Welcome back to our returning pupils and farewell to the class of 2012- but a very special welcome to St. John the Baptist Junior Boys’ School to each of our 84 junior infants, their parents and families. This is the first year since I came to the School that we are not either waiting for the arrival of builders or looking at them wondering when they will be finished. We have tangoed around them as two school communities, moving from one room or corridor to another in order to facilitate their works. Ian Morrissey from Midland Construction and Paul Dodd the Clerk of Works for the joint building programme are seen as staff by the boys- and indeed by ourselves. We are within a hair’s breadth of completing the building project without one hour of teaching time lost and more importantly without, thank God, injury to any person during the programme
Parents, current and former, played a huge role in giving of their time to move classrooms to new locations- the speed and ease with which we could decamp from one location to another simply would not be possible without your support- guím rath Dé oraibh ina thaobh.
Housekeeping news:
From Monday next, as soon as School gate is opened at 8:30, all pupils from senior infants, first and second classes will line up in the yard along the old corridor wall- the wall facing the main school gate. As soon as the bell rings at 8:40, each pupil should go straight to his line which will have been marked in the yard.
New junior infants and accompanying parents:
We ask that you line up to the left along the side of the new block- i.e. along the windows of room 4 and 5. Morning assembly is a very busy time and as we will have over 330 children in the yard so we do ask you to be vigilant and keep your son- and any accompanying children- very closely supervised. As soon as all the other classes leave the yard (c. 8:50), you will be asked to drop your son to his line- remember it will be either line1, line 2 or line 5. Your son’s teacher (s) and other staff will be on hand to settle your son in his line. As soon as he is in his line, we ask that you leave in order that he settles and is ready to be brought to his class by his teacher. If your son becomes upset, again be guided by his teacher.
If it is raining on Monday morning, you should bring your child to his class- again, we will have staff on hand to direct and advise.
Please do not bring large dogs into the School yard. Assistance dogs are of course allowed as are smaller dogs which can be held in arms.
Collection of junior infants on Monday is from classrooms at 12.