Parents Association AGM
Thanks to everyone who attended the Parents Association AGM. A talk was given by Monica Rowe of Key conversations. The presentation can be viewed HERE. All parents and guardians who have daughters in the school are automatically members of the Parents' Association. The Parents Association can be contacted at parentsassociation@hfk.ie
If any parent wishes to express interest in a vacant position on the Board of Management, please email applications@hfk.ie by Monday, October 17th. The position is for a three year term.
Poetry Aloud
Well done to the students who entered the Poetry Aloud competition. Poetry Aloud is an annual poetry speaking competition open to all post-primary students on the island of Ireland. It is organised by Poetry Ireland and the National Library of Ireland in partnership with University College Cork. Students learn a poem, recite and record it and enter it into a national competition.
An Triail
6th Year Irish students enjoyed a performance of An Triail at the Axis Theatre in Ballymun this week.
Sport
Gaelic
Both the senior and junior teams have had the first game of the year and have started well. Thanks to Ms Leetch, team coach.
Rugby
A great day at the rugby blitz in Seapoint RFC on Thursday, October 6th. Well done to all the girls who participated and to Ms Thakarar for coordinating.
Key Conversations
To support the school’s commitment to student wellbeing Monica Rowe from Key Conversations was invited to speak with 2nd and 3rd year students about the pressures experienced by teenagers in the world we live in and to share coping strategies with them.
Transition Year News
Transition Year students will be travelling to the cinema on Monday, 17th to see ‘No One Compares’ the Sinead O Connor documentary. This trip is planned as part of their music programme for the year.
‘Diversity: embracing difference’ has been chosen by 4th year class Rocha as their YSI theme. The students are very excited about firstly creating a student charter in consultation with the wider school community. They will then go on to express this theme visually in a large-scale school mural.
Other mini projects will continue throughout the year to further develop this theme.
TY students have all now secured a work placement for each Wednesday of term time. Students are working in placements which include the legal profession, hair and beauty, child care, education, retail, hospitality, and animal welfare. We wish them good luck as they sample the adult world of work
Standardised Test
Well done to our second years for their great attention during the standardised test on Friday, October 7th.
Midterm Assessments and Reporting
Midterm assessments take place in the coming fortnight. Progress reports will be issued to parents on VSWare in November.
One Good School
Jigsaw is a national organisation which promotes and supports MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING among young people.
St. Mary’s is part of Jigsaw’s programme; ONE GOOD SCHOOL
This programme involves everyone in the school - students, parents and staff working to promote POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH among the full school community and most especially among our students.
We surveyed students, parents and staff in May 2022 to assess the MENTAL HEALTH needs of the school community. The survey results informed the school’s One Good School Action Plan for 2022/23.
This year 2022/23 we have started the process, beginning with whole-staff training and we have a schedule in place to use Jigsaw educational resources to implement the Jigsaw One Good School Action Plan. We are hoping that students, staff and parents will all be part of this process.
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One Good School Week will take place from 24th- 28th October, and we have lots of activities planned for students that week. We would also love to see parents and grandparents getting involved in some of the activities arranged for them:
· Wed 26th October 1.45pm - “ART ATTACK” Art class with Ms. McCormack
· Thurs 27th October 1.45pm – “COOKIES FOR COOKIES” Baking cookies with Ms. McDonough and Ms. Burke
· Date (to be confirmed) “LODA YOGA” Yoga Class for beginners
All equipment/supplies/ingredients will be provided. If parents/grandparents are interested in any of the above email mburke@hfk.ie Places will be allocated on a first come basis.
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We currently have a Peer Educator Team with 7 students and a ONE GOOD SCHOOL TEAM with 2 student reps, 2 parent reps and 5 staff reps. We would love to have more parent reps on this team. If you are interested in joining this team please email edurkin@hfk.ie
Building Works
Windows are being replaced throughout the school with triple glazed windows to improve heat retention. 85 new radiators have been installed around the school and our air to heat pump is soon to be switched on.
Gaisce
Well done and congratulations to Ms Byrne who achieved a Gold Gaisce President's Award for her outstanding commitment to personal development and contribution to society. This is the highest award that can be achieved through the Gaisce Award.
Transition Year students are currently working towards a Bronze Award. They have completed the adventure section and will now pursue the community, personal and physical requirements.
