Newsletter: Wednesday 9th April 2025
- hollyparkwebsite
- Apr 9
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 30
Wishing all of our girls, their families and staff a lovely Easter break. I hope you enjoy lots of Easter Eggs and sunshine and we look forward to welcoming everyone back for our final term of the school year on Monday 28th April.
Friday 11th April: Last Day of School Term
Our final day of this term is Friday 11th April. We will operate a staggered finish as laid out below:
Staggered Finish | |
Junior & Senior Infants & older siblings | 11:30am |
1st & 2nd Class & older siblings | 11:45am |
3rd - 6th Class | 12:00pm |
Friday 11th April is a non-uniform day and there will be a Bucket Collection for Mary's Meals.
Key Dates Term Two
Mary's Meals Bucket Collection | Friday 11th April | All classes |
Final Day of Term Two | Friday 11th April | All classes |
First Day of Term Three | Monday 28th April | All classes |
May Break School Closure | Monday 5th & Tuesday 6th May | All classes |
Sports Day | Tuesday 13th May | All classes |
Standardised Testing | Week beginning Monday 19th May | 1st - 6th Classes |
First Holy Communion | Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th May | 2nd Class |
School Closure for PMC Staff Inservice | Monday 26th May | All classes |
Choir Concert | Wednesday 28th May | School Choir |
Communion Photos | Tuesday 27th May | 2nd Classes |
Cake Sale | Friday 30th May | All classes |
Confirmation | Saturday 7th June | 6th Class |
Last day Term 3 | Friday 27th June | All classes |
School Calendar 2024/2025
The 2024/2025 calendar is available on www.hollyparkgns.ie
Voluntary Contribution
Thank you to the 237 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.
Curriculum Evaluation: Music
We were delighted to welcome two inspectors from the Department of Education to our school this week for a Whole School Curriculum Evaluation in Music.
The inspectors spent time in many classes at all levels throughout the school.
Information resources for pupils and parents and guardians about the inspection process are available at these links:
&
Celebrating Music Day in HP!
We enjoyed a wonderful day celebrating music in Hollypark last Friday.
Camogie
Hi, I’m Holly from the 5th and 6th class camogie team. Today we are having our first match in the Cumann na mBunscol league, against St Brigid’s Girls, Cabinteely in Silver Park.
We are all very excited including our coaches. We have been training every Wednesday to prepare ourselves as individuals and as a team.
Keep your fingers crossed for us!
Go Hollypark!Tennis
Well done to our Tennis Team who have qualified to their next round!
Santry Squad
Training session for our Santry Squad: Thursday lunchtime in Granada!
Well done!
Speech & Drama Winners
Méabh in Ms Codd's 1st class won 1st place in the 'Speech & Drama Teachers of Ireland Hybrid Feis' at the weekend. She got a beautiful gold medal and a trophy for the 'Paint a Poem' competition and also came 2nd in the paired reading competition. We're so proud of you Méabh!
Singing Competition
On Sunday the 6th Of April, Chloe in 5th Class took part in the Castleknock Music Festival in Castleknock Community College. She competed in the Repertoire and Solo Competition. For the Solo Competition she sang "I know it's today" and for the Repertoire she sang "Goodnight" and the "Sally Gardens". She achieved first place in both of these competitions and will now perform at The Prizewinners Concert presented in Vernon Studio at the Royal Irish Academy of Music on Tuesday 8th April. Well done, Chloe!
Irish Dancing Exam
On Sunday I did an Irish Dancing Exam. I did Grade 4 and danced the Primary Slip Jig and the St. Patrick’s Day Dance. I got a B. I dance in The Chaney Farrell Academy of Irish Dance.by Ellen, Ms. Mannix’s 4th ClassSacramental Celebration: 2nd & 6th Classes
| Class | Date | Time | Wear |
First Holy Communion | 2nd Class [Parents have already registered to attend one of the Masses as outlined.] | Saturday 24th May Sunday 25th May Sunday 25th May | 10:00am 10:00am 11:30am |
As per tradition |
Class | Date | Time | Wear | |
Ceremony of Light | 6th Class | Thursday 29th May | 6:30pm | Uniform |
Confirmation | 6th Class | Saturday 7th June | 12:00pm | Uniform |
Trócaire Lenten Campaign 2025
Trócaire boxes have been distributed throughout the school.
