2014 - 2015
Newry Feis winners Over 15 and Under 17 years winner Ciara Scott
Most Promising Speaker Therese O’Callaghan
Good Conversation Class
Staff and students at St Mary’s were delighted as they celebrated another successful year of excellent results at ‘AS’ and ‘A’ Level. The Principal, Mrs Margo Cosgrove, praised the 100% pass at ‘A’ Level with 70% achieving the highest grades A* - C. She commented, “the students have maintained the high standards within the school and these excellent results reflect their dedication and commitment to their studies. These students have also made a very positive impact on the life in the school through their many achievements and fine leadership qualities. Hard work, excellent teaching, pastoral support and the dedication and support from parents ensured the students achieved their potential, allowing progression onto their chosen course at University, College or Higher Education”.
Mrs Cosgrove, Miss Crawley and Mr Fitzpatrick with a selection of excited ‘AS’ and ‘A’ level students.
St Mary’s students celebrate another successful year where the high standard set in previous years has been exceeded with 86% of pupils achieving five plus A* - C grades and 100% achieving A*- E grades. An increased number of students have also achieved the top A* and A grades.
Mrs Cosgrove and Miss Crawley with some of the happy students
The staff are delighted not only with the high grades achieved by the girls but also with the overall GCSE success at all levels.
These results consistently outperform the targets set for non-selective secondary schools in Northern Ireland. Congratulations to our GCSE students
The Junior Presentation Award Ceremony celebrates the many achievements of those students who have completed Key Stage 3. The principal Mrs Margo Cosgrove congratulated the girls on their magnificent Junior results. She commended the hard work of the teachers, pupils and also thanked parents for their support. “There is indeed no secret to academic success – it is the result of working to the best of your ability, attending school and being focused on class work and homework. The students have definitely lived up to the school motto -Optimum Semper Facere - “always to do one’s best.”
Miss K Crimmins, guest speaker, accompanied by Mrs Cosgrove and Miss Crawley with some of the Award winners.
Present and past students of St Mary’s High School celebrated their achievements at the annual Senior Presentation Evening. Guest Speaker Mr Mickey Harte congratulated the Music students and commended the students on their excellent GCSE, GCE Advanced Level results and on their many curricular and extra curricular achievements while at St Mary’s High School. His inspiring words encouraged the students to nurture the values and faith they have experienced in their lives.
Only seven lucky schools in Ireland were chosen to participate in The MAC Theatre’s Shakespeare Festival and St. Marys were one of the few. Their Director Corinna Cunningham selected the well-known tragedy of Macbeth and decided to collaborate with St. Josephs High School on the project. The boys proved to be a wonderful addition to the project and complimented the skills of our talented pupils beautifully. After weeks of rehearsals, the performances all took place in The MAC, a professional theatre, in Belfast and the audience were captivated by the talent, dedication and bravery of the pupils. The collaboration of St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s Drama students has been a huge success. Long live Shakespeare in schools! Congratulations to everyone involved.
It was a great opportunity to meet new friends
Congratulations to our new Year 8 pupils in St Mary’s, who enjoyed an action-packed week of drama, dance and music, during the annual Summer Scheme, directed by the Sheridan Stage School, along with Ms Dearbhail Carr, Miss Anna McAllister and Miss Laura Kearney. The students have availed of the opportunity to challenge their dance, singing and drama skills as they performed “Clowns”, a fun filled production for parents and staff.
Year 8 students enjoyed an exciting morning at the Young Enterprise “Your School Your Business” seminar held in St Mary’s. Students, in their first month, were given an opportunity to learn about enterprise capabilities, reflect on their own capabilities and set goals for the future. They also learned about different jobs within the school, teaching and non-teaching and were introduced to the idea of the school as a business. The morning culminated in the groups applying enterprising characteristics to a problem solving activity and enjoyed a fun learning experience.
Miss Elizabeth O’ Hanlon, Recruitment Manager from First Derivatives, Newry was interviewed by the Year 13 Applied Business students recently to facilitate the completion of coursework. Students investigate First Derivatives as a company and used this model to support their studies.
‘A’ Level Business students welcomed speakers from one of their Business partners. Carillion Ireland’s Regional Director, Mr John Morgan, and Human Resources Manager Roger Dwan were interviewed by the Year 14 students and provided them with information for their ‘A’ level assignment – “Investing in People.”
