St. Mary’s CBS Portlaoise - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

St. Mary’s CBS Portlaoise

Parents’ Information Night

1

st

February 2017

7.30 pmSlide2

School Hours:

Mon, Tues, Wed & Thurs:

8.55 am to 1.15 pm

1.55 pm to 4.00 pmFriday: 8.55 am to 1.15 pmAll students must stay on school premises at lunch hourStudents can bring their own lunch or buy lunch from Café Latte on siteActivities are organised for students by members of Meitheal, Treoiri and Student’s Council

2Slide3

School Uniform:

V-neck black pullover with school crest (SHAWS)

Mid-grey shirt

School Tie  (SHAWS)Plain grey trousers (not cord or canvas) (SHAWS)Black shoes or boots (with black soles only) No black runnersBlack School Jacket– Compulsory from this year available through school office                        on school outings no other  outer clothing allowed. No body piercing jewelleryNatural coloured hair appropriate for school.3Slide4

School jackets:

From this year, the black school jacket will be compulsory for all students.

This is only available from the school office – sample sizes are available for fitting when you bring your son in.

Each student’s name is printed on the sleeve for easy identificationWe will be taking orders at the school office during the first week of April. The school closes for Easter at 1.15 on Friday 7th April and orders will be sent off that afternoon.The jackets will be distributed once the order arrives in May/June. yOu will be notified by text on their arrivalThey cost €50 including the embroidered name.4Slide5

Religion and Physical Education

RE is a core subject on the school curriculum and an integral part of

the ethos of the school. All students are expected to participate in RE.

“In line with their legal rights, parents of students of a non-Christian faith may request that their son not participate in RE / Services. The practice in such cases is that the student remains in the classroom under supervision. If a parent decides to withdraw a student, it is the parent’s responsibility to organise supervision for the student while the programme is being delivered.” (Religious Education Policy of our school)Students who are not practicing Catholics but who do not practice another faith must fully participate in RE class/services.All students must participate in PE.5Slide6

Our School Care Team:

First Year - Year Head – Mr Scully

Learning Support Coordinator – Ms Kenny

Career Guidance Teacher – Mr McWeySchool Counsellor – Ms McEnteeClass Tutors – To be decided for 1st years later6Slide7

What’s new in 2017-18 for 1

st

Year students and their parents?

7Slide8

Two new tools we have brought on board For Parents

who want to support their son’s education –

allowing you, their parent, to

limit their use of technology when they should be studyingKeep you informed of what homework they are really getting:8Slide9

Our new Schoolbag App for Parents

do you ever wonder what homework your son really has?

Do you believe he writes it all down?

With just your mobile phone, you can now see what his teachers have actually given him ON ………9Slide10

New Homework App portal page for parents, teachers and students

Schoolbag App can be viewed from parent’s phone after 5pm every evening. (as an email)

Not just the homework assignments - but feedback from teachers can be communicated to parents as well.

This is for ALL students, not just those with iPads. All you need are an email address and a device to access the app every evening. (a smart phone)10Slide11

Zulu Education Products

This year we have begun to use Zulu Desk with all first years using iPads and some second years using iPad Air 2’s.

Zulu allows both teachers and parents to monitor and limit/control what their sons are really doing on their iPads –

at home and in the classroom.Both parents and teachers can, using their own smart phone, lock their son into the apps / ebooks necessary to study – ISN’T THIS WHAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR? It is up to you, the parent then, once the HW is done, whether you allow games etc to be accessed – or not.

11Slide12

Special Educational Needs

and

Learning Support

The “New Model” of providing Resource and Learning Support hours for students will begin from September 2017 onwards…12Slide13

What is this new model?

Under the new system, parents will no longer need to secure a diagnosis or assessment for their child in order to secure special education teaching supports – the psychological report.

Under the system, resource teachers and support will be provided automatically to individual schools on the basis on their profiled need – this is our annual teacher allocation.

This is based on factors such as whether the school is in a disadvantaged area where needs are typically higher, the proportion of boys (who are statistically more likely to have special needs) and the outcomes of standardised tests. (such as the CAT4 we held in November)This, the Department of Education says, will end the unfairness which exists under the current system, where parents have often been unable to access assessments needed to quality for educational resources.Instead, a “fairer” model for allocation of supports will deliver earlier intervention and better outcomes for all children with special needs, according to Minister for Education Richard Bruton.13Slide14

Irish Exemptions:

Does your son have an exemption from Irish or modern languages? This is a

written document

you should have received from his primary school when he was granted the exemption. If you do not have this, he must study Irish for his Junior/Leaving Cert.An exemption is granted when:A child fails to attain adequate levels in basic language skills in his mother tongue. If he has a specific learning disability (such as dyslexia).A student who has lived outside of Ireland until 11 years of age may also qualify.The eligibility grounds for the exemption from the study of Irish are set out in Circular M10/94 (DES). A pupil can only be granted an exemption by a psychologist who will provide a supplementary letter stating why they are recommending it. Please check the psychologist report to check if an exemption has been granted or check the DES website www.des.iePLEASE DO NOT PRESUME YOUR SON HAS AN EXEMPTION - IT WON’T END WELL!!14Slide15

Has your son…

R

eceived any additional support in primary school?

Been granted an Irish exemption?Had a psychologist assessment?Has access to an SNA?If So, Please Ensure That All Relevant Documentation In Relation To Your Son’s Needs Are Sent To The SEN Department As Soon As Possible -15Slide16

So…what do you need to do Tonight?

There are 5-6 SEN teachers in Lecture Room 1 who are waiting to speak to any parents with queries, concerns, information about their son.

If you have completed the form we sent out, please hand it in and wait to speak to one of the teachers.

