DIGITAL NEWSLETTER
Celebrating students’learning and achievement with the school community
● A Busy Start to 2025! Pg 2
● Art Pg 3
● Business Pg 4
● Coding/ Computer Science Pg 5
● CSPE Pg 6
● Engineering Pg 7
● English Pg 8
● Gaeilge Pg 9
● Geography Pg 10
● Graphics Pg 11
● History Pg 12
● Home Economics Pg 13
● Maths Pg 17
● Modern Foreign Languages Pg 18
● Music Pg 20
● PE Pg 21
● Science Pg 22
● T4 Pg 23
● Social Education Pg 24
● Hub Pg 25
● Wellbeing Pg 26
● Charity Work Pg 27
● Clubs & Socs Pg 29
● Extra Curricular/ Events Pg 30
Welcome
I am delighted to welcome you to this 5th Edition of our Digital Newsletter. It has been a busy start to 2025 and this edition of the newsletter speaks volumes in terms of all the wonderful things that are happening in LETSS, both inside the classroom and beyond. There are many highlights that come to mind in terms of co-curricular and extracurricular activities. Some of the highlights here include both our Senior and Junior Ski Trips which saw students and staff tackle the slopes of Axamer in Austria and Madonna di Campiglio in Italy. It’s fantastic to seeskiinggrowfromstrengthtostrengthinourschool.Morerecently, we were delighted to welcome and host students and teachers from La Reunion as part of an Erasmus+ Exchange programme and we are already looking forward to the return trip in 2026. These are just some examples ofsomuchmore!
We continue to witness our students excel on the sporting field in soccer, athletics,basketballandbadmintontonamebutafew.Hurlingand Gaelic Football continues to grow as our student body increases. Creative Arts continues to flourish and this is evident in the art classrooms, artistic performance and of course, in the rehearsals that are in full swing for Aladdin - The Musical, which takes place next April in the Lime Tree Theatre. We have seen incredible work by students and staff with our awareness campaigns and charity work and this is an aspect of school life that we are very proud of. One of the big highlights of 2025 is the Belong To LGBTQ+ Quality Mark which the school received this month on the back of an amazing whole school effort which was steered by the Proud TogetherCommitteeinLETSS.
I invite you to have a read of this edition of our digital newsletter. Well done to all our students, staff and parents who have contributed to a wonderful2025todateinLETSS.
EoinShinners Principal
A Busy Start To 2025!
IN THIS ISSUE:
ART
Well done to our two Junk Kouture entries for 2025.Theyputasomuchworkintotheirdesigns.
Juliana, Beatriz and Daniela Aguiar De Oliveira createdagownmadeoutofencyclopaediapages.
Daniela Piewiskis, Isabella Clohessy, Irishia Bagalacsa and Alicja Bynter created a dress made fromnewspapers.
Junk Kouture is a fashion competition for post-primary school students, where participants design, create and model fashion, made from recyclableitems!
BUSINESS
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The JAI programme helps prepare young people for their futures by delivering hands-on, experiential learning in entrepreneurship, employability, financial literacy and the value of STEAM. The programme which was delivered by Dr. Yvonne Delaney from UL Kemmy Business School inspires and motivates young people to succeed in the changing world of work by equipping them with the skills, knowledge and confidence theyneed.
The students began the programme by exploring careers that interest them and how they might achieve these careers. This was followed by the students looking at where taxes go and the various types of insurance.
The programme ended with the students taking part in the Savvy Shopper Game where the aim is to be the first player to buy all items on a list and have the most cash savings and no credit card debt. All students thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the programme.
Gary’s 3rd Year Business class recently completed the 3 week Junior Achievement Ireland programme in class and received their Certificates of Completion.
Coding/Computer Science
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Well done to all Coding/Computer Science students who took part in the Bebras Challenge in November!Allstudentswhotookpartreceivedacertificateofparticipationwhichwas presented toallstudentsattheendoftheterm.
The Bebras® Computing Challenge introduces computational thinking to students, by allowing them to solve interactive tasks online. It is run in over 60 countries and takes place every November. The aim of Bebras is to get students all over the world excited about computing. The Bebras Challenge is run by the Irish Computer Society (ICS) and supported by Maynooth University.
