Ms Kilmartin Principal
COLÁISTE BRÍDE NEWSLETTER
“Seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness” are upon us as outlined in the famous poem Ode to Autumn by poet John Keats, a lovely time of year where leaves turn colour, our days shorten and we prepare for winter
In school, the trees on the avenue bear their red fruit, our school garden is abundant with fruit and vegetables, our school community is well settled into the rhythms of the year and so much learning, co-curricular activities, trips and initiatives are taking place. It is lovely to hear the positive feedback from guests entering the school about the beauty and cleanliness of our school environment, the silence on the corridors during classes, reflecting the fabulous work happening in classrooms by both students and teachers Well-done everyone! The upcoming break is truly well earned and timely.
May I thank all the students, their parents/guardians and staff for the lovely atmosphere in the school, the positive relationships, the excellent behaviour and the commitment of so many students representing the school on so many teams, work experiences, community connections and leadership activities from mentor to prefects, to new Ember Faith leaders, to Active School Committee, Green Flag members, to Student Council members, Art Council members, Learning Leaders, Library Assistants, digital captains, class captains and deputy captains and so many more ways that our students develop skills beyond the classroom which will serve them well as young adults into the future
A special welcome to all our new students, parents/guardians and staff who are now part of our school community, we hope that you will cherish your time in CB and become proud CB members!
Congratulations to our students from Junior Cycle 2024 who received results in early October and to our LCA Rang Tomás students who received their Session 2 results with a high number of Distinctions and Merits Thank you to all the staff who supported the students on their journey to these achievements from subject teachers, tutors, SNAs, AEN team, Year-Heads and all their parents/guardians or family members at home We are blessed in Coláiste Bríde, to have such a wonderful team of staff who embrace their role in living the CB motto “To Teach - To Guide – To Form” This commitment is what underpins the work of the whole school as together we strive for continuous improvement, for helping students achieve to the best of their ability, to become the best person that they can be, to be respectful, caring and play an active role in the world around themselves We set high standards and expectations about behaviour, uniform, attendance and respect, we are here to help students learn important life skills and lessons in a nurturing environment I hope that through the school newsletter you get a snapshot into some of the many school activities from Bonding Days, to trips, sporting matches, lunchtime concerts and so much more. A delightful moment recently was coming across a student who began to play the piano in the GPA during Supervision and how her accomplished playing caught the audience and had them enjoying the spontaneity of the moment and showing appreciation of musical performance It was truly uplifting
It is wonderful to see how parents/guardians are embracing our new TYRO APP which shares information with parents/guardians, alerts parents/guardians to student attendance, behaviours and is a payment path. Thank you to all our parents/guardians who have adapted so well to this. I know that our teachers have been rewarding students with positive comments, reward sheets and well done cards, reflecting the importance of the Irish proverb “Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí” which advocates for praising young people and that in return they will flourish! This is at the heart of all relationships
The 2024-2025 school year will see us plan towards the introduction of the new anti-bullying framework Bí Cinéalta and commence planning for the redeveloped Senior Cycle. These national changes will form a great deal of our school planning time and will equally be part of ongoing focus groups with students and parents too. We look forward to meeting parents/guardians at Parent/Guardian Teacher meetings, we also encourage parents/guardians to get involved in the Parents’ Council and attend information meetings that are held
Our Board of Management are delighted to inform parents/guardians that our school has been in receipt of a Department of Education commitment to build a 2 classroom Special Education extension to the school which will see us embark on a five year project. Also, a huge thank you to Round Towers GAA for their support with a successful application for Sports Capital funding for the school. Our vision is to create an active walkway around our school pitch and to upgrade the Sports Hall floor in association with Dublin Lions basketball
On a personal note, thank you to everyone for the warm welcome on my return to Coláiste Bríde, to Ms Ronan and all members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) for their continued wonderful work while I was on secondment. It has been so nice to have so many students come up to say hello from their sisters, mothers, cousins etc. We are indeed a family in CB!
Ms. Kilmartin Principal
In This Issue...
1st Year News
First Term Round Up
Active School Flag Updates
TYRO - How to Guide
TY News
Extra Curricular Activities
Dates for your Diary
And much much more...
