December Parent Bulletin

Key Stage 3 SEnTd.oPf YAeTarRTIrCipsK’S SPC Review

COLLEGE December 2018

Key Stage 3 – end of year trip.

Key Stage 3 EndMoAf YGeaHrETrRipA

Message from the Principal

Dear Parent/Guardian,

We are at the end of another very successful term for the College, the highlight of which
was our first ever Disney production – Beauty and the Beast. This was a fabulous musical
and was the result of many months of work coming together spectacularly. Thanks go to
the key members of staff behind this, Miss M. Higgins, Mr A. Terrington, Miss J. Conway
and Mrs R. Taggart, not to mention the 65-strong cast. This was a real showcase for the
many talented pupils that are part of the St. Patrick’s family.
We have one Ulster Championship title – the magnificent Year 8 Oisin McGrath Football
Trophy has been won for the third year in a row. We were beaten finalists in the Mageean
Cup Senior Hurling Ulster final; however, we proceed to the All-Ireland semi-final in the
Spring term.

Congratulations to our All-Star Award Winners.
CAMOGIE – Céat McEldowney HURLING – Fintan Bradley

I would like to take this opportunity to wish the pupils and you a very happy and holy
Christmas.

Thank you for the support that you continue to provide to me and the staff of the College.

Best wishes,

Mrs B. Mussen

Our winning Christmas card design by Aoife Doherty, Year 10.

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Key Stage 3 End of Year Trip

It is proposed this year that we take our pupils in Years 8, 9 and 10 to The Jungle on Friday
21st June 2019 for their end of year trip. Activities on offer include:

Archery Climbing Wall Power Fan Jump
Pedal Boats Crazy Golf Cart Challenge Quad Train
Body Zorb Football Llama Walking Segway
Bungee Trampoline Mini Quad Bikes
Fun Zorbs Paintball Target Shooting

This trip will cost £20, which includes transport (pupils will bring a packed lunch or
purchase one at the venue for £5). Any family who wishes to pay by instalments should
contact the College Bursar, Mrs Anne Higgins 02879642451 to arrange a payment plan.

College Christmas Draw Public Transport

Thank you to all who purchased tickets for our For many of our families, transport provided by
College Christmas Draw, your help is greatly Translink to and from the College is essential.
appreciated. We have made a profit of £9,800, The Department of Education is currently
which will be spent on resources for pupils to reviewing this position and I would ask you to
use. Congratulations to the lucky winners ensure that you have a say about school
(£200 each). transport in the future by completing this
questionnaire:
Week 1: Martin Gillen (Aoife Webb 14F)
Week 2: Gerard McEldowney (Mark 12Cl) https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/X5KRQYT
Week 3: Mary Toner (Eilis14F)
Week 4: Louise Friel (Colum 8Co) Please complete as soon as possible.

The winner of our £1000 jackpot drawn today is We welcomed back…
Numeracy Coordinator and member of the
Maths Department, Miss Mary Devlin. Miss Conor Glass, who is currently forging a very
Devlin is pictured receiving a Kindle Fire and promising career in the AFL with Hawthorn
her cheque from Mrs Mussen. Congratulations! Football Club, called in to his alma mater to
offer some advice to Year 12 GCSE pupils.
Conor recounted to the pupils some of his own
experiences of exam time in school and the
level of work and commitment needed to
succeed.

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Thank you A special mention must also go to
our very generous show sponsors.
We are very grateful to everyone who supported Their financial aid was greatly
the draw during our sell-out Musical production appreciated.
of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. We raised a
magnificent sum of £1180, which will be split WJ O’Donnell and Sons
between St. Vincent de Paul and School Aid Acorn Solutions
Romania. Our lucky winners were: ACCS EPOS
Boyd’s Filling Station
Kelly's Eurospar voucher Helen Murtagh Burns of Draperstown
Oakleaf voucher Lucy Kearney C McGrath Shoes
Oakleaf voucher Una McCloskey Carnglen Credit Union
Walsh's Carvery voucher Mary Toner Crawfords
£50 Foyleside Centre voucher Miss McKendry Crilly's Wallpaper & Paints
Roe Pharmacy hamper Martin McNeill Crossfire
£50 McKeefry's voucher Mrs P Glass Foyleside Shopping Centre
Hidden Hair & Beauty voucher Mrs S Diamond Glen Road Service Station
Shear Delight voucher Grainne Carville F.P. McCann
Perfect Touch voucher Leona Campbell G Duffin Plastering
McAtamney's meat voucher Jennifer Kelly Glenshane Coaches
H&A Mechanical Services
Hardy Brothers
Local Women
Mackles of Toome
Maghera Granite
McGuckin's Solicitors
McKenna's Bar
MEF (Theresa Horan)
MFL Plant Machinery Ltd
Noones
Sean Kearney Car Sales
Specialist Joinery Group
T McGrath Menswear
The Sperrin Clinic

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Charity We also welcomed very special guests to
our College last Friday when old friends
Over 70 hampers of food, which were attended our Annual Tea Party.
donated by pupils and staff of the
College, were presented to members of
the local St Vincent de Paul Society.
These hampers will be distributed to
needy families in need in our local
community. The College would like to
thank all pupils and staff who made such
generous donations.

