1. 1st Year Information Evening
2019/2020

2. Transition to Post-Primary School
Welcome
Induction Process
First Year Guide
First Day of Term
Yearhead – Mentors - Parental support
First Year Guide: contains all the basic information required for students on the practicalities of day to day life at our school. Including how to read the timetable, how to use the school journal and lockers as well as clear instructions on leaving school for appointments. What to do if you need to go home if your are sick etc as well as some handy study skills tips.
Our Senior Student Mentors have been carefully selected and they will assist the Year-Head and the Pastoral Care Team to ensure every child makes the transition into post primary school as seamless as possible.
As parents you have a huge role to play in helping your child to make this transition by ensuring your child is organised and prepared and that they have their uniform, necessary books and equipment from the outset. These things make a huge difference in reducing the anxiety around beginning 1st year for your child.
First Day of Term
On that first day of term (August 23rd) along with the Mentors your son/daughter will be the only students in the school for their first day, this will give them an opportunity to find their way around the school. The first day is a combination of meeting their new classmates, mentors, year-heads and teachers as well as the explanation of the rules of the school, and their timetable, combined with some fun activities to help break the ice for students and help them to settle in. Details of what to bring on that first day is included in your Guide.

3. Practicalities of School life
Uniform
Lockers
Books
School Day
Attendance
Uniform: Boys wear the Maroon Jumper with crest, grey trousers, grey shirt and plan black shoes – no white soles.
Girls wear the Maroon jumper with crest, plaid skirt, cream blouse, black shoes, black / navy socks or tights. There is an option for girls to wear a specific Navy trousers instead of the skirt. All of which are available from local shops here in Ballyhaunis. We recommend students wear the crested school jacket and we encourage you to have their initials embroidered onto their jacket to avoid any confusion over ownership.
Lockers - Students are assigned a locker on their first day of term. We ask you to encourage your child to use their locker. Students will be given a key for their locker. If a student misplaces a key this will have to be replaced. There is a fee to replace a lost key.
Books - We encourage you to avail of the book rental scheme here in the school which provides all the books, workbooks /ebooks, and school journal for your child.
School Day - First class starts at 9am. We encourage students to be in school at 8.45am to allow time to use lockers and to be on time for their 1st class– all classes are 40 minutes. Lunch-break is from 1.20pm – 2.00pm. School ends at 4pm on Mon. to Thurs. On Friday, school ends at 1.20pm
Attendance - Good attendance is key to your child’s progress in school. All absences must be explained. Explanation notes for you to use are located at the back of the school journal. If a student is absent for more than 20 days the school is obliged under the Educational Welfare Act to report these absences to the NEWB – National Educational Welfare Board. The NEWB officer visits the school to monitor student’s attendance throughout the school year. If your child is absent due to medical reasons or is ill – a medical cert will need to be given.

4. School Journal Communication with Teachers Homework Monitoring
School Rules
Classroom /Homework Agreements
Permission slips for Trips/ Photographs
Absence Notes / Lates
Study / Homework Guidelines
Wellbeing
School Journal
The school journal is an essential element of the student life. It is used each day by students to record their homework. It is used by teachers and parents to communicate messages between home and school. We ecourage you as parents to check your child diary every day and sign it each week.
The Journal also contains a copy of our school rules, school contact details and details about the school uniform. The Journal is included as part of the Book Rental scheme or alternatively will be available to purchase from the office in mid August.
The Journal contains Classroom /Homework Agreements as well as Permission slips for Trips/ taking of your child’s Photograph - these permission slips need to be signed and returned to the school when your child begins 1st year.
The Journal contains Blank Absence Notes / Permission to leave the school notes when you need to give a note of explanation to the Yearhead.
If a student arrives late in the morning or needs to leave the school at any point throughout the day – they must present at the office.
If you are collecting your child early from school parents must come into the school and sign your child out. Details of these procedures are detailed in your booklet.
The journal also contains Study / Homework Guidelines and some tips on looking after your wellbeing for students.

