Weekly Note & Reminders 23rd November 2023 by Castle Park School

Castle Park School

Weekly Note & Reminders 23rd November 2023

From Mr McKernan (Principal, Whole School) Dear Parents, Teaching Assembly - ‘Childrens’ Rights’ In this week's Teaching Assembly, Mr Tindale sparked an insightful conversation with our Senior Prep pupils on the topic of Children's Rights both in Ireland and globally. The focal point was the Ombudsman for Children and its pivotal role in safeguarding the rights of young people. A dynamic group discussion unfolded, exploring the profound question, ‘What do rights mean?’. Together, we reflected on children's rights, both existing and aspirational. The conversation extended to the fundamental principle that every child has the right to be treated equally, irrespective of skin colour, gender, nationality, religion, or additional needs. From the right to a home, access to healthcare and privacy, to the essential right to education, we examined the current global scenario where these rights are not universally met. Mr Tindale shed light on how children's rights to peace in a world marked by conflicts are often compromised. The session proved to be remarkably engaging, with our pupils demonstrating a notable understanding of their rights. It was encouraging to witness them embracing knowledge that empowers them to advocate for a world where every child's rights are acknowledged and upheld.

Autumn Commendations The Junior and Senior Commendation Assemblies took place on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Each term, the Form Teachers and Specialist Teachers select a pupil to whom they present a commendation, recognising a specific aspect of their learning. While presenting the pupils with their awards, the teachers often highlight effort, consistency, and determination. Teachers can also focus on specific areas of learning, such as the importance of making mistakes in the learning process or acknowledging outstanding work or projects. One notable benefit of the Commendation Assemblies is their role in making the children aware of the various celebrated learning areas within the School, nurturing a growth mindset with the support of their teachers. On the next page, you'll find the names of the pupils acknowledged with commendations in the Autumn Term. Congratulations to all!

Wednesday 16th

The Week Ahead Revision Week Hamper Collection Week 2 Parents invited to SwimCamp Lessons

Monday 27th November Junior Assembly Form IV Boys’ Soccer v St Michael's College (H); Kick-Off 2:30 pm; Collection times as normal.

Tuesday 28th November Special Assembly: Poetry Recital

Wednesday 29th November Dress Rehearsal Form IV Plays Form VI Boys’ Soccer v St Michael's College (H); Kick-Off 2:30 pm; Collection times as normal. Form VI Girls’ Basketball v Mt Anville (H); Tip-Off 3:30 pm; Collection @ 4:30 pm.

Thursday 30th November Form III Travelling to Croke Park. FCP Mentor Meeting @ 8:45 am Form V Boys’ Soccer v St Michael's College (H); Kick-Off 2:30 pm; Collection times as normal. Form IV-C Play; ‘Romeo & Juliet’; 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm. Form IV-P Play; ‘Greece!’; 7:00 pm - 8.00 pm.

Friday 1st December

FCP Coffee Morning @ 8:45 am Prep School Assembly You can ﬁnd details of all

ﬁxtures/events/activities on the Parent Portal Calendar

Autumn Commendations

Wednesday 16th

Week Beginning Monday 4th December HSE Sight & Hearing Screening (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Assessment Week

Monday 4th December Junior Assembly

Wednesday 6th December Teaching Assembly Dublin League Basketball vs St Lawerence’s College (H); 11am 12:30pm Form VI Boys’ Basketball v Willow Park (H); Kick-Off 2:30 pm; Collection times as normal.

