jesus&marysecondaryschool

THE JESUS AND MARY SECONDARY SCHOOL
ENNISCRONE, CO. SLIGO.
DECEMBER NEWSLETTER 2010

We returned to school at the end of August after a busy Summer of refurbishment taking place in the school. The front entrance to the school was completely transformed during the Summer months, the school was made wheelchair accessable with a ramp at the front entrance. We now have a spacious secretarys office and reception area and a bright Deputy Principal office. We modernised two classrooms, had new doors hung on downstairs classrooms and placed double glazed windows on one side of the school. All going well the refurbishment will continue in 2011. During the Summer Leaving Certs received their results which were excellent, we wish our past students every happiness and success with their futures, most are in further education. August 26thand 27th were staff days with meetings and inservices taking place. We welcomed First Years to school on the 30th with Second and Fifth Years returning to school on the 31st, Third and Sixth Years on September 1st and Transition Year students joining all other students on the 2nd. PLC students attended an Information evening/FETAC Graduation on September 9th and from then on PLC classes commenced. Students received their Junior Certificate results and all were successful. We held our Opening Mass for the school community on September 17th. Transition Years headed off on their Bonding Day on the 10th more news on this and other TY events on the TY page. An Gáisce got off to great start with Michael Collins, Gáisce promoter, coming in to speak with students interested in Bronze and Silver Awards. More Gáisce news inside. The HSE have paid a few visits to the school giving First Year students the Tetanus injection and giving First and Second Year girls the HPV Vaccine. Leaving Certs attended the Higher Options in Dublin and an Open Day in NUIG. There were in-services in DCG, Religion, The Green Flag Project, Self Care in Conflict, Careers, Project Maths and NCTE. There were meetings for Le Chéile, AMCSS, FETAC Tutors and School Planning. There was also a Learning Support Conference. First and Second Year boys attended a Gaelic football blitz. Senior boys Gaelic football team played matches against Coola and Ballisodare. Junior girls Gaelic football team played Foxford and Senior girls played Ballymote. Junior boys played a Soccer match in Moyne College. We have held Parent/Teacher/Student meetings for First Years, Third and Sixth Years. Attendance at all these meetings was excellent and we thank all who attended. A project organised by Ms. Tuffy has been set up, whereby our school is linked with local National Schools, in the area of Sport. The Student Council visited the Ombudsman's office in Dublin and the Council attended Comhairle na nÓg in Sligo. We held a Study Skills Seminar of Third, Fifth and Sixth year students. There was Road Safety Workshops for students. On November 11th the school community attended a Mass for the Deceased members of staff, students and their families. The Mass was organised by staff and students. Students organised a non-uniform day to raise funds for the St. Nicholas' Christmas Party. Science Week took place and during the week students participated in quizzes, projects and had talks from outside speakers. For all the school news read on!
On September 9th we held our Graduation for PLC students for the Academic Year 2009/2010. Graduates are pictured with Principal, Sr. Mary Kelly, Deputy Principal, Ms. Teresa Irwin, PLC Co-ordinator, Ms. Mohan, and PLC Tutors - Mr. Rooney, Mr. Allen, Mr. Sean Lynott, Ms. Hegarty and County Councillor Mr. Joe Queenan. Graduates were awarded the FETAC Awards at the ceremony and this was followed by light refreshments. Well done to students and tutors on their hard work throughout the year and their success. Well done to Ms. Mohan, PLC co-ordinator on another successful year.
TY STUDENTS ~ MICHELLE RUANE, SHONA KILGANNON, REBECCA RUANE AND JEREMY GERAGHTY PARTICIPATED IN THE THE GÁISCE CHALLENGE.
TYS ~ STEPHEN CREAN, KIERAN MASSIE AND DAMIEN MCGUINESS

Patrick Clarke, Gáisce Gold Medal winner with President of Ireland Mary MacAleese and Gáisce PAL Ms. Duffy

