Dates to Remember:
Feb 14th & 15th:   School Closed:    Midterm Break

Monday March 10th has been confirmed as our School Development Planning day. School closed for pupils.

Junior Infant Applications

Mary Hanafin, the Minister for Education and Science had promised a reduction in the pupil teacher ratio from 27 : 1 to 24:1 over the next three years. There is no provision for this in the budget. We are hoping to have clarification on the staffing schedule for 2008/2009 before setting a closing date for Junior Infant applications. In the meantime, if you know of any child for Junior Infants for Sept. 2008 next year please ensure that application forms are sent in as soon as possible. Forms are available from the school secretary.
Sports Equipment Tokens
We have decided to collect the Supervalu tokens currently being given out. Just like last year, this will be a low-key collection. There is no pressure on any child to bring in these tokens but if you have them we would be delighted to receive them.
Quiz Teams
The annual St. Canice’s Credit Union Schools’ Quiz takes place next Monday night Jan 28th. From the qualifying rounds in the Senior Classes, the following teams have been entered:
Junior A: Seán Foley, Eimear Conroy, Kevin Power, Orla O’Sullivan.
Junior B: Peter Lynch, Bill Sheehan, Kevin Barrett, Tom Ryan.
Senior A:Amy McGourty, Jessie Cantwell, Kim Byrne, Sam Gordon.
Senior B: Cathal Boland, Catherine O’Dwyer, William Oakes, Ruth Carey.
Well done and go n-éirí libh.

Music

Best of luck to all our pupils taking part in the Kilkenny Music Festival. Instrumental competitions take place here in St. Canice’s from Thursday to Saturday.
Choral competitions take place in Kilkenny College on Sunday, Jan.27th.
Souvenir 10th Anniversary programmes available from Ms O’Leary €2.
Entry to solo competitions €3
Chess
Cormac Buggy, Michael Mullan, John Hanrick and Barry Hennessey have qualified for the school Chess Team to represent the school in the Inter Schools Chess League. Best of luck to them as they take on Piltown away this week. The next two matches are home to Church Hill and away to Kells.
Healthy Lunch Rules:
Foolowing our staff meeting, we have agreed on the following in regard to our Healthy Lunch Policy.___Next 2 weeks educating everybody-From Mon 4th -Healthy Eating Week- all rules implemented thereafter.

• All lunches to be healthy foods only.
• Plain Home baking acceptable.
• Not allowed-crisps, chocolate, cereal bars, sweets, biscuits, fizzy drinks-on health grounds and popcorn as it attracts vermin.

• Little break-snack time only.
• Food items may be brought out into the yard once they are wrapper free.

• Big Lunch-main eating time. Again wrapper free items may be brought out.

• All rubbish apart from composting items must be brought home in lunch box.

Drinks: Water preferably. School milk scheme also in operation.

All teachers will remind children at both breaks to take a drink.
All pupils will be allowed to have a drink in between breaks if necessary.
Each teacher will make his/her own arrangements as to how best to  facilitate this.
Green Policy: Lunch boxes only. Re-usable drinks’ bottles. No plastic, tinfoil, cartons etc.

Happy New to everybody in our school community.