The High School Weekly Newsletter
No Images? Click here
Vol 23 No 12 1 December 2017
Celebrating Creativity at HSD
At The High School we take pride in the wonderful items that are created by our talented pupils in subjects like Art and Design, Home Economics, and Technology. The quality of work, produced to the highest standard, is a credit to our pupils and their dedicated teachers. Here is a video montage of just some of the pieces that our pupils put on show at the recent Parents' Evening and Prize Distribution. We hope you enjoy it!
ISTA Senior Science Quiz - National Final 2017
Congratulations to pupils from The High School who reached the National Finals of the annual ISTA Senior Science Quiz for the first time in the history of the school. The event which took place in the Tercentenary Hall in Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute on Saturday 25 November was full to capacity with 50 teams of Leaving Certificate Science pupils representing 22 counties from all around Ireland. Almost 1100 Leaving Certificate students took part in the Regional Finals held during Science Week and 150 students were invited to the National Final. The High School Science Team came overall 5th - a fine achievement indeed!
Senior Debating Victory
Congratulations to the Senior Debate team on winning another Concern debate. This time we were competing against St David's CBS and the motion we were proposing was 'Young People today are indifferent to the problems of the developing world'. A super performance from the whole team with some great refutation in a fantastic closing speech fromour team captain saw the motion carried in a highly contested, competitive, and entertaining debate.
Christmas Charity Collection
Our pupils are becoming increasingly aware of homelessness on the streets of our capital. All next week Form 4 pupils will be collecting items to give to the homeless in Dublin this December. Form teachers will have boxes in their rooms for collection. Where possible, each family is being asked to add one additional item to their weekly shop to donate to charity. Suggested items include toiletries, hats, and socks.
StandUp! Against Bullying Campaign
We were very impressed by our Form 6 pupils who co-ordinated the recent Stand-Up! Against Bullying campaign. As part of the iniative, pupils took Assemblies for the week and produced this excellent video to show on the last day. It contains a montage of faces and voices from the school community all expressing the view that there is no place for bullying at The High School. It makes for powerful viewing, so we thought that we should share it with you.
Team Hope
This term we worked very hard to create Christmas shoeboxes for Team Hope and so we were thrilled to visit the shoebox factory and help the volunteers. While we were there we helped to process the boxes. We had to remove certain items which weren't appropriate for certain countries, such as war toys, jelly snakes, and chocolate which would melt on the journey. We then added more items to the boxes and re-packaged them to be sent off. Although the warehouse was cold the whole atmosphere was warm and friendly; none of us wanted to leave in the end.
Camilla Anele and Eva Mahon
Junior Music Tour
Pupils from Form 3 visited the National Concert Hall recently to listen to the Junior Cycle set works being played by the National Symphony Orchestra. The experience will be very beneficial for us come examination time. There were many different schools gathered there. It was interesting to hear what other pupils were studying too: we really enjoyed the concert.
Ellen Sweeney
Concern Breakfast
Congratulations to our Form 3 pupils who participated in the Concern Fast during the week as part of their CSPE Action Project. The following day they gathered in the Dining Room to enjoy a special chocolate breakfast to mark their fine achievement.
Space Week Competition
The winners of the Space Competition were presented with their prizes in the Library last week. The standard of entries was most impressive. Well done to everyone who made projects and who participated in the event.
Christmas Trees
You can tell it is Christmas time when the scouts begin selling their trees. Many of our current and past pupils, are involved with the 31st Rathfarnham Scouts, who provide beautiful, fresh, Christmas trees to many families in the area each year. The trees are on sale at the War Memorial Hall, Rathfarnham from 9.00 am - 9.00 pm daily. And if you live within a 2-mile radius from the Memorial Hall, the scouts will happily deliver the tree on foot!
HSD Confirmation Classes
The High School will host a series of confirmation classes given by the Revd Stephen Farrell beginning in the Library on Wednesday, 6 December at 7.30 pm. All pupils enrolled at The High School (including those who have no links with a particular parish) are most welcome to attend. The Most Reverend Dr Michael Jackson will confirm candidates at Rathfarnham Parish Church on Sunday, 25 February 2018 at 10.30 am. If your son and/or daughter is interested in attending these classes (which last roughly 45 minutes) or if you wish to make further enquiries please contact Margaret Healion (Parish Administrator) at zionparish@gmail.com.
Dates for your Diary
- 1 Dec 17 - Examinations conclude for Forms 1, 2, and 5; school closes, 11.55 am
- 4 Dec 17 - School closed
- 5 Dec 17 - Form 1 parents meeting September 2018 intake, 7.30 pm
- 7 Dec 17 - Form 4 rock-pop show, 2.35-3.55 pm (Form 4 pupils only)
- 15 Dec 17 - Differential Aptitude Tests (Form 4) attendance compulsory
- 20 Dec 17 - Form 4 charity challenge
- 22 Dec 17 - Carol Service - Zion Church, 10.00 am
- 22 Dec 17 - Autumn term ends, 11.55 am
- 8 Jan 18 - Spring term begins, 8.55 am
