situation and have made Christmas a special time for us all.  Our Christmas Wellbeing Committee worked tirelessly in ensuring we had fun filled activities and treats during the month of December. Thank you to the team, led by Mr. Bridges. As you will see below, the annual Lámh video is a sincere effort that displays a great sense of collaboration and fun amongst all staff in OLF. A big thank you to Emily and John for creating and directing another masterpiece! I would in particular like to thank our students, who come to school every day, happy and eager to participate, with little or no complaining of current restrictions!  Have a wonderful holiday, and come back to school, refreshed and ready to take on 2022!  We think of both The Murphy and The Kehoe family this Christmas. You are in our thoughts and prayers. We think of Leon, Tyler and Mikey and how lucky we feel, that they were part of our family in OLF.  On a personal note, I wish to thank most sincerely our Board of Management, Parents’ Association, Ms Leacy (Deputy Principal) & ISM, Teachers, Special Needs Assistants, Secretaries, Caretaking, Cleaning Staff and LWR team who have all worked hard throughout this term to keep school life enjoyable, safe and happy for all our students.  I wish all of you a very happy and restful Christmas holiday and look forward to the New Year ahead in Our Lady of Fatima School.  Warmest Regards, Glenda McKeown  Sensory Garden – Mikey   On the 17th of December the school community remembered our beloved Mikey Kehoe. Students and Staff took time out for some valuable reflection within our new sensory garden that was dedicated to Mikey. The day was marked with a visit from Mikeys parents and sister who gathered with Father Billy Swan, other BOM members and Mikeys previous teachers and SNA’s. Below are some images and the prayer that all classes took time to respectfully reflect upon, for our dear Mikey….. Christmas Activities at Our Lady of Fatima Our Lady of Fatima School has been very busy this Christmas with lots of fun activities to celebrate the season of goodwill. A Christmas Wellbeing Committee was set up and worked on organising and coordinating the Christmas activities. A big thanks to the Committee for their ideas, efforts and dedication. Thanks to all the staff that contributed to providing a wonder 2021 Christmas experience for everyone.  Christmas Door Competition   The Christmas Wellbeing Committee ran a Christmas Door Competition. Students had to design a Christmas themed door for all the school community to enjoy. The entries were all amazing. The Parents Council kindly took time out to view each classes entry. They were delighted with the effort and found it very challenging to choose a winner. They voted and the result is:   Winner Middle 2   Well Done Middle 2    Hot Chocolate   As part of her role on the School’s Christmas Wellbeing Committee our new teacher Ms Harney treated the school to some delicious hot chocolate. Both students and staff were delighted and all needs were catered for, thanks Ms Harney.   Christmas Tree A huge thank you to the Parents Association for arranging for our beautiful Christmas Tree to be delivered to the school. It was an amazing Christmas Tree and we are very grateful to Killeen’s Garage for their donation to our school. If parents are shopping in Killeens please give a big thank you from Our Lady of Fatima school for their generosity. It is very much appreciated. See below that Junior 2 did a wonderful job decorating the huge Christmas Tree for the entire school to enjoy on entering the building. Community Involvement by our Students Christmas Cards were designed throughout the school and collected by Ms Weld again this year. They were then delivered to the local nursing home residents by the students. Well done for making the elderly experience of Christmas nicer and it is a real thoughtful way to give back to our community.   The Nativity  Junior Two had great fun rehearsing and performing the Nativity this Christmas. They really enjoyed learning the story about the birth of Jesus and loved wearing the costumes and acting. They provided great entertainment with their creative performances. We are so proud of them! Definitely some stars in the making. Mr. and Mrs. Claus  Mr. and Mrs. Claus dropped into Our Lady of Fatima on Monday 20th of December. They were a big hit with all the students. A big thanks to the Parents Council who built the wonderful Grotto and donated all the extras such as the tree, stove, lights etc. It was a delighted experience for all and well-done Gavin and Mary for all your effort.  For the month of December, Fatima FM became Fatima Christmas FM.  