Vol 31 No 08     17 Oct  2025

Meet the Prefects

Our journey to becoming Prefects at The High School began in Form 5, when we first became Monitors. We supported the Prefects by helping to organise events like Stand Up Week and Mental Health Week, as well as helping out at the graduation ceremony. Around Easter, we applied to become Prefects and following a rigorous process we were delighted to receive our letters of appointment from the Principal in the summer. Before the school year began, we took part in a training day filled with team-building activities. We also did a ‘brain mapping’ exercise to help us understand what kind of leaders we are. The next day we had our first task as Prefects: welcoming the new Form 1 pupils. We showed them around the school, helped with lockers, and answered any questions to help them settle in. Now, as Prefects we act as practical supporters of The High School community by helping out at the Open Day and Prize Distribution, encouraging good behaviour on the grounds and property, ringing the bell at Assembly, and organising services at Christmas and Easter. We try our very best to make school life as good as it can be. We also created roles for specific areas such as anti-bullying, sustainability, and diversity initiatives whilst assigning different Prefects to each year group. We wish all the Prefects the very best as we each fulfil our roles this year!
April Lyons and Sourya Munukuru
Deputy Head Girl and Deputy Head Boy

Junior Cycle Results

Our day started off with normal classes on a Wednesday morning after which we were accompanied to The Reynolds Hall.  The atmosphere was filled with excitement and tension. The Principal spoke briefly to encourage us to keep our results in perspective and to look after one another that evening.  Then pupils gathered around their Junior Cycle Form Teachers and were handed their results alphabetically by surname. People shared the good news with family and friends and took pictures as souvenirs.  

At 10.00 am we got onto buses that brought us to Red Hills Adventure Centre. After being split into groups and given masks, we started activities such as airsoft, archery, and human foosball. It was a great opportunity to celebrate. Everyone had a lot of fun and it was a worthy reward after everyone’s hard work. In the middle of the morning, we had a short break; water, and snacks such as crisps and chocolate bars were provided. For lunch, mini pizzas and soft drinks were handed out to each group.  

We ended the day with everyone feeling happy and exhausted and left at 5.00 pm to head back to school. This experience left us with memorable moments with friends. Thank you to the HSD Parents' Association who organized the excursion. We all enjoyed it so much! 
Sophie Ralph and Serena Peng 

Music Week

The High School came alive with the sound of music as we celebrated Music Week. Our open spaces echoed with melodies ranging from classical and traditional pieces to lively rock and pop performances. From harpists to guitarists, pupils showcased an incredible range of talent and passion.

We are truly fortunate to have such gifted musicians in our school community. Thank you to everyone who took part in making Music Week such a memorable and inspiring event!
Ms Phillips and Ms Bourke

Form 5 English

Photograph by Matthew Whyte

At the bottom of a dark lake lay a star. Fallen long ago, its points and edges had rooted in the heavy mix of dirt and sand. Its once bright, blinding glow was reduced to a whisper by the layers of water above. A soft humming in the deep.
Undisturbed it lay, plant and bone building above it. Slowly it was buried, but never truly concealed. Like a child tucked into their covers at night, wisps of hair and head poking out from beneath.
The star started its expansion into the deep. Now roots grew from it as it latched to the soil. The roots were smooth, black tendrils that thrummed with tiny specks and strands of life. While it was not as bright as the star's heart, it was still a part of it. 
Time crept like vines up a trellis. The star was starting to dim. The pressure of the water chipped away at it, tide sweeping its roots from the ground. The star had begun to die.
So from its moments of finality, the star rooted its body from the dirt. It grew legs to swim and arms to pull. The star traded its last sparks for blood, bones, fleshy sinew pulling together.
The star was all but gone to all but it. The star would always know what it once was before its long rest in the lake. And it broke the surface and called itself man.
Tanya Collier

Anti-Bullying Week

For this year’s Anti-Bullying Week, the Student Council has made an animated video series. Each video contains an interview with a character who’s gone through bullying at some point in school. Each of the five interviewees was bullied in different years, in different ways, and spoke to different people. The stories are based on real stories of bullying in Ireland, but not of bullying in The High School. Animated by: Lauren Collins, Lauryn Doyle, and Veronica Stroie.
Olivia Leonard

BelongTo LGBTQI+ Quality Mark 

Pupils and staff are continuing their journey to secure Belong To LGBTQ+ Quality Mark accreditation at The High School. Achieving this standard will be an important affirmation of the inclusive school culture that is at the heart of our ethos and values.  Our school seeks to celebrate diversity and to be a welcoming place to LGBTQ+ pupils and staff alike. Building on our existing practices and the results of our survey last year, a lot has been achieved so far, including:

• staff completion of both online and in-person training 
• enhancement of school facilities
• establishment of an Equality Club
• inclusion of specific reference to the prevention of LGBTQ+ bullying behaviour in our new Bí Cineálta procedures
• incorporation of FUSE anti-bullying resources into our SPHE scheme of work
• establishment of an LGBTQ+ Support Team

More recently, the President of the Student Council, Olivia Leonard; Student Equality Officer, Tanya Collier; Head Girl, Alex-Anne Kennedy; Deputy Head Girl, April Lyons; Head Boy, Matthew Whyte; Deputy Head Boy, Sourya Munukuru and project co-ordinators Ms Phillips, Ms Maher, and Mr. Tobin met with the Senior Management Team to review the Being LGBT in School guidelines. The purpose of this review was to identify actions already taken and those yet to be completed as part of the project objectives. This will include an analysis of school policies in the context of inclusion, further revisions of subject schemes of work, planning for further future enhancement of facilities and processes, and most importantly planning for our annual Stand-Up week. We will also be conducting a further survey of all stakeholders to assess our progress since our original survey. We look forward to your continued support and would encourage any pupils interested in getting involved to contact one of the project co-ordinators. 
Mr Tobin
Deputy Principal

Library Competition

The W B Yeats Librarian, Ms Wiggle, is currently running the annual Hallowe'en Haiku competition. She is especially fond of consonants that scream and vowels that howl, so don't be shy! Deliver your very own seventeen-syllable poem to the library by hand or email. All entries are welcome!

Tennis Success

Congratulations to Chris Delaney who represented The High School when playing for the Leinster Under 14 team in the Interprovincial series against Munster, Ulster, and Connaught in singles and doubles tennis matches. Leinster won the competition by beating all the other provinces. The next challenge for Chris will be the National Indoors tournament held in DCU in January. We wish him all the best in this and future competitions. 
Mr McDonnell

All-Island School History Competition

Pupils at The High School are invited to take part in the All-Island School History Competition 2025, an exciting opportunity to explore untold stories, connect past and present, and showcase creativity.

This year’s theme is:
“Commemoration through innovation: connecting past, present and future.”

Projects may focus on aspects such as local history, underrepresented voices, or key events that have shaped Ireland.

Entries can be submitted in a variety of formats, including:

• Short video

• Audio piece

• Artwork (2D or 3D)

• Written project or essay

This competition offers a fantastic opportunity for pupils to develop their research, critical thinking, and creative communication skills. Participation itself is a wonderful achievement and a chance to share a unique perspective on history.

Opening date: 2 October 2025
Closing date: 5 December 2025

The competition is open to all post-primary schools across Ireland and Northern Ireland.
For full details, visit gov.ie/historycompetition.

Your voice can bring history to life – why not give it a go?
Mr Miller

Form 2 Religious Education

Pupils in Form 2 Religious Education have been exploring the theme of places of worship through a creative classroom project. As part of their learning, pupils researched a variety of sacred spaces from different faith traditions and designed imaginative projects to represent what they had discovered. Their work showcased a wonderful mix of creativity, understanding, and respect for different religious practices and traditions. Well done to all involved for their effort and enthusiasm!

Form 2 SPHE

Discovering who we are is the puzzle of a lifetime, but pupils in Ms Phillips' Form 2 SPHE class have been exploring the theme of identity through a creative and thought-provoking activity. Each pupil designed their own unique puzzle to represent the different factors that make up who they are, such as family, friends, hobbies, culture, and personal values.

When all the pieces were placed together, they formed a vibrant “identity puzzle,” symbolising how each aspect of our lives connects to shape the person we become. The completed puzzle is unique - just as each pupil is - and  reflects all of the many elements which make up who we are!

Language Clubs

We are delighted to announce the return of our lunchtime language clubs, offering pupil a fun and informal way to build confidence in speaking and understanding German and Spanish.

German Clubs

• Junior German: Thursdays, 12.50–1.15 p.m. in Room B21

• Senior German: Tuesdays, 1.30–1.55 p.m. in Room B24
  Led by Pauline

Spanish Clubs

• Junior Spanish: Thursdays, 12.50–1.15 p.m. in Room B26

• Senior Spanish: Tuesdays, 1.30–1.55 p.m. in Room C10
  Led by Laura

These sessions are a great opportunity for pupils to practise conversation skills, expand vocabulary, and enjoy learning languages in a relaxed setting. All are welcome to attend!
Ms Roullet

HSD Class of 1985

In 1985, U2 were top of the Irish charts, people around the world were tuning in to Live Aid and witnessing the first messages sent through what would become the modern internet. It was a year of change, energy, and connection, and for a group of young pupils at The High School, it marked the end of their own memorable chapter.

