SCHOOLS ROUND-UP

BALLINODE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

RETIREMENTS: We would like to wish Caroline Collery, Theresa Egan, Paula Fogarty and Catalina Howley a very happy and healthy retirement. These staff members have nurtured and supported our students over the years. Congratulations and best wishes as you embark on the next exciting chapter.

Well done to the students and staff of Ballinode Community College for raising €500 on Thursday as part of the Trick or Treat for Temple Street campaign. This money will help buy vital life-saving equipment for CHI at Temple Street, Crumlin, Tallaght and Connolly hospitals. Many thanks to all who baked and donated to this worthy cause. FARMAPHOBIA: A group of 5th, 6th and LCA students went from our school on Wednesday to Farmaphobia, all the way up to Co. Meath! This was not for the faint hearted, only the bravest students went and survived!! For many, this was a maiden voyage and it did not disappoint. The event was action packed with zombies, ghosts and clowns. Thankfully we all made it back in one piece- even if some left their voices behind!

Our Senior Cyle Students enjoyed a relaxation workshop in Hazelwood in conjunction with Michelle at Sligo Library and Paula from

Beo Centre for Mindfulness & Integrated Health. A massive thank you to all involved. It was great to experience some therapeutic downtime and re-energize the body and mind.

Our 5th Years enjoyed a bonding day at Shannon River Adventure on Tuesday last. Students had a fun day filled with lots of activities including Archery, Wall Climbing, Kayaking, Mud-Sliding and Pier Jumping! A special thanks to all the lovely staff at @ shannonriveradventure for their hospitality.

The Ballinode

Boys took on St Mary’s Ballisodare recently in an U17 soccer match. The lads showed great skill against the strong Ballisodare side. When the final whistle blew the sides were level 0-0. Sadly, our boys lost in the penalty shoot out. Well done boys.

COOLA POSTPRIMARY SCHOOL

We had an enjoyable meet up with potential First Years and their parents last Thursday evening. Our different faculties prepped their rooms to highlight all that happens on an academic front, while the halls displayed sporting and extracurricular achievements, Thanks to our fantastic first year tour guides who showed our visitors from room to room on the evening. We hope that it gave potential students and parents a good feel for the safe and friendly learning environment Coola provides. For anyone who missed out on our Open Evening, our prospectus is viewable on our school website, www.coola.ie , in the Enrolment section.

SOCCER: Our U-17 Girls side continued their successful start to the season with a 3-0 win over Boyle in Ballisodare last week in the Connacht Schools. Orlaith Scanlon scored a brace of goals with Leanne Galvin also on the scoresheet.

GAA: Huge congrats to former student Evan Lyons on his selection on the inaugural Tailteann Cup AllStar team. Evan was exceptional all through the season for the Sligo senior side.

Our Boys senior side lost their league semi-final After Extra Time to St. Claire’s, Manorhamilton on a score-line of 2-15 to 2-14. A sterling comeback at the end of normal time suggested we might progress, but Manorhamilton dug deep and held on. Best of luck to them in the final.

Our First Year boys’ side are training well in preparation for their league final in the Dome on November 8th after their games with Mohill and Ballinamore in the Leitrim COE.

Our Leaving Certs had an enjoyable Wellbeing outing to Boda Borg in Lough Key Forest Park. It was a fantastic break for them from the stresses of exam year.

In each of the first year Home Economics classes, star bakers were selected over the term based on their baking skills, conscientious in their preparation and cleaning up, having an organised workstation and helping others out when finished.

The students bought in, the baking was of a brilliant standard, and the overall winners were Aaleasha Sweeney and Kitija Vietniece. Congratulations!

SLIGO GRAMMAR SCHOOL

On Friday, September 30 the Sligo Grammar School Senior Rugby Team went on an overnight bonding trip to Limerick. On Saturday SGS played Crescent College, Limerick, 2022 Munster Schools Cup winners. After a very tight first half Sligo Grammar held on for a narrow win, 17 – 14. Apart from the game, the team trained at UL and got an opportunity to use the 50m pool. They also had an evening talk from past pupil, Cathal Sheridan who is Sports Psychologist to the Munster Senior Rugby Team. The trip was a great success, and thanks go to SGS Director of Rugby, Jimmy Staunton and S&C coach Séan Taylor who accompanied the team.