BBall Blitz
1st Year News...
Our 1st Year students have been super busy since they started their journey in Coláiste Bríde. So many 1st Years helped out at our Open Day, and some students also made hand-written pieces of advice for the primary school students who would be visiting. It was a fabulous day and was so brilliant to see so many 1st Year students shining their light and leading the way.
Maths
Week
1st Year students also took part in a whole year group table quiz during Maths Week. Lots of fun, laughter and team-work made for a wonderful hour. Our TY students led the morning with so much enthusiasm.
Congratulations to our winning team. A fabulous start to Maths Week 2024!!
Next came the 1st Year ‘BasketBall Blitz’ organised by the TY students 1st Years were invited down to the Sports Hall where they went head to head with each other and their teachers all for a fantastic cause Overall there was 355 euro raised for the Ronald McDonald Foundation, and we are so proud of our 1st Year students for supporting the TY students by donating and taking part with such enthusiasm
1st Year Bonding Day
Finally, we had our 1st Year Bonding Day on Friday October 18th We kicked off the day with the students taking part in a Photography Challenges that allowed them to work in teams to develop their digital skills (and even make themselves fly!) and a Drama Workshop that saw their acting skills truly shine. Next up we had each tutor class create a class symbol and then each student placed their thumb print on the symbols to ‘leave their mark’ in our building. These beautiful symbols will be displayed in their tutor classes in the coming weeks. Students then wrote a letter to their future selves which will be kept and returned to them on their Graduation Day.
We ended the day with a stellar performance from singer/songwriter Saibh Skelly who spoke to our students about the importance of looking after their mental health, having courage, following their dreams and never being afraid to be themselves. Saibh performed some of her beautiful songs and then students had the opportunity to get a photo with Saibh and receive a signed picture.
A huge thank you to our 1st Year tutors Mr. Browne Carey, Mr. Barry, Ms. Ryan, Mr. Devoy, Ms. DeBurca and Ms. Comiskey for planning such a wonderful day.
Wishing you all a fun and restful midterm break. Ms Roche 1st Yr Year Head
How it’s going so far...
A word from one of our 1st Year students:
‘I started secondary school in Coláiste Bríde back in August. The school is very bright and colourful, and is a very nice school to be a part of in general The teachers are lovely, along with all the staff here The change from primary school to secondary school was difficult, leaving my close friends and changing from one teacher to ten was worrying for me. Since coming to Coláiste Bríde, I am no longer worried, and this change is getting easier every day I attend Homework Club after school two days a week which means I can do my homework and ask for help from the teachers there if I need it. I can also spend some time with my friends and have something to eat in the canteen One of my favourite parts of Coláiste Bride so far is Breakfast Club in the mornings. It starts at 8am and ends at 8:30am, it is free for students and has really nice food to eat! I am really happy in Coláiste Bríde and am looking forward to everything to come ’ Aine O’Leary, Rang Caoimhin
Sports Update... CB Athletics
Congratulations to our first year cross country teams who competed in the Dublin Schools Cross Country Championships in Phoenix Park last month.
Despite the difficult weather conditions and strong competition of one hundred and seventy-three runners in each race, every member of the team ran a superb race. For the majority of the team, the one kilometre race was their first time running a competitive cross country race. They will continue to train and compete over the coming months.
Basketball
Our U16 and U19s had their first match against Mount Sackville where our U19s won 53 - 40. Our U16s unfortunately didn't win their match but put in a fantastic effort.
GAA
The GAA team have had a mixed start to their season, two loses for the U16's but we are hopeful of a win in our last group match on Thursday 24th. Our U18 team were unfortunate to lose their first match but had an excellent result on Tuesday 15th, 7.18 to 3.6 against Le Chéile SS.
We are super proud of all our teams and the hard work they put into training and matches. No doubt we ’ re going to see great things from these teams in months ahead. The U14 league starts after Christmas.
Maith sibh gach duine!
