Dear Families, 

Please see attached flyer from Sinead for this year’s Summer Camp

Regards,

Liz

Dear families, 

A big thank you to all of you who have responded to our invitation to participate in Culture and Diversity Day on Thursday the 29th of May!

We would love to see as many countries as possible represented on the day! If you have any questions about the event, you can pop me a message here on Aladdin! We aim to kick off at 09:30 with a finish time of 11:30 and we will be there with you all the way to support. 

Shared once again is the link to the form: https://forms.office.com/e/QiQ6QKzRRk

I also wish to remind you that school will finish at 12:00 next Wednesday the 28th of May for staff CPD. 

Kind regards,

Deirdre

Dear Families,

 Please see information below and attached from the HSE.

 Regards,

 Liz

 ‘A Chara,

 The HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast series recently marked its 100th episode, and has a number of episodes which address the health needs of young people. Please see attached letter that includes further information and links to episodes that provide support for young people and families. With helpful tips and advice from a range of healthcare professionals, partners and service users, the episodes offer practical and evidenced based advice, in a friendly manner. 

 We would appreciate your support in sharing this information with parents, carers and those working with young people. 

 Kind Regards,

 HSE Stakeholder Engagement and Communications, HSE Health and Wellbeing ‘

HSE Podcasts for Parents 0525

Dear families,

We are thrilled to announce that on Thursday the 29th of May, we will once again host the Brannoxtown CNS Culture and Diversity Day. 

As is becoming tradition, Culture and Diversity Day is an opportunity for our families to come together to share and celebrate our unique,  diverse and close-knit school community. Exact times are to be confirmed but please be advised that the event typically runs during the school day from approximately 10:00 – 12:00. 

To celebrate Culture and Diversity Day, we invite families to set up stands that celebrate the countries, cultures and  traditions that connect us as a school community. If you wish to be a part of what will be a very special day, please fill out the linked form by next Wednesday the 21st of May: https://forms.office.com/e/QiQ6QKzRRk

Attached is a refresher of what a lovely day we shared together last year at our BCNS 2024 Culture & Diversity Day. 

Thanking you all in advance, 

The BCNS Staff.

Dear families, 

We hope you are well and are enjoying the glorious May weather. 

Please find attached information regarding this year’s school tours and key dates for Term 3, including Culture and Diversity Day, 6th Class Graduation, Sports’ Day and one remaining half day closure for Staff Professional Development (May 28th).

Kind regards,

The BCNS Team!

BCNS-Letter-School-Tour-2025 BCNS-Key-Dates-2025

BCNS-Key-Dates-2025

Hi all, 

With the time of year we are coming into and the increase in good weather just a reminder to ensure all jumpers are labelled with your child’s name on them. We have a build up of unclaimed jumpers lately with no labels so it is difficult to find owners for them.

Thanks,

BCNS Staff

Dear families,  

We are so excited for our pupils in 2nd – 6th Class to begin swimming lessons tomorrow which form a part of the aquatics strand of the P.E. curriculum. 

Please see the below information and guidelines: 

Classes: 2nd – 6th Class inclusive 

Venue: K Leisure, Naas. 

Swim Dates: 

May: Thursday the 1st of May 

Tuesday 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th 

June: Tuesday 10th, 17th  

• Swim Times and Travel Arrangements: 
• Children arrive to school at the normal time.  
• Children will have their snack at 09:45 and depart by bus at 10:00. 
• Children will return to school by bus at approximately 12:15. 
• Three members of staff will travel with the children for supervision. 

We ask that parents please take note of the following protocols: 

• – Food remains at school – there is no eating on the bus or at the pool.  
• – Children should come to school wearing their swimsuit under their school tracksuit.
• – One-piece swimsuits should be worn by girls. 
• – Swimming hats are required and goggles are recommended. 
• – All children should bring their own towel.  
• – Children should bring a plastic bag for wet clothing and towels. 
• – All items to be labelled (tracksuit, swim hats, towels etc.).
• – We cannot facilitate hair drying –  any pupils with long hair should bring an additional towel. 
• – Roll-on deodorant only. No body spray, hair spray or hair gels.  
• – K Leisure provide cubicles  for changing. 

If you have any questions, please contact your class teacher on Aladdin.

Kind regards,

Deirdre

Dear Families,

Please see attached flyer from our Parents Association with details of Crazy Socks Day.

Dear families, 

We hope you are already soaking up the glorious sunshine on this stunning Friday! We have had an incredible end to Term 2 and your children have most certainly earned their holiday!

Check out our Newsletter which shares:

• Classroom Updates
• School News
• Term 3 Upcoming Events
• Term 3 Reminders
• The 2025-2026 BCNS Calendar

So much of this newsletter has been produced by the children themselves, including a shared writing piece by the Junior Room! 

A special word of thanks and congratulations to the phenomenal work that the Senior Room did to create a magical day in our school yesterday which included egg hunts, face painting and Egg Themed P.E. Games! 

Another word of thanks to our P.A. for Movie Night – the laughter that filled the air was simply magical! These are the moments that form lasting bonds with the school community and build memories that the children will cherish when they look back on their time at Brannoxtown CNS. 

To the Brannoxtown CNS staff, thank you for your ongoing commitment to making Brannoxtown CNS a happy and dynamic learning environment for our pupils. 

And finally, to our pupils and their families: THANK YOU! We are truly blessed to share such a close-knit community where school and families work together for the happiness and wellbeing of all our pupils. 

We look forward to welcoming the children back on Monday the 28th of April but in the meantime – happy happy holidays!

Warm wishes, 

The BCNS Team!

BCNS-Spring-Newsletter-2025

Dear Families,

This is a gentle reminder if you wish to apply for the Bus Éireann School Transport from Naas to Brannoxtown, applications are now being accepted for the School Year 2025-2026.   The link to the Bus Éireann portal is https://schooltransport.buseireann.ie/Account/Login

The closing date for applications is Friday, 25th April.  Any applications after this deadline will be considered a late application and a seat on the bus may not be guaranteed.

Kind regards,

Liz

Dear families, 

We hope you are all well and are enjoying the glorious sunshine. 

In the run-up to the Spring Holidays, we have so much happening here in school. 

