THE LATEST NEWS AND NEXT WEEK AT ETSS WICKLOW

Friday 24th November

                                                                                    Student Press Team Report

Exam Week

As you all know it’s exam week! Exam week lasted from Tuesday (14th) to Friday (17th) of November, as it is now based on a symmetrised system.

Thankfully we got the Monday free of exams and we also got to come in at 11:00am! Everyone got a lovely lie in. The week is full of studying and of course exams.

Some tips and tricks are simple - just don’t stress, try your best and you can’t do any better than that, just do all that you can. If you get stressed try the finger method - this is where you trace around your finger, every time you go up your finger you breath in and down your breath out, you can do that as many times as you need.

For First years they should be studying up to a hour, for Second years 1 ½-2 hours, Third years up to 2-3 hours and Fourth and Fifth years up 5 hours.

                                                                                                                                                                  Hollyanne Armstrong, 1^st Year

ETSS Wicklow Winter Fair

Hello students of ETSS Wicklow! We are very excited to announce the upcoming Winter Fair in our school! There will be lots of stalls with people selling delicious mince pies, hot chocolate, gifts, crafts and many more! The fair will be on Wednesday the 6th of December between 4PM and 8PM. If you would like to rent a stall you can complete a Microsoft form on the ETSSW Facebook/Instagram pages or the link below.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=lyvXdjGitkicuDWLhRBMFFk2kGVUpzRJidq0rnuak_1URUczU0NMNU81OFhHUDhDTUhPSlg2SUtQMS4u                                                                                                                                                                                                            Gleb Yukymenko – 2^nd Year

Student Council Update

Since the elections, the Student Council have been meeting regularly to discuss our plans for the year.

As everyone probably knows, at the top of our list is the water fountains for the school. We’re well on track with this, after our Anything but a Bag Day fundraiser - and John should be looking into getting them soon, if all goes well!

As well as that, we will be doing a drive for St Vincent de Paul, coming up to Christmas time - students are to bring in  Christmas chocolate selection boxes, and whichever class brings the most in by the deadline will receive a prize…

We will have more updates to come soon…

                                                                                                                                       Ayah Mohammed, Student Council President

                                                                                             Staff Report

PROMOTING SCIENCE @ ETSS Wicklow

Science week will take place from the 20th - 24th of November and students will have the chance to take part in many activities. During tutor time students completed challenges where everyone created their own straw rocket and parachute. First year students took part in ‘I’m a Scientist’ and had the opportunity to chat to scientists about the most up-to-date research happening across Ireland from Covid-19 treatments to using computer science to improve athletes performances & reduce injury. The second years had been studying the conservation of energy and were challenged to design the best paper airplane launchers and with some prizes up for grabs, there was a lot of competition between the groups! The third-year students took a closer look at heart structure, while dissecting hearts. We are already looking forward to Science Week 2024!

Second Year Science Class creating their own satellite

Classroom Based Assessment

Last week the first years presented projects on their moral heroes in class as part of assessment week. The moral heroes ranged from soccer players, to singers and everything in between. Some students took these projects as an opportunity to pay homage to a parent or member of staff who is their moral hero. There were some very touching tributes. Keep up the excellent work!

First Year making their Presentations

Unleashing Creativity: Transition Year Students Dive into the World of Video Production with CreateSchools

At ETSS Wicklow, we believe in fostering creativity and providing our students with diverse opportunities to explore and express themselves. Recently, our Transition Year students had the unique chance to immerse themselves in the exciting realm of video production through a captivating workshop. This hands-on experience allowed our students to delve into the world of storytelling, storyboarding, and video editing, unlocking their creative potential and honing valuable skills for the future.

The workshop commenced with an exploration of storytelling. Students were introduced to the fundamental elements that make a compelling narrative, emphasizing the importance of a strong storyline in creating impactful videos. Students engaged in a brainstorming session, guided by the facilitator from Create Schools, developing characters, and crafting engaging plots. Students worked collaboratively sharing their imaginative concepts while laying the foundation for their upcoming video projects.