Beginning of School Year Prayer Services
To mark the beginning of the school year, we held several prayer services in our local church to ask God for guidance and to watch over us in the year ahead. Students were delighted to take part in the prayer services, from offering up gifts, to reading prayers, to singing in the choir. The student involvement in the prayer services was what made them so special. Students in all years attended the prayer services and represented the school very well in our local community. They read prayers of thanks and hope, and took time to reflect on their aspirations for the year ahead. The school choir, led by Ms Wall, provided amazing music and lifted everyone ’ s spirits in the church Each prayer service was led by our school Chaplain, Ms McKeon, and was attended by members of our School Leadership Team, various teachers and SNAs, and our Parish Pastoral worker, Saule.
A Word from our Head Girl Team...
Aoife
Hi there! My name is Aoife, and I am the Head Girl for Coláiste Bríde this year. To be honest I still don’t know how I got here. Throughout my five years in the school, I have been a part of our Learning Hub which as everyone knows is my pride and joy. I’m an awards prefect, I’ve been a part of ASF, I’ve played for the basketball team, and I’ve been a mentor to First Year Students I think it’s safe to say I’ve done it all and I can’t believe that it’s my last year as a CB girl. If I could give one piece of advice to anyone in our school wanting to be Head Girl, I’d say be kind. I think that if you ’ re a nice person, are friendly to everyone and always put your best foot forward it’ll get you very far in life You never know someone else’s story and a simple smile could brighten up someone ’ s day I can’t wait to work with everyone in our school community. I am so grateful for the role I get to play this year and so excited for everything this school year will have to offer; it’s going to be a blast.
Lucy
Hey everyone, my name is Lucy and I’m one of two deputy head girls in Coláiste Bríde. I love having this role and opportunity and I have definitely come a long way since first year! I remember seeing the head girls talk on Presentation Day when I was in first year and just thinking to myself wow, I would really love to wear that blazer Little did I know after six short years of passing smiles, always giving respect and trying to be my best possible self, I would be in that position! Some things that I believe contributed to being picked for this role are as follows - being a fifth-year mentor, I absolutely loved this experience, by trying to fill up other people's buckets by passing on my knowledge and experience of our school I filled up my own bucket just as much! Another factor being TY as a whole. The year was honestly just fun. By putting my name down for absolutely everything and jumping at any chance I had at experiencing something new I believe I gained so much life experience and would 100% recommend! I have to say though the main reason I believe I got to where I am in sixth year is by seeing the bright side to every situation, by staying motivated, resilient, positive and all round being myself and letting myself shine through every time Above all else I am confident in my personality and how I treat others and honestly that is what makes the difference The one thing I would definitely recommend is changing your mindset, it will definitely change your life. Our school has excellent resources for all situations, such as clubs, activities, the learning hub, a great support team provided to each and every student, and many more, don’t be afraid to jump at the chance to use them!
Elizabeta
Hey girls! My name is Elizabeta, and I am your other Deputy Head Girl for the year Being picked for this role was indeed a surprise for me but I guess all that hard work pays off in the end. I joined Coláiste Bríde in second year after moving from Albania to Ireland. I wasn’t always this positive, ambitious girl but rather shy and a bit terrified at first from the thought of restarting my life. Slowly but surely, I began to overcome all my worries by encouraging myself to try out different clubs or activities going around in the school. I am now part of the Student Council, working with our amazing team to ensure that every student's voice is heard and always looking out for opportunities to make our school a better place In addition, I am a Maths and Computer Science Prefect, always eager to help, not only teachers, but also mentor any students that may need assistance. I have been part of many other teams such as ASF, Multicultural Club and Volleyball. Overall, none of this was easy but with hard work and passion, you can do anything, just believe in yourself! I really appreciate this opportunity that has been given to me and I am really looking forward to working with all of you and making the best out of this year.
COME JOIN US @ CB
Home School Liaison Officer
How can you help us to help your child?
As the Home School Liaison Coordiantor in Coláiste Bríde, my primary goal is to foster a strong partnership between home and school, ensuring that every student receives the support they need to thrive I am here to assist and support families in overcoming barriers to their child’s education, providing guidance and resources to enhance their learning experience Parents play a crucial role in their child’s academic journey, especially when it comes to school attendance Regular attendance is vital for academic success, and your involvement and encouragement can make a significant difference Together, we can create a supportive environment that promotes consistent attendance and a positive attitude towards learning. Let’s work hand in hand to ensure our students reach their full potential.
