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Number 5
Monday, 9 January 2012
Dear parents and guardians,
I take this opportunity to wish and your family every
happiness and joy throughout 2012. Please do not
hesitate to contact me or any of my colleagues if we can
be of assistance as we work together in the best
interests of our students.
Some points for your consideration:
One
We start a rather short 5 week term today
that takes us up to the mid-term break in February
(13-17 inclusive). This will be a particularly busy time
for our 3rd and 6th year students
who will sit their mock-examinations in the final two
weeks of term. It will also be an important time for 1st
and 4th year students and their parents when
we address the issue of subject choice for next year in
week 3 of the term. I shall be writing in more detail to
those involved in these events at a later stage.
Two
On behalf of the Board of Management, I
wish to outline two key aspects of Budget 2012 and the
impact of the proposals on this school.
»
Allocation of Teachers
Up to now each school received an
allocation for guidance/counselling in addition to the
standard staffing allocation based on the number of
pupils in the school. The removal of this additional
allocation for guidance/counselling means fewer teachers
will be allocated to each school commencing in September
next. This school will lose 1.36 teachers due to this
measure. This translates to a loss of 44 teaching
periods per week.
Except in the case of increasing enrolment, every school
will have fewer teachers allocated to it in 2012/13 than
for the current year. A loss of teachers means a loss of
subjects. Schools will be faced with an incredibly
difficult choice of reducing the curriculum being
offered to pupils. Subjects and programmes will be lost.
Schools will be forced to choose between maintaining the
important and valuable guidance/counselling provision
against removing some important and valuable subjects or
programmes from the timetable.
Taking into account the cumulative impact of all of the
cuts in teacher allocations to schools since 2009,
schools will find it impossible to provide the same
level of subject options, programmes, class sizes and
separate classes for higher and ordinary levels in the
future.
The specific impact of this cut will become apparent in
this school over the next number of months as detailed
planning of next year’s timetable takes place. I shall
keep you informed of developments in this regard in
subsequent letters.
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Financial Resources
A 2% cut in capitation and other grants in 2012, coming
on top of a 5% reduction in 2011, means that many
schools will find it impossible to make ends meet. A 2%
decrease in grants means €11 less per pupil in 2012.
This results in a total loss of €7,700 for this school
in 2012.
The financial well-being of schools is even more acute
when one considers increases of up to 10% in the cost of
essential items such as insurance, energy and transport
charges for extra and co-curricular activities over the
past year. All of this is happening at a time when €3
out of every €10 spent in this school each year must be
raised locally. In the current recession such levels of
fund-raising are very difficult to sustain in local
school communities.
Three
With this reduction in state-funding, it
is more important than ever that the school’s
voluntary contribution scheme would be
well-supported by families, even though the demands on
our household budgets are escalating all the time.
Sincere thanks are extended to all who have contributed
to this year’s voluntary contribution scheme of €150 per
family. This contribution makes it possible for the
school to continue its programme of improving facilities
for students and staff.
Payments in line with what your
individual family can afford can now be made to the
School Secretary, Noeleen Goggin. All monies received
will be duly receipted.
Four
Please note that the staff meeting
originally scheduled for Tuesday, 31 January has been
brought forward to Thursday, 12 January. All classes
proceed as normal on 12 January but supervised study
will not be held on this day.
Please feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss
any point in relation to the above matters.
Yours faithfully,
Billy O’ Shea,
Principal.
Number 4
Monday, 14 November 2011
Dear parents and guardians,
I wish to update you with the following news items:
1. Internet Acceptable Use Policy
The Board of Management has recently
approved a new policy on internet acceptable use in the
school. This policy is to be found in the policies
section of the school website –
www.loretowexford.com.
For your added convenience, I include it below:
Introduction
This Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for the internet is to
ensure that students and employees will benefit from
learning opportunities offered by the school’s internet
resources in a safe and effective manner. It applies to
all students for the full duration of their studies in
this school and to all those employed by the school.
Internet use and access is considered a school resource
and privilege. Therefore, if this AUP is not adhered to
this privilege will be withdrawn and appropriate
sanctions – set out below – will be imposed.
This policy is framed in the context of Loreto’s being a
health promoting school. Consequently, the school is one
that seeks to promote healthy lifestyles for all in a
safe, supportive and non-threatening environment. The
policy is also mindful of the need to bring the key
components of the school’s mission statement – truth,
freedom, justice, sincerity and joy – into the daily
lives of all who work in the school.