With story ideas in place, the next phase of the workshop focused on translating those concepts into visual form through storyboarding. Students learned the significance of this crucial step in the filmmaking process, where a sequence of images is used to outline the key scenes and shots of a video. Armed with creativity and a newfound understanding of visual storytelling, the students eagerly brought their stories to life, creating detailed storyboards that served as roadmaps for their upcoming video shoots.

The highlight of the workshop was undoubtedly the hands-on video production sessions. Equipped with their iPads, tripods, and an array of props, students transformed their storyboards into reality. The school premises became a canvas for their creativity, with each group working collaboratively to capture the essence of their narratives. From composing shots to directing scenes, the students embraced the challenges of on-site filming, gaining valuable insights into the technical aspects of video production.

Following the exhilarating filming sessions, the students transitioned to the editing suite to refine and polish their footage. Under the guidance of experienced instructors, they learned the intricacies of video editing software, experimenting with cuts, transitions, and special effects to enhance the visual appeal of their projects. This phase of the workshop allowed students to witness the transformation of raw footage into a cohesive and captivating final product.

The culmination of the video production workshop was marked by a showcase event where each group presented their completed videos to their peers. The diverse range of stories, styles, and perspectives reflected the rich tapestry of creativity within our Transition Year cohort.

The video production workshop at ETSS Wicklow provided our Transition Year students with an immersive and enriching experience that went beyond the classroom. By exploring the storytelling, storyboarding, and video editing, our students not only developed practical skills but also honed their ability to think critically, collaborate effectively, and express themselves creatively. As we continue to nurture a culture of innovation and exploration, we look forward to witnessing the lasting impact of this workshop on the personal and academic journeys of our students.

TY students hard at work creating their movie Storyboards

Unleashing Creativity: Transition Year Students Dive into a Dynamic Creative Writing Workshop with Fighting Words

At ETSS Wicklow, education goes beyond the traditional classroom setting, and our recent Creative Writing Workshop for Transition Year students exemplified this commitment to fostering creativity, collaboration, and self-expression.

The workshop, spanning an engaging two hours at the Wicklow Library, was a unique opportunity for our students to explore the depths of their imagination and hone their writing skills with the guidance of volunteer mentors. The session was divided into two parts, each contributing to a holistic and immersive creative experience.

The first half of the workshop involved an exciting journey into group storytelling. Students engaged with a series of interactive exercises, incorporating role play and improvisation to collectively craft the opening of a story. Guided by the mentors, students delved into the intricacies of storytelling, identifying key elements such as plot development, setting, and character nuances. Along the way, they learned the art of on-the-fly editing, gaining valuable insights into the refinement process of their narratives.

The second half of the workshop empowered students to embark on their own literary journeys. Armed with the foundation laid during the collaborative storytelling phase, each student set out to write the conclusion of the collective story individually or pursue their unique pieces of writing. Throughout this personal exploration, the mentors provided guidance, encouragement, and constructive feedback.

The skills acquired during this workshop is not confined to the classroom. Students carry with them the ability to think creatively, construct compelling narratives, and express themselves with confidence in various aspects of their lives. Whether it's drafting an essay, articulating thoughts in a presentation, or even just expressing ideas in daily interactions, the benefits of the creative writing workshop resonate far beyond the workshop's confines.

At ETSS Wicklow, we believe in nurturing well-rounded individuals who are not just academically adept but also creatively empowered. The Creative Writing Workshop stands as a testament to this philosophy, providing a space where students can unleash their imagination, refine their writing skills, and further develop their self-confidence that will serve them well in their future endeavours.

Friday 17th november

                                                                                 Student Press Team Report

Girls First Football (Soccer) Match

On Friday, the first girls' football match was held in Gorey against Gorey ETSS. Everyone was very excited. After the first class, all the girls went to the sports hall, then the Collins room. Craig made sure that everyone was there and could play. Then we got on the bus and started our journey. The journey was not too long, and when we got there, all the girls changed into their football gear. The football match took place on the Gorey Town Park football pitch. The girls did a short warm-up. In the first half, the girls amazingly scored three goals. Gracie Bailey and two long-range goals from Malu Pereira de Araujo and Marija Mickeviciute gave the girls a 3-0 advantage early in the game.

