A is for Absences:
All absences must be explained. You can send a message via Aladdin to your child’s teacher. Absences over 20 days in any school year are automatically reported to the National Education Welfare Board, to comply with legal requirements. Illnesses, appointments, family events, and holidays taken during term time all count towards the 20 days. Most families will have legitimate reasons for their children's absences - this national system is designed to reduce truancy.
B is for Bus Tickets:
The address of the nearest office to Ballinkillen is Bus Eireann, School Transport Office, Plunkett Station, Waterford. You can register and apply for a place on the bus here.
B is also for Book Fair/Book Club:
We send home the book club pamphlet twice or three times a year. Children can browse and then buy or not (no obligation). Christmas annuals can also be ordered in November (no obligation). Although we haven’t had a book fair in school since Covid, we might have one over the next two years. Children have an opportunity to look at, read or order books. The school is also able to replace books in class libraries. Once again there is no obligation to buy, but if you do and wish to keep any of the books for a special occasion, our school secretary will keep them safe for you for your special time.
C is for Collecting your child:
Notification is required if a child is to be collected by someone else other than the parent or guardian e.g. granny, minder etc (for child safeguarding).
D is for Discipline:
We have high expectations regarding conduct in school and on school related activities. The school encourages a sense of self-discipline. Everyone is encouraged to celebrate their uniqueness, value each other as individuals and respect people and property. Rules are kept to a minimum and are intended to promote a high standard of behaviour and safety. We actively encourage good manners, a respect for the environment and care for the feelings of others.
E is for Entitlements:
e.g. Lone Parent/ Social Welfare recipient / Large Family/ Prolonged Illness/ Low Income:
If your household belongs to any of these categories please contact the Principal to see what you may be entitled to. Phone queries and information given will be kept confidential.
F is for First day jitters:
It is normal to have first day jitters - or 'any day jitters'- especially on Mondays, but we encourage you to ensure your child attends school regularly and on time. Even school staff get jitters! Remember your child will not benefit from staying at home. He/she usually settles down (rather quickly too) when he/she is IN school.
G is for Garden:
We are proud of our school garden, which is a great source of learning. While our gardening club members take great pride in maintaining our school, it is currently in need of a little TLC - if you can help, we'd be delighted to hear from you!
H is for Healthy Eating and Hot Meals:
Please comply with the school's healthy eating policy when filling your child's lunchbox. Suggestions can be found on the following website. We also are introducing hot meals in school for lunch this year.
I is for Illness:
A child should not come to school with cold- or flu-like symptoms. Should your child become ill at school we will contact you or the contact person you have supplied so that he/she may be taken home. (Please notify us of changes of phone number or contact person). Certain infectious diseases require that a child be kept away from school for a period. These include impetigo and other contagious illnesses. Please do not bring in a sick child no matter how much they want to be here. Schools must stay open in the national interest. Please leave at least 24 hours after a child has last been sick before returning them to school.
J is for Jewellery:
We discourage personal jewellery (earrings etc) as they may cause problems in school and in play periods e.g. a torn or cut ear if pulled or snagged. The loss of treasured items may cause upset. We cannot accept liability for loss of such items.
K is for Kindness:
We encourage everyone to use kind hands and kind words in their interactions with everyone in school.
L is for Labelling:
All personal items (e.g. jumpers, school supplies should be clearly labelled with children's name. During the year this may need to be re-done as it fades off during washing etc. It helps younger children is everything is labelled: lunchboxes, slippers, pencil cases etc.
M is for Meals and Money:
The children have a little snack and/or a drink in classroom each morning at 11:00 and their "big” lunch in their classrooms too, from 1:00. We ask children to bring home all left-overs to show you that they have/have not eaten all their lunch, to avoid mice in school, and because of the high cost of wheelie-bin service to the school. This year we are fortunate to have HOT MEALS in our school for lunch time thanks to the Hot Meals For Schools Initiative.
M is also for Money:
If you give your child money for a particular event, tell your child about it so they can pass it on to their teacher - and avoid losing it.
N is for No Smoking:
Smoking is forbidden by law not just inside the buildings but in the grounds too, up to the main gates.
O is for Opening hours:
School times each day are 9:10 - 1:50 (infants) and 9.10/ 2:50 (1st-6th classes). We know that mornings can be difficult, but we ask that you arrive promptly as children can often be upset arriving late. However, we believe a late show is better than a no show! Your child may miss important activities in the morning and find it upsetting trying to catch up.
P is for Parents As Partners::
We invite you to be part of your child's education: help them with homework, read to them and listen to them reading, consult promptly with the class teacher about any issues and come to Parents' Association meetings - show your child that school matters!
Q is for Questions:
If you have any questions about your child's school life, we invite you to contact your child’s teacher either by message on Aladdin or by phone call Please do not call during class time or if you need to, the school secretary will take a quick message (just your details) and the teacher will get back to you. Don't keep it to yourself! If something is not right, we want to hear about it before it escalates.
R is for Reports:
A report is issued on each child once each academic year, usually in June. Each report contains the class teacher's observations and evaluation of your child's progress in each subject area, including social skills. Your child will be curious about their report. We encourage you to interpret it for them as you think appropriate, being as positive as possible. Our experience is that older children are often more severe critics of their own performance than you or their teacher might be, and may worry unduly about what is being said if you don't show or tell them about their report. So be honest, fair and positive with them. Standardised scores will also be included in the report. This tip sheet will help: NCCA TIP SHEET UNDERSTANDING STEN SCORES.pdf
S is for Schoolbags:
Please check your child's schoolbag regularly. Encourage/show your child how to keep his/her schoolbag tidy. As a green school, most of our messages will go home via Aladdin, but occasionally a hard copy of a particular note may be sent home.
T is for Teamwork:
We can not say this too often - we are a team. It has been proven that when parents and schools work together, children perform much better in school. Also if you are concerned about something, talk to us. We also need contact details of at least one parent for Aladdin. Remember to tell us if you change your phone number!
U is for Uniform:
Every child in our school must wear the school uniform every day:
- navy crested school tracksuit,
- sunshine yellow polo shirt
- sensible footwear.
- Plain navy shorts can be worn instead of the tracksuit bottoms (weather appropriate)
Please label all items clearly.
V is for Visitors:
Visitors may come to the school on occasion for a particular purpose eg Santy, the Easter Bunny, the inspector, a curriculum advisor, or workshop advisor. While most visits are prearranged, some are not. If you are collecting your child for an appointment or leaving school early/arriving late, please enter via the main door and speak to the school secretary who will be glad to help you. If the secretary is not at her desk, please go back outside the front door and ring the bell and someone will come to help you.
W is for website:
Keep up with life in our school - do check regularly and share with grandparents or relatives. From time to time your child may be chosen as Dalta na Seachtaine or his/her work or class activities may be featured.
X is for X-tra curricular activities:
Extra events may take place from time to time. Keep an eye out for them here too.
Y is for Years:
Primary school lasts for 8 years. Your child will develop physically, mentally, socially and emotionally during his/her time in school. Let's work together to make it a wonderful 8 years! In addition to a broad curriculum, we take part in so many activities and we hope that we will find something to interest your child or in which he/she will excel.
Z is for Zero!
Our school has a zero tolerance for negative behaviours either by or towards any child and we do our best to deal with all issues as they arise. If something happens, we will contact both/all sets of parents to notify them of any issue or incident. While we do our best to monitor every situation, some things might be missed. We encourage every child in our school to speak to his/her teacher, or a trusted adult, if something has happened which has hurt him/her or which makes him/her uncomfortable. We also encourage parents to remind children to speak to a teacher if he/she is uncomfortable.