Items to be reported back to the parents from the Dunhill NS Board of Management Meeting, October 21st, 2025

• The Board on behalf of the school would like to thank all the parents and community members who helped on the clean-up day and who helped on the Open Day this year. Both went very well as a result.
• The school is following the very prolonged procurement process for the school hot meals. Some of the parents from the Parents Council are involved in this process as well. Glanmore Foods have been chosen as the school’s preferred food provider company following the school tendering via the Government E-Tendering process. There are still a few more steps to go before we can have the food delivered to the school.
• The Board of Management updated the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for ICT in the school.
• The school will send out a survey to parents in early November regarding their preferred choice of pupil’s clothing for the Communions and Confirmations. 
• The Dunhill GAA Healthy Club would like to thank the pupils of Mr Hayes’s 3rd/4th Class for the work that they did in planting bulbs and flowers in  the Rockery on the Dunhill GAA grounds.
• The Board would like to thank the coaches who were involved in the GAA training initiative in September in the school.

 

Information to Parents

•  Over the Summer the school purchased 3 Smart boards. Now all 4 classrooms have a Smart Board.
• Also a new marmoleum floor was put into the middle class in the ‘new’ extension. Last year Mrs Glackin was in this classroom.
• Music Generation will begin lessons in the school on Wednesday 17th of September. All classes will be involved. The 3rd-6th classes will learn to play the Ukulele. These music classes will take place on a Wednesday between 1 and 3pm.
• Interviews were held on Wednesday, August 20th for 3 teaching position within the school. The Board ratified the choices of the Interview Board:  Mr Kai Hayes for the fixed-term classroom teacher position in 3rd/4th class, Mrs Catherine Glackin was ratified for the fixed-term SET Job share position and Ms Julie Hayden for the Infant class maternity leave position.
• In September the school will conduct a survey to see what kind of clothing parents would prefer children to wear for the First Communion and Confirmation later this year. There will have to be a change as the traditional school uniform is no longer used in the school.
• In July the Dept of Social Protection contacted 1,100 primary schools to let them know that the School Procurement Documentation for the hot meals had not yet been finalised and would not be until the middle of August. On August 15th, these Documents were finally released to all the schools. They have informed us that the there is a very prolonged and detailed procurement process that will take between 10 and 12 weeks to complete. And so, the commencement of the school hot meals for Dunhill NS and all the other primary schools affected will be delayed until sometime in the second term of the 2025/26 school year. The fault for this delay lies completely with the Dept of Social Protection. The school has begun working on the first few steps in this procurement process.  
• An indefinite Forsa strike involving school secretaries and caretakers will begin on the day the school starts the new school year. This could affect the business of the school but the school will open and remain open as normal.

 
 

Dunhill National School Year Calendar - 2025 / 2026
 
School Reopening:       Thursday, August 28th 2025
 
Mid-term Break:-  Closing on Friday, 24th Oct., reopen on Monday, 3rd Nov. 
Professional Learning Day:-  Wednesday, 5th November. (School Closed)
 
Christmas Concert:-    Thursday 4th & Friday 5th December.
 
Christmas Holidays:- Closing at 12pm on Friday, 19th Dec., reopen on Monday, 5th Jan.
 
Primary Curriculum Framework:-   Tuesday, 20th January (School Closed)
 
Closed:     Monday, 2nd  Feb.
 
Mid-term Break:- Closed on Thursday, 19th & Friday, 20th Feb.
 
Closed:     Monday, 16th & Tuesday, 17th March
 
Easter Holidays:- Closing 12pm on Friday, 27th March, reopen on Monday, 13th Apr.
 
Primary Curriculum Framework:-    Tuesday, 21st April (School Closed)
 
Closed:     Monday, 4th May
 
Closed:     Friday, 29th May & Monday, 1st June.
 
Summer Holidays:-    Closing at 12pm on Wednesday, 24th June.

Information to Parents following Board of management meeting of June 23rd, 2025

The Solar Panels have been installed in the school by the Dept of Education free of cost. They will help reduce the cost of electricity and surplus electricity generated by the panels (when the school is closed) will be returned to the national grid.