A lower 6th student, Aine Fearon, was chosen for the prestigious Nuffield Foundation Project. This charity aims to influence education policy and practice, ensuring all young people develop the understanding and skills required to play an informed role in society. They also support the development and progression of young scientists and social scientists. Aine hopes to obtain a career in animal behavioural psychology. The Nuffield Foundation’s current focus is on foundations for learning, secondary education transitions, and science and mathematics education. In recent years, they have also funded projects on student parents and women's education. They support research and its translation into policy and practice. They also develop resources and approaches that exemplify effective educational practice. Through such Nuffield Research Placements they provide opportunities for students to take part in STEM-related research. We are extremely proud that Aine was given this fantastic opportunity. St Mary’s wishes to sincerely thank Norbrook Laboratories and the Nuffield Foundation for giving Aine this wonderful opportunity to advance her career in science.
A massive congratulations to our Year 14 Business Studies students who set up a “Business Buns” stall in Buttercrane. The girls had a very successful day selling all types of tasty treats ranging from cupcakes to tray bakes and biscuits to cheesecakes. Sincere thanks to everyone who stopped by to purchase the delicious range of cakes and also to everyone who so kindly gave a donation. All proceeds from the day were donated to our global partner school, St Mary's in Africa. We would also like to thank all the staff and students of St Mary's who so kindly supported the girls in their business venture and helped make the day such an overwhelming success. Special thanks also to Buttercrane for giving the girls this fantastic opportunity.
Year 11 Business Studies students attended the Tayto Factory in Portadown. The students investigated the methods of production used by the factory and the importance of quality assurance in the production of crisps which are sold to a global market.
Post 16 students in St Mary's embraced the opportunity to be trained as e-Safety Ambassadors. This innovative initiative was delivered in conjunction with Intel and Business in the Community and will enable students to share their training and expertise. The programme offered advice, guidance and resources on key topics such as Mobile Security, Online Safety, Cyberbullying and Apps. Having received the training from Intel, the e-Safety Ambassadors will deliver online safety information sessions to their peers, pupils in local primary schools and young people in their community.
St Mary’s SNAG team attended a Teenage Health Kicks fayre run by Newry Library. The event was an opportunity for organisations such as ‘Adapt Eat Distress’ and ‘PIPS’ to showcase the work they do in promoting health and wellbeing. A professional fitness trainer was there highlighting the importance of exercise and keep fit and a variety of fruit was available to sample. Overall it was a great opportunity for our SNAG to attend and we got wonderful ideas to ensure St Mary’s remains a healthy and happy school! Mrs Joanne McGinnHealth Education CoOrdinator and Mrs Grainne Mallon attended the event with the pupils .
Members of the Simon Community Homelessness Prevention Team came to deliver a talk to Year 11. As part of their Citizenship programme, the pupils were told about the work the Simon Community do in Northern Ireland and the importance of breaking down stereotypes. This informative presentation created an opportunity for questions and discussion. Our aim is to begin a Personal Development programme with the Simon Community in the new school year.
The Senior Fundraising Committee, began their fundraising activities with a staff coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. Everyone in school participated, donating very generously to help improve the lives of all those people affected by cancer. The girls also helped organise a cake sale and sold Halloween treats to raise those all important funds. A total of £530 was raised. Congratulations to the fundraising committee and also Mrs Morgan on such a fantastic effort and huge thanks to all those who donated.
In St Mary's we continually promote healthy living to all our pupils and we were delighted that Fionn from Teenage Cancer Trust was in school recently to present invaluable information regarding cancer. The presentation covered topics including - causes of cancer, how to deal with cancer and most importantly strategies that young people can put in place to prevent cancer. Fionn encouraged the pupils to eat healthy, exercise more and to avoid over exposure from the sun. The feedback from our Year 12 pupils was very positive and although a very sensitive topic - an extremely important one .
0824 held a cake and jumble sale this morning to raise money for street children in Zambia. Thanks to their hard work and the support of family and friends, a magnificent sum of ÂŁ400 was raised. Well done 0824 and Mrs Kearney.
This year, 80 shoeboxes have been collected for the Blytheswood care team from the staff and pupils of St Mary’s. A huge well done and thanks to everyone who contributed this year. Included in the photo are some girls from Year 10 who helped Mrs O’Hara organise a bun sale to raise funds to cover costs for transporting the boxes. The boxes end up in Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Pakistan, Romania or Serbia. We are assured that they do go to the most needy in society and we trust they make it there safely.
There was ‘fruit frenzy’ in St Mary’s as our SNAG team made delicious fresh fruit smoothies for all pupils. The smoothies were extra special as they were made using a smoothie maker BIKE! It was a great way to raise the awareness of keeping fit and eating healthy at the same time. The SNAG group also had beautiful fruit kebabs and grapes on offer and everyone enjoyed them. This year St Mary's SNAG team aim to
continue with their work in promoting healthy lifestyles including better breaks and banning energy drinks in school. Many thanks to our Home Economics department who helped and for use of their equipment and congratulations to the SNAG team and Mrs McGinn on a successful morning.