Our talented pupils and staff entertained
our guests with song and dance
.

Environmental Work

Our students were definitely
#RecyclingHeroes during European Week for
Waste Reduction this term. They collected
6000+ household batteries and diverted over
0.1 tonnes from going to landfill. Well done,
everyone!
#EWWR2018

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The College has renewed the prestigious
Eco-Schools Green Flag, which is awarded
by the environmental charity Keep Northern
Ireland Beautiful. Pupils in the College
undertook development in Outdoor
Learning, Litter and Healthy Living.

Pupil Successes

Junior Leadership Team

The College elected its first ever JLT this term, after a series of

interviews. Appointed were: Head Boy Kyle Diamond
Head Girl Aoife O’Donnell

Deputy Head Girls Eimear Turner, Ailis McWilliams

Deputy Head Boys Killian Mallon, Aodhan Cassidy

Prefects Lucy Kelly, Caoimhe McCloskey, Dara McGurk, Ger Rafferty

The College would like to congratulate them on their selection and
wish them all the best for the year ahead. Thank you to all the Year 10
students who took part in the selection process.

TRI Inter-Schools Show Jumping League

Ryan McGuigan won the ‘Open Individual’ competition and Ellen Donnelly was 5th in the same
competition. Ryan was also 6th in the ‘Premier Individual’ competition. This was a great
achievement as there were about 20 schools from throughout Northern Ireland that took part over
the six legs of the competition.

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The work in this year’s Christmas card competition was of an exceptionally high standard. Our
overall winner was Aoife Doherty. Her finished piece can be seen on page 1. Well done to all our
prize winners.

Communication from Parents Show My Homework App

We welcome open communications We hope that you will
with our staff. You can contact us by continue to engage with the
email on the College Info Account Show My Homework app.
We believe that this is an
[email protected] innovative way that you can
support your son/daughter in managing their
OR by phone during office hours (8.30am to homework. It is also useful if they are absent
4.00pm) when you can ask to speak to your from school or for communications from the
child’s Head of Year. College.

Health and Safety

We ask your support in not driving into the school grounds in the mornings and evenings. These

are very busy times in the College with 1300 pupils arriving to and leaving the College. We ask if

you are dropping your son/daughter off or collecting them that you please arrange to do so outside
the school grounds. Unfortunately, we do not have space on site for parents’ cars.

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Uniform

Standards of uniform and hairstyles are good this term. This represents the high standards that
we wish to maintain in the College. However, there are a small number of boys who need to ask
Santa for black socks! Thank you for your support with this.
Please encourage your children to wear the College uniform with pride.

 All shoes should be leather – canvas shoes or trainer style shoes are not permitted.
 Boys must wear black socks – white socks are not allowed.
 Girls are only allowed to wear one pair of earrings in the lobe of the ears.
 Girls must not wear nail polish or gel nails.
 Hair styles and colours must be acceptable.

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Important Dates for Your Diary

Monday 7th January Years 12, 13 and 14 Mock Results Day and Parents’ Meetings

Parents can meet their pupils at 1pm at the following venues

Year 12: Canteen

Year 13: Assembly Hall

Year 14: Sports Hall

Tuesday 8th January CCEA Maths Units 2, 3 & 4
Wednesday 9th January CCEA English Language Unit 1
Thursday 10th January CCEA Maths Units 5 & 6

Tuesday 15th January Open Evening (SMB, Feeder Primary Schools) 4.30pm – 6.30pm
Wednesday 16th January Open Evening (SMB, Non-Feeder Primary Schools) 4.30pm – 6.30pm

To facilitate these evenings Year 8 pupils (only) should be collected at 1:45pm from the SMB.

Saturday 19th January Open Day (SPB) 10.00am – 2.00pm

w/c Monday 28th January Catholic Schools Week

Friday 25th January Years 8, 9 and 11 Parent Teacher Meeting (9.15am – 3.45pm)

Thursday 31st January Year 14 retreat in St. Mary Building (Year 8 pupils in SPB)

Wednesday 6th February Castle Cup Athletics (Primary Schools)

Saturday 9th February Ski Trip

Friday 15th February Year 12 Options Day

4th, 5th & 6th March Eco-Schools Inspection
Thursday 7th March Year 10 Parent Teacher Meeting afternoon (1.45pm – 3.45pm)

Saturday 9th March Friends of SPC 5K and 10K run

w/c Monday 11th March Year 10 Options Week

Wednesday 17th April Senior Awards Day

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