Newsletters

                                                                       Newsletter 1 2025/26

Dear Parents, 

Firstly, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to all our new pupils in the school. To new families in our school community, I hope your time with us is a rewarding and productive time for your children and that they enjoy their time with us.

Here is some relevant information as we begin the school year:

Contacts

If you have any queries relating to school matters, the first port of call is always the class teacher. If you have a more general question or a more delicate issue you need to discuss, you can contact me. Please use the email address to arrange a meeting or phone call to discuss any queries. Please be aware that school staff will not always see emails due to their teaching schedule. In line with the school’s Wellbeing Policy, I encourage all staff to not view emails after 5 p.m. in the evening. You’ll also notice on this newsletter that we are holding Parent Teacher meetings in November, so you’ll be able to discuss things then:

Junior and Senior Infants: gmalone@ballymurrayns.com

1st and 2nd Class: jbeattie@ballymurrayns.com

3rd Class: ashine@ballymurrayns.com

4th and 5th Class: principal@ballymurrayns.com

5th and 6th Class: ygannon@ballymurrayns.com

School email/secretary: info@ballymurrayns.com

Principal: principal@ballymurrayns.com

School Telephone: 0906661217

Code of Behaviour

As we begin a new term, it’s important to remind children of our Golden Rules:

·        Kindness and Respect

·        Try Your Best

·        Listen and Learn

We keep our rules as simple as possible for children to understand. Please take the time to discuss them with your children and emphasise their importance.

Sport 2025

As part of our Wellbeing initiatives, sport activities for the year are up and running. Our younger classes have begun various P.E lessons focussing mainly on athletic development and agility, balance and co-ordination activities. These activities will hopefully set them up for a lifetime of injury free sports of all types.

Athletics: Training is well underway for this year’s Roscommon Cross Country Championships on October 1st. All children from 3rd to 6th are currently taking part in the training and then teams will be selected towards the end of the month. Last year our Junior Girls team won the Roscommon title and finished 3rd in Connacht.

Senior classes from 4th to 6th will focus on hurling for the first term. They will work with Roscommon G.D.O Proinsias Killion.

All classes will work with Roscommon Football G.D.O Ollie Lennon over the next 7 weeks.

Every year, I aim to introduce a new sport into our school. This year, children in senior classes will begin playing tag rugby. Over the course of the year, children will get to sample G.A.A, soccer, athletics, rounders, badminton, tag rugby and Olympic handball.

Hopefully by 6th class, all our children will have found at least one activity they enjoy and can bring with them to secondary school life. The importance of physical activity to their overall Wellbeing can never be underestimated and already I can see a difference in children’s mood and concentration levels in school after only a few weeks of activity.

Please encourage your child to have the necessary change of shoes, gear etc. with them at all times. There is no need to spend vast amounts of money on hurls and helmets. I’ve no doubt there are any amount of relations with gear lying around the house and would be happy to donate it to your child.

School Bus

As more and more of our children avail of our school bus, I’d like to remind people about behaviour. We are very fortunate to have Liam as our bus driver. He goes out of his way to facilitate people getting the bus and is always open to helping us out in any way possible with various requests. I expect the same standard of behaviour from our children at all times, whether that is in school or on the bus. It is virtually impossible for us to deal with bus issues as we are not present on the bus for either journey. If an issue arises, Liam is your first port of call.

Please take the time to talk to your children and remind them of the importance of behaviour and indeed safety, in terms of seat belts and sitting down while the bus is travelling. 

Dates for Your Diary

·        October 24th: School closed for voting in the presidential election

·        November 19th and 20th: Parent Teacher Meetings. Times to be confirmed

·        November 26th: Staff Meeting: School Closed at 1.55 p.m.

·        December 8th: School Closed: Child Protection Procedures training

·        December 10th: School Concert in St.John’s Hall

·        January 21st 2026: Staff Meeting: School closed at 1.55 p.m.

·        February 4th 2026: School Closure: Primary Curriculum Training 1

·        May 6th 2026: School Closure: Primary Curriculum Training 2

·        May 13th 2026: Staff Meeting: School Closed at 1.55 p.m.

Note on closures: Closures in relation to Child Protection and the Primary Curriculum are mandatory closures and schools are allocated training dates by the Department of Education.

School Insurance

School insurance for this school year is now due. This insurance will cover your child 24/7 for the next 12 months both in and out of school. Simple examples would include A + E bills or similar trips to hospital. If you ever have any queries on the policy, please contact Aoife at info@ballymurrayns.com

The cost is €8 and this covers children for a full 12 month period. Our banks details are as follows: BIC: AIBKIE2D IBAN: IE91 AIBK 9371 4200 3790 34

Please simply mark you child’s or family name as reference on the payment 

Voluntary Contribution

As mentioned in our June newsletter, the Board of Management has decided to reintroduce the Voluntary Contribution for 2025/26. Unfortunately, funding received by schools does not cover the range of costs that we face and the situation is getting more difficult year on year.

We are requesting an €100 per family voluntary contribution to help us meet the annual funding shortfall. We would be extremely grateful if you are in a position to make this contribution.

As the name implies, this contribution is entirely voluntary. The amount can be paid in full or in instalments to our school bank account:

IBAN: IE91AIBK93714200379034: Please mark your payment ‘Voluntary Contribution’

School Attendance

Any absence from school needs to be recorded on our electronic database. If your child is absent, please send a note with them on their return to school. An email will also suffice.

Under law, schools are obliged to submit school absence reports if children are absent for a total of 20 days or more. This forms part of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000. As a parent, you must let the school know if your child is absent and the reason why. The school will notify Tusla –Child and Family Agency if a child is absent for 20 days or more or where the absence gives rise to concern.

This year, you will receive a letter from us if your child has reached 15 days absent from school. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of regular school attendance

If your child is sick or is absent for other good reasons, no action will be taken by Tusla - Child and Family Agency.  However, if there is concern about your child’s attendance at school or about the reasons given, you may be visited by an Educational Welfare Officer who will discuss your child’s education with you.  The Officer will work with you and take full account of the circumstances of the child and the family before deciding what further action is necessary to ensure that the child receives his/her entitlement to an education. 

Mobile Phones

Quick reminder that mobile phones are not allowed in school

Healthy Eating

Please be aware that children should bring a healthy lunch to school each day. One small treat is allowed on Fridays

History

Senior classes from 3rd to 6th are just finished their second lesson in a series of 6 history lessons with our school historian Martin Curley. This may involve some research at home as part of their work. These are always extremely enjoyable and productive lessons with Martin and I thank him for his work in this area

Sacraments

Sacrament of Confirmation on Wednesday 11th March at 4pm in Knockcroghery Church.

Sacrament of First Confession: Ballymurray NS. and Knockcroghery NS on Monday 23rd. March at 7.30pm in Knockcroghery Church.

First Holy Communion: Ballymurray N.S. and Knockcroghery N.S.  on Saturday 9th. May at 11.30am in Knockcroghery Church.

Parents’ Association

The first meeting of the new school year will take place next Tuesday, September 23rd at 8 p.m. in the school. Please make an effort to attend this meeting and help out in the vital work that they do. The meeting will last 40 minutes.

Child Protection

It is the statutory duty of every school to appoint a Designated Liaison Person to deal with any concerns or issues surrounding children in the school. The principal assumes this role. In the case where the principal is absent and you have concerns or worries, you should contact Ms. Browne who is the Deputy DLP and assumes the responsibility in my absence. Child Protection procedures have been updated in 2025 and Ms.Browne and I will undertake additional training alongside the full school closure this year.