DEBATING: Well done to Alfie Barron (5th year) and Dáithí Meehan (3rd year) who got through to the Team Ireland Debating development team. The Boys travelled to UCD to take part in the National finals of the Team Ireland try-outs. They are now on the development team which means that they will train with Team Ireland with a view to making the final Team in 2023 and hopefully going on to represent Ireland in debating abroad. Great achievement boys!

In the last couple of years interest in developing an SGS Girls Rugby Team has been steadily growing. This year the school has entered the Connacht Schools Senior Girls Rugby League. On Wednesday 5th October they played their first competitive game of the season, meeting Ballinrobe Community School at Ballinrobe RFC. After a hard-fought first half the schools were level, but the SGS girls pulled away in the second half to win 24 – 10. SGS tries were scored by Lara Clinch (2 tries), Saoirse Lawley and Anna Rose McLoughlin. Two of the tries were converted by Lara Clinch. On 25th October

The girls won their second match in the League when they played at home against Sacred Heart School, Westport. The SGS girls won 33 - 17 with a total of 5 tries coming from Saoirse Lawley, Ellen Hunter and Lara Clinch. Lara also kicked four conversions. Well done to the team and thanks to Jake Sexton, their coach.

Sligo Grammar School Green Schools Committee is up and running again this year. The school was awarded a Green Schools flag last year, the result of a lot of hard work. However it was the request from the National Green Schools body to use the school las a case study on the their website that really pleased the committee. The National co-ordinator of Green Schools was very impressed by the campaign work on Fast Fashion as well as the collaborations with eco-aware companies. They also complimented the structure of the committee as well as the studentled, whole-school nature of the SGS Green Schools project.

This year the Green Schools Committee will began their 22/23 campaign with a clothes collection in partnership with Clothes POD. Parents, students and friends of SGS brought in unwanted clothes. All monies raised will go towards financing this year’s Green School Campaign.

FUNDRAISING: On Friday, October 7 Sligo Grammar School had a “Funky Shoes and Socks” Day.

The event was organised by Leaving Cert LCVP students as a fundraiser for The Samaritans.

The day was in association with World Mental Health day and students and teachers were asked to wear their most creative shoes and socks for the day. Participating students brought in €2 each for the charity and a total of €513 was raised. On the last day of the term the whole school got involved in a Hallowe’en Celebration. Staff and students got decked out in fancy dress for the day and a Hallowe’en themed bake sale and pumpkin carving competition were part of the fun. The students contributed €2 to charity for the privilege of dressing up and all the money raised – over €800 – was donated to charity. On top of all that, the music department held the first lunchtime concert of the year featuring students from all years helped out by some staff. A great way to end the term! Well done to

The Coola Post-Primary School Under-17 Girls soccer team who had a 3-0 win over Boyle recently.

the organisers and all who took part in the fun!

Students have always been encouraged to take on responsibility and leadership roles in SGS. This can be seen throughout the year in the many fundraising drives and events organised by students in all years. Students are also involved in decision-making in the school through the Student Council, but two of the main leadership roles in the school are the TY Mentor Programme and the 6th Year Prefects.

This year, 2022, marks 10 years of TY Mentoring in Sligo Grammar School. The Mentoring Programme was introduced into the school in partnership with the Home School Liaison Service. All 3rd Year students are given the opportunity to volunteer as a mentor for our new incoming 1st Year students. Students are selected to be a mentor on their ability to act as good role models, to provide support and encouragement to younger students and to have good communication skills. At the end of the summer holidays, the mentors come to school to take part in a workshop. The workshop is run by the

Home School Liaison Service and provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to be good mentors and to deal with unusual situations that might arise. On the first day of term for our new

1st Years the mentors are here to welcome, support and advise. They take time to explain timetables, organisation of lockers, finding classrooms and any other day to day issues that might emerge.

The mentors are a significant and important part of the orientation of our new students into school life. They help ease anxiety and worry that new students might have and offer a friendly and relaxed approach to any issues of concern. Mentors continue their

support for the first 3 days of term. It is encouraging to see so many of our TY students volunteer for this special role, to take time out of their own holidays to look after younger students.

