Useful Information

Communication

Our various methods of communication in the school include:

• Emails home – please ensure that the school has your correct email address, as it is used by class teachers, Special Education Teachers, ECA co-ordinators and the Principal.
• Notes in the homework journal – please check and sign on a daily basis.
• Communal texts are often used by ECA co-ordinators – less frequently used by staff, due to their expense. However, please ensure that your correct phone number is on the school system (check in office).
• The newsboard at the entrance of the school can provide useful information.
• The screen inside the main door displays very current and relevant information of on-going events within the school, and photographs of events that have taken place.
• The website, metns.ie, will keep you as updated as possible about school calendars, community news, class blogs, sporting events, environmental ethos, ECA activities etc. Get into the habit of looking at least weekly. Our ECA sign-up is now done twice a year  (September and February) through the website.
• Meetings, class information meetings in September, the PTA and Board of management AGM’s are very informative and share an evening, so two valuable sets of information relevant to the running of the school for the price of one.
• Notes and letters coming from individual classes. These inform you of school trips that may need signed consent.

Please don’t forget that communication is a two way process and we welcome any input or queries that you might have. Please remember to read all information and retain any that you will need for the year.

Health and Safety Issues

• Car parking – Please follow the traffic plan and drive into the school by the entrance to the Cube (Blue building). Do not pull up and drop off children anywhere on Kill Avenue as it is a very busy road and this will cause extreme traffic congestion. Car park B ( METNS set down area) can be used with no charge during arrival and departure times. Car Parks A and C, within the IADT campus, may be used also but remember these are pay and display so have your 50cent ready. Car Park D will not be accessible during construction work, until further notice. Please adhere to Speed limit (10kmh) within the campus and do not stop on any double yellow lines or footpaths as we want all our children to be safe. IADT will have clamping for those who do not adhere to Campus parking rules.
• Traffic Warden: Please try and use our wonderful traffic warden as this is a fantastic facility.
• Staff Car Park is for Staff only. We would appreciate your adherence to this as we are already short of space for the staff. Please do not use this as a pedestrian/cycle entrance for children as it is highly dangerous and has only vehicular access.
• Arrival /Departure: School starts at 8.30 am each day and ends at 1.10 pm for infants and 2.10 pm from 1^st to 6^th.
• At arrival time the children line up in the designated areas and the class teacher brings them in. At going home time infants are handed over to their parents/collector and the other classes wait in the yard until they are collected unless otherwise directed by their parents. If a parent/collector is late for any reason your child should return to the class teacher/ or to me until collected. Please remind your child of these procedures and you might like to read together the leaflet ‘Going to School’ that was recently distributed in the school.

Please note that children may not cycle or scoot within the school boundaries.

• Please make sure that you have filled out a medical profile form for your child. If there are any changes to existing ones, they will need to be updated.
• Behaviour: The children are informed of the school’s Code of Behaviour regularly and its success depends on your support. All children and parents should read through the Code at the beginning of the year. For new Parents we would ask you to read the Code with your children and sign agreement after it has been received. Please ask for a hard copy in office if you cannot access one online.
• Head lice: Please check your child’s head regularly as this is a particularly busy time for them!
• Lunch Box Policy: As a school we promote healthy eating so please try to give your child a balanced and healthy lunch as outlined in our policy. We have 2 children this year with severe nut allergies so the BOM have decided to completely ban all nuts in school. We would ask you to also remember this at cake sales and other school functions.
• Lost Property: Any abandoned clothes will be displayed in yard at end of each mid-term and any unclaimed items will sent to a charity shop.
• Mobile Phones: If your child has a mobile phone coming to school, you must complete the appropriate permission form available from the office. Mobile phones must be turned off (not on silent) during school hours and on the school premises unless permission is given to them from a staff member to use it. Any breach of this will result in the mobile phone being confiscated .Parents can retrieve phones from office and must sign for them. Messages for children in school can be left at office.
• P.E: It is important that your child is appropriately dressed for all PE activities and for play in the yard. Runners are compulsory for PE and comfortable clothing such as a tracksuit is recommended. 5th and 6^th class children should also wear special astro -turf runners for the pitch. At all other times your child should be wearing comfortable non -slip shoes

Yours sincerely

AnnMarie Kenrick, Principal