Mercy Convent NS Naas Yearbook 2023

MERCY CONVENT

PRIMARY SCHOOL NAAS

School Yearbook

A Year in Review Yea

School Year 2022-2023

Principal’s Message

Dearfamilies of Mercy Convent Primary,

It is my pleasure to openour yearbook and allow you all to look back overthelastschool year. I hope you enjoy the words and pictures that encapsulates another extremelymemorable year. So much happens in aschool year we couldneverrecord it all nor would we need to. This year, followingthe end of restrictions, saw areturn to better days and whole schoolevents. These positive changesassisted in creating an evenbetterschoolexperiencefor us all.This year alsosaw a huge investment by the Board of Management in interactive panels in every room which have made a huge benefit to teaching and learningacrosstheclasses. We sawthe end to our reconfigurationprocess whichwas another milestone for our school, and we await the final decision from our Patron in September. As I write this message, we have construction firm representatives walking the new schoolbuilding site as they complete their tender costings.The final approvals from theDepartment of Educationarecomplete and we look forward to thebeginning of the end, as the final legof our constructionmarathon is due to begin in September.Thefuture is bright.

As the goodweather shines down and we near the end of term, itis important to reflect on the peoplehere who worksotirelesslyfor our pupils. With our teaching staff, SNA’s, secretaries, andour caretakerJohn, we arefortunate to have averyspecial staff team. The positive atmosphere and warmwelcomeareevidenteach and every day. OurManagement Team of Trish Kelly, Sinéad Buckley, Brian Corkery,Kate Smyth, Marésé Deely, Aoife Clifford andEdel Wolfe put so much time, effort and passioninto creating thebestschoolexperience for our pupils,I would be lost without them. Theheart of any school is thepeople,pupils and staff, and I am veryfortunate and thankful to be a part of the great group we have here in theMercy.

An extremelydedicated and valued staff member and AssistantPrincipal, Alice Byrne, retired inearly October.Our team lost a great teacher and staff member, but she isliving her best life surrounded by family and friends. We aregrateful that shecontinues to work with us in a part time capacity in SpecialEducation.I would also like to wish DavnetMcDonnell and David O’Connor, two ofour teaching staff, avery happyand rewarding year aheadas theydepart on careerbreaks.

Sadly, each year we have to say goodbye to our 6th class girls and senior infant boys and they will mostcertainly be missed. On behalf of all the staff here I just want to say howproud we are of all our boys and girls as they leave our school. They arecredit to theirfamilies, and we hope they had a worthwhileschoolexperience here with us. We wish them everysuccess and happiness on the next part of their educational journey.

Thisyearbook is acredit to all our staff for taking the timein this busyschoolterm to createthepieces that makes this abeautifulsummary of our year. Oureditors Maria Keogh and Brian Corkeryhave, yet again, put in a huge amountof time to bring it all together and I think we can all agree, it was time well spent.Congratulations to our pupils who createdthefabulouspieces ofart that adornthecovers, they are extremely talented.

Finally,I would like to thank the Board of Management,Parent Teacher Association (PTA), and you theparents,forthe full support shown to us all here to doour workeffectively. Our Board and PTA give of their time so freely forevening meetings and schoolevents,without them we would not have theschool we have.Aspecialmention to Ann-Marie from the PTA who finishes up her time with usasher daughter isin 6th class. She was amassivesupport to us all. Our current Board of Management willalso come to anend in Octobersoa huge thank you to the members for thelast five years. We appreciate your support in purchasing this year bookand wish each and every oneof you alovelysummerbreak. See you all bright and early on August 30th

Le gach dea-ghuí,

Message from our Board of Management

The 2022-2023 school year comes to a close. Another excellent year for the Mercy Convent, Naas. I hope you enjoy reading about all the activities and many achievements in the school in this excellent Yearbook. Without your enthusiastic engagement in school life, at whatever level, these pages would be terribly dull! The Board of Management are lucky, and extremely grateful, to have such a dedicated leader in Principal, Mr. Cathal Ruane, supported by a terrific staff of educators, assistants and administrators. We’re even luckier to have such a vibrant and engaged cohort of young students, who are the life and energy of the school community and continue the strong tradition of Mercy education at the heart of the town of Naas.

The Board of Management has been busy with the normal board activities in managing the governance and finances for the school, reviewing policies and generally supporting the work of the school community. The purchase of new ICT equipment (interactive classroom screens and iPads) during the year has greatly benefitted digital learning in the school. In addition, the Board has been active in pressing for progress with the school building project and in formally requesting from the school’s Patron, an enrolment reconfiguration to take place later in 2023.

I would like to thank all our pupils and their parents/guardians for their contribution to school life in so many different ways and means throughout the school year. On behalf of the Board of Management, I extend a particular farewell to the pupils of Sixth Class, hoping that you’ve enjoyed your time in the Mercy Convent, and wishing you well as you make the transition to secondary education in September.

Trevor Macnamara

Chairperson, Board of

Management

2022/2023

Board of Management

Trevor Macnamara

Cathal Ruane

Fr. Liam Morgan

Laura McGlynn

Ray Fullam

Deirdre White

Caroline Lamb

Conor Clavin

Mercy Convent Primary School Staff

2022 – 2023

Principal: Mr Cathal Ruane

Deputy Principal: Ms Patricia Kelly

Assistant Principals 1: Ms Sinéad Buckley Mr Brian Corkery

Assistant Principals 2: Ms Kate Smyth; Ms Marésé Deely; Ms Aoife Clifford; Ms Edel Woulfe

Junior Infants Ms E. Woulfe; Mr D. O'Shea; Ms A. Clifford; Ms S. Clancy

Senior Infants Ms N. Coyle; Ms S. Madigan; Mr D. O’Connor

First Class Ms D. Webberley; Ms K. Gaughan

Second Class Ms R. Carroll; Ms E. Loughnane; Mr K. O’Dwyer

Third Class Ms M. Treacy; Ms D. McDonnell; Ms D. Kiely

Fourth Class Ms A. O'Flaherty; Ms A. Carr & Ms N. Jacob

Fifth Class Ms K. Smyth; Ms M. Coughlan

Sixth Class Ms S. Buckley; Ms M. Deely; Ms M. Keogh

Special Ed Team Ms P. Kelly; Ms L. McGlynn; Ms S. Donnan; Ms E. MacNerney; Mr B. Corkery; Ms B. Rafter

Office Staff Ms Hilary Grant; Ms Jacinta Dunphy

Caretaker Mr John Daly

S.N.A.'s Ms Kathleen Barron; Ms Jo Kelly; Ms Regina Heffernan

We are very lucky to have such hard working staff who go above and beyond for all our pupils. This year we had Ms Sadhbh Clancy join our school team. Mr Darragh O’ Shea, Mr Kevin O’Dwyer, and Mr David O’Connor all secured permanent positions. We also welcomed Ms Breda Rafter back from maternity leave in January 2023.

Our Senior Leadership Team

Our In-School Management Team

Message fromour Parent’s Council

This school year saw the revival of our Parents Association (PA) after an enforced break due to Covid restrictions. Our PA exists to enhance the educational experience of students by facilitating parental involvement, promoting a positive and inclusive school culture, and co-ordinating various activities to support the school's mission and vision.

We are delighted to have an active and engaged committee with parental representatives from across the various classes, together with school representatives. We had an eventful and successful year and we are delighted to present a summary of our highlights from our activities:

 We organised a number of fundraising events to support various school initiatives, these included Halloween Dress up day and two very successful Clothes Collections. Thanks to the generosity of our school community, we successfully raised funds to directly benefit the pupils and contributed to their educational experiences.

 Internet Safety Talk - We hosted a talk in March, whichwas facilitated by the National Parents Council and was well attended by parents.

 Sixth Class Hoodies - Every child in sixth class was gifted a class hoodie in December. These were personalised for each class.

 Easter Eggs for all - After the Easter Parade, every child in the school received an Easter Egg which brought a lot of smiles.