In Leaving Cert the prefects are appointed to help the staff in the many events that are held in the school during the year. They are the “meet and greet” team that welcomes visitors to the school on Prize

Day, Remembrance Day, the Carol Service, Open Days and Parent/ Teacher meetings. They also serve as role models for the younger students. Students interested in going forward for Prefectship complete an application form and if they meet the criteria are put forward for election. The Prefects are elected by both their teachers and peers, and voters also nominate who they think would make a good Head Boy and Head Girl. The role of Prefect is highly prized by the students and a great addition to their CVs.

On Wednesday 26th October Ger Daly, a Development Officer from Gaisce (The President’s Award), visited

SGS to unveil our Gaisce Award Partner plaque. Present for the unveiling were Headmaster Mr. Hall, BOM representative Arnie Griffin, school PALs, Aine McManus and Sandra Tiernan as well as our Bronze and Silver Awardees. Ger also awarded our students with their certificates and bronze and silver badges during the annual Prize Day, which coincided with Lá Gaisce. Lá Gaisce celebrates all past and present Gaisce Awardees. SGS encourages our TY students to take up President Michael D Higgins Gaisce challenge during their Transition Year.

After a two-year Covid-induced pause, Sligo Grammar School held the traditional Prize Day today,

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primary school in Viarmes. Here the students got to experience firsthand the culture and education of French students.

This was an amazing opportunity for our students who got to practice their French and master using the Metro system.

We hope to make this an annual trip for our Junior Cycle French Students.

A special thanks to their French teacher Ms Denise Burke and Ms Claire Brennan, HSCL & Erasmus+ co-ordinator, for organising this fantastic trip & accompanying the students to Paris.

This year marks 120 years of the biggest celebration of our language all over the world.

To join in the celebrations here at Corran College our students took part in a lively Trath na gCeist on Tuesday, March 15.

There was a great afternoon of fun for everyone with the winners getting some surprise treats on the day.

Thanks to everyone who got involved especially Ms Deirdre Connelly (Irish teacher) for organising the event.

On Thursday, March 3, our students took to the stage at The Art Deco Theatre, Ballymote, to preform ‘A History of Music’.

There were performances from groups doing cover versions of work by ABBA, Coldplay, Mozart, Bruno Mars, Eminem, Queen, The Beatles, Riverdance, The Spice Girls and Elvis on the night. Students got to showcase their amazing talents in front of their family, friends, and local community.

A huge thank you to all the staff of Corran College for getting involved and making the show such a huge success, especially Mr Martin Flynn (principal), Mr Seamus Kennedy (deputy principal), Ms Ceara Conlon (music teacher) and to the Blackstick Music School for producing and directing the show.

On Monday 19th September we

celebrated our 1st year Mass of Welcome for all those new to our college community and blessed them for their journey ahead with us.

Buddy Club with the students of the Bishop Christopher Jones Centre has started for the JPII award students. Lots of new friendships, catch ups and laughs are being had every week.

Recently, the Summerhill College Green Schools Committee restarted for the first time since before COVID. This year, the committee is focusing on saving energy and preserving water. Waste management is also crucial in their plans. Many litter picks have taken place over the past few weeks and bins have been relabelled.

On Thursday, October 27, Summerhill hosted an open night for new first year students attending for the 2023/24 school year. The night was intended to provide new students with a further understanding of the range of subjects they can choose from, as well as introducing them and their families to the teachers and assisting them with tours of the building.

On Tuesday, October 25, five teams from Summerhill College took part in Feachtas Tráth na gCeist which is a national quiz done through the medium of the Irish language. The quiz took place in Summerhill College and four other schools from the areas of Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal came to Summerhill College to take part.

The winners of the regional rounds of the Tráth na gCeist were Coláiste na Carraige, Donegal with 52/ 60 points. Mercy College, Sligo came in second place with 48/ 60 points.

Summerhill scored very impressive scores also, such as Team A who scored 47/60, but unfortunately did not make it into the regional rounds.

A very enjoyable evening was had by all and a very well done to our Summerhill students who took