Congratulations to the students who are now through to the final round of Bebras Challenges which will take place in Dublin on 5th April 2025 where they will have the opportunity to win some amazing prizes! Good luck to everyone involved and well done from the LETSS Computer ScienceDepartment!
Finalists: Antoni Andryszewski, Nathan Henriques, Daniel O'Sullivan. Caleb Gibes, Charlie Whittome, Maja Puzio, Jakub Szumacher, Kingsley Yuan, Reuben Gilligan, Jamie Lawlor, Oliver Crkon
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CSPE
LETSS Bin It Right!
Tadhg has set up a fantastic new initiative for junior students to encourage the correct usage of bins in school. Each student has received a homework pass stamp card which will be stamped by our bin monitors when the correct bin is used. When eight stamps are achieved, the student receives a homework pass for a subject of their choice.An excellent initiative!
ENGINEERING
TYStudents Learn theArt of Soldering
Some of ourTransitionYear students have been getting hands-on experience with soldering, and they are thoroughly enjoying the process! As part of their practical learning, they have been mastering the skill of joining electronic components, improving their precision, and developing an appreciation for how everyday technology is assembled.
IN THIS ISSUE:
ENGLISH
Class 1 De Valera’s Poetry Project
Using their ipads, first years were given the task of creating a short video of the most appealing images from the beautiful poem ‘This Moment’by Eavan Boland. They were also asked to add music that would suit the mood, tone and atmosphere of the poem.
IN THIS ISSUE:
by Hayley Rosentale
This Moment
Aneighbourhood. At dusk.
Things are getting ready to happen out of sight.
Stars and moths. And rinds slanting around fruit.
But not yet.
One tree is black. One window is yellow as butter.
Awoman leans down to catch a child who has run into her arms this moment.
Stars rise. Moths flutter.
Apples sweeten in the dark. —Eavan Boland
Illustration
Gaelbhratach
GAEILGE
I Mí Eanair d’eagraigh an coiste don GhaelbhratachTráth na gCeist don dara bliain. Bhuaigh na foirne seo a leanas sa chomórtas: (In January the committee organised a table quiz for second year students.The following teams won)
Class 1 Higgins took onaComórtasRince as part of Seachtain NaGaeilge.Seehow they got on by clickingthevideo!
I Mí Feabhra d’eagraigh an coiste Comórtas na dTomhas. Bhuaigh na daltaí seo a leanas dearbháin don cheaintín. (In February the committee organised a Riddle Competition. The following students woncanteenvouchers)
GEOGRAPHY
IN THIS ISSUE:
Aisling’s 1st year Geography class used their imagination to construct earthquake proof buildings. Pasta and marshmallows were used as the building’s solid foundations. Well done everyone!
GRAPHICS
2ndYear Students presenting CBA1 Posters on Geometry in everyday objects.They spent their time researching everyday objects and how geometry plays a part in each. Well done everyone!
IN THIS ISSUE:
HISTORY
First-year history students explored Age of Exploration ships by sketching a caravel — a small, fast sailing ship used by explorers like Christopher Columbus. This fun exercise helped them understand its unique features, from triangular sails to a sleek wooden hull!
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HOME ECONOMICS
2ndYear Sustainability & Embroidery Workshop
Second year Home Economics this month visited Limerick College of Further Education, on Mulgrave Street for a sustainability and embroidery workshop.
Student got the opportunity to discover the effects of the textile and fashion industry on our environment such as fast fashion, detergent use and the concept of Carbon Washing.
Later that afternoon, students engaged in a mixture of hand and machine embroidery and upcycled old denim that they brought in from home.
Click on the video here to see how our students got on!
HOME ECONOMICS
Pancake Tuesday in LETSS
First years applied their culinary skills and knowledge in the spirit of PancakeTuesday.
Lots of fun and learning was had.
Click on the video to see their pancake flipping skills.
HOME ECONOMICS
2ndYear Home Economics February Cookery Exams
Congratulations to our 2ndYear Home Economics students who completed their first in-house cookery exam. Students had to apply their culinary skills that they have been learning over the term and prepare, cook, serve and evaluate a main course dish of their choice.
When you click into the video you will see all the delicious dishes these young teenagers produced in class.
HOME ECONOMICS
ThirdYear Home Economics Mock Practicals
3rdYear students have been getting creative with the dishes they will prepare for their practical skills performance exam.
MATHS
CBA1 - Technology at its Best!
This term, our 2nd year students have been putting their problem-solving skills to the test with a range of exciting math investigations while completing their CBA. Using real-world applications, our young mathematicians have demonstrated creativity, logic, and a keen eye for detail.
One particularly exciting project was done by Viktoria, who used math to plan and analyze her family's holiday abroad. She calculated travel distances, budgets, and time zones while mapping out their journey across Europe. By using conversion rates for different currencies, she figured out how much they were spending in each country and even worked out the best times to visit tourist attractions to avoid long queues. Viktoria’s project showed how math is super useful in real life, especially when planning something as fun as a vacation!
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Another fascinating project was carried out by DJ, who investigated the cost of keeping a lion at Dublin Zoo. He researched the expenses involved, including food, veterinary care, and enclosure maintenance. By analyzing zoo budgets and estimating annual costs, DJ was able to calculate how much it takes to care for such a fierce animal. His project highlighted the importance of funding conservation efforts and how math can be used to manage resources efficiently.
Meanwhile, Nathan explored the cost of setting up his own lemonade stand. He calculated the prices of ingredients, cups, and other supplies, then determined how much he would need to charge per cup to make a profit. Nathan's project showed how math plays a key role in running a small business and making smart financial decisions.
These exciting projects show just how fun and useful math can be. By exploring numbers in real life, our students are learning to think, solve problems, and see the world in a new way. We can’t wait to see what fun math adventures they take on next term!
IN
Bienvenue to our exchange students and staff from La Reunion Island!
InMarchwewelcomedourexchangestudentsandstafffromLa ReunionIslandwhoarrivedinLimerick.Theyspenttendaysinour beautifulcityandattendedschoolwiththeirIrishpartnersand engagedinlearningactivitiesandworkshopsonthetopicof ‘FolkloreandSustainability’.VousêteslesbienvenusàLimerick
MFL
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Limerick - La Reunion Erasmus+ Exchange. Snaps from activities with our Reunion exchange partners. Activities included mini golf, bowling and a trip to Limerick City Centre. Students had a wonderful time learning about the history of Limerick, visiting King John’s castle, Limerick City Museum and St. Mary’s Cathedral. They even got to try the local food from the most popular restaurants in thecity!
MUSIC
1stYears Instruments of the Orchestra PBL
Inmusicclassthisterm,eachstudent learnedaboutaninstrumentthenhada speeddatingclasswherestudentshadto explaintheirindividualinstrumentstoevery studentintheclasswhilealsotakingnotes abouttheinstrumentstheyarelearning about.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Feile Luimni Success
CongratulationstoKingsleyHuanin 1styearwhowonbronzeatthe Junior14pianocompetitionatFeile Luimni!
PE
IN THIS ISSUE:
5th Years were trialled and tested by Fitness Tester Darragh Kennedy, who showed the group how the improvement in technology has improved accuracy of fitness testing amongst Athletes. By using speed gates, the students unleashed their competitive sides be comparing their 5m, 20m and 10m fly speeds. An excellent day had by all!
SCIENCE
AWorld Without Friction
I was assigned to make a short film project based on ‘a world without friction’. There were many options to choose from and one of them was to make a short animation. I really enjoy drawing so I chose this option. For my first example, I wanted to show how walking would be without friction. I drew each and every frame with a character falling over and showed a section with friction. For my second example, I wanted to show what would happen if you tried to ride a scooter. I showed a character attempting to ride a scooter but the scooter would not move. For my last section, I showed what would happen if you tried to place a ladder against a wall, the ladder would just fall over and over until I added a section with friction. I added a little ‘’thanks for watching’’ segment and ended the video. I found this really fun to draw and tried to make it a little funny. I hope I will be able to do something like this again!
Oliver Strzewiczek (2ndYear Science)
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2nd Year Science - Hooke’s law; the force needed to stretch a spring is directly proportional to the extension of a spring.
Students used a virtual simulation to investigate how weight affects the extension of a spring.The technology allowed students to visualise the concept of Hooke’s law prior to doing the experiment. After doing the virtual simulation students were able to form a hypothesis about what would happen when they did the experiment using lab equipment.
Students pictured: Ben Meaney & Mikail Hassan
T4
Construction Studies
This term in 5th year Construction Studies. A ‘problem’ arose from the Geography department. They needed to create a suitable foundation for the schools new weather station.As we were covering this topic in class, we decided it would be a great idea to combine the two and satisfy a brief. “Create a suitable foundation for a weather station”, The foundation must be capable of withstanding excessive wind loads. Therefore the concrete would need to be tested for workability and strength.The images show the steps involved in digging out the foundation, Mixing the concrete, Carrying out a slump test and creating concrete cubes to be tested for strength. The cubes were tested in BHP laboratories in Limerick. Who were very kind in letting us use the equipment to carry out the experiments.
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Social Education
FifthYear LCAstudents visited the Limerick College of Further Education this term and explored the various services they offer.
Students all registered an account during their visit and completed a key assignment. Students had to research books about their local area whether it be landscape, architecture, history or sport.
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HUB
BowlingTrip
On March 5th, the students headed to Arena 5 for an exciting bowling extravaganza. Strikes were scored, and plenty of pizza was enjoyed. A big shout out to Nathan Dalacsi and Dylan Kellar Carson, who dedicated weeks to organizing the trip—hats off to them! It was a fantastic day out for everyone.
LidlTrip
On Wednesday, March 12th, students Dylan Kellar Carson and Levi Gaughran visited the newly opened Lidl supermarket. They had a fantastic shopping experience and were impressed with the new facilities, describing it as “a greatplacetoshop.”
WELLBEING
International Women’s Day
The women of LETSS were treated to an assortment of delicious sweet treats to celebrate International Women’s Daylastweekforalltheworktheydoinourschool.
TreatsAll Round
CHARITY WORK
Our hot chocolate morning fundraiser was a success raising funds for Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. Well done to all involved!
IN THIS ISSUE:
CHARITY WORK
€1000 raised for Focus Ireland
- The Big Busk CONGRATULATIONS and well done to all our students and staff for a massive effort in the ‘Big Busk’ fundraiser on Friday the 7th of March for Focus Ireland. Over €1,200 raised!! Many thanks for all your support and
CLUBS & SOCS.
We are very fortunate here in LETSS to have so many wonderful clubs and societies up and running, such as…..
Golf
Tennis
Songwriting
Basketball
Proud Together
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Camogie
Soccer
Badminton Library
Gaelic Football
European
Video Game
Ladies Gaelic
Art
Board Game
Green Schools
Active Schools
Hurling Rugby Frisbee
Creative Crafts
Debating
Multicultural
Extra Curricular/Events
Munster Schools Rowing Blitz -
A huge effort was given by all our rowers in UL last week. Congratulations to all who took part. Well Done to our 1st year girls, 2nd year girls, 3rd year boys and Senior boys who won medals!
Extra Curricular/Events
Debate team into ETSSAll Ireland Final!
Congratulations to our fantastic debate team who have been crowned champions of theAll Ireland ETdebating competition after defeating Celbridge ETSS on the motion that ‘Hate speech bills are always an effective tool’.The team of Zara Khan (c), Lilliana Casey-Nehrig, Rowan Gavin andAmara McGann proved too strong for their opponents and brought home the silverware! Our entire school community are beyond proud of all of you!
Extra Curricular/Events
InFebruary,anumberofstudentstookpartintheAthletics CrossCountryeventinPallaskenry.Aspecial congratulationstoJackCrowley5thyearwhofinished4th place,securinghimselfaspotintheMunsters!Welldone everyone!
Extra Curricular/Events
LETSS is awarded the LGBTQ+ Quality Mark by BelongTo
Thisveryprestigiousaccreditationistheculminationofa18monthjourneyin whichtheProudTogetherSupportTeam,schoolleaders,staffandstudentshave workedtogetherandtirelesslytomakeourschoolaplacewhereallLGBTQI+ students,staffandparents/carersarewelcomed,celebratedandactively supported.
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TheLGBTQ+QualityMarkprovidesacomprehensiveapproachtodevelopingan LGBTQ+safeandsupportiveschoolthatincludes:Ensuringthatstaffare equippedtosupportLGBTQ+students.Creatingasupportive,LGBTQ+inclusive schoolcultureandenvironment.Encouragingstudentstosharetheiropinionsand ideasonhowtocreateasafeandsupportiveschool.Developingand implementingeffectiveschoolpoliciesandplans.Implementingacurriculumthat supportsdiversityandrespect.Workingwithparents,communityorganisations andotherlocalLGBTQ+youthprojectsorgroupstopromoteLGBTQ+inclusion.
Extra Curricular/Events
Celebrating our BelongTo LGBTQ+ Quality MarkAccreditation
IN THIS ISSUE:
InFebruaryWecelebratedourBelongToLGBTQ+ QualityMarkAccreditationbyunveilingourbrand newrainbowcrosswalk.Duringourawardwinning StandUpAwarenessweekbackinNovember2024, theProudTogetherCommitteefundraisedfora rainbowcrosswalk;todaywesawthatideabecomea reality.Thankstothewholeschoolcommunityforthe hardandconstantwork.Ouraccreditationandour newrainbowcrosswalkarenotjustarecognitionand paint,theyaremuchmorethanthat,theyrepresent ourethos.Wearedelightedthatanymemberofour communitywillwalkintoourschooleverymorning knowingthattheywillalwaysbesupported,valued andcelebratedforwhotheyare.
Extra Curricular/Events
Junior and Senior Ski Trips - Italy 2025
IN THIS ISSUE:
Both Junior and Senior students hit the slopes of Madonna Di Campiglio, Italy earlier this year to test their Ski Skills. A great week was had by everyone involved in these trips. Well Done to everyone involved
Extra Curricular/Events
Extra Curricular/Events
Extra Curricular/Events
5thYear LCACoffee Morning
LCAstudentswerejoinedbytheirparents/carersoncampustoenjoysome sweettreatswhichtheyhadbakedearlierthatmorning.Theoccasionwas furtherenhancedbythepresentationofstudentcertificatesandshowcasing exemplarwork.
Extra Curricular/Events
5thYear LCACoffee Morning
Extra Curricular/Events
TransitionYear Model United Nations
Towards the end of January this term, eighteen of ourTYstudents took to Cork City Hall to participate in Model United Nations. Over 500 students from all corners of Ireland and Europe, become a UN state member or a NGO and try to find resolutions affecting our world.This conference showcases our students’diplomatic and leadership skills!
Extra Curricular/Events
Code of Positive Behaviour Workshops
In January, our 1st to 3rd year students engaged in code of positive behaviour workshops facilitated by year heads and tutors.The purpose of this was to ensure students have an improved understanding of the code of positive behaviour in place in our school. Well done everyone!
1stYear Class of the Month
Class Fitzgerald Were Victorious!
February marked the launch of the First year Class of the Month which seeked to rewards students for their positive engagement and behaviours in class over the course of this month.
On Friday 28th February class Fitzgerald were announced winners and the school hosted a celebratory Breakfast morning with the class, their Year head andTutor. Students received a HW pass and some free
Extra Curricular/Events
Boys GAA
1st year boys football played Charleville CBS in a pre seasonfriendly.Itwasavery competitive debut for the 1st year boys that played. The boys now turn their attention to the championship where they will face Mungret CC. It is great to have so many boys playing GAA in our school,keepitupboys!
U15 Boys Hurling v Glenstal Abbey
LETSS 0-3 GlenstalAbbey 3-6
Our boys Under 15 Hurling team played their first competitive game of 2025 onTuesday 11th March versus GlenstalAbbey.This game was played at Murroe-Boher GAAPitch saw Glenstal Abbey run out winners on a score of 3-6 to 0-3.
