Vol 28 No 05     30 Sept 2022

Bright Futures - Open Evening

The Bright Futures Open Evening for incoming pupils to The High School in 2023 took place on 20 September.  About 300 prospective parents queued patiently in The Reynolds Hall waiting to be shown around the school.  The Dining Room was arranged to provide them with coffee and tea while they waited for the Prefects to take them on their tours.   During the tours they were shown the expansive school campus and visited featured rooms for each of the subjects taught at the school.  Each classroom presented samples of pupils' work while subject teachers and some of their pupils explained the subject in detail.  After a couple of minutes they were guided to a different subject classroom until the tour was over.  The event began at 6.00 pm with tours concluding at 8.00 pm.  The Prefects and pupils answered any questions the parents and the prospective pupils had and all left feeling satisfied and happy with the evening’s events.  
Aadya Vig

2023 Cricket World Cup Qualification

Cricket Ireland women’s team has secured qualification for the 2023 T20 World Cup.  Rachel Delaney (HSD, 2009-15) and Orla Prendergast (HSD, 2014-20) helped Ireland to reach the semi-final of the qualification tournament.  The winner of the semi- final would qualify for the World Cup.   Ireland beat Zimbabwe helped by Orla Prendergast’s top score of 28 for her team.   Orla was also a pivotal player in a vital group game against Scotland scoring 55 from 46 balls.   Ireland won that game by 19 runs.   In 40 degree heat, the whole squad played their part to secure qualification.  We are very proud of Rachel and Orla at The High School for their wonderful achievements in international cricket.
Ethan Clarke

Biodiversity Week

Last week we celebrated the variety of our natural world with The High School's first ever Biodiversity Week.  A range of activities unfolded each day.  Many centred around the new HSD honey enterprise; there were tastings in The Reynolds Hall and a competition to design a logo for the brand.  Pupils and staff could also try their hand at wildlife photography.  During lunch breaks there were a series of nature walks: we learned about the fascinating life of trees with Steven Doody of Easy Treesy and how to forage for edible plants with Paul Quinn of Nadúr.  We completed the construction of a bug hotel and eight raised beds in which we plan to grow crops of barley, wheat, and multispecies over the winter and in the spring we plan to sow oilseed rape and sunflowers (for the bees); and potatoes, carrots, cucumber, and other vegetables for The High School kitchen.  We will continue our biodiversity projects throughout the coming weeks as we complete our new herb garden, rain water harvesting, and natural fence for the HSD honey bees who have now expanded to three  hives. We are looking forward to sharing their delicious honey with our pupils, staff, and the wider school community next summer. Our first Biodiversity Week was really successful and demonstrates just what we can accomplish at The High School when we work together as a school community.  Well done everyone who took part and remember - every week is Biodiversity Week!
Mr Langrell and Gary Meaney (Head Boy)

National Youth Orchestra

Ireland celebrated Culture Night on Friday 23 September and members of the National Youth Orchestra (NYO) played at Áras an Uachtaráin for President Michael D Higgins, his wife Sabina, and an audience of lottery winners.  There are currently three members of The High School orchestra who play with the NYO with Daimee Ng, Ena Ní Fhoghlú, and Kayla Kennedy (HSD, 2016-22) performing on this occasion.  We rehearsed from 1.30 pm until 4.00 pm and were given delicious refreshments in the main house.  We were thrilled to meet the President’s famous dogs!  Then came our performance: we played a few movements from Leroy Anderson’s Irish Suite, some audience favourites such as the Can Can, and three concerto movements played by wonderful soloists in the orchestra.  Then we were brought back to our base room where we had an opportunity to meet and speak to the President.  It was an honour to play for and meet An Uachtaráin.
Ena Ní Fhoghlú 

SCT Rugby Win

This Wednesday The High School's brand new grass rugby pitch was inaugurated with a thrilling showdown.  Hailing from Blackrock College the visiting side were bound to be a formidable opposition but we rose to the challenge and earned a 42-31 victory.  The Senior Cup Team has been temporarily depleted but this didn’t stop us from giving it our all.   At times we found ourselves losing to Blackrock but as the game progressed we only improved and we gradually secured a decisive victory.
Gary Meaney

Wildlife Photography Competition

We are running a Wildlife Photography Competition as part of Biodiversity Week  
with categories for pupils, parents, and staff.  The winning photographers in each section will receive a pot of High School honey harvested from our beehives.  If you would like to submit an entry, please email me here. The closing date to enter is 4 October 2022.  Entries may be published in the digital newsletter, on school social media platforms, and/or in the Erasmian and Diocesan Times.
Ms Burrowes

Zion Parish Church Pets' Service

This Sunday the main service at Zion Parish church will be a Pets' Service which takes place at 10.30 am.  We should be delighted to welcome pets and their owners for this service of blessing.  We wish to extend a warm invitation to The High School community to attend. 
Deirdre Hoey
Parish Administrator

Form 1 Rugby

Pupils in Form 1 enjoyed their first rugby games this week, despite some very wet weather.  Well done, everyone!

Locker Reminder

 We should like to remind pupils that it is their responsibility to keep their locks locked on their lockers to protect their own belongings.
Ms Fitzgerald.

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