The Board of Management of Stonepark National School cordially invite past pupils, parents (past and present), people of Ballymacormack and surrounding areas to the celebration of the official opening of our school extension on Thursday 20th June @ 9am sharp.

Sports Update

Rugby coaching from IRFU with Dylan Quinn has been ongoing in the senior classes this term. We hope to continue this coaching in the new year.

Gaelic Football coaching with James Moran will continue after Christmas.

Swimming lessons will continue as scheduled.

The senior school Basketball teams are currently participating in the County Longford Basketball League.

The volleyball season will start after Christmas.

Operation Christmas Child

This year we collected 168 boxes for Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal. Thanks to all the children and parents for their most generous response.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Fr. Michael McGrath, Fr McKiernan, Fr Joseph and Fr Reggi visited the school to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation with the children from 3rd to 6th class in their Advent preparation for Christmas.

Christmas Show in the Temperance Hall

Junior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st Class and 2nd Class visited The Temperance Hall for the Christmas show ‘Elfie Saves Christmas’ by the Talisman Theatre Company. It was a wonderful experience for all the children (and grown ups!) who engaged with drama and interacted with the characters. The children thoroughly enjoyed it.

Lighting of the Christmas Tree

Our school choir under the musical direction of Ms Leavy entertained parents and Grattans GAA at the lighting of the Stonepark Christmas Tree  celebrations on 7th December with a selection of Christmas carols and songs.

 

Bring and Buy Sale

6th class hosted the annual ‘Bring and Buy’ sale on Friday 15th December. The sale generated the usual excitement and Christmas spirit and was enjoyed by all. These budding entrepreneurs and business people of the future baked buns, advertised, collected goods, painted nails, held competitions, sold raffle tickets, priced goods and wheeled and dealed to make this event a huge success. Míle buíochas Rang a Sé and Ms Mulvihill. €812 was raised which will be used for school resources.

Visit from Santa

The children in all classes were delighted to welcome Santa and his elves to the school on Wednesday 19th December. This year Santa brought PE equipment for all classes. Thanks to Geraldine and our hard-working Parents Association for organising this treat.

 

Christmas Shows

The talented 5th class hosted their X-Factor show on Thursday 2oth December. Their audience was treated to acts of  Synchronized Baby dancing, singing, dancing. Simon Cowell, Santa Claus , Queen Elizabeth 2 and Donald Trump (on an unofficial visit to Ireland!) dropped by to adjudicate the competition! The Stonepark Guinness Book of Records was even broken by David who recited the 50 states of America in 22 seconds!

       

The Junior Infant classes treated us to ‘The Lazy Shepherd’ story of the first Christmas. Well done everyone.Children in other classes actively participated in Christmas festivities by making fabulous Christmas cribs and Christmas visual art and Drama within their own classrooms. Well done all and Happy Christmas.

Carol Service

Fr. Michael joined with us to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas in our Carol Service on Friday 21st December. The children read the story of the first Christmas,  prayers of the faithful and sang their hearts out at our prayerful carol service under our own musical director Ms. Leavy.

Sport

Children from 4th, 5th and 6th classes were accompanied by Miss Leavy and Ms. Gavigan to compete in Athletics in Moyne Community School earlier this month. A great day was had by all.

Congratulations to the Stonepark boys basketball team and their coach Mr. Barry O’ Connor, who defeated Colehill N.S. in the Division 1 Final in the Mall on Sunday 18th March 2018.

Stonepark N.S. Mixed Spikeball and Boys’  Spikeball teams competed in the All- Ireland Spikeball competition in Mary Immaculate College of Education in Limerick on 22nd March. Our  mixed team lost the Semi Final to a Limerick team and our boys’ team lost the Semi Final to a Cork team, who in turn went on to win the Boys competition. Both teams and their coach Mr. Leen trained very hard this term to reach this advanced stage in the competition. Congrats all.

Agri-Aware

Thanks to Stonepark Parents Association for organising the Agri-Aware farm visit to the school on 22nd March. Farmer Pat from Tipperary talked to the children about the animals and introduced them to his sheepdog Gwen. The children saw sheep, pigs, a calf, chickens and ducks.  It was such an enjoyable experience for the children.