0806 have been working with the Southern Health Trust in a ‘No Smoking’ project. The aim of this project was to discover reasons why young people smoke, the dangers of smoking and most significantly strategies to prevent young people from smoking. The pupils have been working on producing a short video clip to educate young people about the effects of smoking using images and cards with sensitive statements. They also chose suitable music to accompany the clip. 0806 worked really well as a team and communicated their ideas effectively. Nikki Girvan and Emma Markey from the Southern Health Trust were very impressed with their hard work. The video clip will soon be available to watch on our school website and the Trusts web page. Here in St Mary’s the health and well-being of our pupils is paramount and Mrs J McGinn, our Health Education Co-Ordinator is delighted with how the project came together. Congratulations to 0806.
The SNAG team have been monitoring the ‘better breaks’ initiative. They choose to target our year 8 pupils during their 10 o'clock break and we kept a tally of how many pupils were eating a healthy snack. We were delighted and very impressed with the results and although we can’t reward the best class with sweets or chocolate, we thought we would reward them with a beautiful fruit hamper and certificate.
Certificates of achievement were awarded to pupils for their fantastic efforts in the environmental poster competition. The standard was incredibly high throughout KS3 with incredibly innovative ways to make us think about recycling. The overall winners receiving a £10 gift voucher for Buttercrane were: Year 8: Jessica Gallagher Year 9:Aislinn Preece Year 10:Caragh Coyle
Aunt Sandra's Handmade Candy Factory visited Year 12 Business Studies students. The pupils attended an interactive workshop learning about the history of the business and everyone had the opportunity to make their own sweets and prizes were given to the most creative designs. We would like to thank the staff of Aunt Sandra's for a very enjoyable day.
Once again, St Mary's has risen to the challenge to help local, national and global charities and staff and pupils must be commended for their efforts this term in helping to make a difference to those less fortunate than ourselves. Our fundraising activities, which included a junior school fitness day, a staff coffee morning, a Christmas Fayre and numerous cake sales have enabled us to make donations to several organisations. We have also contributed to the Blytheswood Shoe Box appeal and the annual Christmas Hamper appeal in aid of St Vincent De Paul with over 40 hampers and a cheque for £800 presented to Louis O'Donnell. A total of £9405.00 has been raised. Cheques have also been presented to: African School Project St Vincent De Paul Davina's Ark Macmillan Cancer Support Samaritans Zambian Street Children Action Cancer Romanian Appeal £400 Blytheswood Shoe Box Appeal - £200 Presenting the cheques and hampers were Mrs P Morgan, Mrs J Hughes and members of the Fundraising Committee, Shauna Torley, Meghan Flynn, Naoimh Hughes, Katie Matthews, Lana McNally, Shannon Thornton, Aoife Turner, Louisa Dillon, AislingMcAdam and Rachel Curtis.
£5000 £800 £800 £530 £775 £500 £400
Mr O’ Donnell collecting the Hampers
Everyone in St Mary's enjoyed a wonderful day of Christmas spirit at our Christmas Fayre. Pupils and staff dressed up in their best Christmas jumpers and fancy dress to join in on the fun and indulge in some Christmas treats. We had some amazing jumble stalls, a cake and bun stall, crafts, candyfloss, a chocolate fountain, face painting, tombola and raffles. Mrs Tennyson and the Music Department also offered some festive cheer with some Christmas carols. We also had a very special visitor when Santa called by to say hello. The day was a tremendous success and we are delighted that the event has raised £1475.95 for charity. Proceeds were split between SVDP and Davina's Ark. A massive congratulations to Mrs Hughes who organised the event.
Mrs Rosemary Rooney accepts a cheque on behalf of Davina’s Ark for £800. Money was raised from a whole school Christmas jumper day and Christmas Fayre, organised by Mrs J Hughes and Year 11. Well done everyone.
Following the recent tragic earthquake in Nepal, St Mary’s pupils and staff responded by raising £1000. We welcomed representatives from Habitat for Humanity into school to receive the donation. They were delighted with the quick and generous response, saying that our contribution would make a difference to so many people in Nepal.
St Mary's presents a cheque of £1,100 to Miss Ann Bradley, founder of Newry and Mourne Romanian Appeal. The money was raised from numerous fundraising activities in the school and to help fund the work of the Newry based charity in Romania.
