School-Home Contact

	Parent-Teacher Meetings
	Enrolment

	It is school policy that there should be regular contact between parents and teachers.
	Parents are encouraged to contact the school immediately if they have a problem concerning their child's education and teachers are encouraged to contact parents if they think it would be for the benefit of a child in their class.
	An appointment should be made if the discussion is likely to take up a considerable amount of time or is of a sensitive nature.
	Teachers maintain contact with parents in a number of ways. Parents are advised to check homework notebooks and copies for messages and comments.
	If a teacher become concerned about a child for any reason he/she usually contacts the parents sooner rather than later. Teachers find that these contacts are often very beneficial.
	Parent/Teacher meetings are held in late October over 2 half days. At these meetings the teacher gives a detailed report on the child's progress and behaviour. They offer the teacher the opportunity to give the parent a detailed picture of what goes on in the classroom. Teacher and parents get the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns.
	A written school report is issued in June/July for middle & senior standard classes. The class teacher draws up the report but the Principal also signs it. A copy of the report is enclosed.
	If a teacher is introducing something new they may issue a note explaining what is happening or may hold a meeting with parents e.g. paired reading/letterland.
	On occasions the Principal and teachers may call a general meeting for parents. This would usually happen when the school:
	1. Wished to hear parents' views on an important matter.
	2. Wished to inform parents of new proposals.
	Example: The introduction of the Stay Safe Programme.
	Parent-Teacher Meetings
	In October arrangements are made for individual Parent - Teacher meetings. Each parent is allotted 10 minutes All aspects of the child's academic and social progress are discussed. The P-T meeting provides an opportunity to cultivate a positive relationship between home and school. The teacher may acquire vital background information that will put the child's progress in perspective.
	In early June, all 'new' parents and children are invited to the school. For some parents, this may be their first contact with the school. Policies, timetables, booklists, uniforms and ways in which parents may help their children adjust to the routine of the school day are explained. Parents are shown around a Junior Infant classroom and children and parents meet the Junior Infant teacher.
	The teachers and priest jointly prepare and hold meetings with the parents of First Holy Communion and Confirmation children.
	The Board of Management of the school holds a meeting of all parents in the school each year in the first term to give an account of the work carried out in the school over the previous year and work which needs to be carried out for the coming year.
	Enrolment
	Starting school is a major step in a child's life. Most children who enrol in our school have attended the pre-school which is located on the school premises. As a result the children are familiar with the school surroundings and are also well able to socialise with their young companions.
	However, the set up in the national school is, of necessity, different and less informal. In order to familiarise both parents and children with this new environment, an initial meeting is held sometime in June for parents of all newly enrolled children. At this meeting parents meet the Junior Infant Class Teacher and have an opportunity of visiting the Junior Infant Classroom. Settling in procedures, timetables and the general routine of the school are explained, especially in relation to the child's first month in school. Parents are advised that after the first month they should not accompany their child to the classroom door but rather to leave the child at the outer door with his/her class to be collected by the teacher. This helps to make the child more independent. On the first school day in September parents are asked not to bring their child to school until 10.00 am when all the other children will be in their classrooms.
	Parents also receive a copy of a booklet, published by the I.N.T.O., entitled "Your Child In The Primary School - Tips For Parents". This booklet answers many of the usual questions that parents have about their child starting school. Excellent as this booklet is however, it cannot answer everything. The staff of Holy Family National School is therefore only too willing too answer any query or clarify any point for parents.
	The small class numbers in Holy Family National School ensure that the Class Teacher can get to know the children quite well early on in the first school term. The Junior Infant Teacher, in particular, is also in constant touch with the parents and appointments are readily made so that any problems can be speedily and satisfactorily resolved.