Legislation
There is no specific legislation governing internet
safety at school level. This is complicated by the fact
that the internet functions in a global context whereas
the law functions in a localised one. The following
pieces of legislation, however, have relevance to
internet safety:
·
The Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998
This Act legislates against any one who knowingly
produces, prints, publishes, distributes, exports,
imports, shows, possesses or sells child pornography.
·
The Interception of Postal Packets and
Telecommunications Messages Regulation Act, 1993
This Act stipulates that telecommunication messages can
be intercepted for the purpose of an investigation of a
serious offence.
·
The Video Recordings Act, 1989
This prohibits the distribution of videos which contain
obscene or indecent material which may lead to the
depravation or corruption of the viewer.
·
The Data Protection (Amendment) Act, 2003
This Act was passed to deal with privacy issues arising
from the increasing amount of information kept on
computer about individuals.
A. Strategy in relation to the school’s internet
resources
General
·
Students can only use the school’s internet resources
when supervised by a teacher.
·
Filtering software and/or equivalent systems will be
used in order to minimise the risk of exposure to
inappropriate material.
·
Computer teachers will regularly monitor students’ usage
of the school’s internet resources.
·
Students, parents and teachers will be provided with
professional input in the area of internet safety. Such
input was provided in April, August and October 2011 and
will be kept under ongoing review by the school’s SCCT.
·
Uploading and downloading of non-approved software will
not be permitted.
·
Virus protection software will be used and updated on a
regular basis.
·
The use of personal floppy disks, memory sticks or
CD-ROMs in school requires a computer teacher’s
permission.
·
When using the school’s internet resources, no one –
staff or student - will undertake any actions that may
bring the school into disrepute.
·
It will be the responsibility of the school’s ICT
Co-ordinator to ensure that all IT equipment is properly
protected by anti-virus software and firewall system.
The nature and extent of the firewall will be kept under
ongoing review by the ICT Co-ordinator and Principal.
Child protection will be the foremost principle
underpinning such review.
World Wide Web
·
No one will visit internet sites from the school’s
internet resources that contain obscene, illegal,
hateful or otherwise objectionable materials.
·
Students will use the internet for educational purposes
only.
·
Students/employees must be aware of and comply with
copyright issues relating to online learning.
·
Students will never disclose or publicise personal
information.
·
Students are to be aware that usage, including
distributing or receiving information, school-related or
personal, may be monitored for unusual activity,
security and/or network management reasons.
Email
·
On a phased basis from January 2012, students will use
approved class email accounts under supervision by or
permission from a teacher.
·
No one using the school’s internet resources will send
or receive any material that is illegal, obscene,
defamatory or that is intended to annoy or intimidate
another person.
·
Students must not reveal their own or other people’s
personal details, such as addresses or telephone numbers
or pictures.
·
Students will never use email to arrange a face-to-face
meeting with someone.
·
Students will note that sending and receiving email
attachments is subject to permission from their teacher.
Internet chat
·
Students will only have access to chat rooms, discussion
forums or other electronic communication forums on the
school’s internet resources that have been approved by
the school. These forums will only be used for
educational purposes and will always be supervised.
·
Usernames will be used to avoid disclosure of identity.
·
Face-to-face meetings with someone organised via
internet chat will be forbidden.
School website
·
Students will be given the opportunity to publish
projects, artwork or school work on the world wide web.
·
The publication of student work will be co-ordinated by
a teacher.
·
Students’ work will appear in an educational context on
web pages with a copyright notice prohibiting the
copying of such work without express written permission.
·
Photographs, audio and visual clips will focus on group
activities and not on individual students. Video clips
will be password protected.
·
Personal student information including home address and
contact details will be omitted from school web pages.
·
Students will continue to own the copyright on any work
published.
B. Strategy in relation to student personal devices
(phones, i-pod, i-pad etc.)
Students using their own technology (with or without
internet access) in school in the following ways will be
in direct breach of the school’s acceptable use policy:
·
leaving a device turned on or using it in class
·
sending nuisance text messages via phone or social
networks
·
the unauthorized taking of images with a mobile phone
camera, still or moving
·
accessing obscene, illegal, hateful or otherwise
objectionable materials
C. Sanctions
Misuse of technology as set out in A. and B. above may
result in disciplinary action, including written
warnings, withdrawal of access privileges, detention
and, in extreme cases, suspension or expulsion. The
school also reserves the right to report any illegal
activities to the appropriate authorities.