We finish up for 2 weeks of holidays this Friday the 11th of April and return on Monday the 28th of April. 

Children travelling by bus will finish at 11:50 and all other pupils will finish at 12 noon. 

Friday is  a Civvies Day so children can wear their own clothes to school instead of their school uniform!

Tomorrow, Thursday,  is going to bring lots of excitement to BCNS! Our Senior Room pupils have been busy prepping Egg Hunts, Egg themed P.E. games and even face-paint fun for the whole school. And then, to top it all off, we have our much anticipated BCNS Movie Night thanks to our wonderful Parents’ Association!

What a great way to top off what has been a super term!

Warm regards,

The BCNS Team!

Dear Families,

Please see attached message from our Parents Association.

Dear Families,

This is a gentle reminder that school will close this Friday the 11th of April at 12 noon for the Easter Break.

Regards,

Liz

Dear Families,

Please see attached flyer from our Parents Association for our School Cinema Night.  The School Cinema Night will take place, next Thursday, 10th April.   Tickets will be on sale until Monday,  7th April, please see attached flyer for further details.

Dear Families, 

There are works being carried out in the front yard of the 1885 school building tomorrow morning, Wednesday the 2nd of April.    If you are accessing Breakfast Club or the school grounds tomorrow morning, please use the Grangemore Manor school yard entrance.

Thank you for your co-operation.

Kind regards, 

Liz

Dear Families,

This is a gentle reminder to all families who have confirmed their child/children’s attendance for swimming lessons via Aladdin Permissions that the Aladdin Connect ePayment is open.  The cost will be €70 per child- this can be paid in full or in instalments via Aladdin ePayments.  

 If you wish to discuss a payment plan, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 Thank you to the families who have paid  for their child/children’s swimming lessons to date.

 Kind regards,

 Liz

Dear Families,

 Please see attached flyer from Kilcullen GAA.

This is a gentle reminder that school will close at 12noon tomorrow Wednesday the 26th of March to facilitate Staff CPD for Bí Cineálta: Procedures for Anti-Bullying. 

Regards,

Liz

Dear families, 

Please see the attached communication about the delivery of the Stay Safe Programme and RSE(Relationships & Sexuality Education).

Included in the communication are links to the programmes and topics that we will explore in class.

BCNS_RSE_Letter_2024.2025

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Kind regards,

Deirdre

Dear families, 

The Brannoxtown CNS Parents’ Association are delighted to announce the annual BCNS Movie Night which will take place on Thursday the 10th of April – right before we wrap up for Spring/Easter Break!

Please see the poster attached for further details

Kind regards,

The Brannoxtown CNS Parents’ Association.

Dear families, 

We are very excited for our 2nd – 6th Class pupils to start swimming lessons. Please see the following information:

Dates: Swimming begins on Thursday the 1st of May over a 7-week block ending on Tuesday the 17th of June. Please note that every week, with the exception of  the 1st of May, our swimming day will be Tuesday.

Transport: We will travel with Leinster Coaches to and from K Leisure. The bus will depart each day at 10am and we will be back in school by  12 noon(approx).

Lesson Structure: Three swim instructors will work with our pupils and the pupils will be divided into three sections: beginners, intermediated and advanced. 

Changing Facilities: K Leisure provides cubicles for children to use. 

Cost: The cost will be €70 per child- this can be paid in full or in instalments and an Aladdin payment link will be shared shortly. 

We ask for payment to be completed in full by the first swimming lesson on Thursday the 1st of May. We understand that this can be an expensive time of year  – if any family needs to put a payment plan in place, we invite you to make contact with Deirdre via Aladdin so that we can make sure that every child from 2nd – 6th Class may enjoy swimming lessons. Swimming is a valuable life skill that we are delighted our Brannoxtown CNS pupils can access.

Warm regards,

The Brannoxtown CNS Team.

Dear families, 

We have had a quite the end to a fun-filled week with Lá Glas, the Book Fair and Playball! A special tip of the hat to our Student Council members who were in charge of running the book fair alongside Múinteoir Lyndsey – they were absolutely superb!

Everyone  has earned a well-deserved break and we hope you all enjoy the St. Patrick’s Day festivities. A reminder that the school will be closed on Monday and Tuesday next week for holidays. We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Wednesday the 19th of March! 

We also wish to thank our incredible Parents’ Association for their continued efforts to fundraise for our school and I know they are already putting their thinking caps on about how to give back to the children here at Brannoxtown CNS. Please see the below message from the Brannoxtown CNS P.A:

Dear all, 

A message on behalf of the Parents’ Association. 
A massive €212.05 was raised at our Bucket Collection this morning, our Living Shamrock fundraiser brought in €1065  which raised €532.50 for our School. 
Shamrocks have been delivered to all classes and have gone home today with the children. The shamrocks should be placed in a glass of water and left on a windowsill until ready to wear. 

Enjoy the St. Patrick Day festivities and thank you for all the support, 

The BCNS Parents’ Association.

Dear Families,

Please see attached letter from the HSE Oral Health Promotion team.

HSE Dental Letter to Parents 0325

Regards,

Liz

Dear parents, 

This Friday the 14th of March,  in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, we invite your children to wear in green as we host our annual Lá Glas. We are once again looking forward to  our Lá Glass Walk around the neighbourhood and to our Céilí Mór in the yard. Here’s hoping for great weather and a day of spórt agus spraoi celebrating our Irish heritage! 

Warm wishes, 

The BCNS Team!

Dear Families,

Please see attached flyer in relation to the Parents Association Bucket Collection Fundraiser and School Parade.

Regards,

Liz

Dear families, 

Please be advised that from tomorrow, Monday 10th March until 4th July, the R412 Brannockstown to Dunlavin will be closed to facilitate the laying of a new water main pipework. There will be local access maintained, but delays are expected. 

Kind regards,

Deirdre

Dear families, 

Please be advised that Brannoxtown CNS will close at 12 noon on Wednesday the 26th of March to facilitate engagement of all school staff with the Bí Cineálta Anti-Bullying Procedures. 

The Bí Cineálta procedures have been rolled out by the Department of Education and were developed in collaboration with education partners. The revised procedures  provide direction and guidance to schools, in relation to measures to prevent and address bullying behaviour in schools.

