School News – A multiplicity of activities at Dunmore NS

DUNMORE's Scoil Nioclás Naofa is a hive of activity as Christmas approaches and that is the situation all during the year as extra-curricular activities add an enjoyable dimension to education at this busy school. The school was founded in 1940 and there are 188 pupils currently attending the school with 11 teachers, a full-time secretary and a Special Needs Assistant, Mary Noone. All operate under the guidance of principal John O'Mahony.  Along with its fine academic achievements, Scoil Nicolas Naofa prides itself in its involvement in many other facets of Irish life and culture. Music is an integral part of the school curriculum. Pupils are introduced to playing the tin whistle at second class and this initial tuition is built upon right up to sixth class. All students from second class upwards sing in the school choir, under the expert guidance of Sandra Breathnach and Maeve O'Connell, with weekly practices and regular Church performances. One of the highlights of each school year is the Parish Christmas Carol Service where, under the guidance of all the teachers, the choir perform a carol of their choice at the local Church. This year, the choir has been involved in a new initiative called â€ËœPeace Proms' run by the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland. The choir will be presented with the opportunity to perform a medley of songs in Leisureland, Galway next year on Saturday February 13. There is a great commitment to Mass serving in the local Church with a well organised rota of serving teams. Christmas is also a time where the Junior classes (Junior Infants to second class) put on their Christmas plays for the Dunmore Community â€â€œ always a joy too for the children to participate in, and a very proud moment for the parents. Dancing also plays a big part in school life here at Scoil Nicolas Naofa. Well known Céilí-dance teacher,  Mary Whyte puts all of the pupils through their paces in the school hall during her autumn classes. The children enjoy dancing the steps of Baile Luimnigh, Ionsaí na hInse agus An Staicín Eorna. The old tradition of teaching knitting is alive and well in the school with all pupils from third to sixth class knitting an item each year. Sport is hugely important in this school. Football predominates with very active boys' and girls' teams with David Cronin, Eileen Hyland and Marie Burke taking responsibility for training and preparing them for regular matches and blitz throughout the year. A qualified coach, Tom Hughes, appointed by the Calway GAA County Board, takes classes for extra training on a weekly basis. All students are given the opportunity to go swimming on a regular basis to the swimming pool in Tuam. The children always look forward to the Summer Sports Day,  a part of the school's Active Sports Week, where all classes participate in many athletic events and games. A day out at school for all the family takes place with the parents providing refreshments for all. The school believes that Physical Education (PE) plays an essential part in its pupils wellbeing and development and the spacious yard and playing pitch facilities contribute greatly to the enjoyment of weekly PE lessons. Additionally, the school is represented at monthly planning and review meetings which allow everybody to keep up to date with the latest PE initiatives. As part of this, teacher Sandra Breathnach has arranged for an expert to visit the school in the new year to familiarise the teachers with a new exercise programme known as Rhythmic Gymnastics. After school activities such as Irish Dancing, art and guitar lessons are available.  The Board of Management facilitates all local groups in the use of the building. A Green Schools Committee was appointed last year. It is made up of two pupils from each class and a number of teachers and parents. 'With the support of the whole school community, the committee has done a vast amount of work towards promoting a greener school and having a more environmentally friendly ethos in the school. 'As a result of these efforts, we hope to clinch our first Green Flag in the upcoming months. As part of the green schools programme, major projects such as the setting up of the school garden, the planting of flowers and composting waste have taken place,' says the principal. A Healthy Eating Policy has been established and is operating very successfully within the school. Many Science projects are currently up and running in Scoil Nioclás Naofa. This year,  the senior classes are taking part in the Discover Primary Science  programme where they get the chance to become actively engaged in fun science experiments and investigations. This will hopefully qualify the school for the Award of Excellence, later on this year.  A visit from a guest speaker or group during Medtronic Science Week is a regular feature of the programme. Even the very young pupils in Scoil Nioclas Naofa get the chance to experience the fun side of Science. Under the helpful guidance of their teacher Aoife Monaghan, the present Junior Infants will be participating in a new science project called, First Lego League, with the theme of the programme being The Human Body. These children will work as a team to build a Lego structure. Each class is lucky enough to enjoy an historical or scientific outing during the school year. The excursions range from a nature-historical walk of Dunmore town itself, a visit to Coole Park, Gort and the the Turlough Park Folk Museum, Castlebar. The senior classes get to enjoy  a fisheries walk and the Slieve Dart walk. Last year, a number of fifth class pupils entered the Dig It Archaeology challenge. One of the groups from the class was successful in qualifying for the finals. Scoil Nioclás Naofa always turn out brilliant quiz teams, and each year without fail, they have been on the podium at the Credit Union Schools Quizzes. 'We are fortunate enough to have state of the art computer technology. In recent months, each classroom has been fitted with a Smart interactive whiteboard. 'These, along with the school's 30 laptops on mobile trolleys, greatly enhance pupil learning and involvement,' says John O'Mahony. Thanks to teacher Maeve O'Connell, the Scoil Nioclas Naofa website has recently been launched. It will be a fantastic way for parents to keep in touch with the day to day happenings in the school, and for pupils to publish book reviews, team photos, art etc. Many fundraising and charity events take place in the school including a Jersey Day in October. The pupils enjoy wearing their favourite team jerseys at school while also donating to worthy causes. In addition, the children are very generous in filling their shoe boxes for the annual Christmas Shoe Box Appeal. There is also a Bring and Buy Sale held in the school hall at Easter each year in aid of Trócaire. The organisation of the event is done by the sixth class pupils. This is a very popular event at which home-made buns and treats, books and toys are sold. The sale is rounded off with a raffle, the prizes of which are donated by the parents. The selling of shamrock and a  sponsored walk are two other fundraising initiatives carried out by the school during the year. The principal says the general parent body, including the Parents Association, are very supportive of the school in terms of financial, organisational and moral support. He added that the Board of Management is very appreciative of the collective efforts of pupils, parents, teachers and the wider community in making Scoil Nioclás Naofa a happy and productive school. [gallery link='file' orderby='rand']