 Clothes Collection - We organised two Clothes Collections this year which supported our School's sustainability ethos as well as providing funds for events.

 Communion Day celebrations – Together with the school staff, we decorated the school and organised refreshments for the Communion children and their families.

 After a busy Active week, all the children and teachers were treated to a welldeserved ice cream.

The PA’s activities throughout the year aimed to enhance the overall educational journey of our pupils, foster a sense of community, and support our dedicated teachers. We are immensely grateful to all the parents, volunteers, and school staff who contributed their time, resources, and energy to make these events a resounding success. From assisting with Santa’s visit and organising the clothes collections, to participating in the Fun Run, your involvement has been invaluable. Special mention to the teachers who gave their time after hours – Mr Ruane, Ms Kelly, Mr Corkery and Ms McGlynn.

The PA is open to all parents and guardians of pupils in our school. If you would like more information or wish to participate in the coming school year, please contact mercyconventnaaspa@gmail.com.

The Parents Association

Student Council

This year the members of the Student Council were Kellie, Oliwia, Malin, Bláthnaid, Ellie T, Caoimhe T, Anna, Maisie, Caoimhe R, Ellie K, Danielle, Nóirín and Aoife. This year we had a few Art competitions, one at Halloween and also during Kindness Week. During Christmas we helped out with the Food Collection for Naas Food Bank.

We also helped out with Active Schools Week. We set up Junior Sports d ay and helped teachers with the activities. We also ran with the boys and girls at the Fun Runs in June.

Thank you to all the staff for supporting us this year. We really enjoyed the variety of activities in our roles as Student Council Members. We would recommend any students thinking of getting involved to jump at the opportunity! It is tons of fun and you get to meet lots of pupils from all the classes make new friends!

Caoimhe Reid and Maisie Flynn (6th class)

New Beginnings

At the end of September we bid a sad but fond farewell to our dear colleague and friend Alice Byrne, an ever present figure in our school, who retired after teaching here for 31 years. Born and educated in Birmingham, Alice moved with her family to Ireland in the late 1970s. She taught in various schools across Kildare before joining the Mercy Convent staff in 1991.

Making the journey from Wicklow every morning, Alice worked tirelessly day in and day out, and while she wore many hats and had many roles throughout her time with us here, Alice had a passion for, and a special interest in working with children with additional nee ds. Alice had an admirable ability to delve deep into the child, creating a full picture of them and getting to know and understand each child beyond the walls of the classroom. This is something very special and there is no doubt that Alice made a huge di fference with her hard work and dedication to the children of Naas over the years.

Alice saw great changes in the school during her 31 years but she herself was always steady and constant on the staff. She displays unending kindness and has a huge heart. Alice always showed a particular interest in, and care for, new staff members, taking them under her wings, often as far as her beautiful home nestled in the peaceful Wicklow hills which has an open door policy! Be sure and give her notice though if you a re calling so as to ensure she will have time to bake her delicious homemade scones and pavlova for your arrival!

It is hard to fully express how much we miss Alice but we are so very happy that she now has the opportunity to spend more time with her fami ly, especially her beloved grandchildren!

‘If you ’ re brave enough to say goodbye, l ife will reward y ou with a new h ello!’ Paol o Coelho

Farewell to our Senior Infant Boys

On the 30th of June, we said a fond farewell to our nine Senior Infant boys. Our Senior Infant teachers, Mr O’Connor, Ms Madigan and Ms Coyle, as well as the whole school community, would like to wish the boys every success and happiness as they begin their new journey in St. Corban’s. Slán a bhuachaillí!

Technology

It has been a very exciting year in terms of technology. We continue to use our 72 ipads as part of our teaching and learning. We use them in our classrooms and also as a whole school, for example with our Tráth na gCeist Kahoot Quiz during Seachtain na GaeilgeIn March

But the biggest news was the installation of new fully interactive P romethean boards in every single one of our mainstream classes. This has been a revelation in terms of interaction and engaging our pupils in learning. They are visually appealing to the pupils, clear, full of features, easy to use and collaborate on.

Huge thanks to the Board of Management for facilitating and funding this as we embrace new technology in our school. Also to the teache rs who enthusiastically upskilled and welcomed them in their classroom. We look forward to continuing to embed technology and digital skills in our classes in the year ahead.

Active Schools

With a range of engaging initiatives, we have made every effort to transform our school into a hub of energy and movement where exercise is not only encouraged but celebrated.

Throughout the year, our pupils have actively participated in various events and challenges, immersing themselves in a multitude of physical activities. As the seasons changed and the air filled with a sense of enchantment, we celebrated Hallowe'en with our magical "Witches Walk." Adorned in imaginative costumes, our students embarked on a bewitching journey, walking and dancing their way through the school grounds.

The festive spirit continued as we embraced the holiday season with our annual "Santa Dash." Our young athletessprinted, jogged, or walked their way to the finish line

.

We kicked off the new year with boundless enthusiasm, engaging in the "Jump into January" campaign, where skipping became the order of the day.

Throughout the year, the je wel in our Active Schools' crown was the "Daily Mile" initiative. Rain or shine, our pupils laced up their runners and hit the track. The Daily Mile not only improved physical fitness but also invigorated young minds, promoting focus and productivity in the classroom.

In May, we embarked on thrilling orienteering sessions, igniting our pupil’s sense of adventure and exploration. Armed with maps, they navigated through the school grounds, using their problem -solving skills and resilience.

To culminate the year on a high no te, we dedicated a wide array of physical activities during our much-anticipated "Active Week." The pupils were exposed to a range of options, ranging from classic games like tug of war to archery that tested their focus and precision. They also had the chance to witness their teachers take on the sixth class pupils. The week's pinnacle was undoubtedly our annual fun runs, where the children cheered on each other as they crossed the finish line, displaying their newfound strength and determination.

As we reflect on the past year, we are proud of the accomplishments and the sense of joy that these active initiatives have b rought to our school community.

Mr Corkery, Ms Woulfe, Ms Clifford, Ms Smyth, Mr O'Dwyer, Ms Clancy, Ms Jacob, Mr Ruane

Active School Committee

World Book Day

As always, World Book Day was a special day on our calendar. A day that was filled with exciting activities that encourage and foster a love for reading and storytelling. During the day we also had a lovely visit from the ‘Reader Leaders’ from St Mary’s who read stories to the younger children.

The boys and girls shared some of their favourite books with their friends and completed some art and craft activites based on their books. It is such a lovely celebration of books and reading that we hope nurtures and empowers all of our young readers.

Kindness/ Friendship/ Anti -Bullying Week

This year we combined Kindness week with Friendship and Antibullying for a week where we reminded ourselves that we must be respectful towards each other and always look out for one another. We had a different theme each day for the week.

The first theme was Random Acts of Kindness. We picked some acts of kindness we could do to show our classmates we care. On day two we reminded ourselves how we can be a Good Friend and how we should treat each other fairly.

The theme for day three was Who would you Tell? Through this theme we encouraged the children to think about their trusted five. These are five people they could tell is they were being bullied or felt unsafe

Our tree of kindness was covered with leaves on which the children had written ways in which they could be kind.

We also had a visit from Garda Séamus and Garda Neil who spoke to us about cyber bullying and how it can be very hurtful.

Thanks to Ms Clifford for organising an art competition during the week. We received some amazing entries.

Well done for the pa rticipation and enthusiasm during the week. We learned some very important lessons. Ms Buckley would like to thank the Well-Being committee for all their help in organising the week and for all their support during the year.

Maths Week

We put the focus on Maths and mathematical thinking during Maths Week in October. We focused on problem solving and how we can break problems down from words in Maths language and use our thinking skills. We also took Maths out of the class room and used our Maths Eyes to see maths all around us. We noticed shape, colour, number, length, height all around us. Ms Buckley set us some daily puzzles and we tried guess length and weight of different items. We had some great entries to our junior competition “Using my Maths Eyes” and our senior competition “All about Me Maths”. We did maths puzzle on the iPads and even held a whole school Kahoot Quiz. It was good to see Maths all around us and not just as questions in a book.