Seventy, Year 10 students and their teachers and classroom assistants braved the heavy rain and damp conditions to undertake a sponsored walk in aid of the Newry Branch of the Samaritans. The walk from Jerrettspass into Newry City took place along Newry’s historic Canal tow path and took just over an hour and twenty minutes. Student Laura Grant was praised by organisers for her outstanding effort in individually raising £85, more than 10% of the total raised. Laura and her Year Head, Mr Morgan, helped present the cheque to Mr Paddy Mallon, and Mrs Kathleen Brennan, representatives of the Samaritans in Newry.
The annual book fair arrived in the school library today showcasing a great selection of books for students and staff to peruse. We hope you all enjoy your purchases and keep reading... “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors, and the most patient of teachers.”― Charles William Eliot
Rebecca Spiers, from the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children was in school to deliver an assembly to highlight the great work the charity carries out. She thanked the pupils for their support in a sponsored Readon and encouraged them to continue their support. The Readon was organised by the English Department, and took place on World Book Day.
To celebrate Reading Week in St. Mary’s, staff and pupils enjoyed a range of activities, including quizzes and whole school assemblies. Years 8, 9 and 10 read a wide selection of books and took part in many competitions. The standard of work was extremely high and the English Department would like to congratulate everyone who took part particularly the Year 9 winners.
The Parent Association have enjoyed a very successful year. The main purpose of the Association is to: • get parents involved in school life; • support the school; • support each other as parents and provide advice, signposting when and where is necessary. If anyone is interested in being involved in the work of the Parent Association they are more than welcome to join. The Parent’s Association can be contacted through the School Office (02830262851) and any correspondence can be marked for the attention of the Parent Association. The Parent Association have already donated £250 to student Anna Kearney who iwas involved in the Sister Cities music youth initiative. This involved bringing together 12 young musicians from across Newry and Mourne and Southern Pines North Carolina to experience a sharing of the diverse culture of music across the Atlantic. The association also organised an e-safety presentation as well as a Health and Well Being evening for parents and their friends.
A team of three , St Mary’s, ‘A’ Level girls took part in a Public Speaking Competition organised by the Knights of St. Columbanus. Seven teams took part and St. Mary’s was ably represented by Ellen Murphy, Ashlene Mac Anulty and Alannah Stephens. The girls presented their speeches in a confident and engaging manner. Well done to the girls and congratulations to the winning teams – St. Ciaran’s Ballygawley and Assumption Grammar Ballynahinch.
The popular Bring IT On Roadshows were taking place in various locations throughout Northern Ireland between November 2014 and April 2015. The Year 13 AS Level ICT students along with students from Our Lady's Grammar attended the IT Girls Event in December in the Titanic Quarter.
These sessions are designed to provide pupils with an understanding of businesses operating in the dynamic ICT sector and the career opportunities available. Pupils and teachers are given information on the local digital sector and the career opportunities available through presentations, fun challenges and activities. People who work for local companies attend these events as ICT Ambassadors providing an insight into their organisations and job roles.
Year 8 pupils participated in a programming workshop. Pupils developed and implemented coding to instruct a robot to manoeuvre a race course. The guest speaker for the event was Peter O' Callaghan, Senior Software Development Manager at Intel. A thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all. We eagerly look forward to our next IT event in the coming year, App Development.
The ICT Ambassadors at St Mary’s work with other students and teachers to get the most out of ICT by learning advanced skills in a number of areas. They are the student voice in the area of ICT, identifying new technologies and software that would be beneficial to their fellow students. Presently they develop resources such as tutorials and user guides that are accessible to the student cohort both inside and outside of school though the Fronter website. External projects also underway include working with The Buttercrane and The BBC for the upcoming BBC School Report. We pride ourselves in further developing the student’s interest and skills in ICT as part of their extra curricular activities. These extension classes enable them to look in more detail at some of the more exciting areas of ICT. They also promote the use of ICT across the curriculum.
St Mary's Science Department visited the amazing 'Make it Digital' exhibition at the BBC Blackstaff studios in Belfast. The event was part of the NI Science Festival, which invited students to get creative with technology and to have an interactive hands-on celebration of everything digital. The girls enjoyed a wide range of activities including coding games inspired by BBC favourites like Dr Who and Sherlock, which lift the lid on the mysterious world of computer programming with a taste of everything from digital fabrication and gaming to robotics and Raspberry Pi. They also experienced wearable tech, digital art, music and all manner of gadgets offering plenty to interest curious minds. While some students attended the robotics programming workshop, others watched 'The Magic of Oxygen' demonstration. At the end of the day, everyone visited the studio to see all the interactive Science and ICT activities.
