Vol 30 No 16     20 Dec 2024

Merry Christmas!

As we end 2024, we would like to invite you to take a look back at the first term of this school year. As always, it was a jam-packed term at The High School! Although teaching and learning took centre stage, exciting activities happened nearly every day. We had a thrilling few months of sport, starting by hosting a preliminary round of the All Ireland Schools (Boys) Hockey Championship. Although we were not victorious, pupils enjoyed supporting our school in some very close matches. We then were very successful at our first swimming gala of the year, emerging the winner with 9 gold medals. We welcomed guest teams from both Argentina and South Africa and played some great hockey matches against them. Moving on to rugby, the junior boys have been progressing in their league to reach the final this week, and the senior girls impressed us all by becoming Leinster finalists! Finally, our senior boys basketball team won the East Leinster league and will move on to compete in the provincial round.
We were equally busy in the arts with senior drama putting on a spectacular performance of "Fame" and lots of treats during Music Week.
Moving on to support of the school community, which is an important value of High School, the Prefects spent lots of time with their Form 1 buddies, welcoming them into the school and helping them to prepare for their first house examinations. Student Council also reached out to the wider community this term, sending representatives to Comhairle na nÓg and having a very productive meeting with our neighbours in Stratford College Student Council. We also supported some very important charities this term, from the Simon Community during the Home Run to Team Hope with their shoebox appeal, not forgetting our ongoing Advent appeal and Christmas market in aid of UNICEF, along with many other vital fundraising activities.
We were very fortunate to have some trips this term to enhance our learning, with Form 6 Biology and Geography trips to study ecology and coastal deposition respectively. The Form 6 Politics and Society class visited the Dáil and government buildings to see how our country is run.  Some lucky pupils in Form 1 even got to virtually visit the International Space Station!
Sustainability was a key priority this term with the introduction of the bottle recycling initiative and very excitingly some chickens moving into our school grounds. We also marked the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste with fascinating activities, demonstrating how we can better manage this issue.
With 2024 drawing to a close, we should like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and we hope that next year will be just as prosperous at The High School!
Ciara Morton
Deputy Head Girl

European Week of Languages

European Week of Languages was a vibrant celebration of culture, creativity, and community at The High School which was filled with events that brought the festive spirit to life.  The week featured poetry and story competitions in French, German, and Spanish for junior and senior pupils with entries submitted to the Library.

Throughout the week at Assembly pupils showcased their language skills with inspiring recitals. Sebastian Skelton and Daniel Reilly introduced and recited a moving Thomas Mann poem about the coming of Christ, while Rhys Brennan and Maeve Wall presented a poem by Gérard de Nerval about Notre Dame de Paris.

The Form 5 German class presented the opening verses of St Luke's account of the Christmas story from Martin Luther's 1522 translation of the New Testament. Short, simple questions in German were asked by different Form 5 pupils planted around The Reynolds Hall.  Each question was answered in the form of a direct quotation from the Gospel read by Elliot Nesbitt from the stage.  The assembled pupils were given an English translation to each question, but not to the answer.  They finished with the shepherds' arrival at the stable: 'und sie kamen eilend und fanden beide, Maria und Joseph, dazu das Kind in der Krippe liegen.'

A highlight of the week was the Christmas Market where pupils and staff enjoyed festive games and a variety of food from around the world.  The market raised €1,000 for UNICEF through shopping and donations, making it a joyous and meaningful event.  It was a week that celebrated language, culture, and heritage while demonstrating once again the generosity of The High School community.

