Nessan's Newsletter October Edition
The Year Ahead
2013
LCA Trip to Blackwater Activity Centre
First Term Monday 26th August 2013 20th December 2013 Mid-Term 1 Monday 28th October 2013 to Friday 1st November 2013 inclusive Christmas Holidays: All schools close on Friday 20th December 2013 All schools reopen on Tuesday 7th January 2014 Second Term Tuesday 7th January to Friday 11th April 2014 Mid-Term 2 Monday 17th February to Friday 21st February 2014 inclusive Easter Holidays All schools will close on Friday 11th April 2014 All schools will reopen on Monday 28th April 2014 Third Term On Wednesday the 16th of October the L.C.A.1 class along with Ms Beaumont and Monday 28th April 2014 to Ms Ingerton attended the Blackwater activity centre. We arrived at the centre at Friday 30th May 2014 10.15am and were immediately introduced to our three leaders Joe, Conor and KaState Examinations ren. They explained the activities that we would be taking part in and the rules that Commence on Wednesday went with these. The first activity we did was the high ropes and even Ms Ingerton 4th June 2014 had a go. The next activity was the zip line and we all really enjoyed it. Before lunch Parent Teacher Meetings 2012 we all had a go at archery and took part in a competition. The shot of the day had to 3rd Year & 6th Year go to Michael O’Donoghue who managed to get the arrow right in the centre of the Wednesday 20th November sprite can and split it in half. 2.30 to 5.45 After lunch we all sat around the camp fire and were told a number of survival 2nd Year, 5th Year & TY skills. Our next activity was the giant swing and it was the most enjoyable. The Wednesday 22nd January highlight had to be when Amanda and Ms Beaumont got stuck on the swing and 2.30 to 5.45 couldn’t get down. The last activity was the leap of faith and although not everybody took part in this the 1st Year few that did seemed to like it. It seemed like the best part of the day happened on the journey home when Wednesday 12th February we stopped and got Supermacs. We all had a great day and would love to go back again. Ms. Beaumont 2.30 to 5.45 Pre-Leaving Certificate & Junior Certificate Examinations Will commence week of 3rd February 2014
Staff Zone
When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam, May luck be yours on Halloween.
Spreading Music through the Power of the Groove
The Music Generation Limerick Backline Group is currently on tour. This super group of handpicked Limerick based musicians is currently ticking off a hectic gig schedule… without leaving the city. The group have set out to perform for every secondary school student in Limerick before Christmas. The centrepiece of these shows is ‘120 years of music in 12 minutes’ rushing the audience through over a century of musical genres, from classical and trad, through jazz and rock to punk and hip-hop. The group came to St. Nessans Community College on Thursday, 17th October & performed 2 different shows to entertain all the students throughout the school. For older children and teenagers, MGLC is setting up bases throughout the city for after school activity. These will focus on band incubation - helping young people find their instrument, learn skills and play together – and hip-hop classes, including DJ skills, rap, sampling and techno. These classes will initially be at the Northside Learning Hub, Southill Family Resource Centre and CBS Sexton Street. They are for all young people from across the city, so if you know a teenager (or younger) with a talent or interest, help them get involved and start making music. To find out more about any aspect of Music Generation Limerick City, please email boris.hunka@lsom.ie
Leaving Cert Applied Coffee Morning
As part of the fundraising for the L.C.A.1 Leisure and Recreation task the L.C.A. class held a coffee morning for the staff. They spent all morning with the help of Ms Dennison baking items for the coffee morning. The students also brought in some of their own items and Ms O’Connor also kindly baked some yummy treats for the day. It was a great success and really helped the class to raise the money they needed.
The Red (Read) Wall is now in situ St Nessan’s Community College- thanks to our in house design duo of Mr Hennessey and Mr O Connell. The idea is to encourage students to write book reviews, write blurbs, design book covers, write up a favourite quote, picture of favourite author, etc. and display on the read wall. This is open to all classes and should be actively encouraged esp. when a class finish reading a particular short story, novel ,play. This is a whole school approach to literacy and is a very visual reminder to all students to read and review books. Also it is a visual celebration of reading and part of our overall literacy drive here in the school. “There is no such thing as a child that hates to read, there are only children who have not found the right book” Frank Serafini, author/educator. Ms Marie Toomey, JCSP Co ordinator.
