School begins at 9.00am and finishes at 1:40pm for Junior and Senior Infants and 2:40pm for all other classes. Please make sure that all children are collected and dropped off to school at the appropriate times. Mid-morning break is from 11.00 to 11:10am and lunch is from 12:30 to 1pm.
There are two car parks available for your convenience. One at the front of the school and one behind the 'Old school' (access to the school through gate). We would ask cars not to park in the 'yellow box' at front of school and not to park parallel to the school wall. There is a car-park at the church car-park across from the school, and pupils can walk to the school using the footpath from the church.
If there is something in particular that you would like to discuss with any teacher you can make an appointment with the school secretary to meet the teacher at a time which is suitable to you both.
Details of days off will be given as soon as they become available, usually within the first few weeks of the first term. Please keep this list for reference during the year. There may be a number of curriculum support days during the year and these will be advised as soon as they are known.
Under the new Education Welfare Act 2000, you must let the school know when your child is absent from school and why. We would ask you to do this in writing, any day your child is absent, even through sickness. A phone call to the school is not sufficient. Under this law we are obliged to report absences of 20 days or more to the National Educational Welfare Board. Unexplained absences (i.e. without explanatory note may involve Welfare Board. Also if your child has to leave early they must have a note from parents and must be collected from reception by parent/guardian.
Pupils are expected to be courteous and mannerly both in and out of school. Intimidation or bullying of any description being strictly forbidden.
Responsibility will not be taken for children on the premises before 9am and after 2:40pm.
Bad language will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
In the interest of safety pupils are not allowed to stand or sit on the school boundary, or leave the school grounds at any time.
Unexplained absences (i.e. without explanatory note) may involve Welfare Services. If your child has to leave early they must have a note from parents/guardians and must be collected from the school reception by a parent/guardian.
All clothes and personal property should be clearly labelled with child’s name in permanent marker.
Children must heed the school bell and walk in orderly manner. Pupils are encouraged to walk when moving around within the school building.
Mobile phones and any hand held electronic recording devices are not permitted.
Parent/Guardian-teacher meetings are generally held at the end of the first term.
Meetings are held in connection with Holy Communion and Confirmation.
School reports are issued annually for all pupils.
Details of school holidays or closures are always communicated in writing through the school newsletter. A copy of the school calendar is available on this website also.
Occasionally information may be sent by text message to parents/guardians.
All school policies are available to view upon request.
Home/School Communication A weekly newsletter is emailed to all parents/guardians detailing upcoming events and occasions in the school. Please make sure the school has up to date contact details for parents/guardians. As the need arises, parents/guardians will receive notices with regard to school matters and events. Any parent/guardian who wishes to meet with a class teacher or the principal should contact the school secretary to arrange a suitable time. All incidents, grievances or complaints from parents/guardians should be directed to the class teacher firstly.
Lunches In Caherline National School we have a ‘Healthy Lunchbox Policy’.We ask you to encourage a healthy lunch right from the start for break time. Please only give your child something you feel they can manage to eat. A healthy packed lunch should contain bread or an alternative, a savoury filling which provides protein, a suitable drink and some fruit and/or vegetables. See the Safefood website link below for advice on healthy lunches:http://www.safefood.eu/en/Publication/Consumer-Information/Healthy-lunchboxes/ Hot lunches are provided by the company Lunchbag for big lunch. Parents/guardians can order food for their child through the app. Sweets, biscuits or bars are only allowed on a Friday. We encourage you to provide just one item on this day. If providing a treat on Friday’s, please keep it to a sensible size for your child. Crisps/Taytos, chewing gum, fizzy drinks, all types of nuts and any food that contains nuts are not permitted in the school, under any circumstances. If your child has any allergies with food, please inform us immediately.
Dress Code
The school uniform should be worn on all school days
Pupils should wear sensible shoes/runners, bearing in mind health and safety issues. Shoes/runners must be black or navy.
Extreme hairstyles are not permitted, e.g. change in colour of hair
Jewellery is not permitted, except ear studs.
Tips for Parents/guardians(especially for parents/guardians enrolling in Junior Infants): •We would recommend that you label everything that belongs to your child, their coat, their school bag, their uniform, their books, their pencils, their colours etc •Lunches – Please ensure that if putting oranges and banana’s into your child’s lunch box, that your child is able to peel these fruit independently •Please make sure that you include a spoon for yoghurts, straw for drinks etc. •Yoghurts with dippers or sprinkles not suitable in Junior Infants as pupils of this age have not developed the necessary motor skills. •Practice with your child so that they can eat their snack/lunch in 5-10 minutes before they start primary school •Familiarise the lunch box that your child will be using in primary school with them in advance so that they can open and close it independently •Talk to your child, so that they know what to eat for break and lunch. It is important that your child does not eat all their food at break time. •Please ensure there is a full change of clothes for your child, to be left in school, in a labelled plastic bag. •Familiarise your child with putting their coat on independently and that they are able to close it by themselves •We would highly recommend the Velcro strapping for all Junior Infants in place of shoe laces. It is very easy to teach your child how to secure their shoe with the Velcro strapping. •Practice with your child, putting on their school bag on their back independently •Practice with your child how to pack, unpack, open and close their school bag. •Practice with your child changing themselves independently •One 10 pack of twistables/colours is sufficient for any pupil. •Please check that your child has adequate pencils, eraser/rubber and sharpener/topper in pencil-case every day. •Practice with your child how they to sharpen their own pencil, use a glue stick and use a scissors