1 Model Positive Behavior: Show your child the value of education through your actions Demonstrate a positive attitude towards learning and curiosity.
2 Stay Involved: Attend parent-teacher meetings, school events, and stay informed about your child’s progress Your involvement shows your child that you value their education.
3 Communicate Openly: Maintain open lines of communication with your child Discuss their day, listen to their concerns, and celebrate their achievements.
4 Promote Good Attendance: Emphasise the importance of regular school attendance Help your child understand that being present at school is crucial for their learning and development.
By actively engaging in your child’s education, you can help them develop a love for learning and achieve their full potential. Together, we can create a supportive and enriching educational experience for your children. Please keep an eye on the website in the parents tab under HSCL for events courses etc to support parents Education is always there for us all!
Please contact me if you have any queries!
Sallyann White 083-0720483
World Teachers Day
On Friday October 4th we celebrated World Teacher Day. Some of us have been lucky enough to have had that teacher who left a mark, who sparked an interest in a subject or supported you during tough times. They often go above and beyond, investing their time and energy to ensure that we not only learn but also grow as individuals.
Teaching isn’t easy. Educators face numerous challenges, from managing diverse classrooms to adapting to new educational demands. Their dedication often goes unnoticed, but it’s crucial to recognize the hard work they put in every day.
To all teachers: thank you for your commitment and for shaping the future. Your work is invaluable and we appreciate all that you do.
CB STEAM CLUB
Extra Curricular Activities
Our Extra Curricular Activities are well and truly up and running!! There is so much on offer, from sporting clubs to Reading clubs, even a Harry Potter Club! It really is a great way to meet new people and maybe even discover a grá for something new Our staff give up their time free of charge for all our after school activities so we can offer them to you without cost. Take a look at our timetable to see what you could sign up for!
S I G N U P F O R S O M E T H N G N E W ! ! !
Bí Cineálta
During our 1st and 5th Year Bonding days we worked on building Community and Cineáltas (Kindness) amongst our students by creating connections creatively!
Each student put a colourful fingerprint on their tutor group ' s symbol and this symbol was then displayed in the tutor base room, each member of the tutor group ‘leaving their trace’ on the room
This will help in creating a sense of belonging and community encouraging us to show respect and kindness to each other.
Gaelbhratach
Seo chugaibh Coiste Choláiste Bríde don Ghaelbhratach!
We are delighted to have been chosen to take part in the Gaelbhratach scheme this year. We are encouraging everyone to use their 'cúpla focal' as often as possible. We started out with a Tráth na gCeist just before midterm. Watch out for lots of fun activities in the months to come!
All are welcome to the Club Gaeilge in T1 on Mondays ag am lóin!
Night Study starts back Monday November 4th!!
CAREERS
6th Year students attended both World Skills and Higher Options in the RDS on the 25th of September. Students used the day to explore their many possible future pathways.
Over the next number of weeks students in 6th Year will have the opportunity to attend talks given by representatives of a number of Higher and Further Education Institutions on Wednesdays. It is strongly recommended that students attend all talks. With the CAO opening their applications in November, students are also advised to attend Open Days when researching their potential future choices.
Our LCA2 students have had a number of Guidance
rino Bakery and listening to a talk regarding courses available in the Liberties College o Information on upcoming Open Days can be found at https://www qualifax ie/events
CELEBRATING OUR STAFF
In October we celebrated the first annual SNA Appreciation Day. Our SNA’s are such an integral part of our family here in Coláiste Bríde, our school simply could not function without them. Students were so happy to get an opportunity to show the SNA Team what they mean to all of us here in Coláiste Bríde They prepared lovely gift baskets to help the SNA’s enjoy some down time and much deserved pampering at home. Maria, Gabrielle, Courtney and Caroline - for all that you do to support students and staff alike - we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are truly blessed to have you all.
