Newsletter
Newsletter 4th December 2018
PA Meeting Tuesday 11th December 9.30 am East Clare Community Co-op
Class 1 / 2 Play “The Dancing Princesses” Thursday 13th December 6pm
Children’s Festival Wednesday 19th December @1.20pm
Kindergarten Festival Thursday 20th December 12 noon
Parents’ Festival Thursday 20th December 1.20pm
School Closed for Christmas Holidays 12pm on Friday 21st December
Christmas Break: Monday 24th December 2018 – Friday 4th January 2019
Primary Language Curriculum Training Friday 18th January School Closed
Half Term Break: Monday 18th – Friday 22nd February 2019
Verse of the Week
Unto myself I must be true
And when my tasks I rightly do,
Then God, from my own will, the world with light is filling.
Though sometimes I feel weak and small,
I’m linked with love unto the All.
And I grow stronger when to do God’s work I’m willing.
From – In the Light of a Child, Michael Hedley Burton
Kindergarten End of Term Festival: Thursday 20th December will be the Kindergarten End of Term Festival and as such is not a normal school day for Kindergarten children. We ask that children and parents arrive at school at 12 noon for the Festival which will run from 12 until 1.30pm– the children will not be in school that morning. On Friday 21st school will start at the normal time and finish at 12 o’clock for the Christmas holidays. KG Staff
School Closure: As sanctioned by the Department of Education, the school will be closed on Friday 18th January to facilitate a full-day’s training for the teachers on the new Primary Language Curriculum.
ADVENT FAIR 2018
Gratitude & Congratulations
Many thanks to all who contributed to making Saturday such a successful Fair Day again this year. It is a truly humbling community effort, with so many people so generous with their time and skills, and so many visiting families enjoying a memorable day out at Raheen Wood.
Early counting indicates we have had a very healthy fundraising event – details to follow!
Feedback: we want to learn lessons from this year’s experience to help things along next year, so we are very keen to hear from anyone who has something to say about the day or their part in it. All comments, suggestions, observations to adventfairteams@gmail.com. We will meet with Class Reps in a week or so to formally review the day.
With best wishes for you all to enjoy the Christmas Season,
Alan Avia Elizabeth (ADVENT FAIR TEAM 2018)
The school would like to add our thanks to the many, many parents who got involved and made the day such a successful one, in the rearranging of the classes, preparing the grounds and the array of other tasks that were completed. We are extremely grateful in particular to The Fair Team – Alan, Avia and Elizabeth for their efficient, able and calm stewardship of this year’s event!!
Craft Group at the Advent Fair:
The Craft Group, ably led by Renata and Clair, outdid themselves in their efforts once again at the Fair and made an incredible €2,333.57. We are hugely grateful to them for their unbelievable work for the school all through the year and particularly around Advent Fair time.
School Calendars: There are still some of the lovely school calendars left to buy from the office for anybody who would like one… €10 each. Pre-ordered calendars are also in the office for collection.
Raheen Wood School Book Fair Thanks to everyone who supported the book fair. We raised a significant amount of money for the school as we sold nearly all of the books.
So far we have raised in the region of €1100 cash for the school in book sales, we also have gifted a number of books to the school.
We have a small selection of books left if anyone is interested, mostly craft.
We have the following titles.
Children’s Books Seven year old wonder book
Bear Child
Craft Books
Magical Window Stars
The Gnome Craft Book
Beautiful Paper Stars – Craft Decorations for Every Season
Transparent Window Scenes Through The Year
Autumn or Winter Activities Come Rain or Shine
Spring and Summer Actives Come Rain or Shine
Transparent Window Scenes Through The Year
Christmas Craft Book
Many Thanks, Maryrose Hennessy
PA Meeting
The next PA meeting will take place on Tuesday 11th December, 9.30am in the East Clare Community Co-op.
Since our last meeting, both the Treasurer (Lisa McLoughlin) and Secretary (Sinead Sheehan) have resigned their roles on the committee. We would like to thank them for their commitment, time and contribution. We will be voting in both positions at this meeting, so please, if you can step up to either role yourself or would like to nominate someone, come along or let me know your expression of interest. The PA plays an important role in the overall functioning of the school, and we need a strong committee and attendance at meetings to achieve this.
If there is something you would like to see on the Agenda, please email me, The Chairperson, at pa@raheenwood.org before Friday 7th Dec, so that I can plan the meeting accordingly & manage the time.
Warm wishes,
Fiona Coady
PA Chairperson
Books sought!
If anybody has any copies in the series of the “Little House” books to loan or donate to eager readers in the school they would be gratefully received! We’re particularly looking for the later books – from “On the Banks of Plum Creek” onwards.
Thank you
ADVENT
Through Europe, in northern Asia and in ancient Egypt this holiday has had festival connotations of light and the sun.