GÁISCE - The Presidents Award
An Gáisces Michael Collins, {Gáisces North West Development Officer}, came to the school to speak with students interested in Bronze and Silver Awards. Fifty one students applied. Ms. Clarke, Ms. Duffy, Ms. Hughes, Ms. Roughneen, Mr. Rooney and Patick Clarke are PALS for the project. An Gáisce students organised a non-uniform day and took part in a cycle to raise money for the Pakistan Flood Appeal. Cyclists took part in the Mizen to Malin relay cycle event. Gáisce students made 1,000 euro donation to the Flood Appeal. Three PALS and three students were invited to Arás an Uachtaran in appreciation for all their work . Well done to past pupil Patrick Clarke, who was awarded the GOLD Medal. The award was presented to Patrick by Her Excellency Mary MacAleese, President of Ireland. This is the first Gold Award that has been won on behalf of the school. Patrick was chosen to give a speech at the Award Ceremony. Well done to all who worked hard on the programme and thanks to all who supported students and the events organised. Pictured above Ms. Clarke, Sr. Mary Kelly, Principal, Patrick Clarke and Ms. Duffy. Students pictured participating the the Gáisce Challenge. Below Katie Gilligan, a team leader, Caroline Connolly, Emma Grimes, Rosanna Connolly and Aoife Gillen.

Big Brother Big Sister Mentoring Programme
A mentoring system was put in place in Jesus and Mary Secondary School. Transition year students pictured below nominated themselves to mentor first year students pictured right. Sandra Dooley from Big Brother Big Sister (BBBS) . The oganisation visited the school to interview both transition and first year students. On another occasion Sandra Dooley revisited the school to train all the students involved. The First years were matched up with a mentor and the mentoring system was up and running.

Science Week
Science Week took place from November 8th to 14th.
A number of events were held thoughout the week.
First years competed in the 3D Science Poster Competition. Second Years competed in a Science Rap Competition.
Fifth Year Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Agricultural Science students each demonstrated cool exciting experiements to First Years. Transition Years held a Science Quiz in the Gym for Second and Third year students. Declan Clarke, Chemical Engineer visited the school all week to give talks to Junior and Senior students. This week is always a great success, educating students in Science in a fun and entertaining way. Students learn about the practical uses of Science as well as the many job opportunities available to them. Many thanks to Science teachers ~ Ms. Ryder, Ms. Kenny, Ms. Mulcaire and Mr. Saunders for all their hard work in coming up with ways to make the week such a success and so entertaining and such an enjoyable experience for students. Well done to the students who participated and to the Guest Speakers for sharing their experiences with students.

CONCERN APPEAL
STUDENTS PICTURED WITH RELIGION TEACHER MS. MULVANNY RAISED 523 EURO FOR CONCERN. ~ BRONAGH MUNNELLY, EOIN FLYNN AND NIAMH BURNS. MIDDLE ROW ~ EDDIE DOUGLAS, LISA SWEENEY, CIARA WALL, ÁINE RYAN AND MS. MULVANNY. FRONT ROW ~ SHANNON HOWLEY, KAREN DEVANEY AND EOIN O'DOWD. WELL DONE TO ALL FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK FOR SUCH A WORTHY CAUSE.

TRANSITION YEAR NEWS ~

Under the guidance of Ms. Clarke 37 TY's began the school year on September 2nd.
Their Bonding Day was held on the 10th , they went to an assault course on a problem solving exercise in the Westport woods.
Accompanied by Ms. Tuffy and Mr. Costello TY's attended the production 'Psycho Spaghetti', a play which takes a look inside the teenage brain, in the Hawkswell Theatre in Sligo.
'The Terrace' was this years TY production, put together through alot of hard work in and out of class time. Students committed themselves to the production along with a team of TY teachers, and the two nights - November 24th and 25th proved to be a great success.
Michael Collins, Gáisce North-West Development Officer, visited the school and spoke to students regarding Gáisce (The Presidents Award) and most of TY's signed up to meet the challenge at bronze level.
A guest speaker from the Heart Foundation, visited the school and spoke to TY students about the importance of an active and healthy lifestyle.
A Xmas Market Day was held in the Hall on December 10th, TY's set up enterprising stalls for the perusal of student and staff alike.
TYA spent one week residential in Eachleim, film making through Irish.
Under the tutorship of Ms. Ryder TY's set up Big Brother/Big Sister mentoring programme. Ms. Mulcaire and TYB gave St. Nicholas' school, Ballina their annual Christmas party.
Well Done to TY's for their dedication to their activities and activities.

