Communication

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SCHOOL/TEACHERS AND PARENTS/GUARDIANS

Parents/Guardians are the primary educators of their children.  Teachers provide children with a formal professional education. Close cooperation and communication between all parties is the optimum approach for a successful time in school.

In St. Sylvester’s Infant School we have always maintained close contact with parents/guardians regarding their children’s’ progress through the following ways:

• Introductory meetings for the parents of children attending our school for the first time. This usually takes place in April / May of the year in which the child starts school
• The new incoming Junior Infant children are also invited to meet their class teacher in June of the year in which the child starts school
• All Junior Infant teachers meet the parents of their pupils in the 4^th week of September to give a brief account of the programme the children will be following during that academic year. Senior Infant and First Class teachers meet the parents in the 2^nd week of September
• In 2022/23, formal parent teacher meetings will take place for the Senior Infant and First Class pupils in November.  For our Junior Infants, this will take place in January.
• Parents attending meetings for children who have Special Education Needs  will be invited early in the school year to meet the Special Education Teacher and the Class Teacher

• Informal meetings may take place by appointment if a child is experiencing any difficulties. In the interest of health and safety for all pupils, teachers would like to minimise unnecessary classroom disruptions.  It is requested that parents send in a letter or email if they need a formal meeting with a teacher to relate relevant information about the child’s health, dental/hospital visit, holidays, etc.  Informal contact can always be briefly made after school.
• Parents are encouraged to use Aladdin Connect to communicate pupil absences.
• Communication is made via notes, emails, texts, and our School Newsletters which is sent home at regular intervals. Each child has an A5 plastic folder provided by the school for notes between school and home. Parents are encouraged to check this regularly. Details of school holidays for the school year are sent home early September. In 2009 we introduced “Text a Parent” whereby one designated parent receives important text message about early/emergency closures, pending events etc.
• There are two School Notice Boards, one in each yard. These are an important means of communication between teachers and parents
• Formal school reports are sent to parents at the end of the school year or during the year in the event of transfer to another school. Parents receive only one formal report per year.
• Each class has a Class Rep who organises a WhatsApp Group to communicate information to the class regarding school events e.g. non uniform days and unplanned fun events. The class rep does not act as a liaison person between the class group and the class teacher/school.  The WhatsApp group is not a forum for discussions that are personal to any individual (gossip).  It is not an agony aunt discussion hub.  Please maintain respectful dialogue when using this WhatsApp Group.