Dear Parents/Guardians,
It was lovely to see such a big turn out for our Carols in the church on Tuesday. I hope everyone enjoyed the lovely songs and music.
A thank you to all our staff, Parents and Friends Group, the Board of Management, the pupils, parents/guardians and the wider community who supported our school through the year. We wish you all a happy, safe and peaceful Christmas.
An Choill had their Christmas lunch today - a big thanks to everyone who helped prepare this special meal for them. There were lots of happy faces!
A reminder that school closes tomorrow at 12 midday and re-opens on Monday January 6th.
Finally, a Christmas wish from our Chairperson Mary Hayward:
This term has passed particularly quickly and it’s hard to process that Christmas 2024 is nearly upon us.
As ever, this has been a very busy term with all the usual events and happenings which go into making our school such a thriving and purposeful educational environment for our young people.
I would like to give particular mention to the Erasmus project which saw a group of pupils and staff travelling to Sweden in September. It was a wonderful opportunity to visit this beautiful country and see a Swedish school at first hand. The benefits of such experiences for our pupils cannot be overplayed. It enriches minds and broadens horizons which is at the core of our educational mission in Ballymitty. We also welcomed a group of Spanish students from Barcelona to visit our school in November and it is to this school a group of 17 pupils and staff will visit in May, 2025. This trip promises to be a similarly very rewarding experience.
Recently our school underwent a Curricular Inspection with a focus on Music. The Inspectors were very impressed with the genuinely warm welcome they received and commended the school on its ethos of inclusivity and excellence in the teaching and learning of music. It is very gratifying to hear feedback of this quality as recognition for the hard work, talent and dedication of our staff and pupils. A huge thank you to Audrey and to all staff for everything they do day to day to enhance the educational experience for our pupils.
I would like to thank the Parents and Friends group for their support and enterprise in raising funds for the school. The group is bursting with ideas and it networks within our community for the benefit of our pupils. Thank you to all for your efforts.
Finally, on behalf of the Board of Management, I would like to wish all staff, pupils, their families and carers a very happy and peaceful Christmas and every blessing and joy for 2025.
Mary Hayward.