To complete the comeback, Gorey persevered and struck back in the second half. A special thank you to Sofia Diaz Marin for her tireless work in midfield and to Katie Melia, who also helped and made a brilliant performance. After the match, all the girls got changed and got some special news that they got to go to McDonald’s. Huge thanks to Craig and the bus driver who made that happen! Overall, all the girls played excellently in their first match!

                                                                                                                                                                            Lily Sweeney - Third Year

Girls Football Training session

Belong To Quality Mark Interview's

The Belong To Quality Mark interviews were held all throughout last week which was also our Stand Up Awareness Week. These interviews were held by our teachers Stacey, Ivan and Sheena. These interviews were held for a Junior and Senior candidate to make our school become one of the schools in Ireland that welcome anyone no matter what their background and gender are. As we figured out today our winners for these roles were Hayden Hensley (Junior) and Katie O’Connor (Senior). Well done to these two and I wish you both the best of luck!

                                                                                                                                                                                Harry Tindale, 3rd Year

Our Belong To student receiving their Cinealtas Kindness flag this week

Spanish Exchange

We are all looking forward to going on ETSS Wicklow’s first ever Exchange. Next week Spanish students will travel to Barcelona with Sheena, James and Sue to learn about what life is like in a Spanish School.  We will be learning about their culture, food and exploring the sights around their wonderful city. We are all really excited and will keep you update on our return.

                                                                                                                                                  Harry Tindale, 3^rd year Press Team rep.

Science Workshop

On Thursday the 9th of November, the TY’s did a Science Workshop in school. TY1 started by testing “blood” samples, and we learned about the difference between different blood types, and blood types that are compatible. We then tested the elasticity of jelly sweets, by hooking them on to bottles of water, and adding more and more water to test how much weight they could take.

Meanwhile, TY2 made glue and plastic! After break, we all gathered in the PE hall to conduct a Cluedo inspired Forensic Investigation, to figure out the identity of the murderer…We had great fun!

                                                                                                                                                                  Ayah Mohammad – TY Student

TY Science Workshop was really hands-on

                                                                                             Staff Report

Our first Exam Week

Our first of our three new semester based exam weeks kicked off on Monday this week. It was clear that the study skills classes last week had really helped settle any nerves.  At ETSS Wicklow we support the development of study skills by organising sessions throughout the year and by running an after-school study service for all students. This has really helped our first years who transitioned for primary feel prepared to sit their first set of written exams.  The sessions helped students develop their approach to creating revision plans, time management and dealing with the stress of exams. We believe that developing better study skills improves everyone’s ability to learn and to use their knowledge more effectively!  Wishing everyone the best of luck with their results in two weeks.

ETSS Wicklow Student Exam Tip Booklet

The National Educate Together Debating Competition

ETSS Wicklow had their debate in the league round of the National Educate Together Debating Competition against Limerick ETSS on Tuesday. Four brilliant public speakers from first and second year – Brigid, Thomas H., Thomas T., Odhran supported by the rest of the debate team gave a great team performance proposing the motion that ‘All schools should be Educate Together school’s’.  Each student had prepared really well, making impressive speeches on what turned out to be a very challenging motion.  They narrowly lost out to Limerick ETSS but are already preparing for the next round against Firhouse ETSS where they will oppose the motion ‘AI will eliminate creativity’.  We wish the team all the best with their preparations and welcome any new students who would like to join the schools Debate club on a Thursday with Sarah.

First and Second Year students enjoying their first debate

ETSS Wicklow Table Quiz Fundraiser

ETSS Wicklow Parent Staff Association in affiliation with the local Wicklow Lyons will be running the first of our much needed fundraisers for the school.  A fun table quiz will be taking place this Thursday the 23^rd of November at 8.30pm in Ernie’s bar, Market Square, Wicklow town. A table of four costs €40, but we will be creating tables on the night at a cost of €10 per person. It will be a great way to meet other parents, have some fun and support the school at the same time.  There will be a raffle on the night and if you are unable to attend we would appreciate any donations of raffle prizes to Fran @ reception.  All money raised will go towards educational opportunities for our students. We look forward to seeing you all next week.

