Science week was marked in our school by a variety of investigations and experiments in every class in our school. Ms Smith and Ms. Carragher`s class both got together to build their own catapults! Marshmallows featured very strongly in this experiment along with investigation on how well the finished catapults work, as you can see from these pictures.

Our Parents`Association have just wound up the money collection for their very successful Beach Walk. Held in October every year, this tradition brings out Mams, Dads, grandparent, dogs and, of course, lots of children, for the 5km trek along the silver sands of Bettystown beach.

It is a terrific community occasion and an opportunity to catch up with old friends, and meet new ones, while enjoying one of our most prized local amenity.

This year's Beach Walk also raised the wonderful sum of €7857. Both the boys`and girls`schools will benefit from this fundraiser. The boys school have already been given the green light to purchase a second outdoor handball wall and we are currently pricing other items on our wishlist which will most benefit our pupils and our school.

Parents`Association Chairperson, Eimear Donnelly and Treasurer, Ruth Sherry, were very grateful to the children and to their families for their terrific support. They visited our school library last week to present prizes to boys who made significant contributions with their fundraising for the event. Speaking at the presentation, Eimear Donnelly expressed her delight with this successful fundraiser, especially in the manner that it brought people together in support of the school and of the community.

Along with Ms. Smith, and Ms. Callan, I had the great pleasure of meeting with the boys of our Students`Council today. This was our first meeting and it took place in the relaxing surroundings of our school library. 

After a tough campaign, these boys were elected before the mid term break to represent their classes from 2nd through to 6th.  They now come brimming with ideas for improving life in our school. They also discussed the possibility of raising funds to support some of the requested improvements.

Ms Smith and Ms Callan presented each boy with his student council pin at the end of the meeting.

After our meeting, the boys reported on the meeting to their classes. They also places suggestion boxes at strategic locations around the school so that more ideas can be added. 

At their next meeting the most popular and realistic suggestions will be discussed and we will work together to put them in place.

With this Student Council on board, we will definitely have interesting times ahead!

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Our futsal team from Fourth Class got a chance to represent our school in the Futsal blitz in Gormanston College recently. It was a long but exciting day with games against Duleek Boys` School, Scoil Spioraid Naomh, Laytown, Scoil Naomh Eoin and St. Stephen`s Schools in Navan.

Futsal is a variety of indoor football, played on a hard court and with a slightly smaller ball than a soccer ball. Accompanied by their futsal coaches, Mr. Lynch and Mr. Ryan, the boys had great fun. All their lunch time training sessions with their coaches must have paid off too, because they won all of their games!

The Annual Beach Walk has become quite a tradition for our Parents`Association, marking the end of our first term and the opportunity to get there and enjoy the wonderful sea and scenery which lies at our doorsteps.

Today proved exceptional. With balmy temperatures and plenty of autumn sunshine, the community turned out in droves to support the very busy PA committee and other volunteers. Indeed, it was wonderful to see some new faces along with more familiar one, keen to do all they can to help at this annual event.

The walk/run/splash about was 5km in total. Some doggies miles were put in too, with many families taking the opportunity to bring Fido for a brisk walk. Refreshments were served at the mid way point and homework passes offered at the end for adults and children alike! The dogs may not have fared so well however, but Donacarney Parents` Association certainly ran an occasion that they can be proud of.

Community bonding aside, this venture is also run to raise much needed funds for the Parents' Association.  Please send in all monies raised to the school this week via your child's class teacher. Homework passes will be given to all pupils who bring in sponsorship money, even if they were unable to participate today.  And a Cool Beanz voucher is on offer to the pupil who raises the largest amount!

Congrats to Eimear and the fantastic PA committee and friends for running a fun, family friendly, fundraiser!

Piltown was the venue and St. Mary`s of Ashbourne were the opposition, as our gaelic team took to the pitch yesterday.

With the wind in their favour and last week`s three point loss to Ratoath, biting at their heels, they fared very well in the first half.

But St Mary`s were determined warriors. They gave our lads a fair run all over the pitch, demonstrated tight passing skills and great team work. Despite all that, there were a lot of missed chances on both sides.

Piltown is home for many of our team, as they are passionate `Cilles members and supporters. so home advantage favoured them very well on this occasion. They had a resounding victory but they know its just another fierce battle in the long road of the Cumann na mBunscol league.

Our thanks to the parents for their fervent support on the sideline and for ferrying our boys to and from the match. And our thanks to St. Mary`s for a great game.

We held a special assembly yesterday for 2nd to 6th class to launch our Students`Council and our Erasmus Project, And also to award three very important prizes.

The boys listened intently to details about our new Students`Council. Representatives from each class will form the Council. Anyone who wishes to be nominated to go forward for election can do so. Elections will be held just before the mid term break.

Mrs Lohan spoke about our latest Erasmus project. She said we have been chosen to join four schools from Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Poland and Sicily to work on the theme of Our Best Heritage. The focus for our heritage work will be Brú na Boinne.  We have a beautiful Erasmus board now in one of our corridors and a lovely start to the project with the winning entries from the logo competition displayed there.

Mr Lynch presented the prizes to the winning boys, Jack from 3rd class, Eoin from 4th class and Aaron from 5th class. Those entries go forward now to the international logo competition with the four other European schools.

Exciting times!

The lucky boys from Ms. Campbell and Ms. Smyth`s Senior Infants had a visit from the fire brigade today. To the delight of the boys, the fire engine drove along the emergency route into the yard and waited out there for all the boys to come and see them. Nigel McElearney and his team really entertained the boys. They told them all about the work of a fireman, showed them some of their cutting and safety equipment. 

Best of all though, the men gave each boy a chance to step inside the fire engine and to use the hose! Thanks to Drogheda Fire Station for such a great service! We have lots of boys now who are looking forward to being fire fighters when they grow up!

We regularly find an assortment of abandoned jackets and tops in our school yard, particularly after breaks. Fortunately, they can be reunited with their owners quite swiftly if they are tagged with their names. However, as you can see from this photo, there are a number of jackets and tops in our Lost Property room. If your son is missing an item, please encourage him to call in to this room. It is opposite the downstairs kitchenette on the Infant corridor. Alternatively, you are welcome to call in yourself to check through the lost property before or after school hours on Thursdays and Fridays.  

Please tag all jumpers, ties, jackets, lunchboxes now, if you haven't already done so. Grab a pen and have your son help you. It will encourage him to look after his belongings and save you a headache in the long run! Sadly, with winter coming, we can expect gloves, caps and scarves to be added to the pile.  So please, get labelling!