The Bí Cineálta procedures are centred on a child-rights-based approach and support a partnership approach where all members of the school community work together to prevent and address bullying behaviour. The procedures support schools to develop clear strategies to prevent and address these bullying behaviours.

If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact Deirdre on Aladdin.

Warm regards,

The Brannoxtown CNS Team

Dear Parents,

For Families wishing to apply for the Bus Éireann School Transport from Naas to Brannoxtown, applications are now being accepted for the School Year 2025-2026.   The link to the Bus Éireann portal is https://schooltransport.buseireann.ie/Account/Login

Kind regards,

Liz

Dear Families,

Please find attached reminder flyer from our PA in relation to our Living Shamrock fundraiser.  Sponsorship cards and monies to be returned to the school by Wednesday, the 5th of March.

Regards,

Liz

Dear families, 

As has become tradition, we will celebrate Pancake Tuesday tomorrow  and enjoy some pancakes with our classmates. While we have toppings to  go around, your child is welcome to bring in a topping of their choice if they so wish – but don’t worry, there’s more than enough to go around!

For any of our senior pupils who are currently fasting during Ramadan, we welcome them to bring in a small container for which they can take home their pancake to enjoy in the evening. 

Warm regards,

The BCNS Team

Happy Friday Everyone,

Just a reminder that next Thursday the 6th of March is World Book Day. To celebrate, we are delighted to invite all the children to dress us as their favourite book character or to bring their favourite book to school. We encourage everyone to do their best to make some or all of their costumes. This could mean using old or recycled clothes, painting an old t shirt or making a prop to add to a costume. Classes will be given reduced homework next week to give them time to prepare their costumes.

In other exciting news, we will have a travelling book fair visiting our school from the 13th to the 20th of March. Each class will get the opportunity to visit the book fair and create a wish list of books or stationery they might like to buy. Students can pay for their books using cash and any books that are not in stock will be delivered to the school. 

Best homemade World Book costumes from each class will win a voucher towards books at the book fair.

Books start at just €3.70 and every book purchased helps go towards getting new books to fill our class libraries. You can explore some of the titles that will be on offer at the link below.

https://bookfairs.scholastic.ie/travelling-books/the-books

Warm regards

The BCNS Team

Dear Families,

Please find attached flyer from our PA in relation to our March Fundraiser – The Living Shamrock.  Sponsorship cards and monies to be returned to the school by Monday, the 3rd of March.

Thank you for your  support.

Regards,

 Liz

Dear Families,

Please find attached information for this year’s Easter Camp at The Learning Tree.

Regards,

Liz

Hi all, 

Just a reminder that next week the school will be closed on Thursday and Friday for mid term break. 

When we return World Book Day will be just around the corner on March 6th. More information will follow on this but we will be inviting everyone to dress up on March 6th.  You may want to work on the costume over the mid term break.

Warm Wishes, 

BCNS staff

Dear Families,

Please see attached flyer from Sinead in relation to a Mid Term Junk Art Day on Thursday, 20th February.

Regards,

Liz

Dear Families,

Thank you to our Families who have paid their Playball and School Contribution to date.  This is a gentle reminder to Families who have yet to pay.   These funds enable us to provide quality learning experiences for children and to help fund educational resources and trips/tours.  

• Payments for Playball can be made via Aladdin ePayments or by cash to your child’s class teacher.  
• The School Contribution can be made by cash or cheque, made payable to ‘KWETB Brannoxtown CNS’.  If you wish to pay the School Contribution by Aladdin ePayments, please email me at brannoxtowncns@kwetb.ie  by Tuesday 28th January and I will put this in place for you.  

Thank you.

Kind Regards,

Liz

Dear parents,

In light of the red weather warning and the associated health and safety concerns, Brannoxtown CNS will close tomorrow, Friday the 24th of January. 

We look forward to welcoming your children as usual this morning and wish you all a safe day indoors tomorrow.

Kind regards, 

The Brannoxtown CNS Board of Management

To all our families,

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope that this holiday season brings you joy, happiness and laughter. Once again, we at Brannoxtown CNS are so very grateful for the wonderful school community that we have and know that you have all earned some much needed rest and relaxation with loved ones.

We hope you enjoy some light Christmas reading at some stage over the holidays of our festive newsletter that our pupils worked so hard on.

Warm wishes,

The Brannoxtown CNS Team.

BCNS-December-Newsletter-2024

Dear Families,

For any families who may have missed the Nasal Flu Vaccinations taking place at our school.   Please see below message and attached information from the HSE.

‘Due to the expected rise in flu within the community in the coming weeks we are holding walk-in Children’s LAIV flu clinics in St. Mary’s Primary Care Naas over the Christmas Break.

The clinics are running on Friday 27th December, Monday 30th December and Thursday 2rd of January from 10am – 4pm.

The nasal flu vaccine is available to all children aged 2 – 17 free of charge. ‘

Dear Families,

This year we are participating in the Christmas Cards for Schools Project which will help raise funds for the school.  A form and a sample card will be sent home with each child today.  Please return the form to your child’s/children’s class teacher by Monday, the 9th of December, if you require any corrections to your child’s name or if you are paying by cash or cheque.   The cost of a pack of 10 cards is €10.  We will be going live with the Aladdin ePayments for the Christmas Card purchases today.   You will see the ePayment icon active on your Aladdin Connect app.

Kind regards,

Liz

Dear Families,

Our Parents Association PJ and Movie Day Fundraiser is taking place this Friday, 6th December.  Please see attached flyer for more information.

PJ and Movie Day

Dear Families,

Please find attached information from the Department of Education on behalf of the HSE.

Winter health advice from the HSE

 Regards,

 Liz

Dear families,

The lighting of the Brannockstown Community Christmas Tree will take place on Sunday at 4:30pm at the Harristown Gate Entrance.  Please see information in the attached poster.

Kind regards,

The BCNS Staff

Dear parents, 

Pleased find attached a link to our November newsletter which shares with you some pupil-written pieces about some of the events that took place in Term 1. On the last page, you will also see important dates for the diary. 

Wishing you all a cosy and restful weekend, 

The BCNS Staff. 