The 2 Bí Cineálta policies were ratified by the Board of Management. This incorporates the main Bí Cineálta policy and the Child friendly version which are both available on this school website.

The school set up a recommendation group to help the Board of Management select the best and most appropriate company to provide school hot meals for the next school year. This group was made up of staff and some parents (suggested by the Parents Council). The group met with 4 different suppliers and tasted their food, questioned them on suppliers, food choice policies, variety of lunches available, how parents and pupils can order their lunches, how they dealt with waste and many more areas. Having discussed the 4 companies, the selection group made a recommendation to the Board of Management. This recommendation was accepted by the Board. Glanmore Foods (who won the award for Best Hot lunch Supplier in Ireland 2024/25) have been chosen.

Music Generation will come to the school next year (2025/26 school year) to provide music lessons to the pupils. More information will be forwarded to parents about this initiative at the start of the next school year.

Over the Summer the school will invest in 3 new Smart boards for the rest of the classrooms and will replace the flooring in the 3rd & 4th classroom with a marmoleum surface similar to the infant class and the 5th & 6th class. Similarly, a new oil tank will be purchased and situated near the boiler house.

Recently the school acquired its 2nd Green Flag. This is the Water Flag and has been based on work the pupils & the school have undertaken to conserve water both in school and at home.

​Next year’s Christmas Concert will take place in the Community Hall on Thursday and Friday, December 4th & 5th.

Information to Parents – April Board of Management Meeting

The school is currently devising a Bí Chineálta Policy – A formal legal Policy and a reflective Child-friendly version. The input of pupils and parents will be an important part of the devising of this child friendly version.
The Board was very pleased with the Heritage Day in the Community Hall. It was particularly pleased with the community response and engagement of the School’s Display Unit. Tribute was paid to the pupils, staff, the Parent’s Council and members of the Board of Management who were involved in prepping and setting up this display. 
The GAA Coaches from St. Anne’s and Dunhill GAA Clubs will continue the 6 week GAA initiative within the school. Currently plans are underway to organise this.
The school will partake in the Inter-schools Athletic Competitions at the RSC in Waterford on Wednesday, May 7th. Mrs Power will look after the team. 
Mr Cooper’s Class will partake in the Junior Achievement Energize Programme with parent, Helen McMahon in May.
The girls will compete in the Cumann na mBunscoil Camogie competition in the final term of the school year. Ms McGovern will train the team.
Mr Cooper’s 5th & 6th Class will partake in an Education for Sustainable Development: Peer Teaching Programme. This will also take place in May. The 5th and 6th class will pass information learned on Water and Food sustainability and the dangers of plastics on to other classes in the school.
The School will organise an event for Bike Week again this year. Mr. Cooper will organise this.
The School will partake in Spring Clean Day in early May. All pupils will help litter pick around the school and the village to help maintain clean standards.
 
 

Information to Parents
As and from the start of the new school year (2025/26), the school will
no longer have a traditional uniform (grey shirt, navy jumper, school tie
and grey pants or skirt or pinafore) but will use the school tracksuit
instead.
The school hired a tree surgeon, local man Eoin Glavey, to fell some
trees and cut back others. This occurred for the most part over the
recent Mid-Term Break. Some trees had the potential to be hazardous
and were removed. Others were trimmed back to lighten them and allow
light to return to some of the classrooms.
One of our Quiz teams won the Waterford Schools Credit Union Quiz
and went forward to the regional final. The Girls Soccer and Camogie
Teams both advanced to the next round of their respective competitions.
All connected with the school wish them the best.
The Board was very pleased with the Peace Proms. Well done to all the
pupils involved and Mrs Power and her assistants for helping prepare
them. Well done also to the parents who came to support and ended up
getting actively involved.
The Board reviewed and passed the Child Safeguarding Statement and
Risk Assessment Template for 2025.

The pupils did themselves, the school and their families proud last Saturday night at the Waterford Peace Proms. It was a long evening and no-one left with much energy!
Rehearsal with the full orchestra took place from 6-7pm and then the audience starting filling their seats. More than one of us felt a few nerves but we knew we had put the work into our preparation and so we were really looking forward to the show.
The huge choir sounded fantastic! In between our performances, we really enjoyed the amazing music being showcased by the very talented Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland and the super dance acts
The pupils all gave their best efforts. It really was a great evening out.
Thanks to everyone who attended and we hope it lives long in the memories of all.