Thursday 7th December Form IV Trip to Dublin Zoo

Form III Plays - Congratulations Congratulations to our Form III pupils for their outstanding performances in their recent plays 'Redd' (III-C) and ‘Anything You Say Your Majesty' (III-P). Their confidence shone through on the night, and the audience was thoroughly entertained. A special thanks to our Form III teachers, Ms Hope and Ms Mernagh, who guided and supported the pupils throughout the rehearsals and performances. To relive some moments from the plays, we invite you to click on the following photobook links: ‘III-C ‘Redd‘ III-P ‘Anything You Say Your Majesty’

Form V Boys’ Soccer v Conleth (H); Kick-Off 2:30 pm; Collection times as normal. Girls’ Leinster League Hockey v St Gerard’s (A). Return to CP approx. 4:30 pm

Friday 8th December FCP Christmas Event. AIJS 5-A-Side Soccer Tournament at St. Gerard’s School

From Mr Hilman & Mr Nolan (Sports Department) Form VI Boys Sports - Well Done!

Last week, our school had an exciting line-up of sports fixtures, including a Dublin Basketball fixture where our Form VI boys competed against Harold Boys School. Congratulations to all the boys who participated in this event! The Form VI boys also played against Our Lady’s Grove National School in their first Leinster League Hockey fixture. The match was a testament to our boys' exceptional teamwork and unwavering determination, resulting in a remarkable win with a score of 6-1. Congratulations to the team! Your dedication, hard work, and extra training are paying off.

You can ﬁnd details of all

ﬁxtures/events/activities on the Parent Portal Calendar

From SwimCamp An Invitation to Swimming Lessons We would like to invite you to join us for a unique opportunity to observe your child's swimming lesson from the Pool Gallery during the week of November 27th.

Theme of the Week

Over the past few weeks, SwimCamp has been diligently working with the children to enhance their swimming skills and water confidence. We are delighted to share that we have witnessed significant improvements since the start of our swimming program. To celebrate these achievements, we invite you to attend your child's swimming lesson during the upcoming week. This is an excellent opportunity to see first-hand the progress your child has made in the water. Please take a moment to check your child's timetable to ensure that you attend the correct lesson

Getting Unstuck with Fluid Thinking

We look forward to welcoming you to this upcoming event. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at school@swimcamp.ie.

Composer of the Week

Le gach dea-ghuí Stephen McKernan Principal

Artist of the Week Camille (VI)

Before the midterm break, the pupils in Form VI were learning about the ancient mosaic art form. Inspired by traditional patterns found on mosaic floors and ceilings within various cultures, Form VI were tasked with creating a mosaic tile using squares and geometric shapes to create a pattern.

Luigi Boccherini

Irish Phrase of the Week

Dearcadh -Mindset

Quote of the Week “Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.” – Bruce Lee

VAA of the Month - ‘Hardworking’

From Ms Ledermann - REP’s Teacher The Value, Attribute, and Attitude of the Month for November:

Hardworking: Perseverance Keep going. Face obstacles, and do not give up. Persist in the effort. Work hard and systematically. Do not be satisfied until high quality, appropriate precision and desired outcome are achieved. This month, our Form VI REP’s Leaders, Orla, Thady, Alex, and Raonall, have been updating us on the progress of their ongoing enquiry into ‘How many different nationalities are enrolled at Castle Park School’. So far, they have extrapolated the relevant data from 'SchoolBase' and are currently creating a visual representation on a World Map. Meanwhile, the VAA of the Month for November has been introduced in our Junior and Senior Prep Assemblies. Form I are taking on a special project this month to show how they are like 'Hardworking Heidi'. Their project entails creating a lasting piece that celebrates the crucial values of kindness and friendship, central themes from their recent Personal Development Day. They are excited to share this work later in the term. Here are some photos of them planning, discussing, and persevering as they strive for the highest standards with their work.

Poetry Recital - ‘The Lost Words’

From Ms Hope - Head of English Next Tuesday, we will host an exciting event which aims to bring the magic of language to life within our school - ‘The Whole School Poetry Recital’ featuring the extraordinary book, ‘The Lost Words’. Pupils from all forms will come together to explore the enchanting verses of this magical book, bringing the pages to life through their interpretations and recitations. In a world where the digital realm often takes centre stage, we will celebrate the beauty of language and reconnect with the wonders of the natural world. ‘The Lost Words’ by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris is a poetic masterpiece that captures the imagination and emphasises the importance of preserving naturerelated words that are gradually fading from our everyday language. This event offers a unique opportunity for our pupils to enhance their public speaking skills, build confidence, and cultivate a love for poetry. The rich tapestry of nature-inspired words in ‘The Lost Words’ will expand their vocabulary and instil a deep appreciation for the world around them. The magical journey through the book’s pages will extend beyond the recital as Form teachers will incorporate elements of the book into their lesson plans, further impacting our pupils' understanding of language and the environment.