Christmas Raffle

Our annual Christmas raffle and carol service both got great support from our school community as always. We are grateful to everyone who gave prizes, bought tickets and donated on the night.

We raised almost €4000 for our school.

Here are some of our happy prizewinners in the Christmas grotto!

Christmas Food Appeal

Our hard-working Student Council pictured with just some of the food donations that our wonderful pupils donated to Naas Point.

This year we were delighted to see our school choir return! The choir was made up of girls from 4 class under the guidance of Ms MacNerney and Ms Donnan. The girls provided wonderful entertainment on the 24 of May when they participated in a beautiful end of year recital for their parents in the Luisne Gardens. They were then invited to sing for Minister Mary Butler in McAuley Pla which was very exciting! very exciting!

www.mercyconvent.ie

Science Week

What a great time we had during Science Week in Mercy Convent! We kicked off the week with an outdoor Magnetic Scavenger Hunt for all of our Junior Classes, while the Senior Classes investigated which material would make the best teabag – we really had to put our thinking caps on for that one! All classes from Juniors to Sixth then conducted experiments with their teacher ranging from dancing raisins, to launching rockets, and even to making string telephones. Lots of pupils also participated in a home challenge of designing and making a boat that could move in our water feature which was kindly constructed by the ever creative John. The entries to the challenge were absolutely amazing and great fun was had by all who raced their boats.

We rounded the week off with a fantastic surprise demonstration from the Green Schools Committee which consisted of Millie, Kate, Evangel, Hazel, Anabel, Lily, Eleanor, Julia, Elsa, Lauren, Lucy and Rebecca – they did a brilliant job showing each and every class what can happen when weight is evenly distributed. Finally, a huge well done to the entire school for participating in Science Week and a special mention to Mr Ruane, Ms Woulfe, Ms Clancy, Ms Clifford and Mr O Dwyer who organised the activities. Looking forward to next year’s Science Week already!

Naas G.A.A. Visit

This year was another super successful year for Naas GAA! In October we welcomed members of the Senior Camogie team, Senior Footballers, Senior Hurlers and Minor Hurlers, all of whom are County Champions for 2022. Thank you to all the players for taking time out to come and spend the morning with us. The boys and girls were very excited to meet these fantastic sportspeople.

Handwriting Heroes

In February we launched our first ‘Handwriting Heroes’ competition throughout the whole school. Over four weeks, each child transcribed a poem/ passage into their handwriting copies; the themes of the pieces reflected Friendship week, Kindness week and Seachtain na Gaeilge. Within each class ‘Handwriting Hero’ awards and ‘Most Improved’ awards were presented.

There was also an overall ‘Handwriting Hero’ award in the junior classes, Infants to First, and senior classes, Second to Sixth. Congratulation to Zoe Tong, our Junior winner, and Keziah Leong, our senior winner; whose names have been engraved on our perpetual shield.

All the children really enjoyed this initiative and the focus it brought to the value of written presentation, which improved greatly.We look forward to returning to this competition again next year; it will be fully integrated into our school calendar.

Other School Initiatives

Say Yes to Languages

We have again benefited this year from the opportunity to partake in the Modern Foreign Language initiative. Over an eight week period our third to sixth class girls learned Spanish from Ms. Aisling Cardenas. Building from the foundations gained last year the classes extended their vocabulary and phrases, played games that encouraged them to speak the language. Spanish language learning aids with improved performance in other subjects such as mathematics and reading comprehension. We hope this will help foster a love for language and future learnings. The program intends to assist in nurturing a love for language learning while broadening our children’s view on the world.

Eason’s Spelling Bee

In January, our 5th and 6th Class girls were invited to participate in our first Eason’s Spelling Bee, which was an excellent opportunity for pupils to showcase their language skills and progress in spelling. Congratulations to all the girls brave enough to put themselves forward; we look forward to making this opportunity a regular fixture on our school calendar.

The spelling test is an excellent opportunity for pupils to showcase their language skills and progress in spelling; designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of spelling ability over a wide range of words.

Integrated into our school calendar this initiative will offer a positive and valuable experience for the girls. As ever an opportunity to demonstrate growth, focus on the value of spelling in a supportive learning environment.

Garda Séamus Visit

In September we had a fantastic visit from our local community guard, Garda Séamus. There was all sorts of fun and mischief for him to sort out on the day!!! We almost had to call for back-up to help Garda Séamus!!!

Irish Peatland Conservation Council

In October we had a super visit from Paula who works with the Irish Peatland Conservation Council. Paula completed a series of Energy Workshops with our Infant classes and Bogland Workshops with our 6 th class pupils. The sessions were super fun and interactive with lots learnt along the way!

Trocaire Gamechangers

In December we had a visit from Niall from Trocaire who talked to our 6th class pupils about the Gamechangers programme. Gamechangers encourages young people to encourage global justice by creating either board, card or digital games.

Cumann na mBunscoil Quiz

This year saw the return of the Cumann na mBunscooil Table Quiz. Ellie, Ella, Danielle and Robyn played a blinder and came 8th out of 36 teams. The girls represented our school so well and we are very proud of them!

Jump Into January

As part of our ongoing efforts to keep our school active we took part in Jump Into January this year. We got active by jumping, skipping and bouncing around the place while having some fun along the way!

Visits to Naas Library

We were lucky to have some lovely visits to the library this year in the Junior end of the school. We also had some librarians come and chat to us at school!

Sult na Sollán

We had great success in the Sult na Sollán Comórtas Scríobhneoireacht with Ellie Keogh, Vanesa Kubiliute and Ailbhe O’Loughlin earning the top three prizes!

Author Visits

Olivia Hope

We were very lucky just a few weeks ago to have a whole school Zoom with wonderful Irish author Olivia Hope. Olivia told us all about what it’s like to be an author and where her inspiration comes from. Inspired by the beautiful illustrations in her book Be Wild Little One, the children got the opportunity to drawn their own butterflies with Olivia!

Paddy Donnelly

Ms Loughnane’s class were also very lucky earlier in the year to have a visit from the wonderful Paddy Donnelly after Ms Loughnane had a chance encounter with him in Dealz one afternoon!

School Debating Team

We had some superb candidates who tried out for the school debating team back in September. Our school was superbly represented in the Concern Worldwide Primary Debating Festival with Kildare Education Centre by Saoirse Villing, Faye Jacob, Robyn Feely, Nóirín Sweeney, Ellie Keogh and Ailbhe O’Loughlin.

Duathlon

We were privileged this year to have our 4 th classes involved in a Duathlon here on the school grounds. The girls had a fantastic few weeks training with Gary, Denise and Sarah from Triathlon Ireland. They spent a busy month running and cycling rings around their teachers in order to prep are for the event and it was all worthwhile as they completed their duathlon successfully on a lovely October morning!

School Values

During this year, we focussed on different values each month. These are important in our school and help us to become better people. This included some of the following:

 Focusing on using our manners. Saying “Please”, “Thank you” and “Excuse me." In addition, it is mannerly to say Good Morning/hello and good-bye to those we spend the day with

 The values of determination and perseverance help us to change our Mind-set and focus on what we can do instead of what we cannot.

 Honesty will always be the best policy and we must always tell the truth.

 We learned that we must always be responsible for our actions and be prepared to face consequences of any actions we take.

 Empathy is a very important value we try to uphold as it helps us to be kind and to think about how others will feel if they are hurt.

 In January, the whole school focussed on making a goal for the year ahead. Did you manage to achieve your goal?

Dancing With The Stars

We were very lucky back in January to have a visit from the one and only Carl Mull an and his dance partner Emily who were in the middle of their stint on the RTE dance competition when they took time out to visit us! Carl and Emily went on to win the competition and we are thrilled we got to play a small part in their journey!

