Spring 2025

Sports training

• Hurling took place every Monday with Coach Proinsias.

• Soccer took place every Wednesday with Bernice for all pupils up until midterm break

• Gaelic lessons continue to take place with Coach Karl every Wednesday.

• Athletics in Athlone TUS commenced on Tuesday 25th of March for 6 weeks for all classes. (two week break for Easter)

The Senior Room had a great day at the county soccer pitch on Wednesday 12th of February at the primary 5 a side competition! We had both a girl’s team and a boy’s team who played brilliant soccer and scored some wonderful goals! There will be more matches taking place in term 3 for the senior room pupils.

Skip Around Europe: Our Skip Around Europe Challenge took place the week of April 7th This initiative focuses on participation, inclusion and fun with lots of learning opportunities along the way. All classes, at all levels were encouraged to build a short skipping break into their day. Working together as a class, and as a school, combined skips will allow us to travel to many of the capital cities across Europe.

French Lessons: French lessons started on Wednesday 5th of March and will continue to take place in Term 3 for pupils in 2nd - 6th class with our tutor Lesa Rice through the Primary Languages Initiative. The children are getting a fantastic opportunity to sample a new language and culture.

Cash for Clobber: We had another Cash for Clobber Collection on Wednesday 2nd of April. Thank you for all your support. We collected a total of 780kg. All funds will go towards school activities.

Re-turn Bin

We’re delighted that Rahara N.S. now has an onsite Return bottle bin. If you can, please donate some of your bottles/cans with the return logo to the school. We hope that the bin will help our fundraising. Every bottle helps! Please share this information with the community. As always we are so grateful for all the support we receive from the school community and the wider area.

Religion

Catholic Schools Week took place on Sunday 19th to Friday 24th of January. The theme for the week was “Alive in Christ”. Rahara NS was once again filled with excitement on Thursday 25th of January when we celebrated Grandparents Day. Thank you to all grandparents for playing such a special role in the lives of our pupils and well done to the children for all their preparations for such a special day. They did a fantastic job on all the lovely baked treats and provided entertainment for their grandparents. Thank you to Fr. Michael for giving the children a lovely tour of Rahara Church as part of Catholic Schools Week.

6th Class pupils attended the parish Confirmation retreat on Monday 13th of January in Knock. Well done to Eva who won the quiz.

All families were asked to take part in a competition to develop our new school motto during Catholic Schools week to be submitted before the Easter holidays. Well done to Carly, Conor and the Donnelly who were the winners of our fabulous hamper that was donated by the Board of Management. Our new school motto is: “A family of learners, building bright futures while making a difference”.

Sacraments

Well done to Simon, Eva Rose and Emily who made their Confirmation in St. Patrick’s Church Knockcroghery on Wednesday 19th of March. A special word of thanks to Fr. Ray, Fr. Michael, Fr. Ali Joe & Bishop Kevin Doran who celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation with the children. Thank you to Ms. Watson for preparing the children for their special day and for organising a cake and party in school.

Wellbeing

The children were delighted to have Roscommon Clay Pottery in our school on Thursday 16th of January. They painted clay tiles and were excited to see them after they had been glazed and put in the kiln.

School closed for a half day on January 22 nd for teachers to engage with the new Bí Cineálta policy. Please complete the short online questionnaire if you have not yet done

so. Thank you.

We’re so happy to share that our outdoor space got a vibrant little makeover! Thanks to our brand new colourful flower boxes and a corner bench from Murray’s Recycled Plastics, there's now an even brighter spot to take a breather, enjoy some fresh air and boost wellbeing. We enjoyed soaking up the sun over the past two weeks in our sun trap and the senior class girls planted the flower boxes with flowers from Mulveys Garden Centre before the Easter break. Thank you to Damien and Simon for helping to put them in our school and for the Marcos family for the stones to fill the flowerboxes.

Engineers Week

Engineers Week took Place between 3rd to 7th or March. As part of Engineers Week the children thoroughly enjoyed exploring a range of interactive engineering stations throughout the week. Each activity sparked curiosity, encouraged problem solving and offered a fun, hands-on introduction to the world of engineering. Plenty of budding engineers, architects and builders, in Rahara, who put their imaginations and skills to use to make wonderful creations during Engineers Week Ireland.

Pancake Tuesday

Ms. Watson and the senior class pupils treated the children to pancakes on Pancake Tuesday. The children had great fun flipping their pancakes and enjoyed putting on their own toppings in our “café” in the school hall!

World Book Day Thursday 7th of March

Pupils dressed as characters from their favourite books. Well done to all children for bringing in their books to school and sharing their books with other children through Show & Tell. There were lots of exciting activities on the day! Our draw for our Reading Awareness month took place on Friday 4th of April. Well done to Tomás from the junior room and Pedro from the senior room who were thrilled to receive their prizes!

Parent’s Association

The Parents Association are holding a cake sale and Easter egg hunt in the school hall at11 am on Easter Sunday (after mass). This is to raise funds that will go towards school equipment.  There will also be an Easter egg hunt, cake sale and Easter raffle with fantastic prizes. It will be a lovely fun morning for all the family to enjoy and we appreciate all your help to raise money for our school.

Seachtain na Gaeilge

Seachtain na Gaeilge: Bhí spórt agus craic againn sa scoil i rith Seachtain na Gaeilge ó10ú go 14ú Márta 2024. Bhí a lán gníomhaíochtaí ar siúl sna ranganna - ceol, amhráin, cluichí, gníomhíochtaí scríobhneoireachta agus éisteachta, rincí agus Lá Glas. Bhí sé an-dheas ár dteanga dhúchais agus ár gcultúr a fheiceáil agus a chloisteáil timpeall na scoile. Seachtain na Gaeilge provided the children with an opportunity to experience our language and our culture in a fun way.

Dates for your diary

• Friday April 11th - School closed at 12:00 for the Easter Holidays for all pupils.

• Easter Sunday – Parent’s Association Easter Raffle and bake Sale at 11:00 in our

• school.

• Monday April 28th - School reopens for Term 3

• Wednesday April 30th –Senior Room Hurling Blitz in Four Roads.

• Friday May 2nd – All pupils will attend a production of “The Wind in the Willows”

  in Roscommon Arts Centre

• Monday May 5th – Bank Holiday Monday

• Friday May 9th – Senior Room Girls Camogie

• Tuesday May 13th – Final Athletics lesson

• Wednesday May 21st – Staff meeting. School will close at 13:45 for all pupils.

• Monday May 26th – Standardised Testing week. Please ensure that your child is in

• school this week

• Monday June 2nd – Bank Holiday Monday

• Monday June 16th – School Tour – Baysports

• Friday 20th June – School Closes at 12:00 for the Summer Holidays

Note from Principal & Staff

I wish to express our appreciation to all the parents who have helped and supported us

with our Open Day. I am especially grateful to all parents who have helped with posters,

flyers and sharing our Facebook posts. Thank you!

We wish all our students, staff and families a joyful and restful Easter break. We look

forward to seeing you all back, refreshed and ready to embark on an exciting Term 3.

Enjoy the break and take care.