BCNS-Newletter-Nov2024

Dear Parents,

This is a gentle reminder that school will finish early today and tomorrow at 2:15pm to facilitate the PTM meetings.  The bus company has been advised.

 Kind regards,

 Liz

Dear Parents,

The administration of the Nasal Flu Vaccine is taking place this Friday, 22nd of November by the Doctors of Kilcullen Family Practice.  Thank you to all the Parents who have returned their Vaccine Forms to date.  For any outstanding forms please return to your child’s class teacher or by email to brannoxtowncns@kwetb.ie before Thursday evening.  If you no longer wish your child to avail of the Nasal Flu Vaccine, please email brannoxtowncns@kwetb.ie and I will update your child’s permission.

Thank you.

Kind regards,

Liz

Dear families, 

Please be advised that the school will close on Friday the 29th of November as it will be used as a polling station for the General Election. 

Kind regards,

Deirdre

Dear Parents,

School will finish at 2:15pm on Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st November to facilitate the PTM’s.  The bus company will be advised of the early finish on both days.    The last day for booking your PTM is Sunday 17th November.  Please note the PTM form is due back tomorrow, 14th November.  The link is https://forms.office.com/e/kHEY0XC9E5

 Kind regards,

Liz

To coincide with Science Week, we welcomed Dr. Mustafa Mehmood, a parent of one our pupils to visit our classes to teach us about CPR: Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation. His workshop was engaging, hands-on and incredibly valuable for all of  our pupils. The children learned about the physiology of CPR, how to care for a person who is unresponsive and how to administer CPR. The children put their learning into practice on a model brought in by Dr. Mehmood and on their own teddies. Finally, our pupils were invited to ask Dr. Mehmood questions about his work and caught a glimpse of what it is like to work in an Emergency Department. We are so grateful to have participated in this workshop – thank you Dr. Mehmood.

 You can see more photos of the workshop by clicking this link: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19zSrgjYG8/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Dear Parents,

We have parent teacher meetings organised to take place on 20th and 21st November. If you log on to Connect you can check out what date they will be available for you to book your slot(s). Just click on the new Parent Teacher Meeting option on your home page in the App, or log on to Connect via any device to book your meeting(s)

Click here to view a quick guide

Please note that there is one slot per student so only one parent can book a slot for each student.

We look forward to meeting with you.

Regards,

Liz 

Dear Parents,

Please see attached flyer from Sinead.

We had an incredible day here Brannoxtown CNS and it was a joy to see the array of  costumes that came through our doors. A huge well done to our Junior and Senior Infants who wowed us with a spooktacular performance of Oíche Shamhna and The Witch!!  

 Our Senior Room pupils set up Hallowe’en stations both indoors and outdoors for the school. On the yard, we had Spider Web Shoot Out, Slime Splat, Eye-Bowling and Spider Web Limbo. Inside, we had the Witch’s Lab, Flour Dunk, Candy Apples and Slime Stations!! The children had a ball and we ate so proud of the leadership and care shown by our 5th and 6th class pupils.  

After a busy morning, all classes had the chance to wind down and enjoy a movie together with some popcorn and pumpkin seeds to munch on!  

After what has been an action packed first term, BCNS pupils have certainly earned a fun and restful midterm break! We look forward to seeing you all back on Monday the  4th of November!  

Dear Parents of 6th Class Children,

Please see message and attachment from The Department of Education.

‘The Department of Education recognises that the Admissions Process for post-primary school is an important stage in a child’s education.  In that context, we have produced a letter to parents/guardians with information and advice regarding this process.’

Regards,

Liz

Dept of Education Letter re admissions process 2025

Dear families,

This is a reminder that our school will be closed this Friday the 18th of October to facilitate staff training for the new Primary Maths Curriculum.

Kind regards,

Deirdre

Dear families, 

Shared with you is our September Newsletter! Included is the following:

• General School Info
• Important Reminders
• Parents’ Association Update
• BCNS Community
• Important Dates for the Diary
• A copy of our 2024/2025 School Calendar
• A few snapshots of the year so far!

The next newsletter will be shared at the end of October and will be led and written by the children themselves!

Warm wishes, 

The BCNS Staff 

BCNS September Newsletter 2024

Children will be bringing home their County Photo proofs today.  If you wish to place an order with County Photos, the order deadline is Tuesday, 8th October 2024.  The photos are ordered online via shop.countyphotos.ie.  There will be an 8 digit access code on your order form.

County Photos can be contacted by email at shop@countyphotos.ie or by phone 090 6627444.

Dear Parents,

Please see attached information from our Parents Association in relation to September’s fundraiser.

Dear families, 

Please see below a message from our Parents’ Association who, year in year out, do incredible work to support and unite our school community! 

Join Our Parents’ Association!

Are you a parent passionate about making a difference in our school community? The Parents’ Association is looking for dedicated volunteers to join us!

• By volunteering, you’ll:
  Have a Voice: Help shape school events, policies, and activities.
• Connect: Build strong relationships with other parents, teachers, and staff.
• Make an Impact: Support our students’ growth and create positive change in our school. 
• Whether you can give a little time or a lot, your involvement will make a big difference!

Interested? Contact us via email bcnsparentgroup@gmail.com to learn more and get started. Together, we can create a brighter future for our children!

The BCNS Parents’ Association

Dear Parents of 6th class pupils,

St. Kevin’s Community College Open Night is on Thursday 19th September at 7pm.

Kind regards,

Liz

‘The HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast has returned with a ‘Back to School’ theme, focussing on providing support to parents as young people return to school. We would appreciate you sharing the below podcast episodes with parents and school staff who may be interested in health and wellbeing.

Our recent episodes include ‘Back to School’, ‘Healthy Lunchboxes for Kids’, and ‘Screen Time for Young People’. These episodes provide useful tips and advice for parents and caregivers of young people on a variety of topics that families face and are available on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and on the HSE Health and Wellbeing YouTube Channel.

If you would like to get in touch to find out more about our podcast series or the work of HSE Health and Wellbeing and resources available to schools and parents, please email us at Healthandwellbeing.communications@hse.ie.’

Thursday, 10th October 2024

5.pm to 7.pm

Dear Parents of 6th class boys.

