Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• 🔢 Maths Week Ireland 2023 🔢

  Fri 20 Oct 2023

  This week in school we have celebrated Maths Week Ireland 2023 with lots of fun and engaging activities across the school. Firstly, we have our Mental Maths Champions who performed brilliantly to answer challenging questions from their teachers to answer against their peers. Well done to all our winners! We have also had several classes participate in live lessons using IZAK9 cubes and complete problem-solving tasks with thousands of other children across Ireland.  

  Right across our Key Stages we had children making the most of our great outdoor areas to complete maths tasks. This involved a lot of measuring, shape hunting, completing our unique Maths Trails through problem solving, recognising patterns and sequences. Lastly, to finish the activities we had pupils who have tried their best throughout all tasks rewarded them with Maths ‘Pupil of The Week!’ Well done to all the children who challenged themselves and extended their maths skills this week.

  

• 🦔🌸🐝🌳 Hedgerow Heroes Winners 🦔🌸🐝🌳

  Fri 20 Oct 2023

  The pupils from Mr Lyttle’s P7B and Mr McReynolds’ LSC4 classes recently entered the Hedgerow Heroes Competition run by Eco-Schools Northern Ireland Official.

  P7B and LSC4 put in a tremendous effort to explore the school grounds and prepared a sketch to show all of our fantastic outdoor learning areas and especially the areas in our school which compliment and promote biodiversity. Maria from P7B also worked hard to write a wonderful short story called ‘Holly, the Hedgerow Hero’ to highlight the importance of hedgerows in providing habitats for wildlife. All of this fantastic work was submitted as our school’s competition entry.

  We were delighted to be chosen as one of only eleven winners of this very popular competition! As a winning school, we will receive a native hedgerow that the pupils will plant in our school grounds and a number of accompanying workshops. This week, P7B & LSC4 were excited to welcome Emma Denton, Biodiversity Recovery Coordinator, to St. Colmcille’s for our first Hedgerow Heroes Workshop - ‘Why do we need hedgerows?’. We are looking forward to working with Emma and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful throughout the year, to plan and plant our new hedgerow, as we become Hedgerow Heroes!

  

• ⭐️ Maths Pupils of the Week and Rights Respecting Pupils of the Week ⭐️

  Fri 20 Oct 2023

  Well done to our fantastic Maths Pupils of the Week who really impressed their teachers and worked very hard during Maths Week! Well done to our super Rights Respecting pupils who have helped to promote and respect Children's Rights within our school. A special well done to Miss McKrink, our Duty Bearer of the week, who help the children to feel safe, respected and listened to!

  

• ⭐️🎈Parenting Week 2023 ⭐️🎈

  Fri 20 Oct 2023

  This week in school we celebrated Parenting Week 2023. This year’s theme was ‘The Positivity of Parenthood’. During the week our pupils participated in a range of activities highlighting the positive impact parents and carers have on their children's lives by fostering love, support, and growth. The pupils discussed and celebrated the strengths, resilience and dedication of parents and carers, as the backbone of families and communities. Each class participated in an arts and craft session where the pupils created a piece of artwork for their parent or carer. We hope all our parents and carers enjoy receiving their artwork and have an enjoyable, relaxing weekend – it is very well deserved! Parenting NI

  

• 🏅👏 Badgers First Aid Medal Winners 🏅👏

  Thu 19 Oct 2023

  Congratulations to Calvin (P6), Lara-Marie (P7B), Alex (P5/6) & Katie (P7B) who recently won medals in a competition based on First Aid, which they have been studying with their Badgers group. Well done on your fantastic achievement everyone!

  

• 🧸🪀 Thrifty Fair 🧸🪀

  Sat 14 Oct 2023

  The Thrifty Fair is taking place in Inverbrena Hall, Strangford on Saturday 18th November 1.00pm-3.30pm. A mix of craft stalls and preloved clothes, toys, books and equipment for children & babies.
   
  It's an opportunity for parents to clear out outgrown clothes and toys etc. before Christmas, whilst making a bit of cash at the same time. Parents can share a stall or purchase a stall each to sell their items or attend for a few hours of shopping and fun for the kids on the day. Please see below for more information.

  

• 🍝🥙 Updated School Meals Menu 🍝🥙

  Sat 14 Oct 2023

  Please see the latest school meals menus following updates from EA Catering. Please pay particular attention to the ‘Week Commencing’ dates on each menu. Dinners can be booked via SchoolMoney: login.eduspot.co.uk/public/portal/parent/?app=schoolmoney

  

• 🐶🐕🐾 Canine Therapy 🐾🐕🐶

  Sat 14 Oct 2023

  We are extremely lucky to have the ADNI trained dog, Heidi, visit our school each Friday to provide canine therapy to some of our pupils!

  Heidi is specially trained to support children with Autism, but can offer support and provide a positive impact on any child’s educational, social and emotional wellbeing. Heidi helps to support our children with their emotional regulation, boosting self-esteem and self-confidence, developing social skills and helping with concentration and listening skills. 

  Heidi has already helped some of our pupils to feel more confident and speak out during the sessions, and has helped others to calm down when they feel annoyed or upset. We are so lucky to have Heidi as another part of the support provision in our school! 🐾

  

• 🚌⛰️🌅 P6 Visit Newcastle 🚌⛰️🌅

  Fri 13 Oct 2023

  The boys and girls in Primary 6 enjoyed a trip to the seaside this week. They availed of the Thursday bus and took in the local sights of Newcastle. This was an excellent reward for their hard work during assembly last week. The children made the most of the bright weather, spending some time on the beach, took a walk along the promenade taking in the sights of the Mourne Mountains and Irish Sea and also had some fun in the play park. They finished the trip off with a visit to the shop where they enjoyed a treat! A great day out and nice break from the classroom.

  

• 📆 Parenting Week 2023 📆

  Fri 13 Oct 2023

  Next week is Parenting Week! This focus of week is on the 'Positivity of Parenting', celebrating the strength, resilience and dedication of people in parenting roles as the backbone of families and communities.

  Check back next week to see some examples of our pupil's efforts on marking Parenting Week 2023!

  Find more information on their website:
  https://www.parentingni.org/resources/parenting-week/

  @ParentingNI