Best ever Leaving Cert results - well done!

The Leaving Certificate results this year are the best we have ever had in the school, surpassing our previous best of 2006. Well done to staff and students!
In the Leaving Certificate Examination, grade C or better (higher level) was obtained in 88% of the papers taken at higher level and in 65% of all papers taken (the most important statistic), compared with 86% and 63% in 2006 and with 82% and 58% in 2007. Grade E or less was obtained on 1.86% of all papers, compared with 2.07% last year. It is interesting to note that when I began compiling these statistics in 1995 after I was appointed as Principal, the equivalent figures were then 59% C or better on higher papers, 37% higher level C or better as a % of all papers taken and 12.6% E or less on all papers, so there has been a very large improvement in examination performance in the school between 1995 and 2008. This reflects very many improvements which the staff and I have implemented over this period and is a great tribute to the professional work of the teachers at the school and to the determination and hard work of the students.
As usual, newspapers continue their steady agenda of trying to force schools into contributing to league tables of results, mainly as a way to sell newspapers. Along with every other body in Irish education, we do not believe raw league tables are a useful addition to educational debate because they isolate only one factor concerning a school. Pastoral care, extra-curricular activities, facilities, trips, codes of conduct, attitudes and whether students are happy at school are ignored by league tables. This is why such tables are illegal. We, therefore, are not going to contribute to the agenda of the media by publishing points averages.
However, we can inform you that we looked at the figures published in the newspapers last year and the points scored by our students compare very favourably with the schools published, and are better than any of the private grind schools and institutes published.
This does not surprise us, as we have known our standards were high over the years. However, it does show how poor the tables of college entry figures published by the newspapers have been. When the institutes have been placed near the top of these lists it has been purely because they have large numbers in their classes! Now that these tables are sometimes adjusted for the size of the classes and turned into percentages by some of the newspapers, the institutes have so far come further down the tables and below most of the private schools in our sector - certainly below The High School.
B.T. Duffy - Principal

Superb individual performances

We are very pleased to note many superb individual performances in the Leaving Certificate, such as those of Hannah Messalati (maximum points 600), David Whyte (590), Evanna Mills (590) and Pauline Carney (590). We also congratulate all students who felt that they had achieved their potential and their targets, because obviously ability levels differ across the range of students and what is most important for student is to aim for what they can achieve relative to their own potential.

All Ireland gold medal

Congratulations to Conor who was awarded the gold medal in the All Ireland Athletics Championships long jump competition in Tullamore at the end of last term.

Corridor and stairwell safety

Please remember to pass on the right when corridors or stairwells are crowded. Please do not push, shove or run. Also, please show courtesy to other pupils and to staff in the dining room and when queueing.

Foundation Day initiative awards

These are awarded at the Prize Distribution and are open to pupils of Forms 3 to 6. They are awarded to between 0 and 3 students who have shown initiative, organisational ability or administrative ability in starting or promoting a school activity.
To be eligible for a prize a student must be nominated in writing by two other students with a short statement of the reasons for the nomination. Please give nominations to Ms Saville (A10).

Calendar change

Please note that the rock pop show will take place on Thursday 18 December, not 11 December as shown on the calendar.

Supervised study

Supervised study will begin on Monday 15 September from 4.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays during school terms, in the Demonstration Theatre A2. It is necessary to pay €60 per four weeks in advance at the Office before attending, as you will only be admitted if your name is listed as paid.
In order for supervised study to operate effectively, it must be a requirement of both the pupil and the parents. It can not be seen as a "minding" facility. We therefore have a regulation that abuse of supervised study will result in the withdrawal of the place, without refund of the fee paid. An atmosphere of complete silence will be observed. Attendance at supervised study is an additional service provided by the school and is considered to be a privilege which may be withdrawn for poor behaviour.

Fixtures and training this week

Girls hockey
Sen 2,3 Wesley Wed 10 Marley 2.00
Minor A Wesley Wed 10 Wesley 3.00
Minor C Wesley Wed 10 Home 2.00
Minor B Wesley Wed 10 Home 3.00
1st Year blitz Wesley Wed 10 Wesley 2.00
Senior 1 German School Fri 12 Home 4.00
Jun C, Sen 2 Loreto Beaufort Sat 13 Home 9.00
Sen 4, Jun A Loreto Beaufort Sat 13 Home 10.00
Jun B, Sen 3 Loreto Beaufort Sat 13 Home 11.00
Min C Loreto Beaufort Sat 13 Away 9.00
Min B Loreto Beaufort Sat 13 Away 10.00
Min A Loreto Beaufort Sat 13 Away 11.00
Rugby
1st XV St Michael's Wed 10 Merrion Rd 2.30
JCT Wesley Wed 10 Home 2.30
U 14 Wesley Wed 10 Home 2.30
U 16 CUS Sat 13 Home 11.00
Results - well done!
In girls hockey against King's Hospital, the Junior A won 2-0, the Senior 1 won 3-0, the Senior 2 won 1-0 and the Minor A won 5-0.