                                                                                        
Drama

Our talented 4th class competed in the Leinster final in the Cumann Scoildrámaíochta in Mullingar on 21st March. We await results from this competition.

French Visitors

French Visitors from Noyal-Châtillon-sur-Seiche in Brittany visited the school on Friday 16th March. They were entertained with a selection of Irish music, song and dance by students from second and third classes. The students from first class interviewed our visitors and ask them questions about their school day in France. They also sang “Molly Malone”. It gave the children a real opportunity to celebrate being Irish on Lá Glas.

 

Sacraments

Second class celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation in Curry Church recently. First Communion is on 26th May @ 2pm. Confirmation will be on the 12th May @ 11am.

Road Safety

Representatives from the RSA visited the school to talk to the children about road safety. Their aim was to raise awareness and increase understanding of road safety issues among school children in Stonepark N.S.

‘Mighty oaks from little acorns grow’

All the children in the school got an opportunity to plant an acorn with John Crossan during National Tree Week 2018. Thanks to Providers Longford for sponsoring the compost and to Jenny White, Florist, Ballymahon for sponsoring the pots.

 

Longford County Council sponsored a “Leave No Trace” Workshop for 5th class students.

 

 

 

 

Sixth class Students went on a heritage walk along the River Camlin with Mr. Eamonn Brennan and then went out to Clondra to see where the River Camlin meets the River Shannon on Friday 16th March 2018.

The Volleyball Association of Ireland organised a Spikeball Blitz in Mercy Convent Roscommon on 23rd January 2018. This blitz was open to all primary schools in counties Longford, Westmeath and Roscommon. All the pupils in fifth and sixth classes participated at this event. We entered eight teams: 3 boys, 3 girls and two mixed (boys and girls) into the competition. Both our senior boys and senior mixed team qualified for the Western Regional Finals to be held in Loughrea, Co. Galway on Friday 16th March 2018. Serious commitment has gone into the Spikeball lunch-time training sessions. Well done all.

Spikeball encourages great game participation as no one player dominates due to the rotation system of this sport.

Ghlac Rang 4 páirt san Fhéile Áitiúil san “Arts Centre” i Muileann gCearr, Déardaoin seo caite, an 8ú Márta 2018. Is é ainm an dráma atá acu ná “Mac Rí an Longfoirt”. Scríobh Máistír Ó Laighin an dráma. Rinne na páistí an chuid ullmhúcháin roimh ré, mar shampla páistí éagsúla ag baint triail as páirteanna éagsúla. Bhí suim an mhór ag na páistí i gcultacha, propaí, cursaí aisteoireacha, cursaí amhránaíochta, cursaí damhsa agus mar sin de. Tá an próiséas fíor tábhachtach. D’éirigh linn dul ar aghaidh go dtí an chéad bhabhta eile i Féile Cúige Laighin. Beir bua agus beannacht!

Beidh an Féile Cúige Laighin ar siúl i Muileann gCearr arís ag tosú ar an 20ú Márta agus ag críochnú ar an 22ú Márta. Beimid ag dul ar an ardán ar an gCéadaoin an 21ú Márta ag 10:30r.n. Beidh gach páiste i Rang 4 páirteach.

Comhghairdeas Máistír Ó Laighin agus Rang 4 agus go n-éirí an bóthar libh.

Boys and Girls Gaelic Football Leagues

We participated in the Cumann na mBunscoil Gaelic Football Co. Longford Primary School Leagues during this term. Congrats to our boys team that reached semi- final in division 1A and our girls team that reached the semi-final in division 1B.

Basketball

We are currently partaking in the Falcon’s Primary Schools League in both boys and girls. Best of Luck!

Cross-Country (see previous notes)

Volleyball

Volleyball season will start in January. We will be participating in the Volleyball Association of Ireland regional competition to be held in Roscommon in January.

 

Thanks to all the children and parents of Stonepark N.S. who donated an unbelievable 146 boxes to the Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal this year. Thanks to Ms. Leavy for co-ordinating the collection. These Christmas Shoebox gifts will be given to some of the world’s most vulnerable children – many of whom will receive no other gift this Christmas. For some it’s the first gift they will ever receive.

It’s hope, it’s God’s love, it’s joy and excitement –

It’s the whole of Christmas wrapped up in a Shoebox !