Dear parents and guardians,
We are now at the stage where school is nearly finished for another year but we obviously have a mammoth task of trying to pack up and move everything over to the new school building.
Before we finish, I wanted to give you the latest update on the progress with the new building. Attached you will find some pictures we took of the new building which is almost complete except for some painting, snagging etc. I hope the pictures illustrate the fantastic building your children will be moving into and it helps put your mind at rest in terms of what it is going to look like.
Over the next few weeks the staff will be working hard to pack up all our resources, books, furniture, IT equipment, PE equipment to name a few items in order to move to the new building over the summer months. We will then unpack everything at the new building and this will take a considerable amount of time, effort and commitment to get the school ready for the end of August. When the children come back at the end of August (calendar to be confirmed in the coming days) the school and classrooms will be completely ready for their use and enjoyment.
The teachers have already taken individual classes on an excursion to the new school site and gates and let them play in the park across the road. We have spoken to the children in class and at assembly about the move and they seem very enthusiastic about it. For some children that are still anxious about the move we will be showing them pictures of the inside of the new school this week and developing social stories for those who require them. In addition, we would appreciate it if you could also chat with your children and reassure them by showing them the pictures attached so they are familiar with the look of the new school.
One issue that has been discussed at length by the Board of Management is the pedestrian crossings towards Hollywoodrath from the Tyrrelstown Village side. We have spoken to the Department about the need for intervention and assistance for children. They have outlined that this is a Fingal County Council role and they have also been engaged with. I have spoken to Emer Currie TD about the issue and she is currently working with Fingal County Council to find a possible solution. For any parents also concerned about this it would be very supportive if you could voice your concerns with Fingal individually as it will further reinforce what we have been asking for.
In terms of things that are fully within our control, as a school we will be contacting you again over the next few days with finalised information on next years class teachers, resources lists, the school calendar for 2025 etc. Over the summer you will also hear from us regarding line up areas for children for their first day back in the new building as well as collection points in the afternoon amongst other items. I realise that this is a situation that can make people anxious but I hope the pictures attached and the understanding that we have an extensive transition plan in place will ease some anxieties.
As always, thank you for your support and encouragement.
Kind regards
Tim
