The theme of our assembly this month was Get Set, Go! The whole school assembled in our school hall this morning where the Assembly Committee were on hand to give out certificates, and take handprints for our Hall of Fame.

The theme of the Assembly was all about getting off the year to a great start. As the Irish proverb says "Tús maith leath na hoibre"- a good start is half the work. Getting back into routines means working on good habits too so we reminded the boys of five really important habits:

• Being kind to others
• Eating healthily
• Exercising
• Cleaning up after themselves
• Getting into a good homework routine

Individual awards were given to boys in every class. Ms Rice and Ms Egan`s classes both won the Line Awards for being the best at lining up in the yard this month. And a new award was presented for excellence at assembly. This award recognizes the excellence in being respectful, responsible and safe in entering, leaving and during assembly. Mr Ryan and Mr Arthur`s classes were delighted to win that award.

Our school has a long association with Laytown and Bettystown Tennis Club.

​Thanks to the expertise of their coach, David Black, and to the vital support of parents, every pupil from 1st to 6th classes have six tennis lessons on our school grounds. You can see from these photos that the boys from Ms Smith`s First Class and Ms. Carragher`s class from Gliondar Mara are having a great time while learning the vital skills of co-ordination, movement, fitness and strength which tennis requires.

This is a vital element of our PE programme for all of our pupils. It also leads a lot of pupils to participating in tennis outside of school through the Laytown and Bettystown club and to the development of strong tennis teams in our school. 

Our Gaelic football team took on Gaelscoil An Bhradáin Feasa in Piltown yesterday. It was an exciting match, aided and abetted by a stiff westerly wind.

Wind and luck colluded to see our team in the lead in the first half. With the wind against us, the second half could have been a different matter entirely. The team from the Gaelscoil were exceptionally strong, displaying great passing skills and teamwork. They certainly had our boys running all over the pitch.

Fortunately, our lads fought back. With strong encouragement from team coaches Mr. Arthur and Mr. Culligan they gathered all the strength they could muster and went on score a solid victory. This marks their second win in the Cumann na mBunscol league. 

Will their luck hold out? Will they stay committed to their early morning training sessions? Will they continue to build a great team? Time will tell.

Local newspaper The Drogheda Leader sent a photographer out to our school today to take photos of two very special classes-our new Junior Infants. The boys were delighted to pose for the photographer, along with their class teachers, Mrs Martin and Ms. Rice.   You can check out the results for yourselves in either this week`s or next week`s Drogheda Leader!

​We have had a busy, but wonderful, start to a new term and new school year.  And lots of activities have started up already.

Football Coaching
Níall Kane, Simonstown`s GAA captain, and full time football coach with our local Colmcille`s GAA club, has started coaching football skills to our 3rd and 4th classes. He also takes extra coaching sessions on Mondays after school for 3rd class for four weeks, which will also be rolled out to 1st and 2nd classes later this term.

Meanwhile, our Senior Gaelic football team have had two 8a.m. training sessions coached by four of our teaching staff, Mr Arthur, Mr Lynch, Mr Culligan and Mr Duffy.  Lunchtime coaching for 3rd class is been delivered by Mr. Lynch and Mr Arthur.

Swimming
Ms Gerard and Ms Callan`s classes are attending swimming lessons every Thursday until Oct 4th.

Tennis
Laytown/Bettytowns Tennis Club`s Coach, David Black, has commenced tennis lessons with our 1st and 4th classes, along with Ms Colleran`s 2nd Class, Mr Lynch`s 3rd Class and Mr Arthur`s 5th class. This round of coaching takes place each Friday up to and including the 19th October. 

Homework Club
Our after school activities have also seen the start of our Homework Club. The Homework Club runs from 3.10-4.10 Monday to Thursday for pupils from 3rd -6th Class. Further details available from your child`s teacher or from our school office.

Cumann na mBunscol
This very popular Gaelic football league has started already and we have had our first win in a tightly contested match last week against Dunboyne.  Here`s to more fun and games in the weeks and months ahead!