Nessan’s NewsletterSeptember Edition 2012

The Year AheadFirst Term

Tuesday 28th August 2012 21st December 2012

Mid-Term 1 Monday 29th October 2012

to Friday 2nd November 2012 inclusive

Christmas Holidays: All schools close on Friday

21st December 2012All schools reopen on

Monday 7th January 2013Second Term

Monday 7th January to Friday 22nd March 2013 Mid-Term 2

Monday 11th February to Friday 15th February 2013

inclusiveEaster Holidays

All schools will close on Friday 22nd March 2013

All schools will reopen on Monday 8th April 2013

Third TermMonday 8th April 2013 to

Friday 31st May 2013

State Examinations Commence on Wednesday

5th June 2013Parent Teacher Meetings 2012

3rd Year & 6th Year Wednesday 21st November

2.30 to 5.452013

2nd Year, 5th Year & TY Wednesday 23rd January

2.30 to 5.45 1st Year

Wednesday 6th February 2.30 to 5.45

Pre-Leaving Certificate & Junior Certificate

ExaminationsWill commence week of

28th January 2013

We’d like to wish a happy birthday to Ms. Dwan,

Ms. Dunne, Mr. TreacyMs. Aherne and

Josephine

It is a case of best foot forward for the new school year at St Nessan’s Community College as they raised the school’s first Green Flag today, Wednesday, 5th September 2012. Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Marie Byrne was on hand to join in the celebrations at the Green Flag raising ceremony. Students, staff and invited guests were in attendance for this joyous proud occasion.Deputy Mayor Maria Byrne, “I would like to compliment St Nessans’ Community College on this wonderful achievement. As a school you have made great efforts on behalf of the environment. It is so important that every organisation manages their waste appropriately. You have prevented waste, made reductions in waste going to landfill and upped your level of recycling. Well done to you all. I look forward to the initiatives that you will work on for the next green school theme, energy.” Under the guidance of Maedhbh Dennison (Green School Coordinator) St. Nessans’ Community College embarked upon a plan to strive for their 1st Green Flag.

“Trojan work was completed by students & staff in all faculties & departments across the school. I am very proud of all the work & effort our students have completed to receive this achievement today. Our students have learned lessons for life – that’s what education is all about!”

Students focused upon battery/mobile phone recycling. How to make the compost bins work and become more self- sufficient. Students reduced their carbon foot print by reducing their waste. Students were extremely busy doing the litter monitoring across the school ground. The 1st years found out that chewing gum and cigarette butts were the two worst offenders. 2nd years discovered that being litter & waste wise saves the school money in waste disposal costs.St. Nessans’ Community College was approached by the Limerick City Council Environment Aware-ness Officer, Sinead Mc Donnell to participate in a project to raise the awareness on WATER Conservation and preventing plastic bottle waste - “Message in a bottle” The artist facilitator Diarmuid Neiland “ekotree” gave the students of the Green Flag Committee huge guidance and help in completing the 3D sculpture over three days. The 3D sculptures were exhibited in an art exhibition last May.

“I have to say that I only found positive experiences with the Green Flag Schools Programme. The highlight for me was the manner in which the student committee embraced the programme and the enthusiasm that they displayed in implementing all aspects of the programme. The Principal – Mr. Eugene O’ Brien

“I really enjoyed being part of the Green Team. Students got to know me and got to know what part of my job roll is in the school. The students are more understanding that it is myself who picks up their rubbish if they throw it on the ground.Well done to all the boys & girls.”The Care Taker – Mr. Kieran Griffin

St. Nessan’s Community College fly’s the Flag of Success

Ms. Dennison with Deputy Mayor Cllr. Maria Byrne & raising the Green Flag

Congratulations to all our students on their Junior Certificate & Leaving Certificate Results

Welcome to the JCSP Library Initiative.

This brochure will hopefully give you an insight into and a flavour of the workings of the Literacy and Numeracy Programme for 1st Years timetabled in the Library which supports the syllabi of the Junior Certificate.The students take part in extensive Literacy and Numeracy Classes every morning from 9 - 11am. They work in four groups of 8 students at four different stations and receive extra support/resources in teaching and learning. The groups move from station to station at thirty minute intervals. Topics are presented employing a number of learning/teach-ing methodologies and students benefit greatly from the intensive focused presentation of topics. When this initiative has been employed in other schools, the Junior Certificate Results have improved on previous years and Library usage statistics have also improved.

Students use JCSP Reading Profile Folders and JCSP Student Portfolio Folders to record and keep all their classwork. Students are assigned homework and both students and parents are updated on a regular basis regarding progress and achievements. Achievement is acknowledged and rewarded at each stage. Every opportunity is taken to send positive feedback home- JCSP awards morning, JCSP Library Open Morning, JCSP Postcards, Newsletter, Good Notes in Journal, monthly exam/assessment results.

