FCJ BEGIN ON A GOOD NOTE
THE year kicked off in FCJ Secondary School Bunclody with the annual beginning of year mass and students pledged to start as they mean to go on.
This year’s theme was The Jubilee Year of Mercy. Pope Francis’ message ‘A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just’ was taken home by both staff and student alike.
At the end of the mass, all staff and students pledged to abide by the school’s anti-bullying policy which revolves around respect for others, rejecting all forms of bullying and reporting any incidents of bullying in the school.
Following the Mass, the deputy principal Mr Brendan Daly spoke to the congregation and later presented badges to the new Senior Prefects for 2016/ 2017.
‘ These are students who have accepted a leadership role in our school and they fully accept the privilege of being elected by their peers coupled with the responsibility to uphold and promote the good name of the school at all times and to contribute to the successful running of the school in any way they can,’ said Mr Daly.
Helen Doran, Anna Flood, Robbie Kavanagh, Rachel Kelly, Michaela McDonald, Paul McDonald, Rikki Morris, Martin O’Connor, Sean Redmond and Niamh Treacy were presented with badges, as was Head Boy Michael Ros siter and Head Girl Alice O’Dowd.
The Meitheal Leaders were also called up to receive their badges. These leaders will take the first years under their wing and help them to integrate into the school. ‘Meitheal Leaders specifically take responsibility for the integration of our first years. From day one they are true companions to our new students, helping them to settle in and making our school a happier and safer place for all. This they do with the help and support of Mr Quilter whom we also thank today,’ he said. ‘ Their care and kindness shown to our first years will live on in the hearts and minds of our new students for the rest of their school days and beyond.’
Rebecca Bailey, Tom Dillane, Helen Doran, Rachel Dreelan, Maja Duman, Lauren English-Adams, Cora Finn, Oran Fitzpatrick, Jack Hobbs, Glen Jacob, Robbie Kavanagh, Harry McCafferty, Megan Maher, Aoife M Murphy, Katelyn Murphy, Caoimhe O’Brien, Sean Redmond, Michael Rossiter and Niamh Treacy received their Meitheal badges.
Finally, Mr Daly presented the Academic Awards and the Leaving and Junior Certificate Awards. The Junior Cert Award went to Ciara Carroll and Ciara Kinsella while Cathal Lee received the Leaving Cert Award.
The students who had achieved five or more Grade A’s at higher level in the Junior Certificate exams, were then presented with awards for their outstanding achievement. These were: Ciara Bolger, Ciara Carroll, Cian Cowman, Lauren Cullen, Maeve Dillane, Lisa Doran, William Dunne, Brídín Dwyer, Niall Hickey, Ellen Hutt, Chloe Kavanagh, Ciara Kinsella, Kate Kirwan, Brian Lee, Sam Meany, Aoife Milne, Robert
Murphy, Niamh O’Dowd, Katie O’Toole, Juliette Perry, Sarah Phelan, Cormac Ryan, Shauna Ryan, Jack Sinnott, Johnny Sinnott, Amy Smyth and Ellie Whitebread.
The Academic Awards were presented to first, second and fifth years based on their results in the Summer House Exams. The following students received awards:
Joan Maher, Sam Holmes, Lorna Fortune, Ben Holmes, Agata Farioli Vecchiolo, Kevin Ye, Emer Kearney, Nathan Duke, Rebecca Redmond, Daire O’Gorman, Claire Ronan, Sean Murtagh, Nessa Doyle, John Kavanagh, Grace Kehoe, Brian Byrne, Elizabeth O’Leary, Joshua Darcy, CIara Roban, Sam Horan, Aaron O’Byrne Doran, Aine Byrne, Michael Malcolmson, Orlagh Hickey, Bronwyn Castles, Patrick Sinnott, Josh Byrne, Alice O’Dowd and John Dunne.