Some clubs and activities on offer for next week are as follows:

Monday

·       Book Club with Grace and Sarah

·       Lunch-time sports with Andrei

·       After-school Boys (Senior and Junior) Basketball with Lucy

Tuesday

·       Lunch-time Board games with Dara

·       Lunch-time Sports with Andrei

·       LGBTQ+ and Allies Lunch Time Club

·       Lunch-time School Press Team

·       After school Girls Volleyball with Andrei

·       After school Girls Basketball with Francisco

·       Evening Study 4 – 6 pm

Wednesday

·      After school boys soccer training

·      After-school girls GAA training

·      After school Mixed Volleyball

·      After-school Maths Support Centre

Thursday

·       Lunch-time sports with Andrei

·       Lunch-time Book club

·       Lunch-time Girls Rugby with Saoirse

·       Lunch-time Origami Club

·       After school Boys Volleyball with Andrei

·       Evening Study 4 – 6 pm

Friday

• Lunch-time Sports with Andrei

• Lunch-time Lego Club

• Lunch-time Model United Nations Club with James

• Lunch-time Green Schools with Ali

• After-school Self-defence class with Andrei

School Closed Until 10 am Monday 13th November 

Dear parent/guardian,

Please note that Wicklow is 1 of 19 counties issued with a status orange alert from early tomorrow morning. As a result the school is not permitted to open until 10 am Monday 13^th November. As there will be no supervision of students before 10 am, so we ask that no students arrive at the school before this time. It may even be necessary for some students to arrive into the school later in the day. Students will be able to come into the school from 10 am tomorrow with classes commencing at 11 am following the 10:45 class break.

If the advice from National Emergency Co-Ordination Group changes we will update you accordingly.

FRIDAY 10TH NovemBER

                                                                      Student Press Team Report

FRIDAY 27TH OCTOBER

                                                                                       Student Press Team Report

Halloween Newsletter 2023

Check out our student Halloween newsletter to read some of our spooky stories and jokes on our newsletter tab of the webpage. Happy Halloween!

Halloween Fancy Dress 

Our school’s fancy dress day started off with us all going to our base classes in our fancy dress and then donating 2 and upwards euro to go towards charity focused helping ETSS schools students came in as Pirates, Soldiers and other charters our first and second years enjoyed a murder mystery event students overall really enjoyed the event and are looking forward to next year!

                                                                                                                                                                                          By Oscar Kavanagh

                                                                                                                                                                          Fancy Dress @ ETSS Wicklow

                                                                                                                                                                    Some Wonderful Creative Ideas

First Term In First Year

First years are settling in great, here at ETSS Wicklow, getting to know their timetables, teachers and classmates. Everyone is making new friends and getting to know each other great. We're all getting used to using iPads as well, as it was a change going from textbooks to iPads.

"I am definitely enjoying coming here, and am settling in great" said some pupils from Shannon class, first year "it was a bit of a change, but I got used to it. There is always lots of chat at break as friends from different classes laugh and talk together.

Lots of the first years have joined club, sports and other clubs.

                                                                                                                                                       Caoilfhionn Mc Lindon - Shannon Class

                                                                                                                                                                           First Year Drama Workshop

Student Survey

This year the press team was curious on how students felt about the upcoming exams and their thoughts on studying, so we created and sent out a Microsoft forms survey to understand how students felt about the November exams. We asked students their overall thoughts on the exams, and we found out the overwhelming feeling about the exams was very positive. One student said "I mean I just tend not really to think about it, but I mean they're exams".

We asked students how they felt about the changing of exam dates. There was some mixed opinion, with some who really enjoyed the extra study time and others who disliked it. For example one student said "A good idea, as it would relieve some stress coming up to Christmas for those in non-state exam years".

We also asked students about their study habits, such as how often they study. We found that out of the 22 responses only two study daily, eight study 1-2 times a week, and three only study at the weekend. We asked if more after school study would help, but the response was "I haven't really went there yet but I think it helps a lot of people".

