Vol 29 No 13     08 Dec  2023

Form 1 Pupil Awards

This week we held a special Form 1 Assembly to acknowledge and celebrate the positive contributions made by our youngest pupils to the school community. Several awards were presented to deserving individuals who demonstrated qualities such as kindness, service, standing up for others, and good sportsmanship.  One notable recipient of an award was named Form 1 Student of the Month.
Mr Prodgers

School Examinations

Last week, Form 1, 2, and 5 pupils at The High School completed their Autumn Term examinations.  Since then teachers have been busy marking scripts and writing reports.  Parents can expect these reports to be shared with them online before Christmas.  We wish our pupils every success in this process.

Form 6 Mock Art Examinations

As part of the Leaving Certificate Art course, pupils are required to complete a five-hour practical examination.  In preparation for this, we recently conducted a mock practical examination.  The class was given three themes to choose from: Blue, Home, or Lie of the Land.  In reality, five hours is not a long time when attempting to finish an artwork while also preparing beforehand, researching ideas, and deciding whether to create a painting, lino print, or etching.  Overall, it was an extremely enjoyable experience despite working under time constraints. Spending an entire day dedicated to art at school was quite a treat and witnessing the results was highly rewarding.  We all gained a better understanding of what is involved in the Leaving Certificate Art practical examination.

Team Hope

The Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal is a wonderful opportunity to spread joy during the holiday season.  By donating a shoebox or contributing money, we can bring smiles to children living in countries across Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.  The High School has always been a big supporter of this work and this year was no different!  In fact our pupils recently delivered the shoeboxes to the headquarters where they were being processed for delivery to Burundi. It was an incredible experience for them to get hands-on involvement as volunteers.  Such direct engagement allowed them to see at first hand how their efforts can make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.

Form 4 Christmas Cards

HSD Christmas cards are currently available for purchase.  Each card is priced at €2 while a pack of five can be purchased for €6.  For those interested in larger quantities twelve cards are available for €12 and a pack of twenty cards can be obtained for €18.  These cards are being sold to support Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children and can be purchased during lunch breaks outside The Reynolds Hall.  This year's theme revolves around 'Christmas Songs'.  It is an excellent cause as all proceeds directly benefit the charity thanks to the generous contribution of the Doggett Group who kindly printed the cards free of charge.  Payments can be made using either cash or card.

Form 5 Band Album Release

This year has been a crazy one for me and my band Hawthorn.  Lucas Vercauteren and I are the guitarists in the band, and we are in Form 5.  We will also be joined by guests Luca Farrelly and Ava Deacon, also in Form 5, on stage this weekend!  We spent the first half of 2023 writing some new songs, and then over the summer we completed most of them and began recording.  We planned to make an album, called “Embers,” featuring our new songs.  After a long and arduous recording and mixing process, we are excited that the album is going to be coming out on streaming channels next week!  Last Friday we released its first single called Run to Me: it has been amazing to see everyone’s reactions.  You can listen to it here on Spotify.  We are also really excited about our gig this Sunday 10 December at The Sound House on Eden Quay in Dublin where we will be playing most of our new songs for the first time to a live audience.  We will be performing with two other bands, Arabú and Thanks Mom. The gig is for all ages, so everyone is welcome.
Finn O'Fóghlú

Form 4 Film Review

The film that stood out to me this year was Anatomy of a Fall, or "Anatomie d'une chute" in French, as spoken throughout. This film is two and a half hours that kept me thinking long after I left the cinema.  Anatomy of a Fall is a legal drama about the investigation of a man's death and possible murder.  To read more click here.
Adam Geraghty

Junior C Victory

Our Junior C team really enjoyed playing a match recently against Greystones Community College. This was the first time they had played a hockey match for their school. They were a lovely team to play against and we were very honoured that we were able to be part of the start of a very successful hockey school journey.  We were all very impressed by the level of skill from a school which has only recently started playing hockey.  All the girls were so kind and friendly towards all of us.  We all wish Greystones Community College the best for the future and hope to play against them again soon.
Cristina Johnson

HSE Announcement

During this influenza season, the nasal spray vaccine will be provided free of charge to all children aged 2 to 17. It is important for children to receive the flu vaccine as it helps safeguard them against the flu virus.  While most children experience mild symptoms when they contract the flu, those with underlying health conditions or long-term illnesses are more susceptible to severe complications arising from influenza.   Click here for more information.

Locker Reminder

A reminder to all pupils that they should empty their lockers and bring all personal belongings home by the end of the Autumn Term.

P.S.  If you have some information or news that you think we could feature in our school newsletter, please let us know.  Click here to get in touch.
Ms Burrowes 
Communications Coordinator