Book Recommendations for Teens by Teens

Christmas break is most likely the time of the year where I read the most.  In my opinion it’s a really great way to spend a couple of weeks resting after a busy Autumn Term—but it can be frustrating not knowing what to read!  That’s why we’ve tried our best to put together a list of books that should pique every pupil’s interest—junior or senior!  Read our list here.
Olivia Leonard

Senior Hockey Charity Swim

The HSD Senior Boys Hockey team had their annual sunrise swim on Saturday 14 December at Killiney Beach in aid of the Irish Cancer Society. It was a cold morning but the dawn was glorious, providing a stunning backdrop to this annual fundraising event. A big thank you to The High School parents who provided hot chocolate and goodies after the swim, as well as to the teachers and past pupils for their support.
Ms Gray

Christmas on Achill

Achill is my favourite place to be at Christmas time. I love to be home and meet cousins who I haven’t seen for months. There are a few things that make the place unique. Blackouts are actually sort of common at Christmas. Families like mine go home there to spend the holidays with our grandparents so when there are twice as many people there than usual and every house puts on the oven for dinner at the same time the power can go out. It can also happen because of the stormy weather common in Mayo in the winter. It never lasts long, but it is something different about Achill. And it doesn’t just happen on the 25th. I remember one Christmas Eve when we sat and read Christmas stories by candlelight. We have a special candle for Christmas Eve, and that night it was extra useful... read more.
Robbie Tallon

Form 6 Christmas Lunch

Form 6 pupils embraced the festive spirit with a special Christmas lunch this week complete with a charitable donation to LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice.  Prior to gathering in The Reynolds Hall for food and lively conversation we began the festivities with a visit to Zion Parish National School, where the Senior Prefects delivered personalised Christmas cards to the pupils and staff.  After dinner Form 6 pupils enjoyed a charity walk in the locality, donning cheerful Christmas jumpers to celebrate their last festive season at The High School.
Ms Hutchinson Edgar

HSD Choir

Last week, The High School choir demonstrated the true spirit of the season by performing for the residents of Orwell Nursing Home.  This heartwarming initiative brought smiles and festive cheer to the elderly community, showcasing the power of music to connect and uplift.  Their thoughtful gesture reflects the values of compassion and community that The High School holds dear.  Well done to all choir members and staff who made this wonderful event possible!

With Gratitude

As the year comes to a close, we extend our sincere thanks to the wonderful staff at The High School for their dedication and hard work throughout the year.  From inspiring lessons in the classroom to the tireless support behind the scenes, every effort makes a difference in the lives of our pupils.

Form 1 Hockey Blitz

This year's Form 1 Hockey Christmas Blitz was a great success with enthusiastic participation from the pupils. Well done, everyone!
Ms Jones

Form 6 Chemistry

Form 6 Chemistry pupils embraced the holiday spirit by crafting festive "Chemistrees" as part of their Christmas decorating, using different coloured solutions, blending science and creativity.  Well done to all for bringing seasonal cheer to the laboratory with such imaginative work!
Ms Finnegan

HSD Phone Free

We are coming to the end of our first term of HSD Phone Free. The introduction of phone pouches has been a very significant change for both pupils and staff. However, the benefits have been dramatic in nature in terms of the impact it has already had on our school environment both physically and socially. We have gone from the optics of seeing almost every pupil with a phone in their hand during breaks and lunch to a school where phones are not visible. The school is noisier during breaks and lunchtime as pupils chat with each other and engage in our recreational programme. However, we have kept the option of quieter spaces for those who need it. We have also seen a big reduction in distractions from learning in the classroom and negative incidents involving phones creating a more positive experience for all during the school day. Of course not all pupils have welcomed the change and there has been a period of transition for everyone as we all adjust. However, many have commented how the change has been unexpectedly positive as they enjoy the 'head break' from phones for at least some of the day. No scheme is perfect and we will seek to improve it as we go. An updated set of FAQs for parents/guardians will be issued in the New Year as we continue with our implementation process. We wish to thank the Parents' Association and all our parents and guardians for the wonderful support and feedback they have given to this initiative. The role of staff in conducting Period 1 checks during roll call each day has also been a very important part of the process in helping to make it all work. The Student Council and staff also want to say thank you to all pupils for engaging so well and have organised a little thank you treat this week. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

Ms Burrowes 
Communications Coordinator