News from St Joseph’s CBS, Nenagh

History Studies of the Middle Ages

As part of their history studies on the Middle Ages, Ms Michele Forde's First Year History class, St Joseph's, were charged with the task of investigating our own fabulous local castle, Nenagh Castle and making a model of the castle from whatever material they wished.

The students took this task very seriously and some incredible castles arrived in to school last week! The standard was so high that more than one prize had to be given out and all students received an Easter egg as a reward for their efforts!

First prize: Constantin Caldare. Joint second Prize: William Amuza and Alex Dillion. Joint third place: Adrian Kaminski, Kacper Tomaszek, Oscar Rhys Griffin. Well done to all the boys on their great work but especially to Constantin, whose stunning castle will now go on display in the school.

Monster Mash

‘Monster Mash' - St Jarlath’s, St Joseph’s and St James’s groups in First Year have been working on Character Design in their art classes, under the guidance and expertise of their Art teacher Ms Anne-Marie O’Connor.

Students looked at the work of author/illustrator Chris Riddell and followed his process of creating a Who, a What and a Where for their monster character. This links into students’ experience of creative writing in English class as they create a small story behind the character. These classes are now currently working on a 3D project where they use the Who, What and Where process to create a character for a mask.

Stay tuned for the final work!

Fundraiser for Dillon Quirke Foundation

Our next Development Education TY fundraiser kicked off last week, or should we say, pucked off! Over the next few days many various hurling related events will run at lunchtime for all year groups and brave teachers!

We have the Lucky Puck Drop Zone Challenge on our track pitch Thursday and Friday this week where students can pay €2 for three pucks in the hope of getting sliotars into different colour zones! Each zone has a different prize, with one zone being for raffle tickets for a Tipp Minor training top. The catch is - a couple of zones have no prizes at all!

On Monday and Tuesday we have a brilliant Ball Wall Challenge being led by Ms Miriam Campion and her Fifth Year LCVP class. This will be all about speed and agility and again there will be prizes up for grabs. €2 a go.

Thursday and Friday of this week sees the Cross Bar Challenge where both students and teachers can test their skills! €2 will give you three attempts to hit the bar! Any hit with the bar gets you an entry in to a raffle for a Tipp Senior training top!

Lastly, the TY class and Ms Michele Forde will be selling lines for a fabulous-framed Tipp top signed by all the players. A really fabulous prize lines will be €2 each or three for €5 and we will announce the winners of all prizes this Friday, March 10.

Development Education teaches our students about the importance of charities and fundraising. An essential element of this module is that they must actively fundraise themselves so they can understand the time and energy it takes to do this but equally to experience that special feeling you get when you know you have made a difference to someone's life.

We would like to thank Jason and Darragh for their generous donations of tops and their time at the challenges next week. We hope everyone will support our current fundraiser with all monies raised going to the very worthwhile Dillon Quirke Foundation.

Drop Everything And Read (DEAR Programme)

Mr Eugene Grace's First Year English class visited Nenagh Library last Thursday, March 2, to mark both World Book Day and the beginning of a four-week Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) programme for First and Second Years. Many thanks to John Kelly and all the lovely staff for helping our students sign up and for showing them around.

First Year Study Skills

We were delighted to welcome past-pupil Conor Lillis of Inspire Education to the school last week. Conor facilitated a very interesting Study Skills workshop with our first year students. Students learned about the brain and the process of learning. There was a focus on developing a positive mindset and cultivating effective homework and study habits. Students were certainly put through their paces in this highly interactive workshop. Thanks, Conor and well done to all involved!

Badminton Success

Congratulations to Aiden Abraham, Jack Cholattu, Alex Ley and Joseph Keane Sheehan, who won the U14 Tipperary Schools Badminton competition and will go through to represent Tipperary in UL on March 10 in the Munsters.

Our U16 Badminton teams did very well also at the Tipperary Schools Badminton Competition. Our A Team consisted of Statik Stetikas, Mishel Pazhayidath, James Shesgreen and Derick Jaison and lost in the final coming in as runners up, securing silver medals. They were excellent throughout the competition and drew in the final, but unfortunately it came down to point difference throughout all matches and Borrisokane beat them by four points.

Our U16 B team consisted of Aidan Tom, Cathal Quigley, Aidan Kyne and Oscar Hackett. All boys did extremely well and enjoyed the experience of competing in the Tipperary Badminton Schools Competition. Congratulations, boys and thanks to their mentor Ms, Christine Madden.

Fees waived for State exams

Minister for Education Norma Foley has recently confirmed the waiving of examination entry fees for the approximately 135,000 students registered to take the 2023 Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle examinations.

Students sitting the examinations this year will not have to pay these fees, which in 2019 were €116 and €109 for the Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle examinations respectively.

U17 Fitzgerald Final

Hard luck to our U17 hurling panel and management team as they were beaten by Our Lady’s Secondary School, Templemore in the Fitzgerald Hurling Final, on a scoreline of 2-13 to 2-19, in Moneygall on Friday last.

Gaeilge

Chuaigh rang don chéad bhliain síos go dtí an tAonach ag féachaint ar na háiseanna go léir atá ann. Tar éis é seo, thosaigh siad ag déanamh cur i láthair ar “M’áit Chónaithe Féin”. Bhí na daltaí ag roinnt eolas faoin Aonach, Béal Átha Gabhainn, Port Rua, Cill An Daingin srl. Maith sibh a buachaillí. An iarracht déanta agaibh! Go raibh míle do Iníon Ní Riain Ní Mhaolchaoin.

Career Talk

We were delighted to welcome Dr Fergal O'Brien, Assistant Dean and Senior Lecturer in Finance from the Kemmy Business School in the University of Limerick to the school last Friday.

Fergal spoke with senior students about the Bachelor of Business Studies and the Bachelor of Arts in International Business. He also discussed the many career opportunities in the field. Many thanks, Fergal for a comprehensive and engaging presentation! Thanks also to our Career Guidance Counsellor Ms Helen O’Connor for organising the visit.