You will be very welcome to our Open Night on Thursday, 10th October from 5.00pm to 7.00pm

The Open Night will be an opportunity for you and your son:

To meet with staff and students

To get a sense of the atmosphere in Naas CBS

To view the school facilities

To be informed about the various subjects 

To gain more information on subject choice  

To hear about extracurricular activities

To meet with members of the Parents Council 

To tour the building

To ask questions 

The Open Night will be a very simple introduction to the school. Later in the year, we will have an information night for parents of boys who have been enrolled for next September. Please arrive in good time so that you have a chance to get around the school, last tour is at 6.15.

Dear families, 

Please find attached our End of Year Newsletter that shares with you:

• Spotlights on each classroom.
• Term 3 Events
• Expressions of Gratitude
• A message from our Board of Management
• The 2024/2025 School Calendar
• Back to School Information

From all of us here at Brannoxtown CNS,  we congratulate your children on a year of hard-work, team spirit and fun, we thank you for your support and positivity and finally, we wish you the happiest of summer holidays. 

BCNS-June2024-Newsletter

Warm wishes, 

The BCNS Staff. 

Dear families,

 A special announcement from our Parents’ Association:

 We are delighted to announce our BCNS raffle winners: 

 1st Prize Tom O’Connor 
2nd Prize Deirdre Wilson 
3rd Prize Nikki McDonald
4th Prize Leanne Duff 
5th Prize Aoife Brennan
6th Prize Patrick Hallissey
7th Prize Christy Doran
8th Prize Bill Walsh
9th Prize Jack O’Connor 
10th Prize Laura Hickey
11th Prize Sinead Leydon
12th Prize Jennifer Dowling
13th Prize Sean Brennan
14th Prize Gerard Hughes
15th Prize William Ducie
16th Prize Michael Grey
17th Prize Jack Duff
18th Prize Elaine Kerin
19th Prize Ross Dignam
20th Prize Chloe Hughes

Kids Draw 
1st Prize Eloise Dunne 
2nd Prize Ciaran Thackaberry 
3rd Prize Leo Condon 
4th Prize Oisin Brown 
5th Prize Annika Flynn 
6th Prize Jared Dunne Weir 
7th Prize Sophie Clifford 
8th Prize Tyler O’Neill
9th Prize Michael Hallissey
10th Prize Luke O’Brien
11th Prize Nicholas Beaumont
12th Prize Tad Davis

All children in BCNS received a little goodie at home time as a Massive Thank You from the PA for their involvement in our hugely successful raffle. 
We raised an astonishing €2790.00 for our School, its development and resources. Every cent goes back into the School and the Children. 
The draw was held in each of the classrooms and the children of the classes picked the winning tickets out under supervision of a PA Member and School Staff. 
Members of the PA will be in touch with our lucky winners to arrange collection of prizes on Monday. Congratulations to all and a Huge Thank You supporting the PA and our Children’s fantastic  education.

Dear families, 

From the staff of Brannoxtown CNS, we wish to say a huge thank you to all members of our school community for the incredible effort, generosity and community spirit that was alive in our school yesterday. We were blown away by the thought and time that went into setting up the stands – what a wonderful way for our pupils to be able to learn about the cultures and countries that enrich the BCNS school community. Yesterday, we had stands representing Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Moldova, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa, U.S.A. (I hope I haven’t left anyone out!).

Please click on the links at the bottom of this message to access a video and a gallery of photos that capture the BCNS Culture & Diversity Day.

Once again, a huge thank you to all families – we feel very lucky to be part of such a supportive and united school community. A word of congratulations also to our wonderful pupils for their performances and for their respectful and positive attitudes, not only yesterday but throughout the school year. 

Wishing you all a lovely weekend, 

The BCNS Staff.

Video: https://youtu.be/tp7x9Hbfti0?si=vD1fuWGnJvQxJe9Y

Photos: https://adobe.ly/3XiYFbZ

Dear parents, 

 This is a reminder that Brannoxtown CNS will be closed for use as a polling station this Friday the 7th of June.

 Kind regards,

 Deirdre

Dear Parents,

Please see attached information from Sinéad in relation to this year’s Parents Association Annual Raffle for our school.  The raffle will take place on Friday, 21st June.

 Regards,

 Liz

Dear Parents of children who will be starting in Pipers Hill next term,

Pipers Hill are running  a workshop next Tuesday 28th of May in Piper’s Hill @7pm for parents of incoming first years to help them with the transition to secondary school.

The workshop will help parents support their children if they are nervous or stressed, how to handle changes in behaviour, develop healthy routines starting school etc. It is run my Caroline O’Connor who is based in Naas and runs workshops on wellbeing and mental health through her organisation EiSHT.

Please find poster attached.   Please confirm a place by emailing hscl@phcol.ie. Places are limited. 

Regards,

Liz

White Illustrative Motivational Education Quotes Classroom Poster_20240517_074728_0000 (1)

Dear Parents,

Please see attached flyer from Sinead with details of the Summer Care Project running from July 1st – July 19th.

Kind regards, 

Liz

Dear families, 

We are very excited to announce that we will once again be holding the BCNS Cultural and Diversity Day on Thursday, June 13th. This year, we extend the invitation to  all parents and children of Brannoxtown CNS to attend what will be a day of sharing and connecting with our school community. 

The theme of the BCNS 2023-2024 Cultural and Diversity Day is, ‘I Am Unique’. It is an opportunity to celebrate the diversity that we cherish here in our school. As part of this day, our Parents’ Association will host a fundraising Art Expo. Every BCNS pupil will create and exhibit a piece of art that expresses their unique selves and you the parents will have the opportunity to purchase your child’s art work.

The success of the BCNS Cultural and Diversity Day relies on teamwork across our school community. We invite families to set up stands that celebrate the countries, cultures and  traditions that connect us here at Brannoxtown CNS. Attached are pictures of the 2023 BCNS Cultural and Diversity so you have a taste of what the day is all about. If you wish to be a part of what will be a very special day, please fill out the form by following this link: https://forms.office.com/e/rWVdjSV9WH

Thanking you all in advance, 

The BCNS Staff.

Dear Parents,

Please see email below from the Kildare Education Support Centre.

Regards,

Liz

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Colleague,

For your information please find details of forthcoming Information Session for Parents/Guardians.

