It's been a another busy week at The High School

Vol 24 No 02 14 Sept 2018

Leaving Certificate Results 2018

A selection of The High School's high-achieving Leaving Certificate candidates from 2018. Left to right: Isabella Gannon, Edward Meredith, Peter Lynch, Dylan Walsh, Caoimhe Barry Corr, and Saidhbhe O'Brien. Congratulations to all pupils on their excellent results.

I am delighted to report that Leaving Certificate examination results at The High School in 2018 were once again among the best recorded in the history of the school. In summary, 88% of the papers taken at higher level achieved H5 or above; H8 or less was recorded on only 1.3% of all papers. I should like to offer my warmest congratulations to all candidates on their individual successes.

There have been significant improvements in examination performance at The High School in recent years which reflects the professional excellence of our teaching staff, the determination and hard work of pupils, and the dedicated support of parents and guardians. This trend led to The High School being ranked by The Irish Times as the best-performing school in south Dublin following 100% entry to third level education in 2012. The school recorded an average of 105% entry to third level education in 2013, 2014, and 2015. In 2015, 55% of this overall cohort were admitted to undergraduate degree courses at Trinity College, Dublin and University College Dublin - the highest-ranking universities in Ireland - where recent past pupils of The High School were awarded six Entrance Exhibitions and two Entrance Scholarships, respectively. The High School recorded a 100% and 110% progression rate to third level education in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Its past pupils were awarded two Entrance Exhibitions to TCD and eight Entrance Scholarships to UCD in 2016. In 2017, past pupils of The High School were awarded three Entrance Exhibitions and three Foundation Scholarships at TCD as well as five Entrance Scholarships at UCD.

I should like to congratulate all our pupils on their outstanding results and to thank my colleagues who have worked tirelessly on their behalf throughout their time at The High School.

Mr G A Forrest
Principal

USA Tour 2018

Senior pupils enjoyed an exciting tour of the United States of America this summer, playing hockey and rugby while seeing some of the famous sights that the country has to offer.

Rugby: Bright and early on a fine June morning, the Senior rugby team gathered in Dublin airport. Clad in our brand new gear and giddy with excitement we headed stateside. Our first stop was the spectacular city of Boston. Touring around the city, we got our first taste of America. Despite the sweltering heat we managed to overcome our American rivals on the rugby pitch. After a hugely enjoyable time there we moved onto the bright lights of New York City. Here we played a further two games where we once again emerged victorious. We embarked on various sightseeing and cultural expedition during our time here. We bade farewell to the USA with heavy hearts, filled with memories to cherish that I doubt will ever perish. I’d like to extend a huge thank you to all of the staff who made this amazing trip possible.

Hockey: In June 2018, almost two dozen girls from Forms 4 and 5 flew to Boston, Massachusetts for our 10-day hockey tour. We were all extremely excited and had been looking forward to it for months. In Boston, we played UMas Lowell and Wizards FH. We played two brilliant games of hockey and socialised with the opposition afterwards. We also took in the sights, enjoying one of the infamous Duck Tours, visiting Harvard University, Salem, and more. After transferring to New York we played our third fixture against Scarlett Knights Club and enjoyed a training session at Columbia University. We spent the other days in New York touring all the sights. The trip was absolutely incredible and we should like to thank the staff who organized it for us. It was a hockey tour we’ll never forget!

Art and Design - Form 2

Pupils studying Art and Design in Form 2 have been busy making single colour lino prints and design drawings. Here is a short video featuring their pieces. The beautiful collection is currently on display in the Library.

Form 4 Outdoor Pursuits

Early in September, pupils from Form 4 went on an overnight trip to Kippure Estate in County Wicklow. On the first day, we were introduced to the camp leaders and went on a three-hour hike up a mountain. The weather was really fine and the sun shone the entire time, making the route very scenic. After the hike, the camp leaders taught how to filter water, make a fire from scratch and make a shelter from sticks and leaves. When we arrived back to the camp, we set up our tents and cooked our dinner consisting of burgers, baked potatoes and sausages. Later in the evening we went with the camp leaders on a late night hike by the River Liffey, which was quite beautiful. We ended the evening sitting round a campfire toasting marshmallows. The next day, we completed rope activities like the 'leap of faith', rock climbing and the balance beam. Overall, it was a great experience.
Amelia Durac

International Biking

Congratulations to Harry Byrne who won the Carrick Irish Gravity Endo competition last weekend. We'd like to wish Harry the very best as he sets off to represernt Ireland at the Enduro World Series later this month. During the summer, Harry came first at the Vitus Gravity Enduro Ireland Series Champs in Ticknock. Along with taking the overall win, Byrne also topped the Under 21 men class with a time of 10:11:67.

Violin / Viola Lessons

NEW: Violin and viola lessons are now on offer at The High School. The teacher is none other than past pupil Fiachra de hOra, who was leader of The High School Orchestra last year. To sample Fiachra's wonderful playing, please click here. For more information contact Ms Bourke.

Form 1 Hockey Blitz

Here are some lovely photographs of pupils from Form 1 enjoying playing hockey in the recent sunshine. We hope they embrace the sport and wish them every success in the future.

Prefect Training Programme 2018-19

On 30 August newly-appointed Prefects spent the day learning about how to work as a team and how best to apply this knowledge in their daily duties. The day was organised by Jonathan Miller (HSD, 1978-85) of Insights Ireland - a company focused on teaching useful communication skills for team-based environments. The morning was spent learning about how everyone's perception is different and how best to appreciate our different approaches to problem solving. In the afternoon we got an idea about the power of combining our perspectives to work together. This day provided a great opportunity for us to grow as a team and learn a lot about ourselves in the process.
James Cole

Ireland U21 Squad Selection

Congratulations to Conor Empey (HSD, 2011-17) who was selected to compete with the Ireland U21 hockey squad in a 3 Nations tournament against Japan and the United States of America which was staged at Yale University during the summer. We wish our past pupil every success as he competes for further honours at international level.
Mr P Fitzpatrick