St. Mary’s Technology Department hosted two Practical Skills Insight Days for primary school students from St. Joseph’s Primary School and St. Clare’s / Abbey Primary School. A total of seventy six Year 6 and 7 pupils from both schools were taught key practical workshop skills by Mr Morgan and Mr Magee. The purpose of the full day programme was to introduce pupils to some of the practical skills carried out in Technology and Design classes in KS3. The STEM programme included skills such as measuring and marking out, fabrication using plastics, card and wood, and practical activities using hand tools and workshop machinery such as pillar drill and soldering equipment. At the end of the session each pupil had produced their very own battery racer.
The STEM bus arrived at school and some of our Year 10 and Year 8 students got to solve crimes onboard. The STEM module is a mobile laboratory with state of the art equipment which they use to deliver workshops in each of the STEM subject areas. The day was all about forensics and the girls were ready to find the killer of Mr Chris P. Bacon and put him (or her!) behind bars. Evidence was gathered from the crime scene including footprints, fabric and blood samples. The girls had the opportunity to compare their evidence with that from the five suspects to see who could be eliminated. It was a great success and everyone really enjoyed being a trainee CSI agent for the day.
Two students from Year 10, Therese O’Callaghan and Danielle McHugh, represented St Mary’s High School at Environmental Youth Speak 2015. The local heat of the competition was held at the Newry and Mourne District Council offices in Monaghan Row. This year’s topic was ‘Food glorious food, why waste it?’. Our two environmentally conscious students delivered powerful and thought provoking speeches. Well done girls!
St Mary's is an Eco-School. We care deeply about protecting our school and community environments. Pictured are some of our Eco-Litter Monitors who work tirelessly to make our community a more eco-friendly place. As well as keeping our school grounds litter free, we are working with the Newry and Mourne Enterprise Agency to carry out a community clean up project along the tow path in Newry - a popular walking spot. Pictured are Emma Mc Donald, Aine Mc Evoy, Caoimhe Mc Shane, Jessica Goodman, Meabh Gough, Nadine Campbell, Olivia Pentony, Bronagh Gorman, Jessica Gallagher, Mrs R Kidd and Mrs M Cosgrove. Keep up the great work girls.
Congratulations to our very talented musicians who participated in our latest Lunchtime Recital. The Recital featured performances from Mr Cosgrove's Musical Ensemble and the newly formed Junior Traditional Group. Well done to everyone involved.
Congratulations to Kirsten, Jessica, Abby, Ellan, Aimee and Hannah from Years 8 and 9 who performed at the Lunchtime Recital. Well done girls and Mrs Tennyson. We look forward to hearing more from this talented group of musicians in the future.
Six of our pupils attended the Mourne Mountain Adventure. They were joined by hundreds of young people from all over Northern Ireland. The young people were from many different backgrounds and cultures, youth groups, schools, scouts, army cadets and church groups. The event was organised by Newry & Mourne District Council, PSNI, N I Fire Brigade and Mountain Rescue Team and St Mary’s participated under the guidance of our Youth Office Mrs Philomena Kavanagh. The groups completed a five and a half hour walk over the Mournes to Silent Valley. They were then transported to Kilkeel Harbour where they boarded ‘ribs’ (speed boats) which were sponsored by some of the organisers. On their return to Silent Valley the girls had a number of challenges to take part in. These were, climbing walls, the shooting range and go-karting. There was lots of fun and challenges throughout the day. After a very busy and most enjoyable day, leaders and young people were all provided with a delicious meal which was greatly appreciated by all. The young people were presented with medals and certificates for their completion of the Mourne Mountain Adventure.
St Mary’s Year 9 pupils recently returned from a very successful trip to Paris. The pupils visited the Eiffel Tower and Trocadero, Disneyland, Stade de France, Champs Elysees, Tuileries Gardens, Montmartre amongst other sights and enjoyed a cruise on the river Seine as well as bowling, swimming and shopping in Val d’Europe. The girls and staff thoroughly enjoyed the trip and have many precious memories of their time in the French capital.
The Home Economics Department hosted a trip to the Balmoral Show for Year 9 pupils. This event showcased all the best in food and farming that Northern Ireland has to offer. The pupils tasted a wide array of food samples from local Northern Ireland food producers. They watched show jumping displays in the sun and fast and furious sheep shearing competitions. They enjoyed a demonstration from Celebrity chef Rosemary Shrager. Highlights also included all the thrills of the funfair. A good time was had by all.