Seachtain na Gaeilge

Ón 6ú lá chuig an 16ú lá de Mhí Márta bhí ár scoil ag céiliúradh Seachtain na Gaeilge. Bhí an scoil maisithe le bratacha agus postaer agus bhí na cúpla focal le cloisteáil sna hallaí agus na seomraí ranganna. Gach láamuigh sa chlos bhí Coiste na nDaltaí ag dul timpeall ag tabhairt amach greamóga do na cainteoirí a bhí ag déanamh iarracht na cúpla focal a labhairt. Bhí Tionól an Aoine as Gaeilge agus bhi caighdeán an -ard ag na páistí ag canadh agus ag rá dánta. Ag fáil réidh don Céilí Mór bhi cleachtadh damhsaí thar barr ar siúl amuigh sa chlós. Gníomhaíocht eile a bhí ag tarlú ná an Bingó le Mr Corkery ar an idirchom, sna bhunranganna. Bhí craic go deo ag na páistí ag glacadh pairt inti. Thuas staighre bhí drámaí, seo faisean agus ar ndóigh a lán eachtraí eile tríd na scoile ar siúl. Agus mar is eol dúinn go léir tá Seachtain na Gaeilge agus an Chéilí Mór fite fuaite le chéile. Ar an 16ú la de Mhárta bhí gach dalta sa scoil gléasta suas i rud éigin glas agus amuigh sa phríomhchlós ag damhsa chuile rud ó Cuir Bróg ar an Asal go Balla Luiminigh. I bpreah na súl bhí an seisiún críochnaithe, gach duine tuirseach taochta tnáite ach ag súil go mór leis an chéad SNAG eile!

Easter Parade

Our Annual Easter parade took place this year on the last day of March. The weather conditions were mixed but the excitement levels were high! Our pupils put in huge effort as always and the town was decorated with a parade of unique ensembles full of vibrancy and colour on the morning!

Thank you to everyone from our school community who came to see us on the day and bought tickets for our Easter Raffle. We really appreciate your continued support!

Gaelic Football

Sport

What a brilliant year our 5th and 6th footballers had this year. We started off the season with the Division 1 Under 11 League where the girls went out and overpowered both Scoil Uí Fhiach and Caragh to progress to the semi -final against Kilcullen where they were narrowly defeated in extra time. The girls got back on the training field straight away and prepared for the Mini 7’s where they put in four great performances. Next up was the Division 1 Cumann na mBunscoil competition. The girls had a great start to the competition with two stellar performances and wins over Celbridge and Maynooth. We were defeated by Clane in the third round, but still qualified for the semi -finals where we faced Kilcullen once again. After a very tight game Kilcullen managed to secure the win in the end.

The girls were a pleasure to work with this year. They trained hard, made improvements all round and fought until the end of every game they played. Altho ugh they missed out on the silverware the girls did their coaches, teachers, friends, family and most importantly themselves very proud. A great year was had all round and we are sure the girls enjoyed all the ups and downs along the way. Well done girls!

Ms Clifford, Mr O’ Shea, Mr O’ Connor, Ms Coughlan &Mr O’ Dwyer

Camogie

Our very dedicated camogie team trained every Wednesday in all weathers. The girls showed super commitment and enthusiasiasm throughout the year.

We took part in the Division One C Cumann na mBunscol League where we played Scoil Bhríde, Gaelscoil Naas and Sallins NS.

The girls displayed great spirit and skill in every game and they should be very proud of their efforts.

We wish all of our 6th class students the very best in the future.

We look forward to resuming training again in September.

Ms Coughlan and Mr O’Dwyer

Athletics

Our athletics team had a fantastic year! The girls were incredibly committed, training multiple times a week and putting a huge amount of effort into each session. The athletics team travelled to Rathcoffey GAA Club for the Cumann na mBunscoil Cross Countr y Event and thanks to their perseverance and determination it was a major success! We had glorious weather and great conditions for the 1200m race. Caitlin finished the race in 1 st place and Saoirse finished in 3rd place. The rest of the team also ran outstanding races which resulted in a combined overall team finish of 1st place! Everyone’s hard work really paid off and we couldn’t be prouder of every single team member. A big thank you to Mr Ruane, Ms Jacob and Ms Woulfe for their time and support – next year’s event can’t come quick enough!

We had the pleasure of coaching a very talented bunch this year with the Mercy Convent Soccer Team. Earlier in the year, back in October, we entered the Kildare 11 -a-side Primary School League for just which was only the school’s second time entering. We w ere beaten by Kill, lost narrowly to Ballymany and were comprehensive winners against Patricians of Newbridge. While we got the win in our final game, there were mixed emotions, as we had not qualified from our group. That said, we had three great days out, with huge learnings and we are already looking forward to re -entering next year. Moving onto the FAI 5 -a-side blitz over in Newbridge in March, we continued training hard at lunch times and were even able to bring some 5th class girls on board with an eye on next year’s competitions. We were able to enter two very talented teams into the blitz that represented the school brilliantly, leaving everything out on the pitches. We were up against the likes of Clane, Sallins and Kildare, and we unfortunately los t out on goal difference in order to qualify. A great year all round, however, and we are sure the girls enjoyed the ups and downs along the way! Looking forward to next year!

Mr. O’ Shea, Mr. O’ Connor & Mr. O’ Dwyer

This year we had great interest in basketball. From September to June we had a squad of 24 Sixth class girls who trained every week in St Mary’s PE Hall. This was after school on Fridays and we were very lucky to have access to the indoor full sized court.

We took part in the Cumann na mBunscol Large Schools League and had some success with wins against Presentation Maynooth and Gaelscoil Kilcock. Unfortunately this wasn’t enough to enable us progress to the semi-finals. Considering most of the girls had only taken up the sport in September they reached a very high level of skills.

They also participated in the Cumann na mBunsol Blitz on a fun day out in February in Kilcullen where they showed a huge improvement up against very strong teams.

The Sixth class team had a fantastic day thanks to Scoil Bhríde organising a local Blitz in June. They showed off their skills in their new kit and played extremely well ,coming second overall. Well done girls and hopefully you’ll continue playing in your new school next year.

It was great to have the Fifth class girls come on board just before Easter and are eagerly training in anticipation of the new season in September and we wish them every success.

A special mention for Holly Smyth, transition year student and club player who also helped out with training every Friday in St Mary’s.

Ms Smyth

Living our Ethos

At Mercy Convent Primary School, we endeavour to provide a holistic Catholic education for each child, where respect and empathy for all, are central values. While upholding the Catholic ethos and Mercy spirit of the school, we promote inclusiveness and respect cultural and religious diversity.

In September as always, we celebrated Mercy Day and remembered Catherine McAuley. We celebrated Catholic Schools Week in our school in January 2023, with Ms. Buckley preparing a beautiful week for the children and staff. St. Brigid’s Day mass was celebrated by Fr Alex in the Church of Our Lady and St. David.

This year we were very lucky to have Seán , a native of Kerry, come in and work with our Communion and Confirmation pupils as part of his pastoral placement. Each week, the pupils looked forward to Seán’s visits to their classrooms and a fantastic connection was made. Valuable learning and instruc tion was experienced.

First Holy Communion

Our second class pupils celebrated their First Holy Communion on the 13 th of May and what a gorgeous day we had! The girls were wonderful and a credit to their parents and their teachers. A huge congratulations and well done to all of the girls and a special word of thanks to their teachers, Ms Loughnane, Ms Carroll and Mr O'Dwyer.

