Coliste Lorcin

Summer Newsletter 2015

PRINCIPALS ADDRESS
Parents, Students, Teachers and Friends,
Welcome to our rejuvinated Coliste Lorcin Newsletter. As you read through the newsletter
you will see we have had a very busy final few months here in the school, with lots of change,
much hard work done & together we have reached June once again. By the time this
newsletter reaches you our 6 th & 3rd year pupils will have completed their state examinations.
Well done to all exam students and their parents for making it through what is a difficult but
necessary process. The exams are a very important part of school life, but as this newsletter
will show, exams are only one part of school life in Coliste Lorcin.

Ms. Nessa Doyle

School Awards Day

On Wednesday May 20th the School Awards Day took place in the Gym attended by all pupils
and teachers. This annual ceremony is an opportunity to acknowledge hard work and
achievement by our young people throughout the year in both curricular and extra-curricular
aspects of school life. Below is a flavour of the winners in some of the most prestigeous
categories:
First Year Student of the Year Isaac Akinsete
Second Year student of the Year
Padraig Behan
Third Year Student of the Year Krista Nolan
Fifth Year Student of the Year
Keila Dias
Outstanding Contribution Awards went to: Roisin Doran, Tianna Bowens, Jordan Berry &
Ben Costello

Transition Year Graduation Night

A wonderful night of colour and celebration was held on Monday May 25 th to mark the
Graduation of the TY Class of 2015. Led by the TY Yearheads, Ms Gavigan and Ms Wafer, the
class of 2015 and their parents enjoyed an overview of the years highs and successes. The
students received awards for their contributions in areas such as German Club, Homework
Club, Gaisce, Meggars, Attendance, Law, contribution to Sport, Science, Music & overall
particiapation to the years programme, to name but a few. The Transition Year Student of the
Year went to Edel Redmond and the Outstanding contribution award went to Shane
Brennan. Refreshments were provided on the eveing by the Parents Council, for which the
TY class and the school is very grateful.

Sixth Year Graduation Night

Marking the end of an entire career in second level education, the Graduating Class of 2015
came together with their parents and the school community to celebrate on the evening of
Thursday May 21st in the school gym. The evening began with a beautiful celebration of Mass
led by Fr. Paul assisted by the Chaplin, Mr. Stan Dolan and the music director Ms. Rosann

Dempsey. The class group looked wonderful as they assembled together to the right of the
alter and took full ownership of the evening by their heartfelt participation through song,
readings and reflections. Ms Doyle spoke of her joy at being present to witness the
emergence of such a fine group of young people into the world, following their successful
years in Coliste Lorcin. Mr Wall, the sixth year Yearhead presented various awards to
students amoung them were the Sixth Year Student of the Year Awards which went to Aleisi
Horan and David Horan. The evening concluded with a delicious feast of savoury and sweet
treats provided by and served by the Parents Council. A huge thank you is owed to the
members of the Parents Council who gave of their time and skills to ensure that a wonderful
night was enjoyed by the Graduating Class and their parents.

Board of Management

April 2015 saw the first meeting of the newly appointed Coliste Lorcin Board of
Management which will sit for a duration of five years. The members of the BOM are as
follows Sr. Madeleine Ryan (Chairperson, PSMG), Mrs Maura Keatley (PSMG), Mr Donal
OMurchu (PSMG), Mr Mark Wall (KWETB), Mr Ivan Keatley (KWETB), Ms Aoife Breslin (KWETB),
Mr Mick Kelly (Parent), Ms Anne Cope (Parent), Ms Joanne K Daly (Teacher), Mr Shane Hutton
(Teacher) and Ms. Nessa Doyle (Secretary). Ms Sarah Thompson is the recording secretary.
The BOM meets three times a year in September, January and April, but held an additional
meeting this June.

Parents Council

The Parents Council have had a busy year supporting the school in the areas of fundraising
and supporting events & policy development, amongst others. The Council is currently
chaired by Ms Maeve Deay, the Secretary is Ms Helen Hall & the Treasurer is Ms Ann Cullen.
As already mentioned the support of the Parents Council at events such as the hosting of the
National Basketball Playoffs & the TY and Sixth Year Graduation nights was invaluable this
year. Such support from this important stakeholder in our school, the parents, makes the
running of events truly community wide endeavours and displays the community spirit which
abides in Coliste Lorcin. The staff and students are very grateful for the dedication and
hard work given to the school by the active members of the Parents Council. In fact this
council has already set out a programme of fundraising for the remainder of the calendar
year. On Sun Sept 27th the PC will hold a cake sale at the Castledermot Vintage Club day.
Also on that day tickets will be available for a purchase for a very prestigeous pre-Christmas
cookery demonstration to be hosted in the school gym on Fri Nov 27 th by a celebrity chef.
Exciting details to follow!! The Parents Council welcomes the attendance of all parents to the
meetings as additional supports and ideas is to the benefit of our students, the most
important people in our school community. So parents please do attend the next meeting
which will be held in September.

Foreign Trips

Two foreign trips took place this year for Coliste Lorcin Students. The first was in early
March when, ably assisted by Ms Campbell and Mr Kinane, Mr Lyons, the 2 nd year Yearhead led
a group of second years to Wales. The highligh of the action packed trip was a visit to Parc y
Scarlet to see the Pro 12 Leinster Vs Scarlets game. While Leinster did not win on the
occasion, the game and pre match parade on the pitch by the Coliste Lorcin students was
very much enjoyed by all. The second trip abroad this year was the TY tour to Manchester
over the May Bank Holiday weekend. Led by Ms Wafer, Ms Gavigan and Mr. McGovern, the
travelling TY students had a wonderful time visiting museums, fun parks and most importantly
for many of the group, Old Trafford. Reports from the trip echo sentiments of super fun, song
and good times. Overall both tours were tremendous successes made by possible by the
good humour and behaviour of all the students & the work and enthusiasm of all the teachers
who organised and led the trips. The pupils, parents and staff very much appreciate the hard
of all six of the teachers involved.

Promoting Positive Mental Health

A workshop facilitated by Kildare Youth Services was held in the school on Tuesday May 19 th
for all senior students who wished to attend. Coliste Lorcin sought to provide its young
people with the skills necessary to mind their own mental health. Students found the
workshop to be very beneficial and also enjoyable.

Healthy Eating

At the end of February the school was delighted to welcome Prof. Donal OShea of National
fame via RTEs Operation Transformation. Professor OShea is known for his promotion of
Healthy Eating and no nonsense approach to tackling the nations looming Obesity and
Diabetes crises. He spoke to the entire student body, staff & parents for over 90 mins,
answering all questions put to him in a frank & highly entertaining manner. However, the
message was very clear, as a nation we are not eating enough fruit & veg, we are consumimg
too many liquid calories in the form of soft drinks & we are not exercising enough. The
manner in which the message was delivered was encouraging not criticising, empowering all
to take control of their eating habits & not to become a slave to clever advertising techniques
of food producers who are trapping us into high fat, high sugar, low nutritional choices. In
keeping with the healthy eating, healthy living message Coliste Lorcin has planned whole
school Sports Day for Tuesday September 29th.

Enjoy the Summer and we look forward to seeing you all in August!