3DN as part of their CSPE Action Project on Children’s Rights and Responsibilities organised a fundraiser for Temple Street Children’s Hospital. They raised €110 for this very important cause. Well done 3DN.
Pieta House Fund Raiser
Roisin Woodrow, Sarah Williams, Hayley Vaughan, Keith Meade, Cian Duggan & Calvin Prendergast (present 6th years) had a bake sale to raise funds for Pieta House. The students wanted to raise awareness and show support for such a great cause that offers help, support & counselling. Pieta House, is a centre for the prevention of self-harm or suicide.
Comhairle Na Nog
On the 11th of October, we went to the Absolute Hotel for the Limerick Comhairle na Nog(Youth Council) Representing St. Nessan’s were Evan Kelly, Jack Walters, Jason Hannon , Kevin Hanley Jonathan Roche, Aaron Buckley,Shane Dundon, Jamie O’ Connell, Nicole Ryan, Conor Hannon, Cian O’ Donnell, Kiera Roche ,Amy Hayes, Darragh Hogan and myself. We listened to speeches by people from the Comhairle in Limerick, We were put into groups and put into different rooms to discuss ideas for a new youth facility in Limerick. We got a lovely lunch and then each group presented their ideas to the others. At the end of the day there was a show with music and comedy. Everyone enjoyed the day and it was good to meet people from other schools. Grace Rogan 2nd year
Pictured are (left to right): Sean Markham, Morgan O’Leary, Martin Payne, Tyrone Cronin, Chantelle Cantillon and Aaron Brosnan
MENTAL HEALTH WEEK EXHIBITION
Some of our budding young artists were recently selected to take part in an exhibition at the Hunt Museum. The exhibition included works by secondary students from Laurel Hill School, Castletroy college, Ard Scoil Ris, St Augustines School and of course St Nessan’s Community College. The exhibition’s aim was to raise awareness of positive mental health. It was held in conjunction with Limerick Mental Health Association. The paintings were very well received and admired by many who visited the exhibition. The works were on show from Monday 7th October to Friday 11th October. They are at present hanging in the art room window. Congratulations to Charisse Ring ,Samantha Ward, Kaitlynn Downey, Gary Dillon, Jake Gilligan, Victoria Faulkner, Nellie Ann Faulkner and Angela Pratt. “TO BE AN ARTIST IS TO BELIEVE IN LIFE” HENRY MOORE
Artworks by Jake Gilligan And Cherise Ring. Acrylic on canvas
A selection of work from the Woodwork Department
Jack-O-Lantern Irish legend has it that one day the devil himself came to take the soul of a thieving man named Jack. But Jack managed to trick the devil, making him promise to never take his soul. After eventually living a long life, Jack tried to enter the Pearly Gates, but could not, for he had lived a life of evil. He then attempted to enter Hell, but the devil kept his word, being no big fan of Jack anyway. When Jack complained of having no way to see, the devil laughed at him and threw him a glowing ember, which he fashioned into a lantern using a turnip in his pocket. He became Jack Of The Lantern, doomed to aimlessly walk the Earth with nowhere to go. While the legends may sound incredible, they were based on a real phenomenon. Swamp gasses that interact with decaying matter will sometimes give off a strange light that seems to vanish when you get closer. Before we had a scientific explanation, people believed these were trapped souls who could enter neither heaven nor hell and would lead you astray. Some legends say the Irish would use turnips or beets to create jack-o’-lanterns—for multiple purposes. The lanterns were sometimes used as a means of honoring those souls trapped in purgatory, but their mocking faces were also used to scare away evil spirits.
“For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself.” Wednesday 11th & Thursday 12th of December
St. Nessan’s Community College JCSP Library Initiative Keep an eye out for our JCSP Library Initiative brochure which explains in detail what the Library Initiative is all about.
Contact Details : St. Nessan’s Community College, Moylish Park, Limerick. Phone: 061 - 452422 Email: info@stnessans.com www.stnessans.com