With your support we can help families like Ilma and Julio's build a more secure future.
Hollypark GNS PA Update
Table Quiz
Our PA pulled out all the stops last Friday in Crokes with a fun and highly successful Table Quiz. Over €11000.00 was raised for our school!!!
The auction for Homework Off Passes, PJ Days, Surprizes, Cakes and Pizza was particularly successful - full results below!
Class | Prize |
Ms Byrnes Dooley Junior Infants | No homework, PJs & treat in lunchbox |
Ms Byrne Senior Infants | Moo cakes and wear your PJs to school day for whole class |
Ms Carroll Senior Infants | Supervalu class party and no HW pass |
Ms Cunneen 1st Class | No homework day and Easter eggs for whole class (before Easter) and PJ day (after Easter) |
Ms Codd 1st Class | Freshly Baked Cookies from Dessertaalicious & PJs to school day |
Ms Lamont 2nd class | No homework day and Easter eggs for whole class |
Ms McNulty 2nd Class | No HW No uniform |
Ms McGovern 3rd Class | Pizza party night for whole class |
Ms Cashman 3rd Class | Homework Pass |
Ms O Shea 4th Class | No HW No uniform |
Ms Mannix 4th Class | No HW Pjs |
Ms Belton 5th class | Non uniform day and surprise for whole class (Paddys ice cream) |
Ms Conlon 5th class | Moo cakes and wear your PJs to school day for whole class |
Ms Coll 6th Class | PJs No HW |
While it was clearly a whole team effort, special thanks go to Elaine Quinn, Keeva O'Shea, Sarah Delaney, Dee Cahill, Adrian O'Hagan, Jacinta & Michael Kavanagh, Jane Irwin, Sinéad Henry and Carla O'Brien.
Thank you all most sincerely!
Outdoor Learning Spaces
Our PA were very busy this weekend as the Gardening Team, along with Ms de Fréin, spent Saturday and Sunday creating two outdoor learning spaces for our girls!
Special thanks to: Sinead & Mark Henry, Mary - Charlotte's grandmother, Ash McGing, Jane Irwin & Ross Farrell, Melissa & Cian Daly & Eva, Nicola Sills Lyons & Zoe, Therese Coleman & Elodie, Maryrose McCarthy & Alanna
And a report from roving reporters Elodie & Alanna:
Outdoor ClassroomsOver the 5th and 6th of April last, we made two outdoor classrooms. First, some parents cleared two circles for the outdoor classrooms, second DLR County Council donated wood-chips. We raked these wood chips to make the ground even and lastly we painted used car tyres different shades of blue to use as planters.We worked with Zoe in Ms. Duffy’s 2nd Class, Eva in Ms. Belton’s 5th Class, Leylie in Ms. Coll’s 6th class and of course a BIG thanks to all the parents who helped out!By Elodie and Alanna in Ms. Mannix’s 4th ClassDon'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!
Support Cabinteely Darkness into Light: 10th May 2025
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 over Easter in Hollypark!
Arianna Rogan
Sadie Bowen
Elisha Harnett
Myra Anand
Leila Stokes
Zuri Bell-Hill
Elasia Di Adamo
Aoife Deasy
Leadha Kearns
Kate Davitt
Seraphina Centner
Rachel Song
Allison McMahon
Jessica Lynn
Juliet McGuinness
Alexandra Byrne
Annie Rose Mullane
Ali O'Neill Hyland
Riley Shelley
Kate Hyland
Claire D'Arcy
Ailbe Walsh
Genevieve Morris
Faye Furlong
Teighan Carrick Tallant
Julia Mahon
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.
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