We have been greatly entertained by our resident DJ Ms Sheehan. During each show, there have been numerous birthday and song requests. In addition we had a return of the, “Just a minute quiz”, where staff members have attempted to answer correctly as many questions as possible, within the 60 second time limit. Ms Sheehan with the help of Ms Leacy (Camerawomen) provided the school with an experience of all the Classroom Doors for our competition. Thanks Ms Sheehan Junior 2    Junior 2 had a fantastic time meeting Santa Claus and Mrs Claus. Santa told us we have all been very good this year and we are all definitely on the nice list!   We had a very special time remembering our friend Mikey in the sensory garden. We blew bubbles and watched them float up to the clouds.   We worked very hard practicing for our Nativity. We did a super job remembering our lines and are excited for everyone to see it!   We did lots of artwork in December, each piece of cotton wool was carefully stuck to create Santa’s fabulous beard. We really enjoyed decorating our classroom door.   Junior 2 decorated the beautiful Christmas tree in the foyer of the school. We picked lots of beautiful red and blue baubles for the tree.   Junior 2 would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas!   Middle 1  What a busy term we are after having. Hard work & great achievements were made from all the boys & girls in Middle 1.This term we worked on various topics ranging from  beginning our new school year, planting, drama, art, science week & zoom assemblies.  Congratulations for the fantastic handwriting we have in Middle 1 keep up the great work. Wishing you all a very Happy, Safe & Healthy Christmas & New year.     Middle 3  Middle 3 class got a great gift from Grace Cogley’s parents of a lovely album to keep everyone busy over Christmas.  All the students in the WHOLE school got one as well.  Thank you so so much from all the students.   Middle 3 were busy making Christmas Cards for residents of a nursing home.  Just a little bit of cheer for Christmas. Middle 4 Middle 4 have thoroughly enjoyed their 4 week block of Forest School. They made beautiful crafts including a mini raft – which they then raced in the stream -, a medallion, a wand and a gorgeous Rudolph face! They popped pop corn kernels over the camp fire, heated milk and made hot chocolate and melted marshmallows for smores. They played games in the forest and overall they had great fun. Also, this month we enjoyed creating our Christmas Door and admiring the other lovely Christmas doors around the school. We contributed to the decoration of the whole school by decorating one of the trees in front of the school. We enjoyed our Lámh Christmas song and we’re looking forward to seeing the full production of “Lámh Factor” very soon, where we will get to see all the other classes in action. We had a very interesting History Tour of Wexford where we learned more about the Vikings. We stood on the spot where the remains of 11 Viking houses had been discovered and we saw the remains of a church they build. We learned that Oyster Lane in Wexford was so called because it was an area plentiful in oysters and we learned that “Keyser” means “Way down to the sea” – which is where “Kaysers Lane” got it’s name. Middle 4 would like to wish our family and friends and very Happy and Peaceful Christmas and we look forward to welcoming Ms Harpur back in January. Senior 1  Senior 1 had a very busy term. The students continued their learning in depth of their Junior Certificate subjects, particularly the examination subjects of Home Economics and Art. Above and below are some of their lovely Christmas puddings they made with Mrs Elliot, highlighting their cooking skills.   The students completed their Classroom Based Assessments CBA’s and produced some lovely craft pieces with the support of Ms Leonard. Students enjoyed continuing their tennis lessons at the local tennis club throughout the term. They created Christmas Cards for the residents of a local nursing home. Senior 1 took part in the Christmas Lamh Factor competition by learning the signs for the song Santa Claus is coming to town. Students decided on the decoration of the classroom door for the Christmas Door Competition and put a lot of effort into decorating their door. Students visited the local library and took part in a live webinar with an author.   