 Your assistance in bringing the information below to the attention of the parents/guardians of the students in your school would be much appreciated.

 The Department of Education are holding a Parent Information evening in Kildare Education Support Centre on Wednesday, 22nd May, 2024 @ 7.15pm.

The focus of this event is to enhance Online Safety and initiate conversations around smartphones. Webwise, a department-funded service for schools and parents, will present available resources to promote safer and more appropriate online use. The department will then conduct a facilitated discussion on smartphone use and a smartphone consultation process .

To register please click    https://www.eckildare.ie/coursebooking/search-result.html?category_id=20

 As always, thank you for your continued support.

 Many thanks and kind regards.

Vivienne.

 Vivienne O’Loughlin.

Kildare Education Support Centre.

045 530200.

Dear parents, 

Shared with you are some important and exciting dates in our Brannoxtown CNS calendar! 

Warm regards,

Deirdre

Dear parents,

This is a friendly reminder that school is closed for mid-term break from Friday the 3rd of May – Wednesday the 8th of May inclusive.

School finishes at the normal time of 14:30 tomorrow(Thursday) and we return to school on Thursday the 9th of May.

Warm wishes,

Deirdre.

Dear Parents,

Please see attached flyer from the BCNS Parents Association in relation to the School Cinema Night.

Kind regards,

Liz

Dear Parents,

This is a reminder that the closing date for new applications for the Bus Éireann School Transport from Naas to Brannoxtown CNS is this Friday, 26th April.

Regards,

Liz

Dear parents, 

Please find attached an information letter about RSE (Relationships and Sexuality Education) Curriculum that will be taught across all class stages from Tuesday the 23rd of April. 

We encourage you to engage with the linked material provided in the letter. Following this, if you have any lingering queries, please do not hesitate to make contact with your child’s teacher. 

Kind regards, 

Deirdre

RSE-April2024

Liz

Dear Parents,

Please see attached document from Archways, a national organisation who are working in collaboration with local and national agencies. Archway are offering free webinars to parents. 

ARCHWAYS FREE Webinars for Parents-Guardians – Spring 2024

Regards,

Liz

Dear Parents of 6th Class girls,

Please see attached flyer from Presentation All-Girls Boarding School, Thurles in relation to enrolment for September 2024.

Regards,

Liz

Dear Parents,

County Photos have extended their online ordering date for free school delivery to 14th February 20024.  

Kind regards,

Liz

Dear parents, 

Valentine’s Day gives us the perfect opportunity to focus on showing care and kindness to ourselves and to others. With that in mind, we have a week of homework that comes with a loving twist. Click the link below to see a table of homework options to choose from. Each day, choose a minimum of two activities to do (ideally from two different columns):

Friendship Week (padlet.com)

Tomorrow, we are excited to learn how to make a baked version of pancakes to share together. Your children are invited to bring a topping of their choice to enjoy their pancake with. Please remember that Nutella and other nut-based toppings are not permitted. 

Warm wishes and Happy Monday!

BCNS Staff. 

Dear parents, 

This is a reminder that to facilitate Parent Teacher Meetings on today, Wednesday the 7th and tomorrow, Thursday the 8th of February, school will finish at 14:15. 

Set Down cannot be used as a parking area between 13:30 – 14:30 but can be used from 14:30 onwards.   We ask that parents take care not to block residents’ entrances or the exit out of the Set Down area. 

Finally, to respect the meeting schedules, parents are asked to knock on the classroom door at your allocated time. 

Kind regards,

Deirdre. 

Dear Parents,

Our school phone is not working at the moment.  Please contact your child’s/children’s class teacher via Aladdin Connect.  For all other queries please contact the school office via Aladdin Connect or brannoxtowncns@kwetb.ie.

Kind regards,

Liz

Dear Parents, 

The school has been  requisitioned by the state for the forthcoming Referendum and will be fully closed on Friday, March 8th 2024.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

Regards,

Liz

Dear Parents,

This is a gentle reminder that County Photos  will be collecting your photo order on Wednesday, 7th February.  All orders to returned to the school by 2:30pm, today. Alternatively, you can place your order online by using your  Access Code and School Code, this is on each child’s proof card.    To avail of free delivery of your photo order to the school please place your order online before tomorrow, 7th February.  The online portal is shop.countyphotos.ie

Kind regards,

Liz

Dear parents,

This is your reminder to book your Parent Teacher Meeting here on Aladdin!

Access to the booking page will close this Friday the 2nd of February. If the remaining times do not suit your schedule, we ask that you make contact with your child’s class teacher to arrange an alternative meeting time.

We also wish to remind you that school will finish 15 minutes early at 2:15pm on Wednesday the 7th and Thursday the 8th of February to facilitate Parent Teacher Meetings.

Finally, attached is a copy of the parent form that went home with every child last Friday.

1.MidYear-PTM-ParentForm-2024

Kind regards,

Deirdre

A huge congratulations to our two Brannoxtown Community National School quiz teams who represented our school in the First Round of the Credit Union School Quiz. Our u13 team made up of Harry Dunleavy, Kitty Keating, Mackenna Lynch and Sebastian Stenson came so close, scoring only two points off the winning team!  Our u11 team, made up of Isaac Flynn,  Aryan Mehmood, Luke O’Brien and Samuel Timbo took home first place and go through to the next round! Well done, we’re so proud of them all! A final big thank you to Múinteoir Aoife & Múinteoir Eoin for the time they gave to support and prep our quiz teams! 

The Cross and Passion College CAT assessments for enrolment September 2024 will be taking place on Saturday, 9th March between 9am and 11:30am.  Cross and Passion will be contacting all parents by email over the coming weeks with the information you will need. 

Dear Parents,

We are delighted to share with you that Brannoxtown CNS was 1 of 24 schools across Ireland selected to participate in Oide’s ‘Formative Assessment Using Digital Portfolios’ initiative. Oide facilitators will deliver training to BCNS teachers who will then roll the initiative out at school level. Digital portfolios are “student-owned dynamic digital workspaces wherein students can capture their learning and their ideas, access their collections of work, reflect on their learning, share it, set goals, seek feedback and showcase their learning and achievements” (NCCA 2013).

