School Procedures

St. Pius X Girls’ NS school uniform consists of a navy pinafore or skirt, a navy jumper / cardigan with school crest, white shirt and school tie. The uniform is worn on all school days except for P.E. day, when the crested school tracksuit and a white polo shirt is worn.

The following can be purchased directly from the school:

• Crested Jumper
• Crested Tracksuit
• Crested Polo Shirt
• School Tie

Sale days are held twice a year in the school. You can also order and pay online via the EPP link on the homepage of this website. The uniform order will then be sent home with your child.  Pinafores / skirts and blouses are available from most department stores.

Opening / Closing Times

School starts at 8:45 AM. Children go directly to their classrooms and official teaching begins at 9:00 AM. Punctuality is very important as it helps to develop good practice that lasts. The first break is from 10:30 AM to 10.45 AM. Children go to the yard. They are allowed to have a small snack and drink at that time. Lunch time is from 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM. Again children go to the yard. Lunch is eaten in the classroom, but if not completed children may take it to the yard and requested to use the bins provided to dispose of any leftovers. The taking of food wrappings to the yard is not permitted. Closing time for Junior and Senior Infants is 1:30 PM and 1st class to 6th class is 2:30 PM.

Infants

Junior infants come in for a short day during the first few weeks to enable them to adjust to their new routine. Parents take the children down to their classrooms and are requested to train their children to come in their own door rather than coming in the front door of the school after classes have started. Punctuality should be encouraged at an early age. The infant day finishes at 1:30 PM. On wet days parents may come to the classroom and collect their children from there. At the end of the first month parents are invited in for a progress report on how the children have settled in, what they have achieved so far and what way the year will hopefully proceed. Parents’ help and support is encouraged and the teacher usually gives guidelines for parents and outlines ways they can become involved.

Early Collection of Children

Parents are requested to report first to the Secretary’s office. The secretary will call your child to reception where you can sign her out.  Parents are asked not to collect their child during lunchtime. Please arrange a time prior to or after breaks.

Three teachers supervise each break on yard. Children may not go back into the school unless they have permission from the teachers on duty. Girls from the Senior Classes take turns to monitor the doors, so children may go into the toilets or to the office for first aid in an orderly manner.

Children are expected to remain in their own area of the yard during break times and to line up when the bell goes for the end of break. Teachers on duty direct them to their classroom as their own teacher returns from lunch.

Each year we ask parents to pay a Subscription of €140 to cover the cost of Individual Pupil Insurance (24/7), Art and Craft materials, stationary, copies for each child, photocopying, printing, PE expenses and “Text-A-Parent” expenses. This money is separate to the Department of Education Grants which cover the day to day running of the school such as heating, lighting, water, repairs and renovations, etc.

Our fund raising which we do every year is separate from these contributions, and it is used for school building works and enhancement projects to improve the school facilities for the children.

You have always been very generous but costs are rising and you can rest assured that we are constantly monitoring our expenditure and working hard to ensure value for money for you at all times.