A beautiful symbolic way to draw us closer to the light can be by lighting a candle on each of the four Sundays leading up until Christmas.
The first Sunday, the first candle is lit and the second, two candles until the fourth is lit on Christmas Day.
Baking, creative activities, wreath making etc are all lovely things to do with children together in this time –
Folding colourful tissue paper stars is always a beautiful thing to have on your windows in your home – an activity enjoyed by both young and old.
Advent is a preparation time, leading us up and into the festival of Love and Sharing.
Wishing you all a light filled Advent time,
Warm wishes,
The Beauty Team.
German Spice Biscuits Recipe
450g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
250g honey
3/4 lb golden syrup
175g sugar
40g butter
Heat the oven 200 C.
Put all dry ingredients in a bowl and in a large saucepan bring the honey sugar and syrup to a boil over moderate heat stirring until dissolved. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 5 mins. Remove from heat and add butter. Stir until melted. Beat in the flour 100g at a time – when batter is smooth drop it by spoonfuls into a lined and greased baking tray. Leaving an inch or so between biscuits. Bake in centre of oven for 15 mins until firm to the touch. Cool on rack.
Glaze ( optional ) –
125g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond essence
1 teaspoon lemon juice
5 teaspoons cold water
Stir through and glaze biscuits when cool. Enjoy!
Parents Association Carpool Initiative
Let’s reduce the number of cars on our roads and share some journeys.
The PA are initiating five WhatsApp groups for parents living along or nearby five main routes to school. These are Killaloe-Ogonnelloe, Whitegate-Mountshannon, Flagmount, Broadford, and Tulla-Bodyke.
We would love you to get involved so we can build community between our families, cut down on the diesel emissions on our roads, and also save some of our hard earned cash! You might even have time for an extra cup of coffee in the mornings.
Please text Rose Anne in the PA on 085 1587462 with your route to be added to that group.
NOTICES:
ENSWaP Conference 2019
To the Parents of all European Waldorf schools: We are happy to invite you to the conference of the European Network of Steiner Waldorf Parents (ENSWaP) taking place in Berlin from 17th to the 19th May 2019. Let us take a look at the European Waldorf movement after 100 years, let us get to know each other, discuss, work on lectures and make excursions! The conference is hosted right in the center of Berlin by the Freie Waldorfschule Berlin-Mitte. Attached you will find the conference programme. You can register here: https://enswap.org/conferences/2019-berlin/ If you need an invitation letter or have any further questions, please contact ellen@enswap.org and I will be happy to help you
Christmas Feile in Mol an Oige Steiner National School
On Sunday 16th December 12-4pm, Mol an Oige will be hosting its annual Christmas Feile. This is a fun filled family afternoon of crafts, games, baking, puppet show, storytelling, face painting, and much much more. There will be stalls selling hand crafted goods, waffles, hot drinks and festive treats. The café as usual is full of delicious home baking and live music of all varieties including a guest appearance by the Burren Children’s Choir.
Children can enjoy all of these activities for just €5, once inside all activities are free, and all crafts made can be brought home. Adults entry €2. This is a fundraiser organised by the Parents Association for the school who really appreciate your support and generosity.
For further information contact Sian Harris, 087 6623520
Firewood for Sale
Bags of seasoned hardwood for sale
€5 per bag (approx. 15kg).
Wood sourced from new, mixed woodland. Sustainably managed
using continuous cover forestry methods (not from clear-fell or land clearance).
Managed with respect for wildlife and biodiversity.
Contact Colm – 086 084 2290
Talk on Relational Integration:
Non Violent Communication, Mindfulness and Interpersonal Neuro Biology at the service of human relationships.
By Tatiana Sibilia, former Raheenwood teacher, certified Non Violent Communication trainer, Mindfulness and Focusing practitioner. In Mountshannon, 28 December from 19.30 to 21.30. By donation. Venue to be confirmed. Please register your interest to be kept informed at http://www.relationalintegration.org/relational-integration-mountshannon.html, more info at relationalintegration.org
East Clare Play Therapy East Clare Play Therapy provides psychotherapy services for children and adolescents from ages 3 to 18 years. Play therapy and creative therapy can help children and adolescents who may be experiencing adjustment issues, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, interpersonal or developmental difficulties. Child-centred play therapy and creative therapy engages the child or adolescent to explore and work through difficulties in a safe, creative space with the therapist. Primary caregivers are consulted with regularly during the child’s therapy. Melanie Brown is an experienced, accredited psychotherapist with IAHP, and holds an MA (hons) in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy and Play Therapy.
Fees: Private sessions – €60 (sliding scale)
Funded sessions – €20 (available through Tusla at the East Clare Community Coop, a waiting list may apply to funded sessions)
Please contact me to enquire further, or make an appointment in confidentiality on:
Mobile – 087 1277232
Email – melbrownplay65@gmail.com
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