St. Brendan’s N.S.

Newsletter

Easter 2015

Active Flag Inspection by

Julie Foley, aged 12

We had a visit recently on

10th February from Carmel

Kelly for our inspection of

the Active Flag. All the

children were very active

from doing obstacle courses

to parachutes to basketball.

The children also showed off

their dancing talents

including: Zumba, Brother

Come and Dance With Me

and Go Noodle. The school

had a committee of children

to help inform Carmel on all

the sports we do in the

school. Carmel Kelly thought

the children did such a good

job and was so impressed she

gave us all off homework to

celebrate. All the students

council did a tremendous job

looking after the younger

children and doing obstacle

courses with them.

Hopefully we will be raising

the flag very soon! Keep fit

and active!

German Classes by Oisín Tobin, 5th

Class

German classes are on every Tuesday from 2:30 to 3:30. It is so much fun. It is

a great after-school activity. I’ve been having a good time and everyone else

has too. I think everyone should try it out. You will learn how to say loads of

things in German. You will also learn about Germany and its traditions. You

won’t regret going to German classes. It helps you to prepare for secondary

school. I think every school should teach German.

Thanks to parents Maura, Mary, Tina for the baking, and to parent Ciara O’Donnell for the photos.

Baking by Kayla O’Connor, aged 7

Hi. My name is Kayla. I am seven years old and I am in first class. We did

baking in our class with Maura O’Donnell (Gráinne’s mom) recently. We made

bread, pancakes and queen cakes and we had great fun doing it.

Some of us dressed in our aprons and baking hats but we still got some dough all

over us. The best part was eating them when they were cooked and they were

yummy. I hope we do baking again soon. Thank you Miss Brassil for our chance

at baking. The end.

Heart Dissection by Daniel Moriarty

At our school, Ms Rose O’Connor’s fifth class were doing something very

gruesome. We were looking at sheep hearts! Most of the kids thought this was

very sickening (including me). But the worst part was when we had to cut them

in half. I hope next time we don’t have to look at a human’s heart.......

Ms Brassil’s Senior Infants and 1st Class

Mrs O’Sullivan’s Junior and Senior Infants

Our school goes green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Mrs O’Connor’s 2nd and 3rd Classes Miss S. Ryan’s 3rd and 4th Classes

Ms R. O’Connor’s 5th Class Mr O’Sullivan’s 6th Class

Guitar Lessons by Nathan Moriarty O'Shea.

Every Friday, Mary O’Sullivan does guitar lessons with us. From 2:30-3:30 she does guitar with the beginners.

From 3:30-4:30 she does guitar with the seniors. I’m in the senior group. We learn great songs like The Horse

with No Name and The Lakes of Pontchartrain. It’s is very enjoyable and we enjoy Friday afternoons.

Edel Lawlor, Play Therapist by parent Deirdre Trant

Parents of fifth and sixth class students had a very insightful

session with Edel Lawlor, Play Therapist, on Tuesday 17th

February 2015. Edel had spent the day with fifth and sixth class

pupils and held an evening session for parents. The session was

based broadly on discussions with the pupils earlier in the day.

We discussed the challenges facing students heading into the

teenage years and the concerns and anxieties that children in this

group face. We also considered the issue of making the

transition from primary to secondary school and the changing

influences that this inevitably brings. Parents were also advised

as to changes that we must embrace in relation to parenting,

listening and overall communication. As parents it is vital that

we are aware of the difficulties this fast-paced, high-tech world

presents for our children and Edel certainly informed us well.

A big thank you to Edel for her wisdom and advice and to the

organisers of the event-a very informative and, at times,

surprising evening!

Edel Lawlor by Emma Greaney, 5th

Class

On Tuesday 17th of February, Edel Lawlor

came to talk to the 6th class pupils about

transition into secondary school. Two pupils

from Derryquay National School also joined

us. It lasted from 9:30 to 2:00. We did a lot

of the activities through art. We did a clay

activity. We had to make a trophy out of clay

and say it was for someone who inspired us.

There was also a tree called the tree of

knowledge. We had to write on a small piece

of paper what worries we have about going

into secondary school. The day was very

good and fun. I really enjoyed it and I’m

sure everybody else did too!!!!

Swimming by Paddy Moran, 3rd

Class

Hello, my name is Paddy Moran and I am

going to tell you about what is great about

swimming (which is all of it – because it

is all great!). So this is the order in which

we do it: Firstly, we go on the bus to the

Aquadome. Secondly, we all go off the

bus row by row. Thirdly, we get dressed

and wait on the stairs for the staff to give

the armbands to those who need them.

Fourthly, we get divided into three

different groups. Fifthly, we get out swim

lessons and get play time (the best part).

We get out of the water and get dressed

back into our uniform. We go back to the

tables before we head back to school. So

there it is, as easy as one, two, three –

yahoo!!! We are so lucky – thanks

teachers! Not many kids get to go to an

Aquadome like us.

Spanish classes by Callum Houston,

aged 10

Blennerville School has recently setup Spanish

classes. Students in 3rd

to 6th class can

participate in these lessons. Every Wednesday

evening, after school, there is a fun, 1 hour

course in Mr O’Sullivan’s classroom for 10

weeks. These classes give the students in our

school the opportunity to learn about the

culture, language and food of Spain. Maria is

our Spanish teacher, she has taught us colours,

seasons, numbers, the weather, feelings and

how to tell the time in Spanish. We have

learnt songs and play games and how to have a

conversation. Our great Spanish teacher has

helped us to learn this wonderful language in a

fun way. Adios amigo & amigas!