Careers Corner
Ms Ruane Guidance Counsellor
Sixth Year students are currently seeing the Guidance Counsellor (Ms. Ruane) for one-to-one appointments in relation to their plans for the future. Sixth Year students who have not yet seen the Guidance Counsellor this year are asked to check their Teams’ Account weekly (on a Monday) to see if they will have an appointment later on in the week.
Any Sixth-Year student who has yet to have their first appointment and who wishes to be seen before they are called can speak to Ms Ruane to check if an appointment can be organised sooner.
Parents/Guardians and senior-cycle students may be interested in watching video guides for those considering applying to the Irish CAO system which covers the majority of Higher Educational Institutes in Ireland. These include universities and colleges that offer qualifications up to degree level. These are separate to the PLC/CFE applications. The video guides provided by the CAO are helpful to watch prior to the system opening up for applications. This introductory video is easy to follow and explains the various stages in an application.
https://www.cao.ie/?page=video&bb=studentresources
Please see www.cao.ie for further video guides. (Video guides may be updated as the year progresses if the CAO changes any aspect of the system). The CAO system is not yet open for 2023 applicants.
This week Sixth-Year students were provided with an overview of both the HEAR and DARE access schemes and have been advised to look at www.accesscollege.ie for additional information.
Any Sixth-Year student who is considering applying to the U.K. UCAS system should be aware that the system for the U.K. university-system is very different to the Irish system. Students considering this option need to ensure that they are fully aware of all deadlines and all of the necessary stages of the application process. Some specific U.K. universities (and U.K. courses) have a deadline in mid-October whilst the majority of U.K. universities (and U.K. courses) have a deadline in January. Students applying must research the deadlines appropriate to their application. Students also need to familiarise themselves and their parents/guardians in relation to the fees applicable for them should they choose to proceed to study a degree in the U.K.
Students are responsible for the setting up of an individual application and ensuring that they complete this application on time. Prior to this they need to understand the tariff system and the tariffs given for Leaving Certificate candidates. https://www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator
The UK UCAS application system is open and those who are genuinely considering studying in the UK as an option should have carried out their research and be progressing with an application. For further information please see https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-to-university
Policy
We are currently reviewing our Relationships and Sexuality Policy available HERE. RSE is taught as part of SPHE curriculum in Junior Cycle and in Religious Education classes in senior cycle. If you have suggestions that you would like to make in relation to the policy please email them to admin@hfk.ie.
Aspire 2
Aspire 2 is a programme funded by private enterprise with the aim of supporting Senior Cycle students and their progression to Further Education/Third Level and career choices after finishing secondary school.
Last year all 5th year students were informed about Aspire2 and invited to apply for places on the Aspire2 YAP team (Youth Advisory Panel) and the Aspire2 Mentoring team.
6 students were appointed to the YAP team. The YAP team met at regular intervals throughout the year to discuss and put forward ideas about how to make best use of Aspire2 funding. Several projects were chosen to benefit the full year group and also separate subject departments.
There were also activities organised outside school time to allow the YAP team from our school to meet the YAP teams from the other Aspire2 schools (total of 5 schools in Dublin). For example they enjoyed a campus tour of UCD, bowling, and were part of the Léargas European Year of the Youth train to Cork.
20 students applied for a place on the Mentoring team. These students were mentored by DPS personnel who had come to work at DPS from a variety of backgrounds, mostly disadvantaged. The final mentoring session took place in the DPS offices in City West.
All students in that year group benefitted from activities and outings funded by the Aspire 2 programme, including a cinema visit to see Macbeth, DCU campus tour, 3-day Maynooth summer school experience (in June) to all students who applied. This list shows just a few of the activities funded by Aspire 2 last year.
Aspire 2 programme has started for current 5th and 6th year students.
Leadership and team-building skills will be provided to the YAP team and mentoring has started for the students on the Mentoring Teams.
There will also be more opportunities to use Aspire 2 funding to support student educational activities and outings, with students being encouraged to suggest what they might find useful to them.
Enrolling Now
The school is now enrolling for entry in September 2023. For further information about enrolling your daughter at St. Mary's, please follow this LINK.
Midterm Break
A reminder that the midterm break is from Monday 31st October 2022 to Friday 4th November 2022 inclusive and the school will be closed.