If you forgot this form, we have extras at the front for you to fill out while you’re waiting to speak to the teachers. While you are waiting, please take an SEN leaflet from the front of the GPA and look over it. It may inform some of the questions you do need to ask tonight.Please remember, we are here to support your son from next September - but we begin planning this support from TONIGHT.16Slide17

Our iPad Project Going Forward

17Slide18

Our objective has always been to prepare our students to meet the challenges of IT in the workplace and in further education.

1:1 devices (such as iPads) allow students to access educational content that 2 computer rooms in even a ‘state of the art’ school can never provide.

We are expanding the emphasis, which in the past was on e-books, to other shared learning platforms, and building in more training from the day students receive their device.

2015 saw the start of all students & teachers having access to Microsoft 365 – this is the basic tool in enabling your son to meet the challenges of 21st Century. (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, One Drive)Internationally, education is moving away from set texts and using the content which teachers always created – new technology allows for this. Textbook-less schools.Students will in future be assessed on their e-portfolios which they must create, using IT.

St Mary’s CBS has been a leader in this area and we hope it will continue to be so into the future.

18Slide19

The DES recognises the need for advanced IT in schools and has allocated €30m in ICT grants to schools in January 2017.

Minister

Bruton

said:“No matter what career a young person contemplates, there is one thing for sure, digital technology is revolutionising it. We can already see the agents of change – cloud, mobile, social and the internet of things.”“For the generation of children recently born, creative thinking and problem-solving skills will be absolutely key to how they develop in reach and achieve their potential. In particular, their ability to think critically and develop solutions in the digital world will be vital for their prospects in life.”“Our Digital Strategy for Schools sets out a clear vision that is focussed on realising the potential of digital technologies to transform the learning experiences of students. While we are introducing coding and computer science into the curriculum, we must also invest in the ICT infrastructure of our schools. That is why we are making €30m in ICT grants available to schools in the coming weeks. In the next five years we will invest €210m in our schools.”19Slide20

Since we first introduced

ipads

we have improved and changed to make it a better experience…

2012 to 2016Wifi blackspots in some areasNo real controls by parents or teachers on the students’ screensA choice to use either / or printed or the ebook had to be made before beginning first year – this was an expensive choice. 2016 going forwardUpgrading wifi throughout school this summerNow, ZULU Desk is on all new ipads to be easily controlled by you and by the teacher in the classroomPublishers (Edco, Folens etc) now publish

both

a written text

and

an app for the

ipads

giving you several options for study

20Slide21

What is the best reason for investing in an

ipad

for your son….

Because It’s the best learning tool of all21Slide22

Why?

Reading E-books are only a small  % of their potential

Science experiments can be videoed, questions and answers recorded, then reviewed when coming up to exams

Languages can also  use their recording ability – students can test themselves when studying for orals, practice their accents, etc.Research for art, history, geography, construction and other projectsBooks contain static information, which must be reprinted to remain currentEbooks, you tube, national geographic, languages, websites, etc.A 1:1 device, such as an ipad, enables students to become independent learners – this is what modern education is working towards with the new strategies, methodologies etc. It is trying to move away from spoon feeding information, rote learning etc.  It is the basis of Minister Bruton’s IT strategy for schools and the current IT grant. A 1:1 device enables a student to become: an independent learner,  a researcher,  a lifelong learner. 22Slide23

Why not? ( I’ll be balanced! )

If you allow your son to use it all day and night when not in school, like his phone may be used the same way– Don’t get one

If your son sees it as something he plays games on or spends hours messaging to friends you can’t see and you see it as another battle to fight with him – don’t get one

If your son is able to tell you what he is doing with ‘his’ devices and that you cannot know his passwords - don’t get one Because you have bigger problems than you think23Slide24

But….

If you avail of the simplicity of

zulu

desk you will be able to either restrict him to just education apps when his homework/study is doneOr you can manage what he does access in his spare time and be aware of the apps etc. he is exposed toHis printed books can be left at home and he uses the ipad in school to reduce the weight of his bag - this is the ideal optionYou are the parent here, we are here to help you.24Slide25

What will an iPad cost?

The cost of an

ipad

 Air 2 32 GB :                                                                       €429A good heavy duty case can cost up to                                                       €50The cost of e-books will depend entirely on the subject options you son picks but generally they are between :                                                                                               €200 - €250Set up costs, support and service charges  approx :                           €70Total                                                                                                                €750 - €80025Slide26

Book rental is also an option:

Ms Dunne is the book rental coordinator

Books initially cost

€150 in first yearYou purchase your own workbooks, copies, exam papers, journal, etc separately. For second year additional texts for Irish, languages, maths will be required. This is an additional cost of €60Third year costs €20Forms are available tonight from Ms Dunne and at the front of GPA26Slide27

Lastly – some dates for you

iPad Deployment is on Thursday 24

th

August – all those either purchasing new ipads through Wriggle or using their own (byod) must attend a 2 hour session to go through their emails, apple id’s, passwords, etc. An adult, preferably a parent, should accompany them. We have done this for the last 2 years and find it works best for the student and includes the parents from the beginningThe following day, Friday 25th august is Induction day for all first years27Slide28

What is induction day?

it has become the best idea we ever had for helping students settle in !

They come in and meet their Meitheal leaders who will work with them closely,  especially for the first few weeks

There will be a busy programme of activities, some sports, mapping, mixing with their classmates, etc It is an ice breaker, it removes that first day ‘butterflies in the stomach’  we all know happen the night before any new eventWhen they go home at the end of the day, I guarantee you they will know a few of their classmates, have received their timetable and worked through their ‘map’ for the first few days having found their classrooms by games and taking photographs of the doors etc.They will have formed bonds with their class and very importantly, their Meitheal leaders.Everyone in the school agrees that this removes that ‘bewildered’ look first years used to wear. 28