ColáisteChill Mhantáin

WELCOME BACK

We would like to welcome back all of our students and teachers to school from their summer holidays. In particular we welcome our new First Years and all of the students who have joined our school in other year groups.

Welcome, too, to our two recently appointed Deputy Principals, Ms Casey and Ms Fitzgerald and to all of our new teachers; Ms Lynch, Ms Doyle, Ms Monahan, Ms Kavanagh, Ms Stedman, Ms Davitt, Mr O’Leary, Ms Griffin, Ms Lane, Ms Duffy, Mr Cody and Mr Kirwan; we are confident that they will enjoy their time in Coláiste Chill Mhantáin.

We also wish Ms Condren well on Career Break and Ms McCrossan, Ms Flynn, Ms Cawley, Ms Casey and Mr Crowley well in their new positions. We extend our appreciation to each of them for their valuable contribution to our school over the past number of years.

CHARITY SINGLE

In April of this year, Singer/ Songwriter Luan Parle teamed up with IMRO (Irish Music Rights Organisation) to bring five song-writing and performance workshops to secondary schools throughout Ireland.

During the workshop tour, Luan visited our school to conduct a workshop with second to sixth year students. Alongside the guidance of Luan Parle, our students decided to write and dedicate a song to loved ones who are suffering from a stroke, Alzheimer’s and other illnesses. Not only impressed by the song, but also by the students’ ability to play and perform, Luan decided to bring producer Gavin Ralston into the mix and record the students performing their song titled ‘Your Love Still Guides My Way’.

The official release of the single and video will tae place in Coláiste Chill Mhantáin on September 22 from 10 o’clock, with all proceeds from the single being donated to the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and the Irish Heart Foundation. Pre-Order ‘Your Love Still Guides My Way’ on iTunes now for just 99 cent from the following link itunes.apple.com/ie/album/yourlove-still-guides-my-way-single/ id1276557651 and app=itunes

EXAMINATION RESULTS

We take this opportunity to congratulate and say well done to our Leaving Certificate Class of 2017 on their excellent examination results. We wish our graduating students well and hope that they continue to enjoy success in their third level courses, careers and future life paths. Thank you, also, to their parents and teachers who supported the students in achieving their potential.

JUNIOR CERTIFICATE

We would like to congratulate all of our Junior Certificate students on their excellent results and to thank the teachers and parents who supported the students in achieving their potential. We trust that the positive results received in the Junior Certificate will motivate students towards further achievement and success in Coláiste Chill Mhantáin. A special word of congratulations goes to Mark Britchfield and Grace Cleary, who topped the Junior Cert Results tally, Mark with an impressive 10 A grades and Grace with nine A grades and one B grade.

1ST YEAR INFO EVENING

A large number of parents and students attended the First Year Information Evening which forms an integral part of the enrolment process to our school. Thank you to Ms Smyth and Mr Cassidy, Year Heads, who provided those gathered with an overview of the pastoral care structures in the school and to the Tutors, who were also in attendance. The Senior Mentor team gave a description of the schedule of First Year activities which they have planned for the coming year. Ms Fitzgerald Deputy-Principal, welcomed the students and provided information and advice about their timetables and subject options. Mr Stack and Ms Casey, Deputy-Principals, also addressed the students and parents and made them feel very welcome to our school. Finally, our Principal, Mr Donoghue, wished the students well and reminded them of the importance of this first step of their journey in Coláiste Chill Mhantáin.

FIRST YEAR WALK

On Friday, September 8, our First Year students, accompanied by their Mentors and Pastoral Care team, participated in the annual First Year Walk which forms part of the Induction programme for First Years. Everybody enjoyed the day in spite of the occasional shower.

The walk in Glendalough provided the students with a great opportunity to get to know each other, their mentors and tutors. Hopefully there will be many more enjoyable events to look forward to throughout the year. Many thanks to the tutors and mentors who did an excellent job in ensuring the First Year students had a fun and memorable day.

SENIOR PREFECT TEAM

The position of Senior Prefect is highly respected in the school. Senior Prefects provide an important liaison between students, teachers and school management. This position demonstrates leadership, team work and responsibility that reflect the ethos of the school at all times. We would like to wish our Senior Prefect Team of 201718 every success this year. We particularly wish our Head Boy, Ronan Murray, and Head Girl, Dara Bushe, well in their new role as ambassadors to the school.

Senior Prefect Team 20172018: Dara Bushe (Head Girl), Ronan Murray (Head Boy), Scott Armstrong, Conor Brennan, Alisha Byrne, Emma Cruise, Trinity Dockery, Megan Doherty, Jack Dunne, Joe Haskins, Niall Murphy, Patrick Nixon, Matthew Nolan, Katie O’Neill, Jack Reburn.

SENIOR MENTOR TEAM

The Senior Mentor team forms an integral part of school life, facilitating and supporting First Year students as they transition from Primary to Post-Primary School. We would like to wish our Senior Mentor Team of 2017-18 every success this year.

Senior Mentor Team 2017-2018: Dylan Geoghegan, Conor Vize, Cordelia Daly Ronayne, Ben Griffin, Sam Porter, Eve Gregory, Kirsty Roche, Mark Nicholson, Cormac Mitchell, Jack Gibney, Molly Hodgkinson, Sophie Richardson, Nasreen Habibnejad Koriam, Robert Moffitt, Zara Browne, Katie Docherty, Chloe Doyle, James Byrne, Patrick Keogh, Gary O’Connor, Tristian O’Toole.

TY TRIPS

EPIC MUSEUM – On Monday, September 11, the Transition Years students travelled to Dublin to take part in two workshops. They attended the Epic Museum where they learned about the lives of many who have emigrated from Ireland over the centuries. This is an interactive museum which gives a fascinating insight into the reasons why they emigrated and a look at some of their achievements. The second half of the day introduced the students to the Family History Project which they will undertake throughout the year.

BALTINGLASS – Transition Year students travelled to Baltinglass for a full day of activities during their first week back to school. They took part in kayaking, orienteering, archery, zip lining, and climbing walls. The weather stayed dry for the day. The students behaved extremely well and were complimented by the staff in Baltinglass Outdoor Education Centre for their behaviour and participation.