Our school will be using Seesaw (http://seesaw.me), a secure online journal where students can document and reflect on what they are learning in class. Your child will be able to add the things we work on (including photos, videos, worksheets, drawings and voice recordings) to their Seesaw journal and we can share them privately with you and other family members to view and comment on throughout the school year.

In order for your child to use Seesaw, the app needs your child’s name in order to be able to associate work like their photos, videos or voice recordings with their account. Seesaw only uses this information to provide the service and doesn’t advertise in Seesaw, create profiles of students, or share or sell your child’s personal information or journal content. You can read more about their strong privacy promises here: https://web.seesaw.me/privacy. Under an EU law called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), in order for your child to use Seesaw, the school must get your consent. For more information on GDPR, please visit https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/reform/rights-citizens.

I hope that your child will enjoy using Seesaw to document and share their learning this year. Please sign below and return this permission slip so that your child can use Seesaw.

Kind Regards, 

Deirdre Murphy, Principal 

Dear Parents,

Children will be brining home their school photo proof cards today.   Your can place your order online by using your  Access Code and School Code, this is on each child’s proof card.  Alternatively, please return your orders  by Tuesday, 6th February as County Photos will be collecting them on  Wednesday, 7th February.

Kind regards,

Liz

Dear Parents,

We have parent teacher meetings organized to take place soon. If you log on to Connect you can check out what date they will be available for you to book your slot(s). Just click on the new Parent Teacher Meeting option on your home page in the App, or log on to Connect via any device to book your meeting(s)

Click here to view a quick guide

Please note that there is one slot per student so only one parent can book a slot for each student.

We look forward to meeting with you.

Dear parents, 

This year’s Parent-Teacher Meetings will be held on Wednesday the 7th and Thursday the 8th of February.

To facilitate these meetings, the school day will end 15 minutes early at 14:15 on the 7th and 8th of February. 

Next week, invitations to book a meeting slot will be sent out via Aladdin. 

On Monday, the 22nd of January, parents with more than one child in the school will receive a link to book their Parent Teacher Meeting slot. 

On Tuesday, the 23rd of January, all parents will receive the link to book their Parent Teacher Meeting slot. 

Kind regards,

Deirdre. 

Dear parents,

Please see the attached leaflet for details of Sinéad’s midterm camp that she will run on Thursday, the 15th of February. 

Dear families,  Our Parents’ Association is organising a collection in aid of Saint Vincent de Paul’s charity work to ensure no family is without essential supplies like food, toiletries and nappies. 

We invite families to drop off non perishable food items, toiletries and new toys which will then be collected Saint Vincent de Paul and distributed locally to those in need over the holiday season.  Drop off is on Monday the 11th and Tuesday the 12th of December to our collection box by the school door. Below are suggestions suitable for the collection box:

• Tinned fish, tinned fruit/vegetables, tinned pudddings, couscous
• Pasta/curry sauces, soup, rice, jams/marmalades.
• Dried noodles, brown sugar, tea/coffee, tins of biscuits/chocolates.
• Christmas pudding, selection boxes, organic baby food.
• Nappies, baby wipes, toothpaste, tooth brushes, bath & shower gel.

Warm wishes, 

Deirdre.

Dear parents, 

We wish to thank you  for participating in the election process to determine our parent nominees for the Brannoxtown CNS Board of Management. Following the counting of votes,  Kevin Corley has been elected as parent nominee from the fathers’ panel. We wish to congratulate Susan Fitzgerald and Kevin Corley who take on the role of parent nominees for the Brannoxtown CNS Board of Management(2024-2027). 

Kind regards,

Deirdre.

Dear families, 

Our Parents’ Association are excited to announced the next fundraiser for our school that is sure to leave our children buzzing with excitement. Please see the attached flyer to learn more about the PJ and Movie Day which will take place next Friday the 24th of November.  As a staff, we would like to express our continued appreciation to the Parents’ Association who are working tirelessly behind the scenes to not only raise funds for our school but to strengthen the bonds within our school community. 

PJ and Movie Day

Warm wishes, 

The BCNS Staff

Dear parents, 

 Please find attached the letter that all children  take home today re. the procedure for parents who wish to nominate themselves for the role of parent nominee for our Board of Management’s new term (2023-2027). Once nominations have been received on/by next Monday the 20th of November, we will share further communication about the the election process. 

Parent-Nominee-Letter2023 (1)

Kind regards, 

Deirdre. 

Dear parents, 

In the interest of Health and Safety and acting on the instruction of the Department of Education in response to the orange/red weather warnings, the Board of Management wishes to inform you that the school will open from 10:30am tomorrow morning, Monday November 13th. We also advise that Bus Éireann will not operate its school bus routes in the morning but intends to operate in the afternoon, subject to local road conditions. Please keep an eye on your Aladdin noticeboard for any potential updates. 

Kind regards,

Deirdre.

Dear parents, 

We received notice from the Department of Education that to facilitate the rolling out of the New Primary Maths Curriculum, our school must close on Tuesday the 28th of November so that teachers may attend a training day. 

Kind regards,

Deirdre. 

St Kevin’s Community College Open Evening 2023

Dear families, 

We are delighted to bring you an update from the BCNS Parent Association. 

Crazy Hair Day!

The Parent Association are delighted to announce their first fundraising event of the year: Crazy Hair Day!! This will take place on Friday the 29th of September. There will be a prize for the wackiest hairdo in each class!! The Parents’ Association will be collecting €2 per child and payments can be sent to the BCNS PA Revolut account or can be paid in cash to one of the 4 Parent Association collectors on the morning. 

New Members Welcome!

Our Parent Association would like to invite new parents to join the BCNS Parent Association. At BCNS, our goal is to ensure that all families feel represented by the Parent Association.  What’s more, with new members, we know that fresh and exciting ideas will continue to stream in. If you wish to join our Parent Association, please e-mail bcnsparentgroup@gmail.com or contact Sinéad at 087 321 1730. Support from you the parents is integral to the success of our school community and everyone at Brannoxtown CNS appreciates the incredible that is being carried out by our fantastic BCNS Parent Association!

