Ard Rí Blog (ed. 2)

It has been another busy week here at Ard Rí. The school is buzzin’! Here are some of the highlights from the first week in March ’23.

Happy Martisor everyone!

Every March our families from Moldova and Romania celebrate Martisor. Each year, on the first day of March, teachers are gifted a beautiful pin with red and white woolen flowers. The pin is worn to welcome the coming of Spring. We really enjoy when families from all around the world include us in their cultural traditions.

FAI Spar 5-a-side Blitz

Ard Rí CNS were well represented by two teams at the FAI 5-a-side soccer blitz in the MDL. Spirits were so high nobody even noticed the cold and wet conditions. Both teams played very well. One team finished top of their group and made it through to the quarter final stage but came up against some formidable opposition. Well done to all the players and coaches involved. The boys showed great respect and care throughout the day and we are very proud of them all.

Be Kind Online!

We were delighted to welcome Navan Community Garda Sabrina to talk to the children about staying safe online. This month teachers have been teaching cyber safety lessons. Children now have more access to the internet than ever before. Unfortunately, not all children’s online experiences are positive. Every class now has an online contract with guidelines of how to be safe and make the most of their time online. Garda Sabrina’s advice for parents is simple: “The most effective way to support your child online is to have regular open conversations with them. The Webwise Parents Hub is an excellent one-stop-shop for expert advice on keeping your child safe online.” We look forward to working with Sabrina on cycle safety next month.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 We have Lift-Off!

At Ard Rí CNS teachers regularly teach thematically. That is just a fancy way of saying all the subjects are linked and integrated together through one topic. It is very effective and leads to much broader and deeper learning. This month Rang Angela were learning all about Space. Here is some of their beautiful artwork.

Post Office Saving Scheme

This week also marked the welcome return of the Post Office Saving Scheme to Ard Rí. This initiative is run by our Parent Association. We want to give our pupils an opportunity to manage their money, save a few quid every week and hopefully begin a habit which will last a lifetime. Step one is to set up a Post Office Savings account at your local branch. You then bring your Savings Book to school. Every Friday children come to the school Post Office and lodge one or two euro and watch their savings grow.