Vol 29 No 23     08 Mar 2024

Spring Surprise!

March began with a delightful surprise for High School pupils as a thick blanket of snow descended on Danum.  Some enjoyed traditional snow games, built snowmen, and watched from their classroom windows as the school was gradually transformed into a winter wonderland.  However, just as swiftly as it arrived, the frozen snowscape melted away, leaving everyone with a sense that it was all just a joyful dream.

Inter-Schools Music Festival

Congratulations to The High School pupils who participated in the Inter-Schools Music Festival over the weekend at a local school.  Sean Adetona came fourth in Piano Under 14, Michael Binchy came second in Over 16 Strings, and Eabha Deely came second in Over 16 Woodwind.  Beth Flynn achieved First Class Honours in Over 17 Popular Singing (out of 64 competitors).  Eoin Kelly and Beth Flynn received a Highly Commended award in Vocal Duets Over 17 (out of 29 competitors), while the String Quartet earned First Class Honours in their Under-14 category (Scarlett Xu, Daniel Fu, Darryl Ng, and Fred Hendley).  We are delighted with their achievements.  Well done, everyone!
Ms Bourke

Diversity and Inclusion Week

Last week, pupils celebrated Diversity and Inclusion Week at our school.  The Monitors had organized a variety of activities for the week with a special focus on celebrating the diverse range of cultures within our school community.  The programme of activities included distributing a pupil survey, presenting an Assembly on Diversity and Inclusion, hosting a face painting event,  engaging in social media activities, playing cultural music at the entrances, and organizing a cultural art competition.  Well done to everyone involved. 

World Book Day

On this World Book Day, I have never been more grateful to have books in my life.  Reading, in all its forms, has a multitude of benefits to enhance our lives.  In terms of academics, research shows how incredible it is for expanding vocabulary and intellectual growth.  Personally, I believe there is nothing more joyful than escaping into the pages of a captivating read and immersing myself in the life of someone so different from me.  Reading brings joy through many facets, from gaining new insights into the world to reducing stress and fuelling our imagination.  The book community is welcoming through apps such as Goodreads and even on social media where book influencers provide ample inspiration.  It has never been easier to get started with reading; you can pick up a book for free from the school library, download books onto your phone, or listen to eBooks on the way home.  Reading is a fantastic option to turn away from the negativity often associated with other forms of digital entertainment but just as simple to get started with!  This World Book Day, I urge you to start a conversation about your favourite book or learn about an exciting new author.  Most importantly, open a book and discover or rediscover the joy of getting lost in a story!
Ciara Morton

STEM Focus

Pupils in Form 1 Science recently designed a series of posters celebrating scientists who overcame prejudice in the field of Science.  They feature mathematicians and scientists like Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Marie Curie. These informative posters serve as effective tools for advocating diversity and inclusion in STEM. 

Form 5 Guidance

On Wednesday 28 February Form 5 pupils went on a visit to University College Dublin (UCD).  We gathered early in the cosy UCD Village Centre where our tour commenced. The UCD Student Ambassadors led us through the impressive campus and we had the opportunity to visit several interesting sites such as the James Joyce Library, O'Reilly Hall, and the Newman Building.  Additionally, we explored student centres dedicated to Science, Business, Sports, Architecture, Modern Languages, Medicine, and Social Sciences across the campus which sparked academic interests among many of us.  Our tour concluded with an informative lecture in the William Jefferson Clinton Auditorium where we learned about the wide variety of courses available to students studying at UCD.  This excursion provided many of us with valuable information about what awaits in tertiary education and offered us all a glimpse into student life at UCD.
Leo Shorten

The High and Diocesan School

Here is the list of events taking place this year to mark the 175th anniversary of the foundation of the Diocesan Secondary School for Girls in 1849 (which was incorporated with The High School in 1974).

International Tree Week

National Tree Week is a time to celebrate the importance of trees in our environment.  Trees provide us with clean air, shade, and beauty.  They are also vital for wildlife habitats and help combat climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide.  During National Tree Week let's take the opportunity to plant new trees, learn about different tree species, and appreciate the natural world around us.
Mr Langrell

Site Access

The following information represents the back gate access times for pedestrians. Where code access is listed below, it is the regular code across the campus.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday

Open am

• From 8.00am to 8.30am – Code access will apply to the gate.
• From 8.30am to 9.15am – The gate will be open to push and not on code.

Closed and access/exit only from Zion Road

• From 9.15am to 3.55pm – The gate and code will be locked; access/exit will be only via the main gates on Zion Road

Open pm

• From 3.55pm to 4.30pm - The gate will be open to push and not on code.
• From 4.30pm to 7.00pm - Code access will apply to the gate.

Wednesday

Open am

• From 8.00am to 8.30am – Code access will apply to the gate.
• From 8.30am to 9.15am – The gate will be open to push and not on code.

Closed and access/exit only from Zion Road

• From 9.15am to 1.15pm – The gate and code will be locked; access/exit will be only via the main gates on Zion Road

Open pm

• From 1.15pm to 1.45pm - The gate will be open to push and not on code.
• From 1.45pm to 5.00pm - Code access will apply to the gate.

Saturday

• From 8.00am to 1.00pm – Code access will apply to the gate.
• Locked from 1.00pm.

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