Newsletter: Wednesday 4th March 2026
- Mar 4
- 6 min read
School Calendar 2025/2026
The 2025/2026 calendar is available on www.hollyparkgns.ie
Key Dates: Term Two & Three
Key Dates: Term Two | ||
Friday 6th March | 6th Class Movie Night | 6th Class |
An Luan 9ú - An Aoine 13ú Márta | Féile na dTeangacha | Gach rang |
Monday 9th March - Thursday 12th March | Book Fair | All classes |
Monday 16th March & Tuesday 17th March | St Patrick's Day School Closure | All classes |
Friday 20th March | PA Table Quiz | All parents |
Wednesday 25th March | Live Art Exhibition: Celebrating 60 Years! | All classes |
Wednesday 25th March 6:00pm - 7:30pm | Open Evening: Celebrating 60 Years! | All welcome |
Thursday 26th March Mass @ 11am | 60th Celebration Day | All classes |
Friday 27th March | Last Day Term Two | All classes |
Key Dates: Term Three | ||
Monday 13th April | First Day of Term Three | All classes |
Week beginning Monday 27th April | Standardised Testing | 1st - 6th Classes |
Wednesday 13th May | Staff Inservice School Closure | All classes |
Week beginning Monday 18th May | Standardised Testing | 1st - 6th Classes |
Friday 20th May | Junior Infant (2026/27) Welcome Day | Infant Classes |
Thursday 11th June | Sports Day | All classes |
Friday 12th June | HP60: Fun Day | All classes |
Tuesday 23rd June | 6th Class Graduation | 6th Classes |
Friday 26th June | Last day Term Three | All classes |
Celebrating 60 Years!
Live Art Exhibition: Wednesday 25th March
Classes | Parents are invited |
Junior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st Class | 9:00am - 9:45am |
2nd Class, 3rd Class, 4th Class | 9:45am - 10:30am |
5th & 6th Class | 6:00pm - 7:30pm |
Open Evening: Wednesday 25th March
All are welcome to visit the school on the evening of Wednesday 25th March 6:00pm - 7:30pm. Please let past pupils know - we would love to welcome them back!
Celebratory Mass: Thursday 26th March
Mass will be celebrated in Foxrock Church on Thursday 26th March @ 11am. Children from 3rd to 6th Class from both schools will attend on the day. All parents and families are welcome to join our schools in this celebration.
60th Anniversary Book
We have compiled a beautiful keepsake book for our pupils. This 148 page commemorative book is packed full of photos and facts about our school and its 60 year journey.
Thanks to generous sponsorship from parents, local businesses and school suppliers we are able to offer this book to our families for the price of only €15. There are limited copies available and so initial orders are limited to one per family. An Aladdin link will issue shortly for ease of payment.
Fun Day: Friday 12th June
And we look forward to a special Fun Day for our two schools when we celebrate 60 years on Friday 12th June!
Lots of Socks!
Lots of Socks is Down Syndrome Ireland’s fundraising campaign in celebration of World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD).
The date for WDSD is set on the 21st day of the 3rd month as a representation of the extra copy of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome that people with Down syndrome are born with. Plus, chromosomes look a lot like socks under a microscope!
We will be celebrating Lots of Socks Day in Hollypark on Friday 20th March. Girls can wear fun, colourful and odd socks on the day ands make a donation via our Bucket Collection!
Well Done!
Well done Zoe & Darcey!
Well done Lily!
Well done Méabh!
Féile na dTeangacha 9ú - 13ú Márta
Lots of exciting events to look forward to during Féile na dTeangacha, our celebration of languages, incorporating Seachtain na Gaeilge!
Nuacht an Lae - gach lá
Ceilí leis na buachaillí
Cluichí ar an Astro
Seó Faisin
Lá Mór Glas
School Choir: Córfhéile
Our School Choir are looking forward to performing at Córfhéile na Scoileanna this evening!
All parents and families are very welcome to attend. Admission to Córfhéile is €10 for adults, accompanying children are free. (Girls who are singing in the Córfhéile do not pay admission).
Book Fair: 9th - 12th March
We are looking forward to the return of Tara Books for our Book Fair which will run from Monday 9th - Thursday 12th March.
Teachers will be in touch with timings for their individual classes. General Admission for parents will be on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings 8:30am - 9:00am.
The free World Book Day books will be included by Tara books. World Book Day tokens have already been distributed in the school. It's one free book per child on receipt of a World Book Day Token.
Thank you to our Library Ladies and Ms de Fréin for organising this much loved annual school event.
Library News
Following on from the success of Marita Conlon McKenna as our guest speaker last year, this year will see Sinead Moriarty visiting 4th, 5th and 6th classes at Hollypark GNS on Friday 6th March.
This will be a lovely lead into our Book Fair which commences 9th March.
We will have more of Sinead Moriarty’s books on the shelves shortly, giving the girls a chance to read more of her books before she visits.
Voluntary Contributions 2025- 2026
Sincere thanks to the 168 families (that is 43% of all our families) who have already made a Voluntary Contribution to the school for 2025-26.
It may interest our families to know that you can choose to make frequent small payments to your Voluntary Contribution via Aladdin at any time during the school year, up to and including 31st August 2026.
Any and all contributions are very much appreciated and make a real difference to your daughter's learning environment.
PA Update
6th Class Movie Night: Friday 6th March
PA Pre-Loved Uniforms: Collection: Friday 6th March
PA Table Quiz Fundraiser: Friday 20th March
We are looking forward to another fun fundraising event on Friday 20th March when our quizzing skills will be put to the test. Thank you again to our hardworking PA for organising this fun event.
The continued fundraising efforts of the PA—supported by your generous voluntary contributions and Department funding—are already making a meaningful impact. We are currently working with suppliers to add new painted games to the yard surface, and we have ordered picnic tables to enhance our Outdoor Learning Space.
We are also pleased to share that this year’s IT grant has been received, enabling us to purchase an additional 15 ThinkPads for use across our classrooms.
These resources will make a real difference to our girls’ learning experiences. Thank you!!
Health & Safety
From time to time, vapes have been found on the school yard. Please note that under legislation, Smoking/Vaping is prohibited on school grounds. |
Traffic Safety
Please note: It is illegal to park in a way which interferes with traffic flow or obstructs or endangers other road users, for example:
[Dublin Street Parking Services] Once again I am reminding our parents/guardians/minders to drive and park with consideration for our children and our neighbours - many of whom are elderly and vulnerable. |
One Way Traffic System
When travelling to and from the school please use the one way traffic system outlined below to alleviate traffic congestion.
Traffic Safety
Please use the church car park at drop off and collection times and walk the last 6 minutes with your child.
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.
Please park legally and with care.
As things stand, in the event of an emergency, it is unlikely that a fire tender or ambulance would be able to access the schools, or any homes in the vicinity, at drop off and collection times.
Birthdays this week in Hollypark!
Katie Flynn
Lyla Synnott
Olivia Leonard
Emily Bowler
Sienna Phelan
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 and pricing.
HPGNS
United in Friendship, Together We Strive!
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