1. St. Mary’s C.B.S. Parents Information Night January 2016 1

2. St. Mary’s C.B.S. Boys Voluntary Secondary School. Trustees: Edmund Rice Schools Trust. Catholic Ethos. Founded: 1847 Current Building: 2010. Board of Management: 4 Trustee nominees 2 Parents nominees, 2 Teacher nominees Parent’s Council Student’s Council / Meitheal / Treoiri Staff of 55 Teachers & 3 SNA’s. 795 Students (2015-16) Projected enrolment in 2016-17 is 840 plus 2

3. School Hours Mon, Tues, Wed & Thurs: 8.55 am to 1.15 pm 1.55 pm to 4.00 pm Fri:8.55 am to 1.15 pm All students must stay on school premises at lunch hour Students can bring their own lunch or buy lunch from Café Latte on site Activities organised for students by members of Meitheal, Treoiri and Student’s Council 3

4. School Uniform V-neck black pullover with school crest Mid-grey shirt School Tie Plain grey trousers (not cord or canvas) Black shoes or boots (with black soles only) No black runners Black School Jacket / School Hoodie – available through school office-on school outings no other outer clothing allowed. No body piercing jewellery Natural coloured hair appropriate for school. 4

5. Programmes Offered Junior Certificate. Transition Year. Traditional Leaving Certificate. Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP). 5

6. Junior Cycle Subjects Do 10 Core Subjects: Irish Maths Science History English CSPE Geography PE (non exam) SPHE (non exam) Religion (non exam) Choose 3 Option subjects from French Spanish Music Metalwork Business Studies Art, Craft, Design Home Economics Technical Graphics. Material Technology (Wood) 6

7. Extra-Curricular Activities Football Hurling Basketball Soccer Athletics School Tours Zambian Immersion Programme Subject Related Activities / Trips / Retreats 7

8. School Clubs Art / Photography Club Green Schools Team Amber Flag Team Circuit Training Cooking Club Science Club School Bank Book Club Film Club Debating 8

9. Religion & PE RE is a core subject on the school curriculum and an integral part of the ethos of the school. All students are expected to participate in RE. In line with their legal rights, parents of students of a non-Christian Faith may request that their son not participate in RE / Services. The practice in such cases is that the student remains in the classroom under supervision. If a parent decides to withdraw a student, it is the parent’s responsibility to organise supervision for the student while the programme is being delivered. Students who are not practicing Catholics but who do not practice another faith must fully participate in RE class/services. All students must participate in PE. 9

10. School Care Team Year Head – Mr McWey Learning Support Team Career Guidance Teacher – Mr McWey School Counsellor – Ms McEntee Class Tutors – To be decided for 1 st years 10

11. Incoming First Years Entrance Test – Saturday 30 th January Classes will be Mixed Ability Will be organised into 6 class groups Year Head – Mr McWey Information Night for Parents / Guardians in August Meitheal will help with the first years’ day to day adjustments into secondary school life. Coffee Morning for Parents / Guardians in October Parent Teacher meeting in November 11

12. Our School Facilities 5 Science Labs Home Economics Room Art Room 2 Woodwork Rooms 2 Metalwork Rooms Word Processing Lab Technical Graphics Rm DCG Room 3 Project Store Rooms Multimedia Room Library 1 Career Guidance Room General Purpose Area (GPA) Demonstration Room 2 Lecture Rooms Religion / Meditation Room Resource Area 30 Classrooms 7 Learning Support Rooms Shared Sports Centre with Scoil Chriost Ri 2 Full sized pitches (Shared) 6 Hard Courts 12

13. Your 3 Subject Choices Take time to speak to teachers about subject choices Language required for a number of 3 rd Level Colleges. Make sure to talk to teachers across all subject areas. Make choices based on future career choices, subjects likely to be taken at Leaving Cert, subjects that student has an aptitude or interest in. Do not pick subjects just because your friends are doing them. Fill in subject choice form from 1 to 9 in order of preference. Every effort will be made to give choices but no guarantee can be given. If selecting Woodwork or Metalwork please be informed there is a €20 additional charge for materials. 13

14. Our Ipad Project going forward Our objective has always been to prepare our students to meet the challenges of IT in the workplace and in further education. 1:1 devices (such as iPads) allow students to access educational content that 2 computer rooms in even a ‘state of the art’ school can never provide. We are expanding the emphasis, which in the past was on e-books, to other shared learning platforms, and building in more training from the day students receive their device. Last August 2 training days which were part of their Induction gave all basic IT skills to begin their school year with. 14

15. Our Ipad Project… 2015 saw the start of all students & teachers having access to Microsoft 365 – this is the basic tool in enabling your son to meet the challenges of 21 st Century. Internationally, education is moving away from set texts and using the content which teachers always created – new technology allows for this. Students will in future be assessed on their e-portfolios which they must create, using IT. St Mary’s CBS has been a leader in this area and we hope it will continue to be so into the future. 15

16. Next Steps : your Information Pack contains the following: Copy of the slides of Principal’s and Wriggle’s presentation Offer of a place Letter of Acceptance Subject Choice Form Voluntary Contribution Form Code of Behaviour Homework Policy School Brochure Contact Numbers and Email Address Sheet VSware Fee Management Leaflet Entrance Test Time Sheet Book Rental Information Wriggle leaflet SEN leaflet Parent’s Council Leaflet Checklist 16

17. The following are to be returned to the School by 11 am Fri 29 th Jan: Checklist Letter of Acceptance Contact Numbers & Email Addresses Voluntary Contribution Form & (€80) Fee Subject Choice Form – Completed in order of choice 1-9 and your indication of opting for iPads or Text Books Book Rental Application 17

18. Entrance Test 18 Entrance Test on Saturday 30 th January 2016 Two sittings: 8.30am to 11.00am 10.45am to 1.15pm Your assigned time is enclosed in your pack Entrance Test is computer based – CAT 4 Provides information on how best a student can learn and reach his full potential. Individual reports for the school and the parents Cost €15 – payable on or before Saturday 30 th January We encourage all parents to use the Fee Management on Vsware to pay any fees If paying that morning, please have correct change in an envelope with your son’s name on it.

19. Learning Support 19 If your son already receives resource teaching, learning support, has access to an SNA or doesn’t study Irish in his National School it is in his interest for you to seek out our Special Needs Teachers this evening. Learning Support Forms are available tonight from our Learning Support Teachers in Lecture Room 1, the first room on the left along the Science Corridor If Learning Support is not organised in the coming weeks it will not be in place for September when he begins 1 st year which will leave him at a disadvantage. Please see the leaflet enclosed in the Information Packs tonight.

20. Final Reminder School Transport – You apply directly to Bus Eireann Using iPads / eBooks – Managed by Wriggle Information given tonight Book Rental - Applications for this Scheme in the Information Pack – Ms Dunne is our Book Rental Coordinator Making payment on our website www.portlaoisecbs.com or by logging into Vsware and clicking on Fee Management- see the Vsware Fee Management Leaflet www.portlaoisecbs.com 20

21. Entrance Test Time The assigned time may ONLY be changed for extreme cases -If you are unable to make the assigned time you have been given, you must inform the office by 1pm on Friday 29 th at the latest. If people don’t show or too many arrive for the second time slot, it creates a lot of problems with having enough PC’s available for that sitting. Thank you for your cooperation. 21

22. 22 Thank you for listening and we are looking forward to the next 5-6 years working with you and your son.

23. 23 Q & A