Issue 9, Summer 2011 Niamh O’Brien . Portmarnock Community School Newsletter, Summer 2011, Issue 9. In this issue... South Africa Reflection . 3 Debating . 5 Dissolving Boundaries Day, Crossing the Frontier, 26th May . 6 www.portmarnockcommunityschool.ie Poetry . 8 First Year Students Review of French . 9 Student Prize Giving . 10 Students Exhibit their Home Economics Work . 11 Downloadable from: Downloadable Sport Awards 2011 . 13 The Musical . 16 Westside Story . 17 Westside Story . 18 West Side Story Photos . 19 Westside Story . 20 PCS scoops top three prizes and the ‘Overall Drugs Media Award’ . 21 Message from the Principal . 23 2 Portmarnock Community School Newsletter, Summer 2011, Issue 9. South Africa Reflection www.portmarnockcommunityschool.ie Downloadable from: Downloadable I will never forget my trip to South Africa . It while also contributing something important to was one of the most amazing experiences of my the school and even to the students themselves . It life . We went to many different places such as; felt really good to know that our being there was the school in Flagstaff, crèches, a feeding centre . a benefit to the students and staff members and Port St . John, cape town, Robyn Island and the that something as simple as planting vegetables Nelson Mandela museum . and herbs would have an impact on their daily lives . Going to “Sacred Heart School” in Flagstaff was my favorite part of the whole trip . The students were just so lovely and kind . Every single one of them wanted to be our friend . The young students looked for high fives and hugs, while the older students shared their interests and asked about life in Ireland . Many different jobs and activities took place in the school, such as teaching guitar, Tin Whistle, Irish dancing, Hip-Hop, Maths, Science and Gardening . Construction and painting murals in the classrooms were also taking place . All of these activities allowed us to have fun and to communicate with the students 3 Portmarnock Community School Newsletter, Summer 2011, Issue 9. www.portmarnockcommunityschool.ie On our final day in the school, so much effort was put into our farewell concert, from Downloadable from: Downloadable the music to the decorations, to the food and especially the performances . Some of the parents of the students in Sacred Heart preformed traditional dances and songs . We also took part and the school choir sang songs that were like nothing we’ve ever heard . We contributed to the concert by performing with the students all the music and dancing we had thought them during the week and a few skills we picked up ourselves along the way . (e .g . The traditional African dances) Many were upset to see us go and I now I was sad to say goodbye . I really loved South Africa and I hope I will go there again in the future . Emma Kielty 5th Year 4 Portmarnock Community School Newsletter, Summer 2011, Issue 9. Debating www.portmarnockcommunityschool.ie Debating in Portmarnock Community School Senior Debating has had many successes in the past . Its emphasis remains on participation in a fun manner . The Senior debaters this year took part in the Students enjoy expressing their opinions and annual Concern Debating Competition . They learn to refute their opponents arguments with competed in four rounds in which they proposed informed opinions of their own . and opposed topical motions regarding Europe, the developing world and the world . The team Downloadable from: Downloadable was made up of: Evan Davis, Kristina Fitzsimons, Orla Geoghegan, Klara Stejskalova Daniel Rea, James Kinsella and Jack Mulligan . Well done to the team! Congratulations to Evan Davis who took part in both the Leinster Debates and Phil Speaks held in Trinity College . Well done also to Daniel Rea who took part in Phil Speaks . Ms. Saranne Kelleher Well done to all the first years that took part in the Junior Debating competition held on Thursday 12th May . Four issues were debated by eight teams of two students per team . A team winner and individual speaker winners are to be announced . Since January first and second years have been introduced to different debating methods and styles . They have been privileged to gain extra knowledge and advice from past pupil, Catherine Healy . Ms . Kelleher and all the junior debaters would like to thank Catherine for coming into the school to help out . 