Pupils from St Mary’s made the journey to Lourdes in France as part of the Irish Helpers Children Trust pilgrimage. Chloe recalls some of her favourite memories of the trip. My friend, Emma, and I went to Lourdes with the IHCPT, which stands for Irish Helpers Children Pilgrimage Trust. On my way to Dublin airport so many thoughts buzzed through my head, “What if I feel homesick?”. However, these feelings quickly melted away when I arrived at the airport and met the most amazing people. As we were landing in Lourdes I was in awe at how beautiful it was. From my birdseye view it looked so pretty and peaceful. I couldn’t wait to explore it as we travelled to our hotel called the Mediterranee. We devoured a delicious feast – it had been a long time since breakfast! That night we had an early night as we had to get up at half past seven the next morning. On Monday morning we went to the baths but not everyone liked to go in. My favourite day was Wednesday as the group went to a beach called St Jean de Luz, which was the nicest beach I’ve ever seen! We took part in an open air mass. I was amazed at the singing and how happy everyone was. The priests spoke to us and made us feel very welcome. We prayed and joined in the singing and everyone in our group made great friends with all the other teenagers we met. If you ever get the opportunity to go to Lourdes I would strongly advise you to go. It was, without a doubt, the best experience of my life. I truly had a wonderful time and I made magical memories that I will cherish forever. By Chloe McCormack
St Mary’s students have enthusiastically fundraised to support their local Church’s renovation fund. Students were delighted to present a cheque for £2,000 to Canon Brown, Administrator and Mr John McClelland, Chair of the Parish Council and Chair of St Mary’s High School. The pupils raised the much needed funds through various activities this year including raffles, cake sales and sponsored events.
The R.E. Department in St. Mary’s proudly celebrates the achievements of 6 Year 14 pupils who have received the Pope John Paul II award for voluntary work carried out in their parishes and local communities. The award requires a total of 40 hours voluntary work and the girls received their awards at a special ceremony in Banbridge Parish Centre on Saturday 21st March 2015. The girls who received the award are Olivia Elliott, AshleneMacAnulty, Lisa Mulligan, Nicole McCann, Eimear Savage, Eimear Goodman. Many congratulations girls!
Bishop McAreavey was a welcome visitor to St Mary's to help our year 14 students celebrate their leaving Mass. During the Mass the students reflected on their many achievements and the contributions they make to life in the school.
Six pupils from St Mary’s joined up with around 1000 schools across the UK making the news. The pupils took part in BBC News School Report, a BBC project to engage 11-16 year olds in the news. Ex-teacher and BBC News presenter, Huw Edwards, supports the project. He said: “I'm involved because I want to give young people the chance to make the news themselves, and I want to share the principles of good journalism.” Over the past few months the students in Years 12, 13 and 14 have been working hard, training to be top journalists, carrying out interviews and producing reports. Principal of St Mary’s Mrs Margo Cosgrove said “The students were really excited about becoming involved in the nationwide news report. The students looked forward to experiencing the pressure of becoming BBC school reporters for a day. Indeed it has inspired many to consider a career in the media.” Our stories this year were once again very special and varied. Our first story described how two lucky students within the school have had very special encounters with Taylor Swift. Our second story details the rise of ladies rugby and how our own student Alannah is championing the sport within the area. Fundraising is a special part of St Mary's life and our third story charts the history and role of some very important charities in Newry and the surrounding areas. If you are interested in GAA, we also had a story about the recent AIB Senior Football Championship Final. To view their stories, check out the following link http://www.stmarysnewry.com/ BBC_School_Report_2015.aspx Well done girls and congratulations on another successful year reporting.
St Mary’s was delighted to welcome the French Theatre For Schools company on Wednesday afternoon. Year 9 and Year 10 pupils had the chance to see the play Le Role performed entirely by native Frenchspeaking professional actors. The emphasis was on fun and learning by doing. Six pupils had small parts in the play, and that, with lots of general audience participation made for a very enjoyable afternoon. All the pupils were able to talk with the cast after the performance. St Mary’s looks forward to welcoming French Theatre For Schools again in the near future.
Students from St Mary's visited The Dominican Playgroup's Multi-Cultural Day. The children celebrated in style by representing nationalities from around the world by dressing in multi-cultural costumes. Our students were also keen to join in the fun and brought a touch of our own Irish culture to the party. Erinn McAteer and Shannon McCrink danced a number of jigs while Meibh Byrne, Sarah Murphy and Rachel Curtis played some Irish Traditional Music.
To celebrate Fairtrade fortnight, our Year 9 Home Economics pupils were busy learning about the history of Fairtrade and in Home Economics made raspberry and white chocolate muffins using some of the wide range of Fairtrade products
Our Year 8's went on a guided tour of Newry Cathedral. Pupils and teachers learned a lot about the construction and history of our Cathedral. They were accompanied by Mrs Kearney, Mrs Magee and Mr Magee. A big thank you to Mr Desmond McMahon and Mr Michael Murphy for conducting the tours.
