St. Gerard’S junior School
i am delighted to welcome you to our Summer newsletter. At this ending of another school year, we pause and give thanks for all that we have shared during the truly action-packed academic year of 2013/2014. For example, just since our last newsletter at christmas, our Standard 6 boys’ tennis team won the leinster junior and Primary Schools’ Tennis League; we had two finalists – jessica and Eva - in the national Doodle for Google competition; we were runners up in the Dun laoghaire rathdown Tidy Schools competition (thanks to our Green School’s committee); Standards 4 & 5 showed off their amazing gifts in the annual Talent Show; all of the children enjoyed the great outdoors on their annual school tours; and the year ended on a truly high-note with a superb production of “My Fair lady” performed by our Standard 6 pupils. And that’s to select just some of the activities that go on day in and day out - alongside learning, playing, butterflies hatching in Senior infants, chicks cracking out of their shells in junior infants etc. etc. etc.! School life is never dull and that’s for sure! As always, throughout the term we were mindful of those less fortunate than ourselves. E1,400 was raised for louise’s annual trip to the orphanage in Moldova in our Easter Egg competition; E500 was raised in our Planet Group Macarena Dance Extravaganza for Downs Syndrome ireland; Standard 4 raised E200 from selling their amazing “Wormwee”
fertilizer following the great success of their project in the Young Scientist Exhibition; and almost E2,000 was raised in our annual Trócaire lenten campaign. i realise that i say it every year, but none of the above could happen without the constant support of you the parents. From organising celebrations after the First communion and Confirmation to painting and sewing for school plays, and from running our junior School library and our horticultural programme to bar-b-queuing on a rainy Family Tennis night – your continued support and encouragement of all our endeavours is truly greatly appreciated – go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir. At term’s end, we had a special Graduation ceremony for our Standard 6 pupils when, together with their parents, we remembered all the fun and the learning we have shared together for the past 10 years since some of them arrived in Montessori school. They have been a co-operative, hard-working and lively(!) year group and i wish them every blessing and happiness as they travel on to pastures new in Senior School. i received a moving and heart-warming letter from a Standard 6 pupil who has been with us for 10 years. She ended by saying that her hope for Senior School was that she will feel “as important, respected and happy” as she did in junior School……i know that she
will……but i also know that it is our great staff team here in the junior School who make our school community what it is – a centre of excellence in education where each pupil is encouraged to achieve their full potential, and where each child is known by name and by uniqueness and cherished for who they are, rather than for what score they achieve. And so my heartfelt thanks to the junior School staff – a truly inspirational team! And now, after a whirlwind year, we face into the long happy days of Summer. To all of the pupils of the junior School i say - well done on a fantastic year – you can be justly proud of all of your hard work and achievements. Don’t forget our school motto “memor” during the long Summer holidays – be mindful. Each day we must be mindful to give of our very best, to be thankful for all of the good things in our life and to be kind and generous to others. And of course keep up lots of reading (and some spelling!) during the long Summer holidays. And so - until we meet again in September DV, i wish you all a very happy and safe Summer holiday enjoy each and every day! Dr Deirdre Farrell Principal