D. Role of parents
It is expected that, as primary educators and protectors
of their daughters, parents will inform themselves of
child protection matters relating to internet safety and
impress upon their daughters the need for absolute
compliance with the terms of the above policy and
procedures.
E. Review
This policy will be reviewed in September 2012.
You are asked to read this policy and to
ensure that your daughter is aware of it. In particular,
your attention is drawn to sections B, C and D of the
policy.
This policy is now in place and is obligatory for all
members of the school community.
2. School building improvements
I am pleased to inform you that the
school’s new heating system has been commissioned and
that the improvement throughout the entire building has
already been felt. We should all have a much more
comfortable winter than heretofore!
In addition, the Board of Management has upgraded the
toilet facilities at the entrance to the convent
building and has installed a disability access toilet.
3. Voluntary contribution scheme
Many thanks to all who have contributed
to this year’s voluntary contribution scheme of €150 per
family. This contribution makes it possible for the
school to continue its programme of improving facilities
for students and staff.
Payments can be made to the School
Secretary, Noeleen Goggin, in full or in three equal
instalments, one per term. All monies received will be
duly receipted. Contributions are now being received.
4. Child Protection Policy
New procedures in relation to child
protection will be posted on the school’s website on
Thursday, 17 November – school policies, section 4.16,
page 88.
These procedures are of particular importance and should
be read carefully by all parents.
5. School musical – “Grease”
We join forces once again this year with
the staff and students of St. Peter’s College to bring
to stage the ever-popular musical, “Grease”, in the Dún
Mhuire Theatre, Wexford for 3 nights only – Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday, 29, 30 November, 1 December.
Tickets cost €10 for students and O.A.Ps., €15 for
adults and are now on sale through both schools.
This is a major event on the school calendar and we hope
that it will be well-supported by all families.
Please contact me if you wish to discuss
any matter arising from the above.
Yours faithfully,
Billy O’ Shea,
Principal.
Number 3
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Dear parents/guardians,
I write to bring the following matters to your
attention:
1. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Parents’
Association will be held in the school’s
Concert Hall at 7.30 p.m. on
Monday, 10 October. It is hoped that every family would
be
represented at this meeting.
Agenda
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Welcome
»
Minutes of last AGM
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Treasurer’s Report
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Principal’s Address
»
Election of new council
(max. 18 members)
»
Any other business
2. Parents who have kindly indicated
their willingness to assist the school as voluntary
adult supervisors are asked to
attend an information meeting in the school’s new lunch
room
at 6.45 p.m. (please note change
of time) on Monday, 10 October.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
Billy O’ Shea,
Principal.
Number 2
Monday, 5 September 2011
Dear parents/guardians,
As we settle back into the routine of school life for
another year, I write to provide you with important
information as follows:
Staff changes
This
summer saw the retirement of six teachers who have each
given outstanding service to the school over a long
period of time – Ms. Bolger, Ms. Brennan, Ms. Campbell,
Ms. Storey,
Ms. K. Larkin and Ms. C. Larkin. As a school community,
we wish all of these teachers a long
and happy retirement.
We also said goodbye in recent weeks to Ms. Kennington
who has taken up a new position in New Ross. We thank
her for her major contribution last year and wish her
well in her teaching career.
The following teachers have been appointed to permanent
positions in the school –
Mr. Kavanagh, Ms. L. Jordan, Ms. Curran, Ms. Byrne, Ms.
Johns and Ms. de Róiste. New to the staff also are Ms.
Kennedy and Ms. Murphy. We hope that all of these
teachers will have a successful career in Loreto as they
seek to maintain and build upon the high standards set
by those who went before them.
Joining us also is Ms. Kelly who will be a replacement
for Ms. Kinsella for the duration of her maternity
leave.
Summer works
During the summer months a considerable
amount of work was done to improve the school
buildings:
1. The upgrading of the fire safety measures in the school
continued with the installation of
fire doors and windows throughout all
buildings as well as new ceilings in the St. Joseph’s
block of classrooms
2. All roof spaces were insulated
3. Both central heating boilers were replaced, the result of which
will be a more efficient and
economical heating system throughout the
school
4. Ongoing painting of classrooms and corridors
5. The enhancement of the front of the building by the erection of
a mosaic and flagpoles
6. The upgrading of the toilet facilities in St. Joseph’s
7. The equipping of the kitchen area so as to provide snacks and
hot meals for students
throughout the day and our registering with
the Environmental Health Service as a Food
Business Establishment
This work was funded by Department grants in respect of
the fire safety and heating works and by the Board of
Management in all other areas.