Senior 2 Senior 2 and senior 4 took part in the heritage schools visit. This involved a full day of workshops on Geography activities including a study of Geology, map reading and creating a map. A fun filled educational day outdoors for all! Lili O Brien, Darragh Moran and James Tompkins won prizes in the Credit union art competition. Senior 2 also took part in science week. They firstly took part in a murder mystery involving star wars characters and we WON. We got a shout out on the Science Week TV show. The second activity was a interactive chat with the weather lady Joanna Donnelly. We found out about the role of a meteorologist and how they forecast the weather. An exciting morning was had. Senior 3  This term senior 3 have enjoyed going to horse- riding every Monday. The students have made great progress and some of them are now riding solo. Well done guys. We have concentrated a lot on life skills this term especially grocery shopping and cooking. Senior 3 really got in the Christmas mode this month and did tremendous work helping to decorate our school both inside and out to make it look extra Christmassy. Well done to Matthew (student of the term) Senior 4 Senior 4   Senior 4 started Tennis at Wexford Harbour Boat & Tennis Club at the beginning of November. We attend every Friday and the students absolutely love it. Senior 4 Parent – Teacher Meetings took place on the 8th November. Senior 2 & Senior 4 took part in a Geography Project with the “Heritage in Schools” on Monday 15th November. The students explored Rocks and Climate Change. A very enjoyable day was had by all. Some students in Senior 4 received their Flu Vaccine on the 11th November. Students from the Senior classes have been taking part in RACE in preparation for their Junior Cycle Exams. HSE Profiling Interviews took place online on the 7th & 8th December. Senior 4 students have completed their CBA2 in English & Woodwork. Senior 4 have been very actively doing their Fyffes Fitness every morning!!Students in Senior 4 have been creative with their Christmas art for the Christmas Door Competition and with their window display. The Student Council Candidates have been preparing their speeches for the upcoming Student Council Election on January 14th 2022 . Their campaign will take place online via MS Teams and Ballot Sheets will be distributed via MS Forms. Literacy Resource Update This year we have for the first time we decided to have a Literacy Resource Position for Reading.  I have had the very pleasant job of setting up this position and have engaged in some much-needed Literacy Initiatives along the way.  With the help and support of all the staff and our Parents Association we have engaged in the following: Readathon – MS Readathon 11 students and 2 staff members completed reading tasks for the month of November, earning a combined total of reading tasks for the month of November, earning a combined total of €610. Well done all. New Class Readers and ebooks for the Middle Classrooms PM Readers. Children’s Book Festival – Wexford Library.  We had Virtual Zooms by authors Sarah Webb and Alan Nolan. David Walliams Virtual Assembly (based on ‘Ganster Granny’) All classes are reading novel’s and some have acquired a bulk loan from Wexford Library. The school has decided to participate in the National Wellread Award.  We will be promoting Reading for Leisure and Pleasure.  To receive the plaque and award we need to promote Reading and compile a Portfolio of our efforts.  If we are successful, we will gain the Award and a plaque for our school.  It is also a fun, interactive and positive way for us all to engage in the wonderful joy of Reading and its many benefits for our independence and wellbeing.  The Committee will comprise of Staff, parents and Student volunteers, lead by Miss Sinnott.  We will have activities throughout this year and next to promote this so all support and help will be needed and most importantly appreciated.  Finally, I want to wish the boys and girls that have worked so hard and diligently on the reading with me over the last term a very Merry Christmas.  You have been amazing!!! Don’t forget you can read some ebooks over Christmas on https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/user/sign_up.html or https://www.getepic.com/.    I hope Santa is very good to you all. Melissa Sinnott, Resource Teacher For Literacy.                                                                       Home Economics Middle 4 were busy providing Christmas Puddings for their families this Christmas. Christmas Student of the Term  Well done to the following students who received a certificate and prize at the Christmas Prizegiving Ceremony: Junior 2: Gabby Whelan Junior 3: David Moran Junior 4: Leighton Kennedy Middle 1: Dominic McCarthy Middle 2: Tadhg O’Shaughnessy Middle 3: Mia Sutton Middle 4: Adam Sinnott Senior 1: Shane McGrath Senior 2: Darragh Moran Senior 3: Mathew Cleary Senior 4: Chantelle Campbell     Parents Association/Fundraising     A massive thanks to our Parents Association who organised a Christmas Raffle in the School. The prizes were extremely good, see below. It was a great success and will provide much needed support for our school throughout the academic year. Thanks for your backing and a big thanks to all the businesses and people that donated so kindly to the Christmas Raffle.