Market Day
TY's had a successful Market Day, held in the Gym. Students sold produce they produced themselves. Lots of enterprising ideas were on show.
Pictured girls at the Market Day.

St. Nicholas' Special School Christmas party pictured. TY's organised a fun filled morning for St. Nicholas' students. Well Done to all and special thanks to Ms. Mulcaire for her help in organising the event. Thanks also to the students and staff of St. Nicholas' for their support. The party is always a very special and fulfilling experience for TY students.

TY STUDENTS PICTURED TAKING PART IN THE TY PRODUCTION "THE
TERRACE". WELL DONE TO ALL THE STAFF AND STUDENTS WHO WORKED SO HARD
ON THE
PRODUCTION!

BT YOUNG SCIENTIST
STUDENTS FROM ENNISCRONE ENTERED FOUR PROJECTS IN THE BT YOUNG SCIENTIST. THE FOUR PROJECTS WERE SELECTED BY A PANEL OUT OF HUNDREDS OF ENTRIES FROM THE SLIGO REGION. THERE WERE TEN ENTRIES SELECTED FROM SLIGO TO GO FORWARD TO THE RDS AND ENNSICRONE HAD FOUR OF THOSE TEN ENTRIES, WHICH IN ITSELF IS AN EXCELLENT ACHIEVEMENT. ALL FOUR PROJECTS WERE DISPLAYED IN THE RDS IN DUBLIN.
THE FOUR PROJECTS WERE :
(1) THE EFFECTS OF ZEBRA MUSSELS IN IRISH WATERS; STEPHEN HALLINAN, ANDREW HALLINAN, KIERAN MASSIE. PICTURED ABOVE RIGHT.
(2) A PROPOSAL FOR BUILDING TWO ARTIFICIAL REEFS IN ENNISCRONE; CIARA O'DOWD, MEGAN MULLARKEY, EMER CHUGH. PICTURED BELOW LEFT.
(3) WHAT SADDLE PAD CAUSES THE LOWEST INCREASE IN A HORSE'S TEMPERATURE DURING EXERCISE; EAMONN SWEENEY PICTURED LEFT.
(4) MENTORING BULLYING; DOES IT WORK? ÁÍNE COLEMAN, LORNA HANLEY, PETER HOWLEY. PICTURED RIGHT WITH SCIENCE TEACHER MS. RYDER.
THE PROJECTS MENTIONED ABOVE ARE ALL VARIED AND COVER A BROAD RANGE OF TOPICS. THE MENTORING BULLYING; DOES IT WORK? PROJECT CONSISTS OF AN ONLINE ANTI BULLYING WEBSITE THAT ALLOWS TEENAGERS TO MENTOR OTHER TEENAGERS. ALOT OF INTEREST HAS BEEN EXPRESSED IN THIS PROJECT WITH AN AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST INTERESTED IN PROMOTING THE WEBSITE AMONG SCHOOLS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. WELL DONE TO ALL THE ABOVE MENTIONED STUDENTS ON ALL THEIR HARD WORK ON THEIR PROJECTS. THEY HAVE DONE THE SCHOOL PROUD. THANKS TO SCIENCE TEACHERS MS. RYDER AND MR. SAUNDERS FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK AND FOR DEDICATING SO MUCH OF THEIR TIME IN HELPING STUDENTS WITH THEIR PROJECTS .

