Weekly Note & Reminders 9th November by Castle Park School

Castle Park School

Weekly Note & Reminders 9th November 2023

From Mr McKernan (Principal, Whole School) Dear Parents, Welcome Back

Welcome back to all our pupils, teachers, and staff after the mid-term break. We trust you had a relaxing holiday and are returning to school refreshed and prepared for the remainder of the Autumn/Winter Term. We're all eagerly looking forward to continuing our collective journey of learning and exploration.

Teaching Assembly During this week’s Senior Teaching Assembly, we discussed the topic ‘Why wars don’t solve our problems’. Our pupils engaged in a thoughtful discussion, recognising that wars often bring suffering to ordinary families and individuals who are not involved in the conflict on all sides. The pupils shared insights on how fighting and disputes rarely lead to lasting solutions, underscoring that dialogue remains the essential path to resolution. Together, we took a moment to reflect on those affected in war-torn regions throughout the world and expressed our hope for an end to all wars, and peace on all sides.

HPL - High-Performance Learning Superstars - Meta-Thinking Molly Molly is an excellent example of someone who consistently engages in metacognition – demonstrating the practice of thinking about one’s own thinking. This cognitive skill has immense benefits in all aspects of life, including academics, sports, and personal relationships. Practising Meta-Thinking unlocks the key to avoiding repetitive mistakes and elevates our overall performance to new heights. This is a valuable lesson in the journey toward becoming high-performance learners in every facet of our lives!

Wednesday 16th

The Week Ahead CAT4 (Cognitive Ability Tests) Science Week 2023 - 'Human?'

Monday 13th November Collings Award Introduction (VI) Junior Assembly (I, II & III) Board of Directors Meeting

Tuesday 14th November Dress Rehearsals (III)

Wednesday 15th November Teaching Assembly (IV, V & VI) Form VI Boys’ Basketball v St Michael's College (H); Tip-Off 2:30 pm; Collection Times as normal. Form V Girls’ Hockey v Mt Anville (H); Push Back 3:30 pm; Collection @ 4:30 pm.

Thursday 16th November Form VI Boys Hockey v Our Ladies Grove (H); Push Back 2:30 pm; Collection times as normal. Form VI Boys Basketball v Harold Boys School (H); Tip-Off 3:30 pm; Collection @ 4:30 pm

Friday 17th November Prep School Assembly (I-VI)

Sunday 19th November Confirmation Faith Moments Mass; Church of the Assumption, Dalkey @ 10:15am You can ﬁnd details of all ﬁxtures/events/activities on the Parent Portal Calendar

Save the Date – December **

December** promises to be an exciting day for the Castle Park Community, offering a seasonal event packed with fun activities for all ages. FCP is organising a before and after school program for children and their parents to enjoy together, all decked out in their festive Christmas attire. All enthusiastic singers are encouraged to come along and sing carols in the morning! The children will be entertained with fun activities and tasty treats throughout the school day. This event will require tickets, and we will send a link and further details at a later date.

Pine Forest Adventure Trip

Excitement filled the Junior Corridor on Tuesday and again this morning as our Form I and II classes embarked on an adventure to the Pine Forest Art Centre. Here are some reflections from Form I pupils about their Pine Forest experience: · “I liked it when we ran away from the spiders and cobwebs.” Alex (I-C) · “I liked going around the badger set because I saw a paw!” Rosa (I-C) · “I liked it when we sat on the bus, and we made up a hand clap.” Hazel (I-C) · “I liked it when we made art.” Alisa (I-C) · “I've been here before and loved it. I enjoyed it. I like nature.” Ella (I-P) · “I loved seeing spiders in the forest.” Teddy (I-P) · “I liked the pond because there were newts in it.” Gilles (I-P) · “I liked everything about the Pine Forest.” Oliver (I-P) We were delighted to witness such enthusiasm and an appreciation for nature and exploration, aligning perfectly with our school's commitment to holistic learning. Please take some time to view the photographs in the Gallery below.

Wednesday 16th

Week Beginning Monday 20th November CAT4 (Cognitive Ability Tests)

Monday 20th November Junior Commendation Assembly (I, II & III)

Wednesday 22nd November

Thursday 23rd November

Friday 24th November

Next Week Sports

Our Sports Department is preparing for an exciting week ahead, with a packed schedule including Hockey, Basketball, and Soccer matches. Please remember to check the School Calendar for more details. Supporters are always welcome.

Form III Plays Finally, we are pleased to announce that our Form III classes will take to the stage next Thursday with two exciting plays, 'Redd' (III-C) and 'Anything You Say Your Majesty' (III-P). We have observed the commitment and effort invested in the rehearsals for these performances, and we look forward to seeing our talented pupils perform on the big night.

Sunday 26th November

Ms McKiernan (Director of Music) Junior Singing Competition The Christmas and Winter-Themed Junior Singing Competition is open to all pupils in Forms I and II. If you would like to participate:

Theme of the Week

· Select a Christmas or Winter song; · Complete an entry form (available from Ms McKiernan in the Music room); · Practise the song at home; · Perform it for Ms McKiernan at a set audition time. The deadline for entries is Friday, 17th November. A group of finalists will be chosen to perform their song in Assembly later this term. Best of luck to all the entrants!

Remembering the Importance of Peace and Dialogue

Le gach dea-ghuí Stephen McKernan Principal

Artist of the Week

Composer of the Week

Shanvi *** Inspired by the beautiful illustrations of Ed Vere in the children's book 'The Artist’, the pupils in Form I created their very own dinosaur artists using vibrant colours.

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi

Irish Phrase of the Week

Síocháin Peace.

Quote of the Week Peace does not mean an absence of conflicts; differences will always be there. Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge; and through humane ways. Dalai Lama

News from Ms Farrelly’s Classroom - Junior Infants It has been yet another exciting and fun-filled week in Junior Infants. Our topic for this term is 'People in our Community’. This week, we focused on the role of a Dentist. To enhance our learning experience, we transformed our Role Play Area into a Doctor's surgery, and the children had a great time immersing themselves in their roles. In Gaeilge, we have explored the topics 'Mé Féin' (Myself), 'An Scoil' (School), and 'Oíche Shamhna' (Halloween). This week, our focus shifted towards 'Bia' (Food), and the children have been enthusiastically singing songs and expanding their Irish vocabulary. Our primary focus in Mathematics revolved around Comparing and Ordering. The children thoroughly enjoyed the process of identifying contrasting objects within our classroom. Furthermore, we have read stories about ‘Diwali’ (The Festival of Lights), broadening our horizons and appreciating cultural diversity. These stories inspired us to create our own lanterns in the classroom. Our book of the month is ‘Stickman’ written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. When we had finished the story, we created a beautiful Stickman craft, which is now displayed in our classroom. As we look ahead, we are eagerly anticipating Science Week and our Nativity play, promising more exciting adventures and opportunities for learning and fun!

Ms Farrelly’s Classroom - Junior Infants

Form I - Pine Forest Art Centre

Form II - In the Science Room

Languages Role Play with Form IV

Noticeboard

Forms I & II

Noticeboard

Join our Adult Swimming Lessons and Coached Sessions in Castle Park. We cater for all levels: Beginner, Improver, Swim for Fitness and Masters swimmers. For more information and registration, please visit our website HERE.