We would like to wish the pupils and all the staff of Our Lady Of Fatima school a happy Christmas with good health for the coming New Year.    The Parents Association. LÁMH – Christmas Songs  Students took part in our Lamh Factor Christmas Songs competition organised by the Christmas Wellbeing Committee. After each class was viewed via Teams then each class proceeded to cast their vote. The winning class with the most votes and after a very close race Junior 3 won our Lamh Factor Christmas song competition. Fatima Facebook Video Links   A big thank you to Ms Murphy for keeping the online school community updated with the links to the videos and happenings within the school. Check out and enjoy the below link to see the students Lamh videos….. And finally…..A Tribute to all the wonderful students in Our Lady of Fatima School from all the staff.  Have a wonderful Christmas, we are so proud of you all!   A big thank you to both John and Emily for their hard work, putting this together!  Click the Link here to view the videos: Return to school – Thursday 6th January 2021

Halloween Newsletter

by admin | Oct 22, 2021 | Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the first edition of our Newsletter for the academic year 2021/2022. This year the newsletter will be sent to you on a half-termly basis. Also, I would like to let you know that our new  website is up and running (Click on the link at the bottom of the newsletter).

We have had a very successful return to school. A term filled with positive learning experiences for the entire school community. Thank you for your continued support and cooperation. We wish you a enjoyable mid-term break!!

Happy Halloween!!

Glenda McKeown Principal

Halloween Student of the Term 

Junior 2: Jason Hartigan

Well done to the following students who received a certificate and prize at the Halloween Prizegiving Ceremony:

Junior 3: Stephen Furlong

Junior 4: Mia Dixon

Middle 1: Pearce Barry

Middle 2: Chloe Wilburn

Middle 3: Sean Furlong

Middle 4: Oona Keevey

Senior 1: Ella Doyle

Senior 2: Kevin Kinsella

Senior 3: Jennie O’Brien

Senior 4: Debbie Pitcher

Junior 2

Junior 2 have been very busy and have been working so hard in school this year! 

Our first Aistear theme was Myself/My home, the children enjoyed role playing the different members of the family in the kitchen. We did some sensory play while bathing the babies in the warm, soapy, scented water. We also made some dinner using playdoh as part of our creative play. 
 
We had a film crew visit us in school on the 8th of October to film an episode of Dizzy Deliveries. The children were very excited and enjoyed filming with the camera crew. Delivery man Joe made the day particularly enjoyable by doing lots of silly things to entertain us. The show will be out next year and we will inform you of a date nearer the time. 
 
As a special treat we went to Ballycross Apple Farm to see all the pumpkins that we have been learning about in school. We picked a pumpkin to bring back to school with us to carve.

Junior 4

Junior 4 had a great start to the new school year! We were honoured to do the very first live virtual assembly! We all introduced ourselves, we said the poem ‘Back to school’ by Kenn Nesbit. Amy informed us on the Covid rules and then we finished with some funny jokes!
GAA coaches were in teaching us some key skills, such as catching and throwing a ball, kicking a ball and running. It was loads of fun.
We went to Ballycross Apple Farm last Friday. It was a lot of fun! We seen lamas, goats, geese and an emu! We went on a bouncy castle and we went go- carting! We even walked to a village where we saw houses and shops belong to witches!! We then walked to through the pumpkin field, where we picked out our class pumpkin. We walked by an apple orchard where we seen all of the apples ready to be picked.

Senior 1

Senior 1 have been very busy this term. They have put a lot of effort into their Home Economics and Art lessons. Students have begun their CBA’s (Classroom Based Assessments). The class went to the local tennis club and really enjoyed their lessons with some pictures below.

Senior 2

Senior 2 – Opera Festival Art Tour

Senior 2 took time out of their busy schedule to appreciate some art that was on display for the festival. Below are some pictures of the event.

School Donations

Our Lady of Fatima Schools Tennis

The school’s tennis coaching restarted in September. Classes Middle 4, Senior 1 and Senior 3 visited the local tennis club for coaching and lots of fun tennis. A big thank you to Wexford Harbour Boat and Tennis Club for providing court access and facilities to our school. Also a big thank you to the Club for their donation of tennis balls for our students.

Parents Association

The Parents Association would like to thank everyone who attended the recent PA AGM, and would like to extend an invitation to the next Parents Association meeting on Tuesday the 2nd of November at the Maldron hotel located at the Barntown round about. The meeting will start at 11am to allow parents that can not get to evening meetings.
 
Ms Sinnott will do a presentation on the literacy program. If any parents would like to get involved in the Parents Association contact details:
 
0852334494 Terry, 
0857126589 Corrina.
 
The Parents Association would also like to invite parents to upcoming coffee morning at the Cowhouse Cafe, Courtown Rd, Gorey, Thursday the 21st at 11am all welcome. 
 
Kind regards
 
Terry Whitty

Digital Technology News

New Promethean Interactive white boards have been installed in the Senior classes 1-4. They are a fantastic development and aid in helping the delivery of the Junior Certificate Level 3 programme.

Activities and Sports

It is wonderful to see many activities back up and running for our students to enjoy. We now have horse riding, GAA coaching, tennis, drama and forest school up and running and over the coming weeks we are hoping to have tag rugby and dance sessions going on too.

Ms Sheehan

Home Economics

Students in Senior 1 and Middle 4 have been very busy in the kitchen with Ms Elliot passing on her skills. Look at those delicious cupcakes!!!!