Sligo Green Schools ~ Travel
Our School and Scoil Chríost Rí in Enniscrone started work on the Green-Schools theme of Travel. Surveys on how students travel to school have been carried out and all pupils have received Bright Reflective Armbands from An Taisce to wear when travelling on the road. Both schools participated in the Road Safety Authority's Interactive Shuttle Bus. The shuttle includes a bicycle simulator, driving simulator enclosed in a specially designed pod, reaction timers and computers equipped with Driver Theory Test and interactive games. The Green-Schools Travel theme gets students to think more about how to travel, and strives to introDUCE MORE WALKING, CYCLING AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT INTO PEOPLE'S DAILY LIVES INSTEAD OF ALWAYS JUMPING IN THE CAR FOR EVERY JOURNEY.
Student Council
A NEW STUDENT COUNCIL COMMITTEE WAS ELECTED AND THE STUDENTS HAD A BUSY FIRST TERM. OUR COUNCIL ATTENDED A WORKSHOP WITH THE OMBUDSMAN FOR CHILDREN AND VISITED DÁIL EIREANN AFTERWARDS. FIRST, SECOND AND TY STUDENTS ATTENDED COMHAIRLE NA NÓG AND EAMONN SWEENEY, SHANE CONNOLLY AND JOHN CONMY WERE ELECTED ONTO THE SLIGO COUNTY COUNCIL. AT SCHOOL LEVELMANY LUNCHTIME MEETINGS WERE HELD TO DISCUSS SCHOOL MATTERS. THEY ALSO HELD A RAFFLE AT THE TY PRODUCTION AND FUNDS RAISED ARE GOING TOWARDS SCHOOL JERSEYS. THIS TERM OUR CHAIRPERSON, FIFTH YEAR STUDENT ANDREA HERAGHTY AND EOIN FLYNN WILL ATTEND A LÉ CHÉILE SCHOOLS CONFERENCE IN DUBLIN. THANKS TO ALL THE STUDENTS WHO WORK SO HARD FOR THE COUNCIL AND TO STUDENT COUNCIL COORDINATOR MS. KENNY.
PAKISTAN FLOOD
APPEAL
A joint Gáisce and Student Council Fundraiser was held for The Pakistan Flood
Appeal. The school donated 1,000 euro to the appeal. Pictured Ms. Kenny, Student Council Coordinator, and Student Council Members Kieran Massie, Stephen Hallinan and Ryan Burns, Sr. Gráinne Hanley, (who worked for many years in Pakistan) and Áine Ryan.

BATTLE OF THE BANDS
The group The Young Cardinals~consisting of Second Year students Jack Bradley, Jack Kilcullen, James Hannan, Fifth Years Ruairi Munnelly and David Woods have made it through to the semi finals of the 'Our Schools got Talent Competition', the semi finals are on in the Radisson Hotel, Sligo. Good Luck Boys!

WELL DONE TO ÁINE RYAN.
THE GOOD4U SMART CHEF COMPETITION WAS HELD ON JULY 19TH IN ST. ANGELAS COLLEGE, SLIGO. GOOD4U IS A COMPANY WHOSE AIM IS TO PROMOTE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. THE COMPETITION WAS TO DEVISE A TWO COURSE MEAL FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, WITH A BUDGET OF 20EURO. ALONG WITH ÁINE THERE WERE TEN OTHER FINALISTS OUT OF THIRTEEN HUNDRED ENTRIES. ÁINE MADE A MOROCCAN VEGETABLE CRUMBLE FOLLOWED BY GRANOLA WITH NATURAL YOGHURT AND FRESH BERRIES. TO PREPARE ÁINE WAS HELPED BY ANTHONY KILCULLEN, CHEF IN AIT EILE RESTAURANT BEFORE THE COMPETITION.
Fifth Year LCVP Students pictured with Guest Speaker Pat McCarrick from Bothár and LCVP Coordinator Ms. Mohan.
Fifth Year LCVP students organised a guest speaker from Bothár during December. Students were studying the topic of voluntary organisations and are currently fundraising for Bothár.