Nearly forty years later, some members of the Class of 1985 returned to The High School as part of their reunion celebrations. Their visit last week was filled with smiles, laughter, and fond recollections as they retraced their steps through familiar corridors and classrooms, sharing stories of school days gone by.

The group enjoyed reminiscing about their time at HSD and reflecting on how much has changed - and yet, how the warm spirit of the school remains the same. It was a wonderful occasion, and we were delighted to welcome them back to where so many of their happy memories began.

Leinster Schools Golf Success

Congratulations to our pupils who represented The High School at the Leinster Schools 18-Hole Golf Competition held last week in Bray Golf Club. In the Girls’ competition, Hannah Power finished in an impressive 10th place, while Lily Hennigan secured 14th place. In the Boys’ competition, Jamie Morton placed 14th, and Max Morton finished 32nd in a strong field of competitors. Well done to all four pupils on their excellent performances and for proudly representing the school at this prestigious event!
Mr McDonnell

HSD ICT Internship

This year we welcome past pupil Princess Isikalu (HSD, 2017-20) who has joined the school staff on an ICT internship. After leaving school, she began studying Community Development and Youth Work, before moving to Canterbury, Kent to complete a degree in Social Policy, Social Work, and Politics, graduating in 2024.

Building on her passion for technology, Princess went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Computer Science and AI, which she will complete next month. Keen to gain hands-on experience in the education and IT sectors as part of her role, Princess has been assisting in ICT classes and supporting pupils and staff with technical issues. She has also become involved in other areas of school life - from her role as school photographer to helping with the technical production of the Junior Play.

Princess says she loves being back in the school environment and is inspired every day by the opportunity to give back to the community that helped shape her. “Gaining experience in your field is a great way to get your foot in the door of the working world,” she says. We are proud to see Princess thriving once again at The High School and wish her every success as she continues her journey in technology and education.

Staff Training Day

Our recent Staff Training Day was a productive and engaging event that brought together teachers, Year Heads, and the Senior Management Team for a day of professional development and reflection. The training day focused on enhancing our school’s approaches to student wellbeing, teaching and learning, and restorative practice.

The day began with a demonstration of the Critical Incident Workflow by Mr Tobin (Deputy Principal), followed by a Critical Incident Planning session with Year Heads and SMT, co-ordinated by the Principal. Running concurrently teachers engaged in Teaching and Learning Planning facilitated by Craig Rankin (Academic Co-ordinator - SSE), exploring strategies for improving student questioning as part of our School Self-Evaluation (SSE) process. 

Following a break, sessions continued with Form 1 and Form 5 Information Meetings, facilitated by Ms Maher (Form 1 Year Head), Mr Giles (Form 5 Year Head), Mr McCaughey (SENCO), and Form Teachers ensuring consistency and shared understanding in terms of the support needs of our pupils at key transition points.

An exciting feature in our training day was a Bí Cineálta update, featuring a presentation from Olivia Leonard, President of the Student Council and Lauryn Doyle, member of the creative team of the Bí Cineálta Sub-Committee of the Student Council highlighting student voice and leadership in promoting kindness and inclusion across the school. They also outlined an exciting upcoming student led messaging campaign for Bí Cineálta week as part of our whole school prevention strategy for bullying behaviour.

After a well-deserved lunch, staff gathered for a two-hour Restorative Practice Webinar, facilitated by Michelle Stowe (Connect RP) focused on developing skills to foster positive relationships and resolve conflict constructively within the school community. This is a key initiative in response to the recent WSE recommendations with a view to developing a consistent whole school approach to discipline.

It was an inspiring and collaborative day, reinforcing our shared commitment to creating a caring, reflective, and forward-thinking school community.
Ms Connolly
Deputy Principal

Simon Community Home Run

A group of us from The High School gathered in Phoenix Park bright and early last Saturday morning for the postponed Simon Community Home Run. There was a great atmosphere before the race. The air was filled with music as we got our race numbers from Ms Hutchinson Edgar.  There was food, fun, and games for all as everyone prepared for the race. We were called to the start line for fun warm up before the race kicked off.

The course was a beautiful 5 kilometers route in the scenic Phoenix Park through fields of luscious grass and tall trees. When we reached the end of the race things started to get tougher, but we were treated to a wonderful view of hundreds of deer in a field.

It was a great sense of achievement to cross the finish line and get our Simon Community Home Run medals. The festive atmosphere of the race continued after we had finished with lively music and refreshments. But most importantly this run was about raising money for the Simon Community. The High School group did very well raising a whopping €1926 for the Simon Community to date. Altogether this run was a very enjoyable experience and we will be doing it for years to come. Lastly, we want to say a huge thank you to all the people who sponsored us.
Sarah Jane Redmond

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