Well done to our Junior Infants on a fantastic first day at school! We look forward to welcoming all families back on Wednesday, August 30th. Please red this note for updates on the new school year: https://www.brannoxtowncns.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BCNS-News-2023-August29-1.pdf

The BCNS school office is now closed for the summer holidays and will reopen on Tuesday, the 22nd of August, 2023. Best wishes to all over the summer holidays. 

Hot off the press… our BCNS June Newsletter. You’ll find the Calendar for 2023/2024 on the back page along with some notices for the next school year. You’ll find more snapshots of children’s learning, during the year, in our weekly collages (posted to Facebook) and our classroom and school messages (posted to Class Dojo). 

With best wishes to everyone for the summer holiday!

The new ‘Free Primary School Books Scheme’ enables schools to invest in high-quality teaching and learning resources, including textbooks, for all classes. As part of the scheme, the DES advised that parents may need to buy additional items for children to use at school, such as a minimum number of personal workbooks and stationery for your child’s own use, which cannot be used by another child.

As a school still in its infancy, BCNS is building its resource bank of school rental books. We are catching up with other well-established schools. This is because DES grants have been based on enrolment numbers and our school has grown from 4 children in 2018 to 88 children, today. The grants received have fallen far-short of what was needed to meet our ambitions for children’s learning. We have been gratefully reliant on gifts and donations and the goodwill of our community, to supplement our limited budget and we have received second-hand books when offered by schools updating their resource bank. All of the grant for the ‘Free Primary School Books Scheme’ is being deployed on essential school books and resources for children at BCNS in 2023/2024 including textbooks, reference books (atlases and dictionaries), reading schemes, workbooks, copies (refil pads, folders and ring-binders) and online subscriptions for English, Irish, Maths and SESE.

A Learning Toolkit has been prepared for each class for the 2023/2024 School Year. For each class, items on the personal Learning Toolkit cost €18-25. The ‘Learning Toolkit’ replaces the traditional ‘Booklist’ and is available available for each class at the links below:

• Learning Toolkit: Junior Infants to 2nd Class
• Learning Toolkit: 3rd to 6th Class

Please see attached information from the Department of Education in relation to the School Transport Scheme Closing Date for payment and Family Portal.

https://www.brannoxtowncns.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Information-for-families-regarding-School-Transport-Payment-Process-for-2023-24-School-Year.pdf

Please see attached information from the Department of Education in relation to the School Transport Scheme Closing Dates

https://www.brannoxtowncns.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Dept-of-Education-School-Transport-Scheme-Closing-Dates.pdf

Please click here for information from Bus Eireann School Transport: ‘Be Alert To Be Safe’ for all children travelling on the school bus to/from Brannoxtown CNS.

Please see attached link for information on School Transport Payment closing date.

https://www.brannoxtowncns.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/School-Transport-Payment-Information-2023.pdf

Dear Parents,

Huge thanks to everyone who contributed clothing for our Bag2School fundraiser. You’ll see that the 481kg of clothing donated raised €192.40 for hands-on maths resources for our school!

Special thanks to parents:
– Helena Wilson Ryan
– Karen Flynn
– Sinéad Leydon
… and especially to members of the Parents Group.

Next stop – weighing scales, large plastic jugs, balances (for weight and capacity) and clocks (for time)!

Le míle buíochas!

Sarah

 https://www.brannoxtowncns.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bag2School2023-2.pdf

Please see attached link for information relating to the School Transport Application Process for the School Year 2023/24 from the Department of Education.

https://www.brannoxtowncns.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/School-Transport-Application-Process.pdf

The BCNS Calendar for 2023/2024  is based on the calendar for all schools published by the Department of Education and Skills (DES). The Easter break is earlier-than-usual in 2024. Because of this, the school will take 3 discretionary days to extend the May bank holiday weekend. School will be closed from Friday, May 3rd to Wednesday, May 8th (inclusive).

Parents can view a video (created by Senior Room Students) of our wonderful day at Gilltown Stud at this link. Our very sincere thanks to staff at Gilltown for their wonderful, warm welcome. It was a fabulous day…  from start to finish!

Hot off the press… this is our June Newsletter (PDF). All content was created by children. Two 6th Class Graduates, Ava and Matilda edited this issue. We used a new tool to create the newsletter (infograph.venngage); you can also view it here. We hope you enjoy!

Following interview this evening, we are delighted to announce that Muinteoir Deirdre is now our Deputy Principal in a permanent capacity. Next Monday, July 4th, interviews are scheduled for Special Education Teacher (SET) and Mainstream Teacher positions at BCNS.

Jennie King from KCELL Badminton Academy in Kilcullen will visit our school on Wednesday 29th June where all children will take part in a Badminton Coaching Session with Jennie.

The Family Open Day will take place on Friday, 24th June at 1:30pm.  This will include our 6th Class Graduation which will take place at 2pm.  More details will follow closer to the time.

Please let us know your interest/availability to participate in the gathering of families event which is being suggesed for Saturday, May 28th.  Please respond to the survey by Friday, May 13th: https://forms.office.com/r/aUs1hpBQFB

Please let us know your interest/availability to participate in the gathering of families event which is being suggesed for Saturday, May 28th.  Please respond to the survey by Friday, May 13th: https://forms.office.com/r/aUs1hpBQFB

We wish all families a restful and enjoyable mid-term break. School reopens for all children on Monday, February 28th.

What do Irish students believe about Climate Change and how do they feel about it? Senior Room students have designed a Climate Change Student Survey to answer this question. The survey for students from 3rd class at primary to 6th year at post-primary, complements research published last year by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ‘Climate Change in the Irish Mind’ (2021). The EPA surveyed 4,000 adults aged 18 to 65. This survey is to ensure students’ voices are part of the ongoing discussions about Climate Change. We believe the leaders of tomorrow are sitting in the classrooms of today… Your view counts!

The School Services’ Survey for Parents to express interest in Afterschool Club, Breakfast Club, Holiday Camps or the ECCE (Preschool Scheme) is open until Tuesday, 22nd February. 

Our Student Council met today to discuss and agree some important actions for our school. The Student Council meets every 2-3 weeks. Here’s a flavour of what’s on our agenda!

Please click on the link below to view the BCNS School Calendar for the next school year: 2022-2023. 

BCNS-Calendar-20222023