The Peace Proms concert takes place this Saturday! We will be busy all week with rehearsals at school.
Here are all the details you will need for the day itself.
The concert will begin at 8pm for the audience but the children need to be there for a full pre-concert rehearsal at 5:30pm with the live orchestra.
Punctuality is really important on the day. Audience members tickets will be colour-coded seats in blocks; please allow yourself time to travel, find parking and then find your seat. Doors to the arena will open for the audience from 7pm.
The concert itself will be 2 and a half hours long. This includes a 20 minute interval. 
For the concert, children need to wear a plain white top (t-shirt or long-sleeved top). There can be no logos on these tops. They should wear dark pants/leggings/skirts on the bottom. No shorts to be worn. Their shoes should be comfortable and in a dark colour.
Children should bring a packed lunch with them as they will be at the arena for quite a long time. Lunches should be brought in a paper or plastic bag.
The following items are not allowed in the lunches: no fizzy drinks, no yogurts, no popcorn or crisps.
Children should bring sandwiches/rolls and water to drink.
Their lunch bag should be the only thing they bring with them, apart from a coat. No backpacks please as there will be no storage available for them.
Under no circumstances are children allowed to bring phones with them. If any pupil needs to contact a family member they can do so via one of the teachers who will be with them at all times.  
On the day, when pupils are dropped to the arena, we will all meet at the front door to enter the arena together. Arriving at the door by 5:20pm latest will give us plenty of time to do this. Children will rehearse for 1 hour with the orchestra and then have a one hour break for food and using the bathroom before the show.
After the show, the staff will bring the pupils to the front of the building to meet their parents. It will be very important to let one of the teachers or Alison know in advance if your child is travelling with another family.  
​

Hope you are all looking forward to a great evening with many wonderful memories for all involved.

Information to Parents
The school has received 5 quotations for Solar Panels and submitted them to the Department of Education for approval. We await the go ahead for the permission and finance to install these large solar panels which will reduce electricity costs.
The school requested and was successful in having the parking area tarmacked on the Ballinageeragh side of the school. This area doubles as a staff and a public car park.
The Administration of Medicine Policy was reviewed and updated by the Board of Management and is available to view on the school’s website.  
The school had its annual Christmas Mass at 10am on Wednesday, December 18th in Dunhill Church. Fr. O Halloran said the Mass and the pupils and staff were involved in readings, playing music and singing. The Mass was well supported by the parents and members of the Community. The Board were pleased with the Mass and how well it was supported.
The Board of Management are engaging with Waterford Council to improve road safety in front of the school. The parking layout in front of the school will change in the interests of safety. The school will be in touch with parents to let them know the new arrangements once these have been confirmed to us by the Council.
 

Information to Parents
The Department of Education has allowed the Solar Panel Application, made by the school last February, to lapse and so following contact and apologies from the Department, the school has had to re-engage with SEAI approved suppliers, obtain 5 quotes and re-upload the application in the hope that the Department of Education are more efficient this time and deal with the application on time.
A list of priorities for school improvement was drawn up by the school (for both inside the school building and outside) and plans drawn up to tackle the work over the next 6/9months. This includes replacing some carpets and floor surfaces within the school, tackling tree growth around the school, repainting parts of the outside of the school, power washing the remainder of the school yards and re-positioning the location of the school’s oil tank.
The oil burner in the heating boiler has had to be replaced recently.
The Board discussed the success of the recent Anne Power Memorial Concert. €4,000 was raised to help bring people to Lourdes.
The school will have its annual Christmas Mass at 10am on Wednesday, December 18th in Dunhill Church. All are welcome.
A Self-Evaluation Report for 2023/4 and a School Self-Evaluation Plan for 2024/25 school year was passed by the board. The current plan concerns the area of Well-Being. It can be viewed on the school’s website.
The Board of Management are engaging with Waterford Council to improve road safety in front of the school.