While we were in celebration mode we also took the opportunity to celebrate our fantastic cleaning team With a building this size with so many bodies in it, it’s nothing short of a miracle how these amazing ladies keep the building in such tip top shape Everyday our students and staff are lucky enough to come in to a spotlessly clean building Mary, Sharon, Paige and Sandra - we are so thankful for all that you do to keep us all in such beautiful surroundings. We really do appreciate all the hard work that goes into keeping our school clean!
Team Hope - Shoebox Appeal
This year Rang Cormac are taking charge of the Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal. This is a great way of doing something nice for others in less fortunate situations than yourselves and bringing some cheer to children at Christmas time. If you would like to take part, here are a few things you need to consider when planning your shoebox:
Get a large adult sized shoebox and wrap both the box and lid separately.
1. Decide who your gift is for: either a girl or boy and which age group (24, 5-9 or 10-14 years)
2. Fill your shoebox! Follow the 4 W's: Write, Wash, Wear, Wow. Also look at what NOT to include. More information in the images attached.
3. Each shoebox needs €5 as a donation to cover the postage of the boxpayable in cash or online4. https://www.teamhope.ie/donations/th 5-for-my-shoebox/
The deadline for dropping off Shoe Boxes is Wednesday November 6th, giving you the Halloween break to work on it. If you have it ready before then feel free to bring it in. Thank you all for considering taking part in this very worthwhile initiative, Team Hope are always so grateful for any/all support they receive����
Term 2 of Night Study will start on Monday November 4th when we return from midterm break This term will run for 6 weeks, up until Thursday December 12th - just in time for Christmas exams!! Night study is an opportunity for students to study in a quiet, supervised environment for 2 hours after school. It is open to all students with preference given to exam year students. You can choose between 3 or 4 nights per week If you would like to sign up for the 6 week term up to Christmas, simply pay for your chosen option under the Fees tab on TYRO.
If you signed up for the full 11 weeks in term 1, you are covered up until christmas!!
We are very proud of the progress we are making since the launch of our whole school focus on Attendance Matters this year We have seen huge improvements in all year groups.
To start the school year on a positive note, we launched our Attendance Matters Campaign- It takes 21 days to form a habit and 90 days to change a lifestyle. This year there were exactly 21 school days in September Our aim was to get as many students to attend for the first 21 days. This is what forms the habit. There were lots of prizes to acknowledge these improvements.
In October, our focus became the Drive for 5. There are four weeks in October and all students were encouraged to come five days each week We look forward to sharing prizes and rewards with students who completed the drive 4 five.
Did you know that our Lates Detentions are now Breaking Barriers workshops? Here students work with teachers to identify the best bus route to school, the setting of alarms correctly, planning the night before and detailed brainstorming about what prevents us from coming to school.
We are delighted to inform parents that if attendance is an issue for your child or punctuality is a problem we are here to help. A parent workshop will take place in Coláiste Bríde on November 8th from 9.40-10.40am on all things relating to attendance. We will work on barriers and solutions to help support parents in what can be a very stressful time. Further details will follow after midterm.
Finally, after the midterm we will begin to focus on the concept that Every Minute Counts. Take a look at the impact on learning if your child arrives late to class. Students may say “it’s only five minutes”. Take a closer look, and see for yourselves the impact 5 minutes can have.
TYRO - HAVE YOU DOWNLOADED THE APP YET??
As you all know by now, last April we made the switch from VSware to TYRO. We understand technology can be daunting, so many thanks for your patience and perseverance over the last few months as we all got to grips with the new system We are now firmly up and running as we hope most of you are TYRO is proving to be so much more user friendly, we much more functionality and far fewer glitches in the system! TYRO is now your go to for all interactions with your child’s education and the school. It is where you will monitor their attendance, view their reports and CBA progress, pay any fees due, monitor their behaviour etc. ALL OUR COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOW SENT VIA THE TYRO APP. If you have not downloaded the app you are missing out on vital communications from the school
Below you will find a summary of functions now available on the TYRO app. There are lots of great features still to come. We will keep you updated as new features are developed and released, but for now to make things clearer you can see from the table below what is functional and what isn’t:
