Newsletter: Wednesday 28th May 2025
- hollyparkwebsite
- May 28
- 7 min read
School Calendar 2025/26
School will reopen for the new school year on Thursday 28th August 2025. Please see below School Calendar for 2025/26.
Please note that the staggered start/finish times introduced during COVID will conclude at the end of this school year. The school will revert to pre-COVID opening and closing times from Thursday 28th August 2025 as set out below:
Junior & Senior Infants | 8:40am - 1:20pm |
1st- 6th Class | 8:40am - 2:20pm |
Key Dates Term Three
Choir Concert | Wednesday 28th May | School Choir |
Welcome Day for incoming Junior Infants | Thursday 29th May | Incoming Junior Infants September 2025 |
Ceremony of Light | Thursday 29th May | 6th Class |
PA Cake Sale | Friday 30th May | All classes |
June Break School Closure | Monday 2nd June Tuesday 3rd June Wednesday 4th June | All classes |
Confirmation | Saturday 7th June | 6th Class |
Violin Concerts | Tuesday 10th June | Senior Infants to 2nd Classes |
Confirmation Photo | Tuesday 10th June | 6th Class |
Creative Schools Week | Week beginning Monday 9th June | All classes |
Live Art Exhibition | Thursday 12th June | All classes |
6th Class Graduation | Tuesday 24th June | 6th Class |
Last day Term 3 | Friday 27th June | All classes |
First Day Term 1 2025/2026 | Thursday 28th August | All classes |
School Tours May/June 2025
Junior Infants | Glenroe Farm | 18th June |
Senior Infants | Festina Lente | 30th May |
1st Class | Lullymore | 20th June |
2nd Class | Tallaght Astro Park | 19th June |
3rd Class | Fort Lucan | 11th June |
4th Class | Clara Lara | 19th June |
5th Class | CP Adventure Russborough House | 13th June |
6th Class | Alive Outside Kilruddery | 13th June |
Class teachers will contact classes, via Aladdin, with all relevant details.
Marita Conlon McKenna
We were thrilled to welcome Marita Conlon-McKenna, Irish author to Hollypark today. She is well-known to our girls as the writer of Under the Hawthorn Tree, Wildflower Girl, A Girl Called Blue and many more.
Today she held our girls in thrall as she inspired them with her words on reading and writing. As she herself said: "Writing makes the world go round".
Thank you to Rachel's Mum, Berna (Library Ladies Co-Ordinator) who organised this excting and inspiring event for us.
School Choir Concert Wednesday 28th May
Our annual School Choir Concert will take place this evening in Foxrock Church @ 7:00pm.
A limited number of tickets (Adults €10 and Children €5) will be available at the door this evening. Cash only, thank you. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Money raised at this concert will be used to cover ongoing operational costs incurred by the choir. We have built a strong relationship with Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice, raising over €4000.00 through recent choir events, and all remaining funds raised will be donated to this worthy charity.
Our final after school rehearsal for this year will take place on Tuesday 27th May.
School Choir Rehearsals will recommence in September 2025 and will continue on Tuesdays for the school year 2025/26. Auditions for girls who are currently in 3rd, 4th & 5th Classes will take place in June. (Girls in 4th & 5th Class who are currently in the School Choir and who wish to stay on for next year do not need to re-audition). |
Violin Concerts
We are looking forward to our Violin Concerts which will take place during the day on Tuesday 10th June for Senior Infants to 2nd Class. Class Teachers will send on times for their individual classes via Aladdin.
Golf
Well done to the Golf Team who took part in the Castle Cup on Monday.
Thank you to their teachers Ms O'Connor, Ms Lamont & Ms Henry.
Camogie
Well done to our Camogie Team who have reached the semi-finals! The match against Gaelscoil Míde, Kilbarrack, will take place next Thursday 5th June in Fairview Park.
Go Hollypark!
Well done! Ballroom Dancing
My name is Ava and I am in Ms Conlon’s 5th class. On Sunday I competed in the IADT the all Ireland Championships.I came 1st in my novice Latin 3 dances which are Chacha, Samba and Jive. I also came 1st in my novice Ballroom 3 dances which are Waltz, Tango and Quickstep. Finally I came 2nd in my Latin 5 Dances.It was a very enjoyable experience and I look forward to competing next year.Junior Infant Welcome Day
Our Junior Infant Welcome Day will take place tomorrow, Thursday 29th May. A Junior Infant Welcome Pack has issued to all our new parents.
We are very much looking forward to meeting our newest Hollyparkers and hoping they will enjoy a fun afternoon in 'big' school!
Sacramental Celebration: 2nd & 6th Classes
Well done to our 2nd Classes who celebrated their First Holy Communion at the weekend.
