Céilúradh na Cianfhoghlama / Celebrating Connected Learning

Maidin mhaith & happy mid-term break to all in the community of Gaelscoil Aodha Rua! Every year, we set aside this week in our school holiday calendar as an opportunity to recharge our batteries & to take a well deserved mid-term rest before the busy month of June. Many families use this week to take a family holiday, or to simply enjoy a few days off school in the good weather at home. Our school staff begin making the preparations for the end of year assessments & reports & to plan the celebratory end of year activities for the month of June.

This year, we could never have predicted that by the end of May we would have completed 9 weeks of connected home-learning! We have been documenting this momentous period in our school history books and have produced this fantastic slideshow of photographs, to celebrate the wonderful array of learning experiences which have been enjoyed by our pupils at home in recent weeks. Please encourage the children to watch this show & to see what adventures their friends & classmates have been up to!

On behalf of all the school staff, we sincerely thank you for working in partnership with us during this period, in ensuring that connected learning was successful. We know that this experience has been challenging for many parents and we appreciate the great efforts that you have made with the formal learning tasks and the family plans and challenges.

I would also like to pay tribute to the amazing staff in Gaelscoil Aodha Rua, who with no prior notice or planning, changed their whole style of teaching overnight & embraced the challenge of guiding and supporting children & parents in the connected home-learning scenario. The curricular tasks and resources provided, many of which were created from scratch, have been innovative and stimulating & have ensured that our pupils still feel connected to our school and know that they are cared about very deeply & missed by us all.

Please enjoy these few days off and encourage the children to down tools, to take a rest from the school-work and to have plenty of fun! We will be sending details of a 'Lá Léitheoireachta' (reading challenge) for Thursday and for a 'Lá Spóirt Teaghlaigh' (family sports day) on Friday! So get the spuds & spoons and the skipping ropes ready & let the training begin!