This Programme continues for the year. Literacy is timetabled for Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Numeracy is timetabled for Tuesday and Thursday mornings.Best regards for the year ahead,

Ms. Marie Toomey, (JCSP Coordinator)

St. Nessan’s Community College JCSP Library Initiative

JCSP was introduced to St. Nessan’s Community College over 10 years ago. The focus of JCSP has always been on a Whole School Approach to Literacy & Numeracy.

In 2011, the Minister for Education & Skills launched “The National Strategy to Improve Literacy & Numeracy – 2011-2020”.Also in 2011, St. Nessan’s Community College, decided to take a closer examination of our provision of Literacy & Numeracy, throughout the whole school. Following this examination, it was decided to focus on early intervention and we introduced the JCSP Library Initiative, for 1st Year students. I am delighted to report that due to the hard work and dedication of the JCSP Library Teachers and the JCSP Co-ordinator, Ms Marie Toomey, this initiative has been a great success.

We are now entering the 4th week of the initiative and already we can see the benefits of the programme and the positive effect that it is having on the students who are fortunate to be participat-ing in this initiative. We will continue to evaluate the programme, over the next few months, with a view to rolling out all of the excellent aspects of this initiative, throughout the whole school.

Eugene O’BrienPrincipal

A writer once remarked that, “children are made readers on the laps of their parents”. There is no doubt that parents have a huge role to play in helping their children with Literacy and Numeracy. As a parent you are the single most important influence on your children’s education. Helping your child to read,write and do maths does not require a degree or fancy educational toys. In fact, by spending just seven minutes a day reading with your child you can really give him/her a head start with the development of reading. The good news is that it is also great fun and a wonderful way to share in the joy of your child’s discovery of books. Here at St. Nessan’s parents are actively encouraged to get involved and we host various events to encourage parents to visit us and see our school in action - Parents Mornings, Open Night, JCSP Awards, Parent/Teacher Meetings, Library Visits, Quiz Night, and other extra curricular activities.

Ms Marie Toomey (JCSP Coordinator)

Parental Involvement

Keep an eye out for our JCSP Library Initiative brochure which explains in detail what the Library Initiative is all about.

Scoilbhliain nua - Fáilte ar ais gach duine.Tá laethanta an tSamhraidh thart agus muid go léir ar ais ar scoilTá an Samhraidh nár tháinig imithe uainn..Fáilte mór ar daltaí nua.Tá súil agam go mbeidh sibh sona sásta i “bPobail Choláiste Neasáin Naofa”.REMEMBER “Is Fearr Gaeilge Bhriste ná Beárla Cliste” - “Broken Irish is Better than Clever English” Be proud to speak Gaeilge.

Ms.Ware - Roinn na Gaeilge

Roinn na Gaeilge

Is Mise Kiera Nírain, Is Maith Liom an Scoil Ta mé sa chéad bhliain, Is maith LiomNa múinteoirí ach Is fuath liom obairbhaile Ag deireadh an lae, Táim ag tnúth dul abhaileKiera Ryan, Rang 1DE

Cian is ainm dom. Tá mé i rang 1DE. Tá ag baint sult as mo scoil nua. Is iad seo a leanas na múinteoirī deasa atá agam. Ms. Heffernan, Madame Andre, Ms. Dunne, Ms. Nicholas, mo mhúinteoir Gaeilge Ms. Ware, Ms. Dennison, Ms. Cambell-Cudihy, Ms. Creedon, Ms. O’ Brien, Ms. O’ Connor, Mr. Clifford agus Mr. Johnson. Tá cuid acu cabhrach agus tuisceannach ach tá cuid eile crosta !. Táim ag tnúth leis an gcuid eile den bhliain. Is é mana na scoile ná “Fás, Foghlaim, Forbairt”. Tá siúl agam go bhfuil na rudaí seo i ndán domsa.Tá a lán áiseanna nua aimseartha sa scoil seo,ar nós,halla spóirt,ríomhairí i ngach seomra ranga,leabharlann,saotharlann agus halla gleasaíochta agus a lán eile.

Welcome to the JCSP Library Initiative.

This brochure will hopefully give you an insight into and a flavour of the workings of the Literacy and Numeracy Programme for 1st Years timetabled in the Library which supports the syllabi of the Junior Certificate.The students take part in extensive Literacy and Numeracy Classes every morning from 9 - 11am. They work in four groups of 8 students at four different stations and receive extra support/resources in teaching and learning. The groups move from station to station at thirty minute intervals. Topics are presented employing a number of learning/teach-ing methodologies and students benefit greatly from the intensive focused presentation of topics. When this initiative has been employed in other schools, the Junior Certificate Results have improved on previous years and Library usage statistics have also improved.

