School Year 2021/2022
Dear Parent(s) /Guardian(s),
We are busy getting ready for the new academic year and are excited to see our students again soon. In advance of reopening, please take a few minutes to read the attached regarding the upcoming academic year.
School calendar: This has been sent out previously (also available on website). School will reopen on Thursday 26th August for staff only. (The Office is now closed and will also reopen on that date.) Students will return on a phased basis – see calendar on website.
School Uniform: We are excited to announce that a SCC half-zip top will soon be added to our uniform. Please see below for further info in this regard. Now that retail has fully reopened, we expect that students will present in full school uniform. We respectfully ask for parental support in ensuring same.
SCC jacket -Students are not allowed wear other non-uniform jackets/outerwear over their uniform while in school or on school grounds. Supplier: All Seasons sport www.allseasonssport.ie. Tel 086 3872928; email: carmel@allseasonssport.ie Cost of school jacket €50
SCC half-zip top -We are excited to announce this new addition to our uniform. It is compulsory for first year students for 2021/22 and will be phased in over time for the other year groups. However, all students of any year group are welcome to purchase/wear same from Aug. *Please note that these are not available to purchase just yet. Supplier: O’Neills www.oneills.com You will receive text alert when the half-zip is available to purchase.
Wine school jumper with crest. Supplier: Fine Rags, Ballina,Killaloe & Corbetts, Tulla
Navy school trousers or Navy full-length school skirt (Please note denims, leggings/jeggings, tight-fitting trousers or tracksuit bottoms etc. not allowed)
Shirt or polo shirt (white or blue). For your info, girls tend to wear white and boys wear blue.
Plain-coloured cloth or disposable masks. For more info in this regard and on other safety measures, see our Covid-19 Response plan on our website.
Uniform – Physical Education/extra-curricular activities: T-shirt or polo shirt and navy relaxed/loose-fit tracksuit bottoms or shorts. Trainers. First year students will wear SCC half-zip top for PE and for other extra and co-curricular activities. As for school uniform, please note that denims, leggings/jeggings, tight-fitting trousers or tracksuit bottoms etc. are not allowed. This applies to all year groups.
Please ensure that all uniform items are labelled/clearly marked with student name. Details on the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance available from HSE, Sandfield Centre, Ennis or www.citizensinformation.ie or lo-call 1890 20 23 25.
School day: Students are expected to be in by 8.50am with classes starting at 9am. Juniors & Seniors have different break and lunch times. Classes end at: Mon-Thurs 3.55pm & Fridays 1.15pm.
Supervision of students: For your information, please note the following regarding supervision of students. Morning supervision of students: Students will be supervised from 8.45a.m. as per the allocation provided under the Supervision & Substitution scheme of the Department of Education and Skills. Students at school before that time will be given access to the school building but will not be supervised. Please take note that no responsibility is accepted by the school for pupils who arrive before 8.45a.m. or for students who having arrived on campus, absent themselves again. Supervision at break and lunch times: Students are supervised during the morning and lunch breaks. After-school: When school finishes (Mondays-Thursdays at 3.55p.m. or at 1.15pm Fridays) students should leave the campus in a timely fashion, unless they are involved in an extra-curricular activity, co-curricular activity, supervised study or extra classes. Students who remain on the campus some evenings waiting to be collected are not supervised. Students involved in an after-school activity or extra-curricular or co-curricular activity should be collected promptly after the activities conclude.
Access to school building: Please note that due to the on-going health situation, access to the school building will be restricted to staff and students only. Any essential visitors may only be admitted with permission of Principal. Queries to the office by email or phone only. We would appreciate your support in this regard – this measure is to help keep our school community safe.
For drop-off and collection of students, please use the visitors’ carpark only (area to right at top of hill). The students’ entrance is adjacent to this area. Please note that the staff carpark (area in front of main entrance) is strictly for staff use only or for anyone attending appointments in the school (with the permission of the Principal).
Contact details: It is imperative that the school has access to parents/guardians in an emergency situation. (Please ensure that you provide a number at which you are contactable during the day. In some cases where parents’ mobiles are off while at work, parents should leave a work number also and it will be only used in an emergency.) Parents/guardians must notify the Secretary of any change in contact numbers or address.
Mobile phone use: Students are not allowed to use mobile phones at any time during the school day. Any phones seen or heard will be confiscated. Any student who needs to contact home during the school day must report to the office and a call will be made from there.
Canteen facilities: Our canteen is managed by ‘The School Food Company’ who prepare fresh, nutritious snacks and meals on-site. Special dietary requirements can be catered for. Canteen reopening date tbc
SCC learning platform: Please see enclosed sheet re: Microsoft Office 365 & MSTeams. I ask that parents/guardians of new incoming students assist your son/daughter in logging onto same – it is accessible now. NB The student password is confidential to your son/daughter and must be kept securely. Please note that communication between parents/guardians and school staff should be via the school office via phonecall or email. The Teams direct chat message facility is for student/teacher communication only.
SCC on-line: Keep an eye on our school website www.scariffcommunitycollege.ie or follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/ScariffCommunityCollege or on twitter. Our website has lots of information for you and your child – including a ‘Welcome to our school’ video and also an information board/padlet with really valuable resources to help you support your child with the transition to post-primary.
SCC & Microsoft Office 365
All Scariff Community College students have school email addresses (@learner.lcetb.ie) and have MS Office 365 accounts provided by LCETB. By using MS Office 365 & One Drive, students can access their saved work remotely – so from home, they can easily access and continue on work done in school and vice versa. This platform has also allowed us to offer ‘Distance Learning’ to students during COVID19 school closure via Teams.
NB Please ensure your son/daughter uses this facility exclusively for school work. It is not a chat facility and it is monitored.
Any device can be used to access this facility. Laptop or pc gives greatest functionality but Office 365 can be used on all devices. Teams app can also be downloaded on to phone or tablet. Account can be logged into and notifications set up on multiple devices if required. It is highly recommend to set up notifications on phone app.
Using Microsoft Office 365
- Go to www.lcetb.ie
- Click on Office 365 (top right hand corner)
- Enter username eg. 20.firstname.surname@learner.lcetb.ie
- (the first number in example above refers to the year of entry to SCC)
- Enter password
- Click on app (number of apps available eg One Drive, Teams etc
FAO: Incoming first years: You will need the following:
- Strong school bag (large enough to take A4 size books)
- Pencil case with pens, pencils, eraser, ruler
- A pack of standard size copies.
- P.E. gear and runners and bag (not required on first day)
- Masks
First years – for your first day, present in full uniform and you will only need to bring one copy and a pen, a snack and water. You will be given your student homework journal on that day. Really looking forward to meeting you all ! Each teacher will also tell you of any other items you will need for his/her subject when you start. You will be given your textbooks by your teachers during the course of the first few days. On your first day, you will also be given a copy of your timetable and your allocated subjects.
FAO: All other year groups:
Second, Third & Sixth years can continue on in any unused copies and folders from last year – your notes from previous years are important to keep so it makes sense especially for notes copies that you use the same. TY & Fifth years will be advised by each subject teacher as to the relevant requirements for each subject on return. We will operate as last year without lockers – so textbooks will be at home and you will use folder or copies only in school.
A reminder that all in the school community are respectfully asked to use reusable drinks bottles where possible.
Payments for academic year 21/22: Please see below info re: monies payable.
For your convenience, all payments can be made on-line on ‘Way2pay’. This facility allows payment in full or in instalments and gives you up-to-date balance on your account etc. You can also print your receipts as you make payments. You will receive a link by SMS in the near future once bills are live on system. In the interest of security and H&S, we are operating a ‘cashless’ policy – so if at all possible, please use the online system. However, if this poses a difficulty for you, please contact our school secretary who will be able to advise you.
Student Levy – Individual student €80 / Two students €140 / Three students or more €160. This levy is to cover 24 hour Personal accident insurance and student diary and subsidises cost of photocopying, of extra- & co- curricular activities, of text messaging service and other school costs etc.
Book Rental – First Year €120 / Second Year €60 / Fifth Year €150. Other year groups no book rental fee.
Mock exams & State exams (3rd & 6th year only): Third Year €30 / Sixth Year €120 – payable by end of Jan 2022. Please note that the Mock exams are compulsory and form an integral part of our assessment practices. Leaving cert mocks are corrected by external correctors so as to acquire objective, independent evaluation and feedback. This fee is not due until January 2022 – however, it is posted now so as to allow the option to pay now or to pay in instalments. NB The State Examinations Commission charge a fee for sitting the Junior Cert and Leaving Cert exams. Medical card holders will be able to apply for waiver of same. Correspondence from SEC will issue in Spring 2022. (There is no waiver for Mock Exam fees.)
Lockers – Due to the on-going health situation, we will not be issuing lockers until further notice. Until then students will not be required to bring their textbooks into school/class.
Wishing you and your family a lovely summer and look forward to seeing students, both current and incoming, in the new academic year,
Angela Murphy McNamara (Principal) & Angela Russell (Deputy Principal)