Thank you to the teachers and SNAs Ms Lamont, Ms Duffy, Ms McNulty, Ms Hayden & Ms Clarke for all their work and preparation for this very important event and thank you to our 2nd Class Team for giving of their time at the weekend to celebrate with the girls and their families.
Thanks also to our School Choir who, as is traditional in our school, sang for the ceremony. Thank you to Ms de Frein and the girls for giving of their time on a Saturday morning to add to this very special day of celebration for our girls. And thank you to Cormuin Ó Raghallaigh who accompanied us so beautifully.
We are also very grateful to our PA and volunteer parents who organised such a lovely Communion Reception for the girls and their families.
And finally, last but by no means least, thank you to Fr Philip & the Parish Team for their work and preparation with the girls.
Our 6th Classes are very much looking forward to this week's Ceremony of Light, which will take place tomorrow evening Thursday 29th May @ 6:30pm, and Confirmation, which will take place on Saturday 7th June.
Voluntary Contribution
Thank you to the 268 families who have already given a Voluntary Contribution to the school for 2024/25. Each and every contribution is very much appreciated and will be used to enhance your daughters' learning environment.
Your Voluntary Contribution makes a real difference. |
If you would like to help in any additional way with our school development,
(time, skillset, sponsorship) please let us know.
PA Cake Sale: Friday 30th May
We can't wait for our Cake Sale this Friday 30th May!
Thank you to our hardworking PA for all the work, time and preparation involved in making this special day for our girls.
Mary's Meals Thank You!
Don't forget!!! Tesco Community Fund
Our PA have secured a spot for our school on Tesco's Community Fund initiative!
If you are shopping in Tesco Stillorgan, please support our school by putting a Blue Token in our drop box!
You're Invited: Protecting Our Children in the Digital Age
📅 Thursday, 29th May 2025
📍 Monkstown Educate Together National School (METNS)
Monkstown ETNS is delighted to welcome Eoghan Cleary, a dedicated secondary school teacher and passionate advocate for online child safety.
In today’s world, our children are surrounded by internet-enabled devices — not just smartphones, but tablets, gaming consoles, smart TVs, and more. Eoghan works closely with young people and truly understands the hidden dangers and long-term impact of unsupervised online access.
This event is a must-attend for parents who want real insights and practical advice on:
What children are really exposed to online
The risks of unfiltered internet access
How to create a safer digital environment at home
Empowering your child — without fear or overwhelm
Do we need to protect our children from the internet?
Come to METNS on the 29th May and find out what’s really going on — and what you can do about it.
Trócaire Boxes
Gentle reminder: Please return any outstanding Trócaire Boxes to the office by Friday 6th June. Thank you!
Summer Art Camp
After School Activities 2025/26
A full schedule of After School Activities for the school year 2025/26 will issue in mid-June.
DE Recommendation: Wear a Wide Brimmed Sun Hat!
Parents and guardians, please read the letter below from the Department of Education regarding the recommendation that wide-brimmed sunhats be worn by all primary school children.
During the summer months, please ensure all children are wearing sun cream to school.
Traffic Safety
Morning & afternoon one-way system:
Reminders:
The school has received many complaints of dangerous driving and parking in the vicinity of the school. Children and local residents are being put at risk.
Please use Foxrock Church car park at drop off and collection times and walk the last 6 minutes with your child.
Deansgrange Cemetery has requested that our parent body do not park and stride from the Cemetery carpark.
80% of our pupils live within 2 kilometres of our school. Please encourage your older children to walk with their pals to and from school.
Please ensure that younger children are held by the hand when walking with them to and from school.
Please do not block the driveways of local residents when parking. Many of our residents – often elderly - are virtual prisoners in their own homes at drop off and collection times. And when they speak up are often subject to abuse.
In the event of an emergency, when cars are parked illegally, it is unlikely that a fire tender or ambulance would be able to access the schools, or any homes in the vicinity.
Hollypark GNS & BNS understand and appreciate how busy the roads are each morning. We continue to engage with DLR & An Taisce, Safe Routes to School, for a safer school zone.
Birthdays this week and next in Hollypark!
Yinuo Yan
India Daly
Ihdeena Ghariani
Elle O'Connor
Norah Lamandé
Alanna Mae Cronin
Rachele Celeste Vallieri
Mia Pilkington
Zoe Murray
Indie Franklin
Maeve Redmond Kelly
Sophia Moran
Isabella Heraghty
Noorhane Ammouchi
Alice Earle
Alanna Byrne
Anastasia Doyle
Grace Lynch
Emily Kelly
Shauna Lynch
Matilda Batt
Advertising on our school newsletter
If you would like to place an ad on our school newsletter, please email Suzanne at the office hollyparkgns@gmail.com for further details.
Comments