                                                                                                                                                                                           By Oscar Kavanagh

Student Council trip to the Ombudsman for Children's office in Dublin

The student council went to the Ombudsman for Children's office in Dublin to learn about Children's Rights. Firstly, they had a tour around the office. It was amazing and they found out that they actually take suggestions from children to make it a more friendly environment. They also covered the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to find out more about the children's rights and how we can use them to implement new things in our school and they also got some experience for the trip. Overall, this trip was a success and will definitely make a positive impact on the student council.

                                                                                                                                                                                           By Ayah Mohamed

Sports @ ETSS Wicklow

The last couple of weeks was full of challenging sport matches including the school football team, after playing tough matches throughout the past couple of weeks. Last week on Tuesday, the junior team edged a 3-2 win in extra time over tough opposition Cistercian College in the Junior cup. This Week, the minor team lost to Colaiste an Atha, a very strong team but the team played very well and persevered right until the final whistle. There was also two first years(Dougie Bowie and Ryan Cox) playing their first ever match for the school, against an age group above them. On Wednesday, the minor team travelled to Glenart College and narrowly lost 1-0 after a great team performance.

                                                                                                                                                                        Dougie, Bowie Class, 1st year

                                                                                                                                                  Boys U'16 Football Team with coach Craig

The girls basketball team has come on a lot as there has been a lot of interest from all the girls this year. Our team captain is Faye Fitzgibbon who has been selected by the team. We have played three games so far this year, The team has showed great effort in all three.

All the girls have showed their commitment on and off the pitch as we have come together to design a new girls basketball jersey produced by the team.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Lily - Third Year                                                                                                                                                                                             U'16's Girls Basketball team with coaches Francisco & Lucy

School Report

Update from Our New Deputy Principal

It is a privilege and an honour to be appointed Deputy Principal of ETSS Wicklow. As a passionate advocate for inclusion, I strive for each of our students to reach their potential and succeed.

After a busy but rewarding term, which has seen our school community continue to grow; welcoming in another group of first year students and having our first senior cycle group enter fifth year, it is now time for all our students to have a rest and recharge before the November exams commence.

Wishing all our students and families a lovely midterm!

Deputy Principal - Sarah Hayward

New Building Ready to Go

This year our school had started renovations on the old unused building and just finished the renovations. With the renovations and updates to the building there are 3 new base classes and a new art room to allow for more resources.

Students have responded warmly to the new building. One art student said they really enjoy the additional space!”

Along with the other rooms there are 2 resource rooms that have been responded to positively with students and staff alike.

                                                                                                                                                                                             Our New Building

Top 10 Study Tips & Tricks from Stacey Finn our Guidance Councillor

• Work smarter, not harder! - Use the techniques, strategies and methods your subject teachers did with you in class during study skills week. Choose 1 study method for each subject that suits you and use that!
• Try not to bite off more than you can chew! - The average attention span for teenagers is 8 minutes! Focus on one task for 8-9 minutes, then change task. This will save you from boredom!
• Get the worst of it out of the way! - we all dread that one subject, one topic or one task. Do that one first! Then the dread is gone and you can focus more clearly.
• Start small! - Starting with shorter and more succinct tasks will give you a sense of productivity. This will motivate you to keep going!
• Stay focused! - Staying focused is hard when you have a lot to focus on. Remove distractions. If you have a pile of work to do, don't keep it all on your desk. Having everything in your sight will overwhelm you. Out of sight, out of mind!
• Practise, practise practise! - Just like riding a bike, or learning to play an instrument, practising for your exams by completing exam questions, textbook exercises again and again will make answer the questions in your exam easier. Practise makes progress!
• Fake it until you make it! - Pretend you are productive. To feign productivity, get up, get dressed, do a small task to get that sense of achievement and always keep your shoes on! (Can't fall asleep if your feet are firmly flat on the floor!)
• Be careful of your narrative! - Talk to your friends about anything BUT the exam! Your stress can impact how stressed they become. And their stress might make you more stressed! Don't let your social life become about the exams too.
• Sleep! - Most research shows that sleep plays a critical role in the formation and storage of long-term memories. Poor sleep impairs memory consolidation by disrupting the normal process.
• Use it or lose it! - Apply your knowledge as much as possible. Teach your family and friends about the things you have learned. The more you use it, the more you will remember it. If you don't use it, it will be lost!