Ms. Loughnane

Aoife Clavin

Camill Torti

Katie McEvoy Geoghegan

Cerys Deasy

Ella Mahon Kelly

Elsa Cronin

Emily Nolan

Eva Hayes

Evie O’Connnor

Heidi Keating Miley

Kate Anderson

Lily Drewitt

Lucia Kavanagh

Olivia Towell

Petra McCormack

Sadie Kelly

Ms. Carroll

Anna Mullen

Annabelle Cullen

Dakota Daly

Ella Smith

Evelyn Egan

Gina Connors

Grace Seery

Hannah Dunne

Heather Conroy

Laura Ferro Nepomuceno

Laurel White

Lily Day Fogarty

Lily-Rose Fitzpatrick

Lucy McIntyre

Martha Mekitarian

Mia Keenan

Olivia Butler

Riley Cary

Simone Tshepe

Mr. O Dwyer

Amber Delaney

Carmen Lawlor

Claire McGrath

Elledie Cranley

Eve Carroll

Hannah Sammon

Isabella Houghton

Karen Leopoldo

Kate Geraghty

Lea Jurisic

Lila Pacia

Maeve O’Rourke

Mikayla Brien

Millie Mulhall

Molly Rose Leahy

Olivia Feighery

Penny Melia

Wiktoria Labudda

Yve Louisse Gabayeron

Healthy Eating

On Monday, April 17, the Food Dudes Programme commenced in our school. This is a programme to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables both in school and at home. It is based on positive role models (the Food Dudes characters), repeated tasting and rewards.The children made a great effort to try new foods and develop new tastes. Well done to Ms Clancy and the Green Schools Committee for leading this.

Teachers have noticed that there has been a huge increase here in Mercy Convent Primary School eating fruit and vegetables for lunch. Many children who had initial difficulty in trying out fruit and vegetables are now happily eating these healthy foods for lunch.

After School Activities

This year has been an exciting time for the children from 1st class and up as they embarked on a journey of exploration and learning through various after school activities. With a wide range of options available, these young minds had the discover new talents. From art and gymnastics to crocheting, chess, Lego, tennis, French, science and many more, there was something for every child to explore.

As the school term comes to a close, the anticipation for the next term is palpable. The children are eager to continue their after school activities, building on the skills they have acquired and exploring new interests. The experiences of this year have laid a strong foundation for their personal growth and development, and they eagerly look forward to the adventures that await them in term 1.

Farewell 6th Class

On Wednesday 28th June we marked the graduation of our 72 sixth class pupils. Many of these girls have been with us since Junior Infants while others joined us at different stages along the way! They are an exceptional group of young girls who we will miss dearly around the building.

All of us here are very proud of this brilliant bunch of girls. We wish you all a bright and happy future and we look forward to seeing where life takes you!

6th Class Activities

Solas Bhride Retreat

Our Confirmation pupils visited the Solas Bhride Centre in Kildare on the 25th of October for their retreat. It was a lovely day of prayer and reflection.

Soccer Blitz

Our annual 6th class soccer blitz took place on a gorgeous sunny Friday at the beginning of June. Great games were played and the winners were ‘Naas United’ from Ms Deely’s class. The 6th class got to have some fun then taking on the teachers, the teachers took the win in the end but great craic was had by all!!!

2023 6th CLASS CHAMPIONS

Pizza Party

Just before we wrapped up for the June mid-term the 6th class had a fun afternoon of pizzas and treats to begin the end of year celebrations! We were lucky that it was a gorgeous afternoon and a lovely way to wrap up a busy term for the girls!

Hoodies

Earlier in the year the Parent Association kindly organised personalised hoodies for the 6th class pupils. These were a great hit with the girls and have been worn day in and day out throughout the year. We are grateful to the PA for their kindness to our school leaders.

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Junior Infants - Caragh Pet Farm

Senior Infants – The Bog of Allen

First Class – Lullymore Heritage Park

Second Class – National Stud

4th Class - Russborough House

6th Class – CP Adventures, Russborough

3rd Class – Dublin Zoo

5th Class – National Aquatic Centre

When I grow up I want to be ….

Class Pages

Class List2022/2023

Junior Infants

Senior Infants

First Class

Second Class

Third Class

Fourth Class

FifthClass

Sixth Class

@MercyConventPS

Mr O'Shea

Ms Woulfe

Ms Clifford

Ms Clancy

Mr O'Connor

Ms Coyle

Ms Madigan

Ms Webberley

Ms Gaughan

Ms Carroll

Mr O'Dwyer

Ms Loughnane

Ms Treacy

Ms McDonnell

Ms Kiely

Ms O’Flaherty

Ms Jacob/ Ms Carr

Ms Coughlan

Ms Smyth

Ms Buckley

Ms Deely

Ms Keogh

Junior Infants –Mr O’Shea

Well, what an amazing year this has been, from start to finish. It has been a rollercoaster journey throughout the year for all these boys and girls, who have grown and developed into positive and enthusiastic young learners. Such a pleasant bunch you have all been together, while individually, you have each brought your unique personalities to the class to make it the special place it has become. It has been my absolute pleasure to teach you all since September. What a busy but worthwhile ten months in school and I look at each and every one of you with a great sense of satisfaction for the things you have achieved and done throughout the year. As I reflect on the months gone by, we have had an incredible time. While we have completed immense work in the c lassroom, we haven’t forgotten to enjoy the fun part of school either! Just to mention some of the memorable days we had; Halloween dress up, Science week, the Santa dash and the visit from Santa himself, the Christmas Food Appeal, the school raffles, Seachtain na Gaeilge, the Easter parade, dress up and Easter raffle, An Céilí Mór with lots of Irish dancing, having fun in the sun, having a picnic lunch, the Daily Mile and preparation for the Fun Run, Active Week and the highlight of the year.. the school tour! Of course, how could we forget Aistear and Ready Set Go Maths too!! I am very grateful for the opportunity to have been with this group and while every year brings successes and challenges, I am very appreciative for all the fantastic work done by these boys and girls. We have worked so hard throughout the year, settling into school life so well, making so many new friends, playing and sharing every day and learning many new, fun and interesting things. I am going to miss each and every one of your sm iles, laughter, jokes and your kind and caring nature. I look forward to seeing, greeting and high-fiving you all next year on yard and in the corridors as you embark on a new year, in a new classroom, with a new teacher. Next year’s teacher will be lucky to have you that is for sure! Wishing you all a safe and sunny summer break, good health and the best of luck going forward into Senior Infants.

Mr. O’ Shea 

Junior Infants – Ms Woulfe

What a remarkable journey we have had in Junior Infants! It has been a fantastic year filled with growth, learning and countless magical moments along the way. From mastering the alphabet and numbers to discovering the thrill of reading t heir first words, the girls’ progress has been nothing short of amazing. Whether it was class performances or school trips, everyone has so much to be proud of!

We were lucky enough to have two special visitors to the school who went by the names of Salt and Pepper. It was fantastic to be able to observe, touch and interact with these animals, certainly creating lasting memories for all.

The visit from local Garda Séamus was another highlight of the year. We had great fun learning about the different jobs in our community. Our whole class even managed to squeeze into the Garda car!

As part of Aistear, our Junior Infants have delved into the magical world of imaginative play. They have donned costumes, assumed various roles and embarked on exciting adventures. From becoming gardeners planting seeds, to becoming chefs whipping up delicious culinary creations, their imagination has known no bounds. Through these activities, they have enhanced their vocabulary, communication, creativity, empathy and problem-solving abilities.

Dress-up days were always undoubtedly one of the most anticipated and cherished events in the Junior Infants’ calendar. From Halloween to St. Patrick’s Day to the Easter Parade, these special occasions offered a wonderful opportunity for our young learners to explore their imagination and express their individuality. Nás na Ríogh Abú!

Junior Infants – Ms Clifford

What a brilliant year we have had in Junior Infants, filled with new friendships, fun, learning and laughter. Some highlights of the year included our Halloween dress up in October and our special visit from Santa Claus and singing in the carol service in December. We became scientists in January and put on our dancing shoes for the Ceilí Mór during Seachtain na Gaeilge. Creativity was on full display in April as we hopped and skipped in our Easter parade. As the summer approached, the girls were busy training for our Fun Run in June and enjoyed a wonderful trip to Caragh Farm for their school tour. In between all these exciting events, we managed to squeeze in lots of other activities such as gymnastics, orienteering, dancing, baking, art and our much-anticipated weekly reading time with the girls in Ms. Carr & Ms. Jacob’s Fourth Class. Throughout the year, we went on lots of adventures exploring our environment and learned all about the animals and plants that live there. We also had some exciting visits from Garda Seamus, our friends from the library and Kathleen’s lovely lambs, Salt and Pepper. We had so much fun learning together all year.

All of the girls should be very proud of the progress they have made this year. I am so lucky to have had the pleasure of teaching them and I would like to express my sincere thanks to all parents and guardians for your continued support. I hope you all have a lovely summer and I wish all the girls the very best heading into senior infants.

Ms Clifford

Junior Infants – Ms Clancy

What an amazing year we have had together in Junior Infants. Our year began in a new classroom, getting to know one another and forming fantastic new friendships.

We had a ‘spooktacular’ time at our Hallowe’en dress up day and really made the most of our first wholeschool event! In the lead up to Christmas, the girls were so committed to ensuring that their Christmas Concert performance would be one to remember. All of their hard work paid off as they blew their families and friends away with how well they knew their poems, their song and all of their actions too!

As the New Year began so too did new adventures! We jumped into January with our skipathon, we planted daffodils with John and Kathleen and we even took a trip to our local Library! We also had an amazing Science Week! We went on a magnet hunt, experimented with Skittles and we even took part in a recycled boat race! Aistear was everyone’s favourite time of the day. We explored lots of different themes and topics each term from the farm to the post office and even the bakery too!

We are so lucky to have the wonderful Luisne Gardens right on our doorstep and have really enjoyed heading out here throughout the year on some fantastic nature walks. As spring awoke, it was an incredible time to do this as we really saw nature coming to life right in front of us, from buds sprouting up, daffodils springing to life and birds tweeting in the trees. We then had Seachtain na Gaeilge which had us practicing not only our Gaeilge words and phrases but our dancing too! We loved showing off what we had learnt during the Céilí Mór

We had a great time taking part in our Fun Run and our School Tour was a fantastic day out too!

Each of the girls have reached huge milestones in their learning journey this year and their knowledge of their sounds, their beautiful handwriting and their excellent mathematical skills are a testament to this!

I will miss each and every one of your kind smiles, your stories, your jokes and your laughter but I c an’t wait to see how you all grow and progress throughout your journey here in school at the Mercy Convent. I wish each and every one of you the very best for your Senior Infant year in September.

Ms Clancy

SeniorInfants –Mr O’Connor

It’s hard to believe that our year has come to an end, and what a great year it has been! Together we have made wonderful memories and shared laughter and friendship. Here are a few highlights from Senior Infants.

We spent lots of time playing and learning this year during Aistear. We visited the jungle, the garden centre, the doctor’s surgery and many more places. We were treated to a scavenger hunt in our local Naas library. We skipped into January and had such fun throughout the year for PE. Our year was filled with fun art activities that allowed our creativity to shine. We dressed up in our favourite scary costumes for Halloween. We celebrated Christmas in school when Santa came to visit. For Lá Glas we wore gre en and danced in our Céilí to celebrate St. Patrick. At Christmas time, we sang songs in our local church. The boys and girls practiced diligently to ensure a great performance. Our fitness improved all year long as we trained hard for our Fun Run. At East er time, we dressed up and took part in our school parade. We ended our year with a fabulous school tour to the Bog of Allen.

We've had an absolutely fantastic year that I'll cherish in my memories! It has been a joy getting to know each and every one of the boys and girls. It has been amazing to watch their growth in all areas of school life this year. They have brought a bright smile to my face every single morning! I send my best wishes to the boys as they embark on their new journey in St. Corban's and I hope that the girls have a wonderful time in first class here at Mercy Convent.

Mr. O’Connor

SeniorInfants – Ms Coyle

Wow! What a wonderful year we’ve had! It is difficult to say goodbye to such a fabulous bunch of girls. Every day I looked forward to coming into school to see you. You have all grown so much. I have loved watching you learn and change from day to day, we have all been on an amazing journey together this past year.

I hope you can carry forward fond and happy memories of your year in Senior Infants.

I am delighted to have had the privilege of being your teacher this year and I will remember you all with great fondness. Already, I am looking forward to ‘having the chats’ as we bump into each other around the school building next year.

Wishing you all a fabulous summer break!

Slán go foil agus grá mór, Ms Coyle

SeniorInfants – Ms Madigan

What a busy year we have had in Senior Infants. Time really does fly when you are having fun. You have all accomplished so much and have grown and flourished. I hope you have enjoyed all we did throughout the year - our Literacy and Maths Stations, using Lego Six Bricks and Beebots, participating in Aistear activities, paired reading with 6th Class, using our Tricky Word Torches.

P.E, Dancing, Cardio Desk Drumming, Go-Noodle and our Daily Mile have kept us active and prepared us for our School Fun Run and Active Schools Week. Our special days and occasions such as our Dress up Days, Santa Visiting, Our Carol Service, Our School Tour to the Bog of Allen Nature Centre, were all such fun.

Guzzler and Paula from the S.E.A.I, our Library visit and Garda Seamus with his patrol car visiting, have all opened and entwined our classroom and education with the wider community. While I leave this list here, the memories we have made in Senior Infants will continue on with us.

You have participated and engaged so well with all there was to learn in Senior Infants. I am so proud of each and every one of you and all that you have achieved. I know that I am so lucky to have been your teacher and have enjoyed every minute of learning and workingwith you. I wish you all the best in 1st Class. Have a wonderful summer filled with sunshine and happiness.

Ms Madigan

FirstClass – Ms Webberley

It is hard to believe that our year together in First Class has come to an end - what a great year it has been! We have had so many memorable moments on our journey together. We embarked on our Picker Pal adventure in Term 1. The girls learned about the many ways in which we can help the environment and did a fantastic job litter picking during their free time. The class showed great creativity when they dressed up in spooky costumes for our Hallowe'en Walk. We enjoyed a visit to Naas Library to prepare an Astronaut’s Dinner. It was great to welcome some of our friends from the library to our classroom later in the y ear for some songs and stories. We had lots of fun decorating our classroom for Christmas. This was followed by our beautiful Carol Service.

Term 2 began with a bang with Science Week. We did lots of fun experiments. We also enjoyed lessons with Ms. Fitzsimons. Later, we participated in Seachtain na Gaeilge, Lá Glas and the Céilí Mór. The girls went above and beyond to show kindness during Kindness Week. We learned lots of interesting facts about Spain and received letters from our pen pals in Coruna in th e north of Spain which was very exciting. We took part in the Incredible Edibles programme and planted some vegetable seeds with Kathleen. The girls developed their camogie skills during PE lessons with Emmet. We finished this term on a high note with the Easter Parade.

Term 3 has been packed with many fun-filled days. The girls put great effort into the Daily Mile in preparation for the much anticipated Fun Run. We made rice krispie buns and enjoyed eating them at our picnic tables. We made the most of the nice weather and did lots of orienteering and outdoor adventure activities. We had a wonderful day on our school tour to Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park. Active Schools Week and Sports Day kept us busy and we enjoyed the many challenges that were put to us. The girls have worked very hard this year and have grown in so many ways. You are a very talented bunch of girls and you should be very proud of yourselves and all that you have achieved this year. I am very proud of you all and feel very lucky to have been your teacher.

I hope you all have a wonderful summer and well -deserved break. I will miss your smiling faces, stories and chats. Wishing you all the very best in Second Class.

Ms Webberley

FirstClass – Ms Gaughan

We had a brilliant year in First Class. I have really enjoyed teaching this wonderful group of pupils. In September, Garda Seamus visited us - he told us all about his important job and showed us his handcuffs and baton. He also showed us the Garda car. This was an exciting event for the class.

In October, David Moore from Astronomy Ireland gave us a zoom call –it was called; ‘An Introduction into the Night Sky.’ We thoroughly enjoyed this talk.

We participated in Maths Week in October also – completing puzzles and interactive activities. Santa came to visit on December 20th – we all met Santa on the yard and later he visited us in our classrooms.

We had our annual Science week on the week of January 16th. We enjoyed acting as scientists, carrying out experiments and analysing the results of these experiments.

In February, the librarians visited from Naas library for a music and story workshop. The class loved this visit. We then went up to Naas library for a treasure hunt and entered a colouring competition. We also participated in Kindness Week.

The DWTS dancers visited us –Emily and Carol came to St Mary’s hall and even danced for the pupils. We had some students from St Mary’s Secondary school reading to our class. We participated in the Food Dudes initiative – the girls tasted new fruit and vegetables.

Overall, we had a terrific year and I wish the pupils every success in second class

Ms Gaughan

SecondClass – Ms Carroll

What a great year Ms Carroll’s class have had.

Together, we have tackled challenging math problems, learned new vocabulary, explored exciting new concepts, and read many fantastic books. The girls have worked so hard, learned so much, and made great friends along the way.

Beyond all the hard work, we have also had plenty of fun together. We engaged in the literacy lift -off programme earlier in the year, which was very beneficial to our reading. We dressed up for Halloween, and we showed off some of our wonderful talents at the Talent Show. We also had the Easter parade, camogie with Emmett among many other activities. We went on a fun-filled trip to the library together, where we got a chance to see different types of books and to learn how to use the library efficiently. The girls had great fun orienteering and tried school maths trails, whichthey loved.

The girls trained really hard for our School Fun Run by doing our daily mile and they are so enthusiastic every day to get out and improve their fitness levels. Well done everyone.

The excitement of our school tour was immense. We were so excited to see the horses at the National Stud and learn about these magnificent animals.

Finally, this year was extra special as many of the girls made their First Holy Communion. It was a true celebration of your faith and a milestone in your lives. You all looked stunning and it was such a pleasure to see you all receiving the sacrament.

Thank you all for your wonderful support during the year and I hope the girls all have a wonderful, welldeserved summer break,

Ms Carroll x

SecondClass –Mr O’Dwyer

We had a remarkable year upstairs in Second Class this year! The girls were extremely fortunate to be part of Mrs. Byrne’s last month as a teacher before she retired at the beginning of October. A special word to say we all hope you are enjoying retirement Mrs. Byrne! We also had two welcome additions to our class, Arfi and Sumaiya, and the girls loved having them in our class.

I absolutely loved teaching this amazing group of girls. Each day began with smiles and laughter, but what impressed me the most was their dedication to completing their work. They are a really creative and innovative bunch who benefitted from active learning stations and engaging and entertaining Art and Science lessons. The sight of iPads rolling down the hallway always f illed us with excitement. Whether it was for projects, enjoyable quizzes, educational games, or even the occasional Minecraft session, we always had an absolute blast!

The girls were amazing in their preparation for their First Holy Communion. They learnedall their songs and prayers and even created some fantastic artwork, whichwe saw on display in the church. We also benefitted from the chance to have Ms. Brown teaching us for four weeks after Easter which helped with the run-in to our Communion. Our school tour to the National Stud was absolutely incredible! The entire day was filled with joy, sunshine, and laughter, leaving us with a group of tired yet immensely content girls by the end of the day.

Overall, I think we can all agree that we had an absolutely tremendous year and they are a class which I will thoroughly miss. Best of luck in Third Class girls!

Mr O’Dwyer

SecondClass – Ms Loughnane

I don’t know where to begin with this message after such a fantastic year with you all!

We have shared lessons, opinions, laughs, stories and so much more during our time together. Some of the big highlights were our dress up days for Halloween and The Easter Parade, jigging and reeling our way through Seachtain na Gaeilge, becoming camogie superstars thanks to our lessons with Emmett and our very special visit from the one and only Paddy Donnelly!

But the things I enjoyed and admired most about you were the little quiet qualities that shone through naturally every day – your positivity and your kindness. Daily I watched you support and encourage one another through any challenge you encountered. You are a very special group of people and I hope you continue to share these wonderful qualities with the world as you grow.

You all worked incredibly hard and made super progress. The room was filled with mathematicians, historians, geographers, authors and so much more each and every day! Your curiosity and creativity is going to take you far.

Thank you for being your marvellous selves!

I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you in third class and beyond!

Ms Loughnane

ThirdClass – Ms Treacy

What a wonderful year we have had in Ms Treacy’s 3rd Class 2023.

We worked hard, we wrote stories, we sang, we painted , we recited our poems at Assembly. And much, much more….

We had such fun dressing up at Hallowe’en and for the Easter Parade.

We danced our hearts out at the Céilí Mór and we ran our Daily Mile.

We learned Spanish and wrote to our new Spanish pen pals.

We visited Dublin Zoo and Naas Library.

We ran, skipped and bounced our way through Active Schools Week.

We learned to play the tin whistle and we began to write in joined writing.

We had a lovely session in the school garden, learning about biodiversity. The staff from Naas Library came to visit us and to sing some songs with us.

So here we are at the end of another action packed school year, ready for a well earned break.

We look forward to returning to school in September to the challenges and adventures that 4 th Class will bring.

ThirdClass – Ms McDonnell

August return to school began with harvesting onions inour school garden. The class quickly got to catch up and welcome Mia into the class as they chatted over board games. Soon we were back into the rhythm of school life with stars of the week, birthdaysand assemblies. Maths week in October was fun and challenging with teamwork a must on outdoor maths trails. Halloween brought spooky costumes, dancing and traditional games to the classroom.

The dark days of winter were brightened bya fun day playing in the snow in the old school yard. The classroom was cosy as we sang Christmas carols, enjoyed a bake sale and wore our Christmas j umpers for Santa's visit. Pizza from Ana and Jazzy's was a welcome lunchtime treat after our carol service.

Ms MacHugh and Science week were very welcome in January. As was our weekly swim in K -Leisure and camogie with trainer Emmet. The girls also had a lot of fun singing and playing games in their weekly Spanish lesson.

In February, the girls learned about sound and created their own instruments. March brought Seachtain na Gaeilge which ended in the whirl of our Céilí Mór. Spring saw Kathleen bring two lambs to the class and we watched swans build their nest beside the canal. We had a fun treasure hunt and storytelling in the library too.

Our Farm to Fork experience in Newbridge in May gave the girls a chance to see vegeta bles growing and a calf suckling, as well a ride on a mini train. Fitness with Mario and orienteering started our mornings in May and afternoons we trained for our fun run.

As the year ends with sports day and a trip to the zoo the girls have worked hard, looked after each other and deserve a good break!

Ms McDonnell

ThirdClass – Ms Kiely

Well done on a great year girls! As we reflect back on it, we have many highlights…

Academically, we were busy…learning new concepts and skills, developing our cursive handwriting, learning our multiplication tables, creating books on the iPads, to mention but a few. The arrival of our class Interactive Smart Board in March brought great excitement (especially to Ms Kiely!) and really enhanced our learning experiences. Our time in January with student teacher Ms Balfe gave us wonderful experiences.

In Sport, we had great co-operative fun with Mario, Camogie with Emmet, Tuesday trips to K Leisure for Aquatics, Orienteering during May and lots of sport during June, especially for Active Week which included Sports Day and our Fun Run!

Our class had Spanish lessons with Maestra Aisling, where we learned new words and phrases and enjoyed fun games with her. We had Science Week in January, working as scientists. Many of our class entered their homemade boats for the boat racing challenge- lots of competitive fun! We loved dressing up for Halloween, for the Céilí Mór and for our annual Easter Pa rade. We participated in the Incredible Edibles programme and helped Kathleen with planting in the school garden. We have enjoyed watching our vegetables grow!

There are so many memories to cherish from this year…our trip to the library, canal walks, paired reading, visitors to our classroom, Food Dudes, our school tour to Dublin Zoo…

We had great achievers in our class who excelled individually in many areas- Maith Sibh!

Remember girls, it is who you are that has made our class of 2022-23 so special - kind, thoughtful and determined! Best Wishes for 4th Class!

Ms Kiely

If you want the future, you create it. Take the means in your hands. Believe it. Create it

- Novak Djokovic, 06/23

FourthClass –Ms O’Flaherty

Fourth Class is ending Onwards to Fifth, Understanding and trying Really having fun!

Three new friends, Happy memories all round Creating stories and art, Learning with two teachers

Although we love Fourth Class Summer is calling So now we are done!

By the girls of 4th Class

FourthClass – Ms Carr & Ms Jacob

Well done to all the great girls in our class this year. Everyone worked so hard but we managed to have great fun too! This group are so musical and this was manifested in the lovely tin whistle tunes they performed during the year. The g irls were also fantastic singing at the Christmas carol service and at assemblies.

Sport played a huge part in school life. The class thoroughly engaged in the Duathlon in September and learned invaluable new skills from Gary. This was followed by a very enjoyable session of swimming. Mario continued to put the girls through their paces with athletics. Camogie was availed of, courtesy of Emmet. This fourth class can complete 'The Daily Mile' with ease!

Our pupils were very fortunate to participate in various after-school activities and we want to acknowledge those teachers who gave of their time and talents. The pupils also loved reading with Ms, Clifford's Junior Infant class and found it a very enriching experience.

Most importantly, they are a wonderful group of ladies who are so kind and helpful to each other. We thoroughly enjoyed teaching them and wish health and happiness in the future.

Ms Carr and Ms Jacob

FifthClass – Ms Coughlan

Well done to all the girls on a wonderful year of work and fun. Congratulations on all your accomplishments during this academic year.

Wishing you all an enjoyable summer break with good health and happiness in the future.

Ms Coughlan

FifthClass – Ms Smyth

Well here we are at the end, a Fifth class which will be remembered with forever friends. In our class we sang, we laughed, we worked hard and not to forget all our games on yard!

In the first term at Halloween we walked the town, full of laughs and a chance to act the clown. Who could forget themagical Christmas Carol Service where we sang our hearts out and no one was nervous!

In the second term Art with Martha was a blast and during Science week we tried to create boats to sail past. The Céilí Mór was our chance to prove that we can indeed dance! Our Easter Parade saw us dressed up to the nines, after the walk it was party time!

The Third term was very busy with so many things it would make you dizzy-from tests to fun runs, Zumba and Sports Day, but no bother to us we always have energy left toplay!

A great year.

I am part of Ms.Smyth’s fifth class, Where wedo experiments by putting eggs in a glass,

We do english and maths every day, And we go out on yard to run and play Our class loves kicking around balls, Even though sometimes we fall, Ipad time was really fun, So was growing veg in the sun, This year we had a student teacher, Mr. McCabe was an excellent feature. From square breathing to glitter jars, He really was our class star, Best of all was our teacher Ms. Smyth, Who we hada great year with!

April Kent

future

So take a bow Fifth class, you have been amazing from day one to the last. Kind and caring, you are fair, seldom complaining. Positivity was a strength, as well as music and going to great lengths. Considerate of others and helpful in class, in thefuture you will surely laugh. Keep up the good work, ipads and training and take care of each other even when it’s raining.

Fifth class 2023, thank you for the memories.

Have a lovely break

Ms Smyth

SixthClass – Ms Buckley

I was just delighted when I got word that I was to have this great group of girls again. I felt that we could get a chance for closure that didn’t happen in 3rd class. Term one was a busy term and we started the year with a webinar on wellbeing and it setus up to think about our mental health and what was important for us as we went through the year. We learned to crochet and had a talk about the Boglands of Ireland. We voted in the Student Council election and did great work and represented us very well.In October some of the Naas Senior Football team visited the school to celebrate their county final win. We also went on retreat to Kildare town and took part in maths week activities. The highlight of this half term was the bake sale for Halloween. The girls went over and above with baking and creating amazing treats to sell. We made a great amount of money for Creeslough and School funds. We got a lovely surprise after midterm we got a brand new smart board. It opened up a new world to us and the girls got a great chance to present their work to the class in a new way. The second half of this term was dominated by Christmas Carol service preparation, movie days and Christmas fun. We even had a little snow in early December and of course a visit from Santa himself. The return of Spanish lessons started off term two and we welcomed Aisling back again. Again it was a busy term with science week, friendship/kindness week, internet safety talks, pancakes, a fashion show, sports activities and a handwriting co mpetition. We got another surprise this term, from the parent’s council, when they presented the girls with a school hoodie. The highlight of this term was Confirmation. We were very proud of the girls who made their confirmation and who presented the poster of our chosen word “Equality” to Fr. Liam. This term ended with the fun of the Easter Parade and we all dressed up and walked through the town. The final term has been a very busy one. The girls helped out with orienteering. They wrote a book and it was published! They had Ms Leavey, a student teacher, teaching them for a few weeks. In May we had our Soccer Blitz and Pizza Party. The final few weeks of primary school were as busy as ever with our tour and Active week. The final event of the year was the graduation and it was with a sense of pride that I watched these girls as they graduated from MCPS. I have thoroughly enjoyed this year, we had many laughs and a lot of fun. I was spoiled with coffees and double deckers!! I wish you the very best girls, as you journey hrough life. It was a privilege to have taught you all not once but twice and I hope you take good memories of your primary school days with them as you leave.

Sinéad Buckley

The 2022-2023 year has gone in a whirlwind of hard work and lasting memories leaving my 6 th class ready to take the next leap into their wondrous lives. Hardly coming up for air we blasted into the Curriculum from the onset, marking Hallwo’een with a final Primary School dress up – of amazing costumes- and on to Christmas where our school community came together for a truly moving night -time service in the church.

The firm highlight of term 2 was our Confirmation ceremony which was beautiful in its simpl icity. A most magnificent bake sale raised a fine amount for a local charity. Before we knew it it was Seachtain na Gaeilge and my Rang 6 showed off their finely tuned drama and Gaeilge skills to the junior classes in the school.

And where has term 3gone?! It has vaporised in a flurry of work and fun. A firm favourite was performing An tAsarlaí Ó Oz agus Luaithrín for the senior classes. A brief diversion gave the girls a new perspective with Ms Harmon, the student teacher. The Funometer has reached stratospheric levels with Active Schools Week, punctuated only by a frenzied ‘Airdropping’ of poetry, prose and artistic creativity as we put our 6th class magazine together.

The hazy, lazy, carefree days of summer are within reach. Bain sult agus taitneamh as cailíní.

Embrace the next chapter in your lives with gusto, panache and kindness. Go n-éirí an t-ádh libh go léir.

Ms Deely

SixthClass – Ms Keogh

It is hard to believe that this wonderful bunch of hard -working, enthusiastic and energetic girls are finished their time here in Mercy Convent! It was a fantastic year and the girls were a pleasure to work with throughout the year. It wasn’t quite the year that I had planned with my absence in Term 2 but the girls showed their maturity by stepping up and continuing their super behaviour and hard work for their substitute Ms. Rafter. They also showed such kindness to me by sending beautiful cards and gifts and welcoming me back so warmly at the end of March. I appreciated this so much!

It was a busy year filled with all sorts of activities including our retreat to Solas Bhride back in October, our visit from Paula from the IPCC, the return of the Chri stmas Carol Service, our Confirmation service in February, our school tour to Russborough, some lovely Art activities, projects and lots more in between!

As the school year draws to a close I find myself with mixed emotions. It’s a bittersweet time for me as your class teacher as I am so proud to see how far you have all come but saddened that this chapter and your time with us in Mercy Convent is coming to an end!

I want you to remember that it is not a goodbye but rather a new beginning. The memories we have created this year will forever hold a special place in my heart. As you move on to secondary school, embrace all of the opportunities that lie ahead. Embrace new subjects, friendships, experiences and challenges with enthusiasm!

You are a fantastic bunch of girls and your talents, skills and unique perspectives will undoubtedly make a positive impact on the world. I can’t wait to see where life takes you and I look forward to bumping into you all and catching up in the future!

Ms Keogh