Anne Marie Foster from Stormont Education Outreach visited St Mary's to deliver a presentation to all year 10 pupils. The presentation highlighted the role of the Northern Ireland Assembly with particular focus on the role of our MLA’s. This was invaluable information and complimented the work the year 10 pupils are undertaking in Citizenship classes. It was very thought provoking and the pupils really enjoyed it.
Donna Fullerton from the Equality Commission Northern Ireland delivered a workshop to 1218. It was a very informative and interactive workshop giving the pupils an opportunity to explore equality issues in Northern Ireland. The girls got a chance to discuss the statistics from an Equality Commission report and they took part in an online survey about the importance of the Commission. It was a great session and we look forward to welcoming members of the commission for the return journey.
Our Year 8 students enjoyed action packed Interactive ICT activities. Students were given the task of developing digital books for primary pupils who will be transferring to post primary and will be attending St Mary's in September. Students had the opportunity to develop their ICT skills in areas such as Book Creator, iMovie and Podcasting. This resource will be invaluable in encouraging a very smooth and happy transition to St Mary's. Congratulations girls on developing some wonderful projects.
The Physical Education Department hosted their annual fitness event to get pupils active and highlight the importance of lifelong physical activity. "Fitness" Freddy McKinstry, Energy Fitness Ltd, lead a full day of activity for Year 8 -11. Mr Dan Belton from Avonmore Super milk spoke to pupils on the importance of diet and protein for developing athletes. The school also celebrated the achievements of former pupils on their All Ireland successes with Down in Gaelic football and Camogie. St Mary's were delighted to welcome the Mary Quinn All Ireland Gaelic football cup won by former pupils Eimear Kane, Orla Fegan and Sinead Fegan and their Down ladies team including All Star winner Aileen Pyres. It was also a special afternoon to also welcome former Head Girl, Nicola O'Gorman, an All Ireland Down Senior Camogie winner and the Kathleen Mills cup. The terrific achievements and the prestigious accolades of our past pupils highlight the passion for sport and physical activity in St Mary's and the surrounding community. We wish both Down Camogie and Gaelic football panels the best in the training and preparations for the forth coming season. Down Senior All Ireland winners: Past pupils Orla Fegan, Sinead Fegan, Eimear Kane and Nicola O'Gorman with special guest Aileen Pyres
l-r: Miss E Mc Court, Miss Crawley (Vice Principal), Nicola O Gorman, Orla Fegan, Sinead Fegan, Eimear \Kane, Miss M Murray ( Head of PE) and Mrs E O’ Higgins ( Former Head of PE)
St Mary’s High School U14 Gaelic football team competed for their first ever Lagan Shield. They played St Patrick’s College, Banbridge in the Shield final held at St Colman’s College. Our St Mary’s team got off to a strong start with Captain Aine McParland playing a pivotal position in mid field. Key scores in the first half from Nicola Downey and Lara O’Neill kept the St Mary’s side in front. The second half allowed the Banbridge side to slot over a few comfortable scores but there was a tireless effort in defence from Tiarna Tumilty, Lauren Anderson and Hollie McGrade.
St Mary’s also had six Netball players selected onto the U15 Southern Regional Academy. Year 10's Lara O’Neill and Chloe Morrison and Year 11's Aoibheann O’Hare, Jessica Watters, Billie Jean Larkin and Kinga Miojska were selected in September and won a Northern Ireland silver medal with the Netball academy in May.
Year 9 netball players Leah Finnegan and Nicole Cunningham were selected onto the U13 Southern Regional Netball Academy. Year 8 pupil Jessica Cochraine was selected onto the U13 Southern Regional Badminton Academy. Both squads were run by the Southern Sports Partnership. Year 9 St Mary’s Netball team were Bronze medallists in the Newry and Mourne Netball tournament hosted by Our Lady’s Grammar School. Nicola Downey was awarded Player of the Tournament. Year 8 St Mary’s Netball team were Silver medallists in the Newry and Mourne Netball tournament hosted by Our Lady’s Grammar School. Bronagh Gorman was awarded Player of the Tournament. Well done everyone.
In St. Mary’s we are passionate about reading and this shines through to our pupils. We firmly believe reading is a wonderful, enjoyable and beneficial pastime that should be promoted and encouraged. As a result, today we celebrated our year 8 Star Readers. A small group of girls, chosen by our Librarian and English Department, received an interesting and educational tour of Waterstones book store in the Quays. The girls gained knowledge of how a book store operates, the different sections and types of books available and a brief history of Waterstones. The girls then all received a £5 book voucher as a reward for the dedication to reading. After the difficult task of choosing a book the girls relaxed with milkshake in Eddie Rocket’s.