                                                                                               Next Term

Looking Forward to Next Term - Principal John Maddock

We have had a very busy and productive first half term at ETSS Wicklow. 2023-2024 so far has seen three new first year groups settle into school life, while for the first time we’ve had Leaving Certificate 5th year students start this September. Our first half term has seen many highlights including our second ever set of Junior Cycle results, different academic themed weeks, sporting success, visits from government ministers and student trips at home and abroad. Following the mid-term now we have a number of different events, initiatives and important weeks to focus on such as Revision Week, Exam Week from the 13th November, Science Week, Enterprise Week, Careers Awareness Week and the foreign Spanish Language Exchange trip. There will also be first year parent-teacher meetings, parent-staff association meetings, the publication of reports home to parents and guardians and back by popular demand our parent-student led Winter Fair!

Wishing all of our staff and students a restful week ahead, before we return on Monday 6th with Revision Week before our first block of exams for all year groups begin on Tuesday the 14th November.

FRIDAY 20TH OCTOBER

                                                                                       Student Press Team Report

Junior Cycle Results Day

On Wednesday October 18th, the current Transition Year students in ETSS Wicklow (JC Class of 2023) received their Junior Cycle examination results. Families of the students were invited to a ceremony that was held to celebrate these remarkable results. There was a passionate speech given by Principal, John Maddock that commended students on their achievements and their hard work and dedication during their Junior Cycle throughout the struggle of the Covid-19 pandemic. Afterwards, refreshments and treats were provided to students and their families so they could celebrate their results together. The JC Class of 2023 have most certainly done our school proud. Though these exams are a milestone in their education and the history of Wicklow’s newest school; we would like to remind our students that they should not lose sight of the fact that there are many paths to achieving their dreams and this is just one step on that journey. Well done to all students on their fantastic achievements!

Bobby Connolly – Third Year

Some TY students celebrating their Junior Cycle results

Anything But A Bag Fundraiser

The student council organised a small "Anything but a bag"  fundraiser for Wednesday the 18th of October. For those of you don’t know it means that students, teachers and SNAs could bring their belongings in anything but a bag! It was a great success in ETSS Wicklow. Everyone was very excited and had a lot of great ideas. I know that we had a wheelbarrow all the way to a TESCO basket. The student council were busy collecting money for fundraising for to get a new water fountain. Overall, it was a good turnout and I can’t wait to see more things that the student council do to make our school the best it can be!

Harry Tindale – Third Year Student

Some of wonderful school entries

                                                                                              School Report

Soccer Success

Well done to the Junior Soccer team who started their Junior Cup campaign in nail biting fashion, with a 3-2 win after extra-time against Cistercian College, Roscrea.

The whole squad played a vital role in the impressive win for the school, but a special mention must go to Miguel Navarro Baquero who provided 2 goals and an assist from right-wing, Corey Nolan who made save after save to get us over the line, and Alexander Zevatskiy, the goal machine from 2nd year who had no problem stepping in to play against players three years his senior!

We couldn’t post this without mentioning assistant coach Michaella Dickenson, who played a vital role in helping Coach Craig motivate the troops.

Thanks, as always, to Wicklow Rovers FC for the generous use of their facilities. On to round 2 we go!

Craig Ledwith - 1st & 3rd Year Student Support Coordinator

Our Junior Soccer Boys team

Open Night

On Tuesday 17th of October ETSS Wicklow had the great pleasure of welcoming local 6th class students into the school, from 6.30-8.30pm. There was an exuberant atmosphere as prospective students and their families were given tours of the school by our current students.  In Art, guests had an opportunity to create some wonderful but messy artwork. For any fans of ‘the great British Bake-Off' there was a chance to get creative and ice their own cupcake in our state-of-the-art Home Economics room.  Our Maths teacher Lucy got students involved in Uno, Mathopoly, solving Maths riddles, fun algebra equations, and finished off with an exciting equation race. Our English department had lots of fun quizzes, riddles and activities about classic literature. In Science, students conducted an array of interesting and exciting experiments. Visiting students had the wonderful opportunity to further try out new musical instruments, VR reality simulation, Volleyball and modern languages with some of our current students. It was a great evening for all and we looking forward to welcoming new students next year.