The LETSS team was mainly made up of 1st and 2ndYears.The best performers on the day were Lee Ryan, Conor Blake, Rian Hanrahan,Aidan Lawlor, Jake O’Callaghan and KyleTobin. Scorers for LETSS were Rian Hanrahan Stewart 0-1, Jake O’Callaghan 0-1 and KyleTobin 0-1.
Team: 1. Lee Ryan, 2. Liam Canty, 3. Donal McMahon, 4. Conor Blake, 5. Darragh Ryan, 6. Rian Hanrahan Stewart, 7.Aidan Lawlor, 8. Jake O’Cllaghan, 9. Kyle Tobin, 10. Ryan O’Dwyer Lipper, 11. Sean Fitzgerald, 12. Callum Storan, 13. Darragh McNamara, 14. Michael O’Connell, 15. Jamie Fitzgerald.
Subs: Ethan Cooke, Cian O’Mahoney, Denis O’Malley,AJ McGuane,
Extra Curricular/Events
OnThursday,30JanourSecondYearswelcomedthewonderfulambassadorsof the Irish Guide Dogs Association, Marie, Shane and their beautiful dog, Peaches to give a very interesting talk about the great work they do.They gave a detailed speech explaining how much it costs to raise and train all the dogs for theirspecialhomes.Theyalsoexplainedwheretheygettheirnamesandalsothe different coat colours for different dogs.Ablue coat is the symbol for autism and white is for the blind. DJ Grimes chose to support this charity as he himself will need help from the Irish Guide Dogs when he turns 16 as he has a syndrome calledBardetBiedlSyndrome,themainsymptombeingvisualimpairment.
Extra Curricular/Events
Rehearsals are in full swing, even on the Mid-Term break. Students and staff working very hard ahead of opening night. Limited amount of tickets are available via the LimeTree Box Office at : https://limetreetheatre.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth /shows/873650450 BookASAPto avoid disappointment!
TYMusical Preparations -Aladdin
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A reflection from the cast of Aladdin
“As we edge closer toAladdin’s opening night, hopes are high but so are the nerves. It definitely helps how eager everyone is about the show, and how willing everyone is to make sure this show is our best yet. Over the past few months, finding a balance between learning lines, singing, dancing, and just general school work has proven to be very difficult. But at least we know everyone is facing the same thing and it’s reassuring to know that byApril, we will all emerge with something we can be truly proud of, and with the knowledge that all of our hard work, dedication, and sacrifices will have been completely worth it”
Extra Curricular/Events
TYDrivers Education
On Friday 7th of MarchTYstudents engaged in a practical day to accompany their Drivers EducationTYProgramme.They got the chance to drive a car, learn about car maintenance and E-Scooters and even changed some tyres!. Lots of fun and learning took place!
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Extra Curricular/Events
Badminton and Basketball
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LETSS Badminton Team have done so well this year, with over 50 students taking part in training and games. Our u14 and u16 girls teams won the Limerick League and came up just short in UL in theMunsters.WellDoneeveryone :)
LETSS Basketball Teams are stronger than ever, with an amazing uptake of First Year Girls playing this year! They were very unlucky in their recent Semi Final vs St Flannans,Ennis.
Extra Curricular/Events
Hurling with Students From La Reunion
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Our U15 Boys Hurling team did a demonstration of the skills of hurling and helped with some coaching to our visiting Erasmus students from Reunion on Friday morning in bitterly cold weather. The students from Reunion were shown how to roll lift rise the sliotar, handpass, catch and strike. There were some excellent skills on display from the newcomers to hurling. The lads finished off with a small game demonstrating all the skills they had coached. Thanks to Hurling coach Gary and Erasmus coordinator Christian for organising a memorable morning.
Friday 14th March -ABig Day for LETSS!
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Congratulations to the Proud Together Committee and the Junior Debating Team!
Well done to the ProudTogether Committee who accepted the LGBTQI+ Quality Mark from BelongTo at a ceremony in Dublin. Congratulations also to the Junior DebatingTeam who won the National EducateTogether final on the very same day!