Nut Allergy by Conor Donnelly, aged 6

My name is Conor Donnelly and I am 6

years old. I got my nut allergy just before

my 5th birthday. If I eat a nut or any food

with nuts in it I will get an allergic

reaction. It will make my throat hot and

sore and my face and eyes and lips will

get all swollen. I have to use my epipen

injection and this helps me to stop

swelling up. I have to check all the foods

that I eat to make sure that there are no

nuts in them. I wear an allergy bracelet

that lets people know that I have a nut

allergy. My mom says it doesn't make me

different, it just makes me special.

Pancake Tuesday by Dylan Byrne Curran, aged 8.

It was Pancake Tuesday and we were very excited. We got to make

pancakes. Maura and Ryan showed us how to make pancake batter.

All you need is flour, milk and eggs. I got to make a pancake on a

frying pan. They smelled delicious. I put sugar and lemon juice on

my pancake. It was very tasty and I wanted more. It was a great day!

Scór by Danny Greaney, 5th

Class

On 27th February, I participated in Scór na bPáistí with my friends

Tomás O’Sullivan, Seán and Conor Crowley and Seán Fitzgibbon.

We represented our club St. Pats in the St. Brendan and Tralee

District Board competition. We sang 2 songs: The Water Is Wide

and Oró Bog Liom Í. Tomás and I played the guitar. We came

second and got cool trophies. Tomás’ mom Mary O’Sullivan taught

us and we practiced every Friday night. We had great fun!!!

Table Quiz at Skelper Quanes 20th

March.

Please support the school fundraising Table

Quiz on Friday 20th March at 9pm. Laughs are guaranteed with our old headmaster

Mike O’Connor penning and calling the

questions. All are welcome. Thank you Mike!

Aistear – The Vets by Keelin Reidy, Aged 6

Last week we did The Vets in Aistear. We had lots of fun in the

home corner, baking animal biscuits, playing with farm animals in

the sand, painting animal prints and writing little stories. Here is

my story. I have a dog and his name is Fluffy. One day Fluffy ran

out the gate and a car hit him. I ran in to tell Mom and Dad. My

Dad went out and picked up Fluffy and put him into the car and

took him to the vet. The vet gave him an injection and put a

bandage on his leg. He has to go back to the vet in 4 weeks.

Grandparent’s Day by Caoimhe Dairo, aged 9, 4th class.

On February the 6th we had a grandparents mass. Lots of grandparents came and

they all enjoyed the mass. We all got a hymn sheet of the two songs that we were

going to sing. Our opening hymn was "We sing a song to Brigid". After we sang

it, the mass started. Father Francis said a few words to us and our grandparents

and then, after a while Mr.O'Sullivan called up a few of the 6th class to recite the

lovely poems they wrote for their grandparents. There also were prayers of the

faithful. When it came to end of the mass we sang our final hymn, "Connected".

Then the grandparents had some tea and scones. It was a lovely mass that

everyone enjoyed.

Principal’s Address by Mr Terry O’Sullivan.

What an exciting year we have in store in Blennerville. The progress which has been made with the building of our

new school has been fantastic. All going well we will be ready to move into our new school in or around

Christmas time. You can keep an eye on the progress, on our school website which is updated on a daily basis by

Ms. Brassil, or on our facebook page Blennerville National School. As the second term draws to a close I would

like to thank everyone who has contributed or supported our school. The money raised in our Annual Christmas

Hamper Draw was used to purchase 4 new Ipads with protective covers. These are currently being used by our

Special Educational Needs Team and in various classes during computer time. The money raised in our recent

cake sale was used to purchase toys for the Aistear programme in Mrs. O’ Sullivan’s classroom. Well done to Ms.

Brassil and her Active School committee who were successful in our attempt to gain our first Active School’s flag.

We will be having a flag raising ceremony in the final term to mark this special achievement along with the raising

of our second green flag. Finally, our Parents Association are currently organising a 5k and 10k run/walk which

we hope to turn into an annual event. This will take place on Sunday 28th of June. Please keep an eye on our

facebook page as details will be posted here in the coming weeks. Wishing you all a very enjoyable Easter,

Terry O’Sullivan.

Fireman John, by Katie Moriarty, 10 years old

Fireman John came into my class to talk about safety. He told us if a small pot fire started, to put a fire blanket on

it. We got safety packages and in it were cards and on them were pictures of things that are quite dangerous. One

of them was a plug called arc. He said not to put too much plugs on the extension cord or it will catch on fire. He

said a smoke alarm or one of those alarms should be checked every week. In the packages was this questionnaire

to fill out and to bring back in and if you did that then you get a pencil and money box. We also talked about the

fireworks and bonfires. We got a colouring page too. He also told us not to prank call as there could be a fire

somewhere else. At the end of the day fireman John had told a lot and it was really interesting and good. Thank

you John.

Thanks to Pauline Dennigan for the

Grandparents photos.

Irish Choir by Sinéad Trant, 6th Class.

This year a few students from 2nd

to 6th classes took part in an Irish choir. It was

great fun and we all loved every minute of it. Even though we had a lot of fun at

each practise there was a lot of hard work being done too. We had guitars,

concertinas, tin whistles, fiddles, shakers and tambourines and a Cajon. We sang

Riptide (Taoide) and Wagon Wheel (Tóg amach mé). Performance day in

Meadowlands Hotel started creeping closer, more and more practises were

squeezed in and on Thursday 5th March we sang and played our hearts out. We

tried so hard and most of all we enjoyed it and the next day the choir got a little

party! Each and every person that took part in the choir wanted to thank Mary O

Sullivan for her hard work, time and effort put in to this. We never could have

done it without her!

Can you find all 6 eggs

in this newsletter?