5. Homework Routine 10 Exam Subjects Routine - same time / place
Study should be planned and encouraged at home.
Study includes homework and revision.
Guide for homework / study 1.5hours per night.
Avoid Distractions
All students are expected to study/learn the work covered in every subject each day and complete written homework on time and to the best of their ability.
Homework includes written work, reading, learning , researching, revision as well as projects and coursework.
We encourage you as parents to support and encourage study and homework by ensuring your child establishes a good routine form the outset.
Good practice is to get your child to leave their devices away from their study area to avoid distractions.
Recommended guide is 1 hour to 1 and a half around exam and course deadlines

6. Junior Cycle – New subject specifications
At Junior Cycle students will study all their subjects with the new subject sepcifications
Core Subjects
English
Irish* unless officially exempt by DES
Maths
Science
History
Geography
Religious Education
Choice Subjects – 3 from the following:
* French * Business * Home Economics
* Art * Music * Woodwork
* Metalwork * Technical Graphics
Wellbeing - is an integral aspect of the new Junior Cycle curriculum PE
SPHE (Social Personal Health Education)
CSPE (Civic Social Political Education)
Digital Awareness (IT)
Guidance
Co-curricular activities over the three years.
At Junior Cycle students will study all their subjects with the new subject sepcifications
Core Subjects
English Irish* unless officially exempt by DES
Maths Science
History Geography
Religious Education
Your child has already pre-chosen Choice Subjects – 3 Choice Subjects from the following:
* French * Business * Home Economics
* Art * Music * Woodwork
* Metalwork * Technical Graphics
Students will taste all subjects for the first 8 weeks of term – after this if they wish to change any of their choices this will be facilitated if there is room to in a class.
Wellbeing - is an integral aspect of the new Junior Cycle curriculum – it includes PE
SPHE (Social Personal Health Education)
CSPE (Civic Social Political Education)
Digital Awareness (IT)
Guidance
Other Co-curricular activities over the three years.

7. Assessment & Reporting
Classroom Based Assessments (CBA’s) Students will complete one CBA in 2nd year and one in 3rd year.
Written Assessment task –students will complete the Assessment Task in class under the supervision of the teacher, this will be sent to the SEC for marking along with the script for that subject in the state-certified examination in June of 3rd year.
Other Learning Experiences - Schools will report on student engagement and participation in the Other Areas of Learning section of the JCPA over the course of Junior Cycle.
There are 3 methods of assessment and reporting in Junior Cycle
1. Classroom-Based Assessments will provide students with opportunities to demonstrate their understanding and skills in a way which would not be possible in a formal examination. For example through
Oral Presentations
Different types of written work
Practical activities
Scientific experiments
Projects
2. The Assessment Task which will be completed in class under the supervision of the teacher and is sent to the SEC for marking.
3. Other Areas of learning - Students will have the opportunity to engage with a range of other learning experiences as part of their Junior Cycle programme and these can be recorded on the JCPA. Eg involvment in a musical performance, debating, sports teams, student council, social awareness initiatives etc.
English, Irish and Maths are specified at Higher and Ordinary levels
All other subjects specified at a Common Level

8. The reporting structure at Junior Cycle has also changed - from this slide you can see instead of ABCD the following descriptors will now be used.
We as a school will regularly report on your child’s progress and provide feedback to help students self reflect.
Junior Cycle Certificate of Achievement - The reporting process at Junior Cycle will culminate in the award of the JCPA to students. For your child this will take place in the Autumn 2022.
This will included their results from AT, Formal exams in June of 2022 and other areas of learning.
Junior Cycle Certificate of Achievement - The reporting process at Junior Cycle will culminate in the award of the JCPA to students. For your child this will take place in the Autumn 2022.

9. Concerns Contact Details Contact the School Update school records
If you have any concerns please contact the school, specifically the Yearhead / Member of Pastoral Care team – generally an early intervention can prevent a minor issue from developing into a cause of anxiety or stress for your child.
Contact Details - If your contact details change over the course of your child’s time in our school please let the office know to update our records and to ensure you continue to receive correspondence, reports alerts etc.
Update school records

10. Support for Parents
Practical advice to help you as parents navigate through the teenage years.
Further information on the Junior Cycle Programme
Tusla Family Support Agency have produced a resource entitled ‘Parenting positively and Teenage wellbeing’ – it contains some practical advice for you as parents navigating through the teenage years with your child.
Links to JCT website and NCCA to access subject specifications for the Junior cycle subjects as well as our own school website which will have links to all of the above and this evening’s presentation.

11. “Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education”
Finally
“Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education”
Martin Luther King