State Examination results
There was great celebration in the school
on 17 August last when 130 students received their
Leaving Certificate results. Once again, results were
considerably above national averages and, for this, I
thank all students, teachers and parents for their hard
work, commitment and support in so many different ways.
Results will be analysed in more detail within all
subject departments and by the Board of Management over
the coming weeks.
Our fingers are crossed for the 119 students who will
receive their Junior Certificate results on Wednesday,
14 September. We hope that they, too, will have their
day in the sun!
Family voluntary contribution
The school is obliged to seek the support
of families for this year’s Voluntary Contribution
Scheme. Without this scheme, the Board of Management
would not be able to balance its budget in light of
escalating costs e.g. water charges, refuse collection,
E.S.B. charges and the huge costs associated with the
upkeep and maintenance of old buildings.
The request for 2011/2012 is as follows:
€150 per family
Payments can be made to the School Secretary, Noeleen
Goggin, in full or in three equal instalments, one per
term. All monies received will be duly receipted.
Contributions are now being received.
The school acknowledges the generosity of so many
families in supporting this voluntary contribution in
the past. It is our hope that the same level of
generosity will apply once again this year even though
the financial pressures on most families are
considerable.
Parents’ meetings
The first meeting of the Parents’ Council
will be held in the school at 7.00 p.m. on Monday, 12
September. Notice will be given thereafter of the
Parents’ Association Annual General Meeting.
School website
I draw your attention to the school
website –
www.loretowexford.com
This website is updated weekly and is used by the school
to communicate with all members of the school community
on topics of general interest. Information from previous
years is also archived in different sections. The
website means that general letters and notices will no
longer be posted by the school to all families. However,
families without internet access may collect paper
copies of such letters and notices by contacting Betty
at Reception.
E-portal
Every family has been provided with its
unique username and password to access the school’s
E-portal facility from the homepage on the school
website. E-portal is now used by the school to record
student attendance, personal details, timetables and
academic reports. If you lose your username or password
please phone Betty at reception – 053-9142783.
Text alerts
Sr. Carmel will send text alerts each
morning to parents/guardians whose daughters fail to
register their attendance in school.
The school will also send text alerts to remind
parents/guardians of particular events e.g. meetings and
to inform you of the posting of a general letter on the
school website. Text alerts will also be used in
exceptional circumstances e.g. unexpected school
closure.
School mass
The start-of-year school mass will take
place in Rowe Street church on Tuesday, 27 September.
All students will be escorted to the church by class
teachers and will return to school before 3.33 p.m.
School car park
For health and safety reasons the school
car park is reserved for staff, students (limited),
disability access, deliveries and visitor use only.
Parents dropping/collecting students at/from school may
not park in this area.
Calendar
The school calendar for 2011/2012 has
been posted on
www.loretowexford.com
and is also available in the Student Diary.
I hope the year goes well for all members of our school
community. Please feel free to contact me or Sr. Carmel
(Deputy Principal) if we can be of any assistance to
you.
Yours faithfully,
Billy O’ Shea,
Principal.
Number 1
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Dear parents/guardians,
As the new school year is
close at hand I wish to refer to the following points:
Commencement details, 2011/2012
All students are obliged
to attend Introduction Meetings in the
school as follows:
Monday, 29 August 2011
4th year
9.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m.
5th year 11.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
6th year 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
1st year
9.00 a.m. to 10.20 a.m. Following the meeting,
timetabled classes will be
held for 1st year students until 3.33 p.m.
2nd year
11.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
3rd year 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
Timetabled classes will commence for all students on
Wednesday, 31 August 2011, 8.50 a.m. to 3.33 p.m.
School calendar, 2011/2012
You are advised that the
full school calendar for the year has been posted on the
school website –
www.loretowexford.com
– and is also contained in the Student Diary that will
be provided to all students during the first week back.
A paper copy of this letter is available on request from
Betty at Reception.
I shall write to you again in early September with more
detailed news.
Please contact me if you
need any clarification in relation to the above matters.
Yours faithfully,
Billy O’ Shea,
Principal.
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