On the 31^st of January 2012 we attended a tournament to play an excellent game called Spikeball. We have been training and learning about the sport for weeks in preparation for the tournament. It took place in Athy College.

The rules of the game are simple. Its similar to volleyball therefore it would take place on a volleyball court. There are 6 on the team but only four on the court. The team rotates every successful 3 serves. The way you serve can be over arm or under arm and the ball must go over the net. The opposing team have to volley it up for a teammate to catch and then he\she throws the ball to another teammate who must slam it over the net. You have to make three passes before you slam it down on the opposing teams side.

The tournament was a fantastic one. There was a boys team and a mixed team. 12 students from 5^th and 6^th class went to the tournament. Ciarán, Niamh, Brandon, Patrick, Jamie, Ben, Sadhbh, Jack and Nosa went from 5^th class. From 6^th Tumise, Eamonn and Eoin took part.

Check out the pictures of us in action below!

A huge thank you to Tony and Sue who gave us lifts and helped on the day.

Thank you to the teachers Hilda,  Siobhan and Bobby also.

By Tumise and Eamonn

Infant classes will finish at the normal time of 1.10pm.

The After School Facility will operate until 1.55pm and school buses will depart at 1.55pm.

Below is the report that Niamh wrote:

Dog Sled

A dog sled is a sled that dogs get tied to and the dogs pull the musher.

The sled is made of wood and uses a small bit of metal. The parts of the sled are called the driving bar, top rail, brush bow, runner, bed slats, stanchions and the handlebar.

What happens is you attach, usually six dogs, to a sled. You use it in snow, so the musher puts little shoes on the dog’s feet so they don’t get sore. Assembling a sled dog team involves picking leader dogs, point dogs, swing dogs and wheel dogs. The leader dogs are crucial, so mushers take particular care of them. It is also important to have powerful wheel dogs to pull the sled out of the snow. In dog sledding, Siberian Huskies or Alaskan Malamutes are the main types of dogs used because of their willpower to work.

It is great fun and I would recommend it!

Due to Department regulations, progress meetings must take place outside school hours. School will close to pupils (1st to 6th class) on Tuesday 31st January and Wednesday 1st February at 1.55pm in order to facilitate some of these meetings.

Please be advised that after school care will finish at 1.55pm and the buses will also be departing school fifteen minutes early on these dates.

We will endeavour to accommodate all parents/guardians with times that suit both parties.

Protective gear and helmets will be provided by the organisers for all children but it is recommended that children wear warm clothes and gloves.

The skating session is free; however, there will be a small charge for the bus which is €1.50 per child.

Further information about Newbridge on Ice can be obtained on their website www.newbridgeonice.com.

Please return the consent form which was given to your child’s teacher tomorrow.

If the class receive a compliment from another staff member or visitor to our school/ classroom we add link onto our compliments chain,

 when the chain reaches from one side of the white board to the other the class will receive a prize.

We voted on what we would like to do for our reward and the majority selected a party.

So today after lunch we had a party in our class.

I would like to say well done to all of the children in the class and hopefully it won't be too long until we have our second chain.

Also, we would like to thank Shona Leslie in 6th class for coming up with the idea of the 'Compliments Chain'.

If you would like to buy tickets please send the exact amount of money for the number of tickets you wish to purchase in a SEALED ENVELOPE with YOUR NAME, CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER, CHILD’S NAME and CLASS and return it to the school as soon as possible.

€2 for a one strip of tickets or €5 for three strips of tickets.

Or alternatively you can purchase raffle tickets in the Community Room in the school every Friday from now and up to the end of term from 8.30-9.30am. The 2012 NETNS School Calendar will also be on sale on these Fridays.

Raffle Prizes

• Two Heineken Cup tickets for Leinster Vs. Montpelier at RDS (20th/21st January, 2012- date subject to Heineken Cup calendar) Plus one night’s B&B in a Deluxe Room for two people sharing at the Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin (Conditions Apply)

• Two nights’ stay for two people sharing at the Hamlet Court Hotel, Johnstown Bridge, Enfield.

• Momento Photographic Studio – €100 voucher includes 1 hour sitting session, private online gallery, two high resolution 10″x8″ images of their choice. (Nũria Cañestro-Pallãs of Momento Photographic Studio is the wonderfully talented photographer who donated her time to take photos for the 2012 School Calendar!)

• Avonmore Hamper

• Applegreen, Naas €50 fuel voucher

• Girls Pink Futuristix Multi Function DVD player

• Family Day Pass to Imaginosity, Ireland’s only interactive children’s museum.

• Three complimentary makeovers from the Elizabeth Arden counter at in Debenhams (Whitewater SC) for the month of December/January.

• Various prizes of Flower arrangement, Original Painting, Christmas Cake.

Winning tickets for all raffle prizes to be drawn in the school on 22nd December

Further details to follow.