Maths Eyes Competiton Winners

From Ms O’ Sullivan - Head of Maths Congratulations to all the pupils who took part in either the Maths Eyes Photography Competition or the 2-D Shape Art Competition during Maths Week. It was wonderful to see so many outstanding entries. Well done to all for being creative and using your linking skills to connect Mathematical concepts to the real world around you. Here are the winners below: 2-D Shape Art

Maths Eyes Photography

News from the Science Department - Ms Prendergast

Autumn is an ideal season for science education, and we've been fortunate to have some lovely weather for outdoor exploration. Our pupils have been taking advantage of the beautiful grounds and engaging in hands-on learning through forest science. Form I explored the concept of decomposition by creating leaf mobiles, which we will leave hanging on some evergreen trees at the front of the Castle. Several groups of pupils had the opportunity to play conkers this year due to a ‘mast year’ in the horse chestnut trees. This phenomenon occurs every few years, producing an abundance of conkers. Form VI-P has chosen to utilise the abundance of horse chestnuts for their RDS Science Fair project, exploring the feasibility of using them as an alternative to store-bought detergent. Their research also uncovered that ivy possesses properties that can be used to create a natural soap. Their project, 'Woodland Versus Big Brand, Which Detergent Is Best?' is still in the research phase, but I'm eagerly anticipating the outcomes. The experimentation phase is set to commence over the next few weeks. Form VI-C opted for another environmentally-focused project, exploring the sustainability of seeds. Their project centres around a crucial question: ‘Will Seeds That Are Ten Years Out Of Date Still Germinate And Grow?’. This is an important question to ask and research as, depending on the outcomes, we might be throwing away perfectly healthy seeds. Experimental research has already started on this project in the Science Room, and the complete scientific method process has been followed. Science Week Ireland took place from 12th-19th November; the theme for 2023 was 'Human?', which asks people to consider what it means to be human in today's world and how our decisions today will impact the people and world of the future. This year, we were incredibly fortunate to have several parents give up their time to come in and speak to our pupils. Research shows that having guest speakers in schools can significantly contribute to concept development and real-world application. Our first speaker was Eimear , who spoke to all of Form VI about her work on Artificial Intelligence. I learned so much; her clear and composed presentation style and engaging interaction with the children made the learning process thoroughly enjoyable. We were also treated to a dynamic and interactive presentation by Ciaran who created a captivating quiz for the children in his area of expertise, earth science and astronomy; his passion for his subject infused everyone in the room with enthusiasm. Diogo presented his work on Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning—real-life applications and AI in Games. The pupils were keen to mine their brains on how to succeed in their gaming strategies! Josh spoke to the children about the scientifically proven benefits of humans having pets. He discussed the advantages of the research that has been conducted on how to read behaviour in pets. Bertie even came to assist during the talk! The presentation tied in beautifully with a topic the children have covered about animals and their habitats.

Photos from the Science Department

Science Week - Guest Speakers

Visitor From Engineers Ireland

Junior Infants Experiment - Floating & Sinking

Senior Infants - ‘Empathetic Emma’ We’ve been learning about ‘Empathetic Emma’, and we wrote down five things that make each of us feel confident. We cut out our flowers, folded each petal over and placed them in water. We watched each one open up as they absorbed the water. - Ms Bradnick’s Class

Form I - 'Hardworking Heidi' Project

Chess Hobby

French School Teachers Visit

Form VI Debating in their REP’s Lesson

Form IV - Clay Sculptures

Boys’ Hockey - 16th November

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