Rebecca Spiers from the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children received a cheque from St. Mary’s for £230. The money was raised through a sponsored Readon to celebrate World Book Day. Years 8, 9 and 10 took part – well done to all the girls involved. To find out more about Rebecca and the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children, please click on the link below and read our BBC School Report highlighting the magnificent work of Rebecca and her colleagues.
Barry Traynor visited St. Mary’s to collect a cheque for £1000 for Zambian Street Children. Barry is going out to Zambia next month and he explained to the girls how their money will be put to good use in a project which literally lifts children from the street and gives them a safe place to live and learn. 0824 raised half of the money by organising a cake and jumble sale in term one and the rest was raised through staff donations and other fundraising events. We wish Barry well in his upcoming trip and congratulations to 0824 for a magnificent effort!
St Mary's Liturgical Dancers were invited to participate in a special mass in Newry Cathedral to celebrate Catholic Schools Week, 25th-30th January 2015. Representatives from all primary and post primary schools in the Diocese of Dromore attended the special celebration led by Bishop John McAreavey and each school took part in either the processions, readings ,dance, singing or drama. Every school in the parish was presented with a commemorative scroll and prayer to mark this special occasion
The year 8 R.E. classes have been learning about the life of St. Brigid and Mrs Woods, School Counsellor, visited R.E. classes to teach the girls how to make a St. Brigid’s cross. Pupils and teachers had good fun learning a new skill and everyone got a cross to bring home.
The PSNI delivered a workshop to Year 12 pupils about the dangers of drugs especially the use of ‘Legal Highs’. Three Police Officers from Newry and Mourne spoke about the legal implications of drug use. They, accompanied by Dr Blathnaid Carlin, gave the pupils an insight into the short term and long term health problems associated with drug abuse. We were also very lucky to have John Edwards, from Walking Free, speak about his own personal experiences as a former drug addict. The pupils had the opportunity to ask questions and to see the biggest syringe in the world that is used to raise awareness of this very serious issue.
Congratulations to the recently appointed Head Girl, Paris Cregan and Deputy Head Girls, Courtney Ginesi and Rachel Curtis. These students leading the Rights Respecting School Council will play a vital role throughout the next academic year representing the “Student Voice “ in St Mary’s High School. Principal Margo Cosgrove congratulated the students on their appointments commenting on the wonderful contribution they have made in recent years and that she looks forward to working with this group of students in the next academic year.
St Mary’s Art & Design students took their annual trip to the ‘True Colours’ Exhibition. The girls stopped at the FE McWilliams gallery in Banbridge to view the work of the artist Victor Sloan. A private tour gave the girls a great insight into the work of Victor Sloan and his work based on Craigavon in the 70’s. The girls then got to spend time in both the Botanical Gardens and the Ulster Museum before visiting the ‘True Colours’ exhibition. This was a fantastic opportunity to view the work of top candidates at GCSE and ‘A’ Level throughout Northern Ireland, an achievement St Mary’s girls have been part of many times. A great day was had by all, with lots of opportunities to inspire the girls for their current exam work.
Thursday 5th March was World Book Day and in St. Mary’s we celebrated in style. The day got off to a great start with a special assembly to highlight how enjoyable reading can be. Years 8, 9 and 10 took part in a sponsored Readon in support of the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children. Pupils from primary 6 and 7 pupils from St. Clare’s Abbey and St. Patrick’s teamed up with year 8 pupils to take part in a book themed table quiz. The English Department was amazed and delighted with the girls’ extensive knowledge of books. The girls answered questions on many popular authors and books. Well done to everyone who took part and many thanks to St. Clare’s Abbey and St. Patrick’s Primary schools.
Students, Parents, Families and Staff all gathered together to say an emotional farewell to our Year 14 girls. A beautiful mass was celebrated by our School Chaplain Fr Corr. We wish the girls luck and every good wish for whatever path they now choose to follow. Everyone in St Mary's would like to thank the girls for 7 wonderful years‌...
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Year 14 pupils collated “selfies� of all their peers and teachers.
Our Art Department celebrated their annual exhibition by inviting pupils, parents and guests to view and appreciate the many GCSE, ‘AS’ and ‘A2’Art works. The GCSE theme of My Space inspired many wonderful creations including fine art, painting, sculptures, 3D images and clay creations. The invited guests were impressed by the high standard of work and praised the talents of the students.