5 Portmarnock Community School Newsletter, Summer 2011, Issue 9. Dissolving Boundaries Day, Crossing the Frontier, 26th May. www.portmarnockcommunityschool.ie DISSOLVING BOUNDARIES (DB) DAY – Downloadable from: Downloadable Crossing the Frontier, Thursday 26 May To celebrate Dissolving Boundaries this year, all participating schools were invited to take part in a school-based event on Thursday 26 May . The event celebrated our school’s participation in a programme that now reaches 180 schools across the island of Ireland . The link up on the day was the largest digital link-up in the history of Ireland, North and South . At our school students, wearing their Dissolving Boundaries T-shirts, participated in a number of events . Students held a question and answer session in the cantine area . They spent time on-line communicating with their partners about the day in their respective schools . We undertook a video-conference with our partner 6 Portmarnock Community School Newsletter, Summer 2011, Issue 9. www.portmarnockcommunityschool.ie Downloadable from: Downloadable Gavin Fitzmaurice, Meg Fogarty and Nicole Dunne. school, St Mary’s College in Limavady, Co Derry OT and 2 OR) and her Third Tear class 3 OM http://www.stmaryslimavady.com Fifth year and to Ms Perrone’s Third Year French class who students, Ciaran Moloney and Niall O’Reilly were involved in Dissolving Boundaries in First were wonderful on Spanish guitar . Craig O’Brien Year . (5th Year) sang very well accompanied by Jamie Mc Cluskey (3rd Year) on guitar . Darragh Ms Freeman Reynolds rapped an original written by himself . Nadine Cannon (Third Year), a world champion Irish dancer, displayed her championship dancing skills to the students in Limavady . The Dissolving Boundaries team linked up, on the, in a videoconference from their respective universities, i .e . National University of Ireland, Maynooth and University of Ulster . Representatives from the Departments of Education, University leaders, staff from the Joint Business Council and ICT advisors were invited to join in the celebration . A large display screen showed all the online messages posted celebrating the work done in DB this year . A big thank you to all who helped make the day a success: thank you to School Management, to staff and to the performers . A particular word of thanks to Ms Freeman’s second year classes (2 Shane and Shane. 7 Portmarnock Community School Newsletter, Summer 2011, Issue 9. Poetry My Best Friend She cried with me when my nanna died She’s a rock head and I am a I felt there was a huge lmp raver in my throat that day she loves my chemical and she helped me to fell romance better in some way I love dj Cammy in the mix www.portmarnockcommunityschool.ie She tells me her secrets Everyone thinks she’s my and i tell her mine sister they are safe with me for she looks like me her hair is ever because the same style we are best friends but what a quinky dink Downloadable from: Downloadable we are not sisters we are just best friends By Kim Murray We have great fun practicising Written on 11th February 2008 our cha cha and jive we performed a surprise dance for my Father’s birthday For all his guests My Dad was scarlefide but he was happy at the end 8 Portmarnock Community School Newsletter, Summer 2011, Issue 9. First Year Students Review of French www.portmarnockcommunityschool.ie Downloadable from: Downloadable My first think “wow, I want impression of the to speak French French language was as well as they do” “This is a very nice but I’m sure they language and sounds say the same about so beautiful” . When English . My first I began to learn the time hearing French language I had a few was when I went to difficulties with the prenonsiation of some words France with my family on holidays when I was but others just came out naturally . I did a small two years old . We went a few years later and that’s bit of French in primary school . I just learned the when I decided I would like to learn the French basics - days of the week, the months, greetings, language . numbers etc . Now we are onto the ER verbs, time, and much more details . I hope to continue speaking French for the next few years and hopefully learn a lot more and I enjoy doing speak it much more French in school and fluently . it is very interesting but sometimes Cliona complicated . When O’Connor you hear French 10N people speaking you 9 Portmarnock Community School Newsletter, Summer 2011, Issue 9. Student Prize Giving www.portmarnockcommunityschool.ie Sarah Hawlshaw 5th year Mark Nolan 3rd year Downloadable from: Downloadable Lucy Archbold 1st year Rhiannon Curtis - Davis 2nd year 10 Portmarnock Community School Newsletter, Summer 2011, Issue 9. Students Exhibit their Home Economics Work www.portmarnockcommunityschool.ie Downloadable from: Downloadable Ms Maguire’s 1st Years showing the laundry bags which they embroidered and made as part of the textile component of Home Economics. 11 Downloadable from: www.portmarnockcommunityschool.ie Portmarnock Community School Newsletter, Summer 2011, Issue9. Summer2011, Portmarnock CommunitySchoolNewsletter, 12 Portmarnock Community School Newsletter, Summer 2011, Issue 9. Sport Awards 2011 Bhí cruinniú mór daoine i láthair ag ócáid Our annual sports ceremony held on Tuesday bronnta na ngradaim spóirt Dé Máirt an deichiú 10th May was well attended by students, parents lá de Bhealtaine anseo i bPobalscoil Phort and mentors .