Students use JCSP Reading Profile Folders and JCSP Student Portfolio Folders to record and keep all their classwork. Students are assigned homework and both students and parents are updated on a regular basis regarding progress and achievements. Achievement is acknowledged and rewarded at each stage. Every opportunity is taken to send positive feedback home- JCSP awards morning, JCSP Library Open Morning, JCSP Postcards, Newsletter, Good Notes in Journal, monthly exam/assessment results.

This Programme continues for the year. Literacy is timetabled for Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Numeracy is timetabled for Tuesday and Thursday mornings.Best regards for the year ahead,

Ms. Marie Toomey, (JCSP Coordinator)

St. Nessan’s Community College JCSP Library Initiative

A writer once remarked that, “children are made readers on the laps of their parents”. There is no doubt that parents have a huge role to play in helping their children with Literacy and Numeracy. As a parent you are the single most important influence on your children’s education. Helping your child to read,write and do maths does not require a degree or fancy educational toys. In fact, by spending just seven minutes a day reading with your child you can really give him/her a head start with the development of reading. The good news is that it is also great fun and a wonderful way to share in the joy of your child’s discovery of books. Here at St. Nessan’s parents are actively encouraged to get involved and we host various events to encourage parents to visit us and see our school in action - Parents Mornings, Open Night, JCSP Awards, Parent/Teacher Meetings, Library Visits, Quiz Night, and other extra curricular activities.

Ms Marie Toomey (JCSP Coordinator)

Parental Involvement

Keep an eye out for our JCSP Library Initiative brochure which explains in detail what the Library Initiative is all about.

1DE = Grace Rogan & Connor Hannan 1DI = Luke Hoogan & Linda Hough1DA = Dejan Bosaic & Luke Ward 1DN = Shyan Stanners & Robert Kelly

The people listed above are the 1st year class prefects for 2012-2013. As class prefects we play a big role in the classes as student representatives. We share the problems of our class with the teachers and the Student Council until they are resolved or have been looked at. We also talk to the class tutors which are Ms. Creedon, Mr. Doyle, Ms. Toomey and Ms. Beaumont and our year head is Ms. Dwan.

By Grace Rogan and Connor Hannan

Class Prefects

Dia duit. Is mise Grace Rogan. Tá mé dhá bhlian déag daois. Tá mé ag freastal “Pobal Choláiste Neasáin Naofa”. Tá mé sa chéad bhlian i rang 1DE. Thosaigh mé i “Pobal Cholaiste Neasáin Naofa” ar an 03ú lá de mhí Meán Fomhair sa bhlian 2012.

Ar an gcéad lá, bhí mé béagnach neirb-híseach. Chonaic mé mo shean-chairde ar scoil. Chamh maith le sin, bhuail mé le Mykeala, Dylan, Josh, Kiera, Claudia, Shauna, Nicole, Conor, Mark, Stephanie agus alán daoine eile.

Is í Ms.Ware an múinteoir Gaeilge. An mana sa rang na“Dean Iarracht an Gaeilge a Labairt”.

Is aoibhinn liom mo scoil nua. Tá na múinteoirí cairdiuil agus cabhrach.Sin mo scéal!!

Scríobheann Grace Rogan an t-alt seo.

The Golden Apple “Ull Orga” On the 1st of February 2012 , sculptor Rachel Joynt came to St. Nessan’s C.C to start a project with the 5th year group. Rachel introduced a short presentation on her previous public art projects. She then introduced her new sculpture for the school – “Golden Apple” ‘Ull Orga”. The title is inspired by the W.B.Yeats poem – “The song of the Wandering Aengus” – the last stanza which reads “ the silver apples of the moon, the golden apples of the sun.”Rachel described the new sculpture as a large 2 metre high bronze apple polished to a golden lustre that will appear to have landed or rolled into the school grounds. She explained that where the proposed stem will be, you will be able to look through an eye piece and it will be lit inside. Inside, you will see 5 glass seeds suspended in a bronze star shaped pod.The Golden Apple arrived on the 26th of June and was carefully placed at the front entrance to St. Nessan’s Community College.

Artist Rachel Joynt works with last years 5th year students back in February.

The Ull Orga being put into position at the front entrance to the school

Easy does it - workmen carefully position the bronze apple .

‘Be Cool - Stay in School’ SMILE School Completion Programme

Newsletter Design and Layout: Michael O Connor Newsletter Editor: Marie Toomey

St. Nessans’ Community College fly’s the Flag of Success contd...

Contact Details : St. Nessan’s Community College, Moylish Park, Limerick.Phone: 061 - 452422Email: info@stnessans.com www.stnessans.com