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Wednesday 15th January 2025

Key Dates Term One & Two

History Talk

Wednesday 15th January

5th & 6th Classes

Catholic Schools Week

Week beginning Monday 19th January

All classes

Laudate

Wednesday 29th January

4th Class

Grandparents Day

Friday 31st January

All classes

St Brigid's Day (School Closure)

Monday 3rd February

All classes

Cyber Safety Talk

Monday 17th February

Parents

History Day

Wednesday 19th February

All classes

February Mid-Term

Thursday 20th February & Friday 21st February

All classes

Seachtain na Gaeilge

10ú - 14ú Márta

All classes

Book Fair

10th - 14th March

All classes

St Patrick's Day School Closure

Monday 17th March & Tuesday 18th March

All classes

Final Day of Term Two

Friday 11th April

All classes

 

School Calendar 2024/2025


The 2024/2025 calendar is available on www.hollyparkgns.ie


 

Grandparents' Day 2025: Friday 31st January


We are very much looking forward to this landmark day on our annual school calendar, which will take place on Friday 31st January.


(If for any reason we have to reschedule our Grandparents Day, we have a contingency date of Friday 7th February).

On this special day Grandparents will visit their grandchildren's classroom and will have the opportunity to share stories of their time in school with the girls. (For the comfort of all, we ask that only one grandparent attends per family). Grandparents will also join the children in the school hall for a short Prayer Service and will then be invited into our staffroom for light refreshments.


To accommodate the expected numbers, we will operate staggered arrival and departure times, as set out below.

Junior & Senior Infants & 1st Class



8:45 – 9:15

Visit

Classroom

9:15 – 9:45

Prayer Service

Hall

9:45 – 10:15

Tea/coffee

Staffroom

 

2nd, 3rd & 4th Classes



11:00 - 11:30

Visit

Classroom

11:30 – 12:00

Prayer Service

Hall

12:00 – 12:30

Tea/coffee

Staffroom

 

5th & 6th Classes



12:45 – 1:15

Visit

Classroom

1:15 – 1:45

Prayer Service

Hall

1:45 – 2:15

Tea/coffee

Staffroom

 

We are looking forward to seeing you all then!

 

Laudate Festival 2025

4th Class have been working on the 15 song Laudate Repertoire since last September and are very much looking forward to participating in this year’s Laudate Festival which takes place during Catholic Schools Week.


The Laudate Festival will take place on Wednesday 29th January (7:00pm-8:15pm) in the Church of St Therese, Mount Merrion. 


All parents and families are welcome to attend.


 

Junior Infant Parent Teacher Meetings

We are looking forward to meeting our Junior Infant parents at your annual Parent Teacher Meetings which will take place during the week beginning Monday 27th January 2025


Parents/guardians will be able to book a ten-minute PT Meeting slot via the Aladdin PT Scheduler which will open for bookings today Wednesday 15th January.


The PT Scheduler will remain open for bookings until Tuesday 21st January. Parents/guardians will not be able to cancel or change their meeting bookings after this date.


 

A Message from the HSE


Dear Principal,

As the cold weather continues, the HSE public health division has asked for your help in sharing the following important information with your school community:

  • Flu is circulating widely in the community, with children being significantly affected.

  • Please remind families that anyone who is unwell should remain at home to help prevent the spread of infection.

  • Cough and sneeze etiquette, along with regular hand hygiene, are essential to limiting the spread of illness.

  • The free nasal flu vaccine for children aged 2–17 is still available through local pharmacies and GPs.

For more information, go to hse.ie/flu.


Thank you for your support in sharing this information with your school community.

 

History Talk: 5th & 6th Classes

We were delighted to welcome Mr Padraig Laffan from our local Foxrock History Club to our school today. He gave a very informative presentation highlighting many of the historical items of interest in our general area to our 5th and 6th Class girls.


We very much appreciate the time he took to collate this information and for sharing his knowledge of our interesting locality. Thank you.


 

Voluntary Contribution

Thank you to all the families who have already made a Voluntary Contribution 

for 2024/25.

Your Voluntary Contribution makes a real difference to your girls' learning environment. Thank you!

If you would like to help in any additional way with our school development, (time, skillset, sponsorship) please let us know.

  

 

Frásaí na Seachtaine

Tá an aimsir gheimhriúil. 

Tá sé fuar, fliuch agus gaofar.

Labhair Gaeilge linn!


 

 

Microsoft Dream Space Ambassadors


The Dream Space Ambassador Program is a flagship Dream Space Student Leadership and training program, supported by the Microsoft Dream Space Team in Dublin and Belfast. This program is open to students who have a passion for learning and a desire to support, train, and mentor others in STEM education. 


Our girls completed their fourth training session yesterday, where they learned about the OWL project, Cybersecurity Conundrums and Artificial Intelligence (AI).


Have a read below about how they got on!


Today, during our fourth Dream Space lesson, we learnt all about Cybersecurity and Internet Safety. We solved puzzles that taught us about internet security, such as protected passwords, scammers, etc. We had a great time and we can't wait for our next lesson!


Isabella Heraghty and Amaya Naidoo



In todays lesson, we learnt about AI (Artificial Intelligence). On that topic, we learnt how to tell the difference between real and AI generated pictures. Nowadays, AI is becoming really popular, some times it can be helpful but sometimes it can be dangerous.


We had a lot of fun learning about AI today.


Anna Gleeson and Eva Skomorokha




 

Cycle Training For All


5th Class took part in their first Cycle Safety Training lesson this week. The 8-week course is run by the Cycle Safety School and aims to teach children how to cycle safely, become aware of their surroundings and develop the core bike handling skills needed for cycling on the road.



 

Swim Team


We are so proud of our swimmers who will take part in the Swim Ireland Leinster Schools Gala this Sunday. The girls will swim in individual and relay events in the National Aquatic Centre.

We wish the girls the very best of luck! Go Hollypark!


 

Huge Achievement!


Congratulations to Cameron Barron in 5th Class, who starred in the short film "Wrecker", which has just been nominated for an IFTA award! The ceremony will take place on February 14th. Best of luck Cameron!


 

Drama Winners


Well done to all our 'Drama Stars'! Tremendous credit to Eva Coffey on the wonderful achievements of her girls.



 

Hollypark GNS PA Update


Date for your diary!!! Monday 17th February

Parents Talk on Cyber Safety brought to you by CyberSafe Ireland.


 

Traffic Safety

Morning & afternoon one-way system:



Reminders:

  • 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.

  • 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.

 


 

Birthdays this week in Hollypark!

Sienna Tijs

Róisín Whelehan

Ava May Desmond

Chloe Rogan

Moira Caplis

Isabelle Louise Healy

Alice O'Malley

Sophie Marry

Sophie Redmond

Éabha Bennett

Alice Rua Cunningham

Emilia Lloyd




 

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.


 

HPGNS

United in Friendship, Together We Strive!

 


Comments


Contact 

St. Patrick's GNS

Hollypark

Foxrock Avenue

Dublin 18.  

D18V659

Principal

Bernadette Gunning

Deputy Principal

Michaela Marnell

School Secretary

Suzanne O' Toole

Phone:

01 2893293

 

Email: 

hollyparkgns@gmail.com

PAY ONLINE NOW

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