Junior School
And so the Christmas season is here again! Time to relax and to enjoy the festivities of the season, and also time to take a moment to give thanks for all that we have shared in our first term of the academic year 2017/2018. We started last September with the excitement of new books, new classrooms, new faces and new beginnings. Our eager new Junior Infant pupils and somewhat anxious new Standard 6 pupils (along with some new pupils in the classes in between) were most welcome additions to our Junior School. It is always a pleasure to see how quickly their anxiety and nervousness turn to joy and familiarity as everyone is warmly welcomed into our school community. We also welcomed a new member of staff – Ms. Katie Maguire, who has been filling the Standard 6 classroom with energy, enthusiasm, learning and fun. It has been such a busy and productive term! Storm Ophelia stole our opportunity to hike up Sugarloaf on St. Gerard’s Day, but we celebrated Mass for our school feast day at half-term and we look forward to a sunny climb up Sugarloaf in the Summer term. The visit of students from Cheadle Hulme school in Manchester is always a wonderful occasion. Our young visitors were hosted by our Standard 6 pupils and they all enjoyed an action-packed weekend of hockey, rugby, friendship and fun. A high point of the term for me was the visit of Professor Kevin McGuigan who spoke to Std.s 5 and 6 about his ground-breaking and life-saving water purification system. The children listened spell-bound as Professor McGuigan described the conditions in which millions of children in the world live - without access to clean water. He then explained how a simple water purification system (and the science behind it) has improved everything from the children’s health to their school attendance. Prof. McGuigan then held a Question and Answer session with the children and afterwards he tweeted “The pupils in St. Gerard’s grilled me in an intense and incredibly insightful way...some of the best questions I’ve been asked anywhere, even at international conferences!” I was so proud of our young pupils and their palpable interest, care and concern. A core aim of our Catholic education in St. Gerard’s is to instil from a young age a sense of social awareness and a desire to make a difference in the world. And our young girls and boys have certainly made a real difference in myriad ways this term - each child in the Junior School placed a new toy under the Christmas tree which will bring happiness to many families in Bray this festive season; each class also brought in an
item of toiletries to place in “Dignity Packs” for the homeless and the Student Council packed each of the back-packs with care and with love; the Toy Stall, which was run by our fantastic Std. 6 pupils at the annual Bazaar, raised an incredible E2,500 for local charities; the Read-a-Thon raised E750 for MS Ireland; and our Student Council Raffle raised E1,000 for the Make A Wish Foundations. A huge thank you to one and all! The term ended with the Montessori Nativity and the Christmas plays which were, as always, simply magical; and our Carol Service on the last day of term was a most spiritual and moving occasion. Life in all its complexity is lived out in our school on a daily basis and I am constantly reminded of how lucky we are to be part of a caring, loving school community which supports us on life’s journey. A sincere word of thanks is due to the many people who make our school the special place that it is. Firstly, my thanks to all of the staff in the Junior School for their commitment, boundless energy, good cheer and for their caring ways. My thanks to you the parents for your encouragement and endless support, and for your kindness and generous co-operation with all school activities. And my special thanks go to all the girls and boys in our Junior School - for the joy they bring into all our lives. Finally, to work in a primary school at any time of year is wonderful, but to work here at Christmas time is truly magical! Although the days are dark and cold, even our most cynical selves cannot help but be moved by the children’s sheer excitement and sense of anticipation, by their delight in the giving and receiving of gifts and by their wonder and awe at the story of that first Christmas. And perhaps we all need to experience a little of that same childlike faith, hope and joy, and to rejoice again in the simple things in life - like spending family time together, remembering old friends, revisiting our Christian heritage and allowing ourselves to be renewed and re-energised by the magic of Christmas. May the peace of the Christ child be a special gift to each of your families this Christmas. Nollaig shona daoibh go léir
2017