December 2019 Volume 22 Issue 1 Chess Club So far this year the chess club has played one of their league games against Greenhills beating them 8-0. Our next opponents in the league are Droghe- da Grammar who our only other competition in the Newsletter league. We narrowly beat them by 1-point last year St. Joseph’s Secondary School to win the cup. We currently have approximately 2019 — 2020 30 members in the club with many more coming to December 2019 A Message From Our Principal watch and join. 3rd Dec - 6th Year PTM. [4.15pm- Welcome to our first Newsletter of the school year. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Outside of school three of 6.30pm]. School finishes at 3:25 Ms. Jennifer Kelly to the senior management team and wish her well in her new role. I am delighted to our members, Nikita 20th Dec - Christmas holidays begin welcome our first ASD class to St. Joseph’s. I would like to thank Mr. Crummey for all of his hard work and Koush, Luke Munster and January 2020 dedication in supporting the intro- Bailey Holcroft as well as 6th Jan - School closed for staff JCT duction of the class. Thanks to Ms. Moore, Thomas, Audrey and our coach Ben have joined training day the team of dedicated teachers for the Drogheda chess club 7th Jan - School re-opens their ongoing support. We have a and are competing in the 20th Jan - 5th, TY, LCA 1 PTM. [4.15pm- very active student council this Division 5 of the Leinster 6.30pm]. School finishes at 3:25 year under the guidance of League. February 2020 Mr. Sharkey. I would encourage all 4th Feb - Start of Pre Exams for 3rd and students to engage with their Mr. M. Trainor in con- 6th Years representatives on the council and junction with the Student 14th - 24th Feb - Mid term break avail of the opportunity to have their voice represented in school Council is responsible for 25th Feb - 1st Year PTM. [4.15pm- matters. I am delighted to the production of the 6.30pm]. School finishes at 3:25 school newsletters. If announce the introduction of an any student, teacher or March 2020 academic support team for sixth parent has any relevant 9th March - 2nd Year PTM. [4.15pm- year students. All sixth years have had a study skills presentation this news items they think 6.30pm]. School finishes at 3:25 month from year hear Mr. Ryan, may be suitable for fu- 16th March - School Closed L-R: Ms. Jennifer Kelly, Mr. Paul Savage, Mr. Patrick Traynor 17th March - St. Patrick’s Day (School Guidance Counsellor Ms. Daly and ture newsletters, please Deputy Principal Ms. Kelly. Students have be assigned an academic support mentor who will meet with Closed) contact Mr. M. Trainor or them several times over the course of the coming months to offer guidance and support in the area of e-mail [email protected]. April 2020 study and exam preparation. As you can see from our Newsletter, we continue to have a huge range of 9th - First Year PTM[4.15pm-6.30pm]. extra-curricular activities in operation in the school. These would not take place without the commitment After School Study School finishes at 3:25 and dedication of our coaches, mentors and tutors. My sincere thanks to all who give of their time to organise these activities and events for our students. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish Supervised study is available for all students for 2 3rd to 20th - April Easter Holidays you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas. If at any stage I can be of assistance or support to you or hours after school, Monday to Thursday inclusive. May 2020 your son please do not hesitate to contact me. Students interested in after school study should 4th May - Bank holiday Le gach dea ghuí. speak to Mr. M. Trainor. It is our experience that 12th May - Peadar McCann Awards students who avail of the after school study per- Ceremony Paul Savage form well in their exams, both house exams and 21st May - 6th Year Graduation Mass State exams. Two hours work in after school study 25th May - TY Graduation Ceremony will usually take more than two hours to complete 26th - 29th May - End of Year Exams First year students are settling in well to life in at home. After school study costs €12 for four eve- 29th May - Last Day of Term St. Joseph’s. Class 1R working hard in English nings or €4 for one evening. class. First years attended a sports day in Sep- June 2020 tember, allowing them to participate in many 3rd June - Bank holiday activities and bond as a year group. Thanks to Contactingthe School 3rd June - Start of the State exams Mr. Stephenson and all other teachers in- Tel: 041-9837232 Fax: 041-9843891 volved. A great day was had by all! E-mail: [email protected] Please note: on days where parent teacher Website: www.droghedacbs.ie meetings take place the school day will finish If you wish to meet a member of staff, please phone at 3.25pm. Check out the latest news on our School’s Website and make an appointment. www.droghedacbs.ie Leaving Cert History & Politics Trip to Belfast Maths Week in the Joey’s Junior Cert Results On the 23rd of September the 6th year Well done to all students and staff Congratulations to our Junior Cert classes of history and politics class went on a trip to who recently participated in Maths 2018/2019 on their achievements. Pictured Stormont in Belfast. When we arrived, we Week in St Joseph’s. This All-Ireland below are some of the students who received got off the bus and had to go through initiative aims to create awareness, the top Junior Cert results in the school. security, we had to place our electronics appreciation and understanding of Back Row L-R: Daniel Butterly, Conor O’Dwyer, on a table and go through a metal detec- mathematics for all. Students experi- Johan Varghese. tor. Then we met our tour guide who was enced a week filled with fun and Front Row L-R: Steven Kinch, Alex Smyth, a member of staff in Stormont. We were interesting Maths activities, along Powel Sabu. given a brief history of the building and of with prizes too! Some examples of politics in Northern Ireland including the the activities that took place includ- ed the first year students’ investiga- Gaeilge 24 Troubles. Our guide brought us around tive projects, daily maths riddles, St. Joseph's hosted a Gaeilge 24 on the 12th of the different chamber rooms and we got a drop everything and Sudoku as well November. Sixty students took part in the talk from Colm Gildernew who is a Sinn as the completion of many maths challenge of speaking Irish for 24 hours. They Fein politician. - Jack King puzzles. A great week was had by all! each received a t-shirt, a wristband and sponsor- ship card where they had to get people to spon- Erasmus+ European Science Project sor them to speak Irish for 24 hours. All of the money collected was donated to “Friends of the From the 28th September to the 5th Earth”. During the day, students had a treasure October 2019 St. Joseph’s hosted stu- hunt during lunch, the winners were Liam Brani- dents from France and Germany, as part gan and Kyle Lawlor. After lunch students were of the schools participation in an Eras- brought to a cóisir in the library where they mus + European Science Project called watched Harry Potter as Gaeilge. Students thor- “European Science Camps: Changing oughly enjoyed the day. Climate, Changing Habitat”. Transition Year and 5th year students from St. Jo- seph’s, with the French and German Mellon Educate - Conor Dunne TY 2 students, visited Clogherhead Beach and Every year, Mellon Educate organises their now renowned “building blitz” trip to Africa for volunteers from all over the world to travel Beaulieu Woods, taking samples and recording and lend a helping hand building better infra- data on the flora and fauna present in these structure in poor African communities. habitats. The students also visited the Celtic Adventure Centre, the RNLI Lifeboat Station in In conjunction with the South African govern- Clogherhead and took part in a night of Irish ment, the charity has housed 125,000 local peo- dancing in the D hotel. The Transition Year ple in high grade permanent homes, replacing dilapidated shack living conditions. Since 2013, Mellon students who took part in this work will travel Educate has set about improving access to better standards of education in African townships. to Germany in March 2020, to study the To date, the charity has built 16 new schools and renovated many more, providing over 10,000 young Waden sea habitat and also a moor habitat. children with a better chance at life. The charity are building towards educational programmes throughout Africa that will benefit over 100,000 primary school kids. Thank you to all my fellow students at St. Josephs Drogheda for supporting my free dress fundraiser day on Friday 25th October and for putting your hand in your pock- et and giving me the opportunity to roll up my sleeves and help lift children out of a life of hopelessness to a higher level of education, a level where they can contribute and shape their society. Nelson Mandela once said; “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world“.