Ceire Hatton - HSCL

Prospective students trying out experiments in the Science Lab

WICKMUN 2024 Interviews

Interviews  for WICKMUN24 positions kicked off at lunchtime on Friday the 20th of October. WICKMUN is part of MUN (Model United Nations) and a form of debate style modelled after the United Nations. This national two day event will be held at ETSS Wicklow from April 19th - 20th, 2024. After the great success of WICKMUN 2023 there was over 17 applications for the positions on offer this year.

The interview panel consisted of Year Head Shauna O’ Toole and MUN coordinators James Hayden and Ceire Hatton. Interviews lasted for approximately five minutes and probed deeply into the candidates skillset and experience for the applied position

The key roles to be filled for WICKMUN this year, includes Secretary General, President of the General Assembly, Conference Manager, Head of Press, Head of Admin, Head of Security and Committee Chairs. Students will be notified of their success before the midterm and which role they have been assigned.

James Hayden – MUN Coordinator

WICKMUN 2023

Geography Field Trip

Geography students from 2nd, 3rd and 5th year went on a trip to see some of the processes and features they have been learning about in the classroom, in person. The first stop on this trip was the Killakee viewing point, where students got a birds eye view of the urban sprawl of Dublin City, as well as seeing examples of glacial and fluvial erosion and dripstone features such as stalactites.

The next stop was Louth Bray. Here students hiked down, crossed a stream and continued hiking down to view the Corrie, arête and moraines.

On the third stop students got to see Lough Tay, the famous Guinness Lake and take in the spectacular view. We then moved on to Glendalough where students went on a walk to the upper lake which was carved by the melting ice of an ancient glacier.

Ali Aziz – Geography Teacher

Geography students visited Glendalough for an educational fieldtrip

TY Law Module

Transition Year students recently had the opportunity to delve into the fascinating world of Irish law through the Public Access to Law workshop, run by the Law Library. This workshop allowed students to explore the intricacies of the Irish legal system, discover how it relates to their everyday lives, and even try their hand at a captivating mock trial.

Under the guidance of two legal experts (both qualified barristers), the students embarked on a journey of discovery, immersing themselves in the multifaceted world of law. The main goal of this module was to provide them with a comprehensive understanding of Irish law and the legal processes that affect their daily lives.

Throughout the program, students studied various aspects of Irish law, focusing on topics that have a direct impact on their age group. They explored issues like cyberbullying, Coco’s law, and other laws that directly relate to young people.

One of the highlights of the workshop was the examination of a case, which culminated in a mock trial. Students had the unique opportunity to dissect a legal case. By analysing the facts, evidence, and legal arguments of the case, they were able to gain a deeper understanding of how the Irish legal system works in practice.

During the mock trial students took on the roles of lawyers, witnesses, and jurors to argue a case, presenting evidence, cross-examining witnesses, and making persuasive arguments. The experience gave them a taste of the world of legal advocacy and helped them appreciate the complexities and challenges faced by legal professionals in the courtroom.

The workshop not only offered a unique educational experience but also promoted critical thinking, teamwork, and public speaking skills. It allowed students to explore potential career paths in the legal field and develop a better appreciation for the rule of law in our society.

Mock Trial Simulation

Maths Week

To kick off Maths Week 2023, our students joined Lucy at lunchtime to learn some maths related dance moves. Well done to Hayden Hensley who impressed the teachers with his moves! On Tuesday, our students made some hilarious maths related memes, this competition was won by Oscar Kavanagh and Sonny Anderson, well done boys! This was followed by a competitive game of maths monopoly at lunchtime with Patrick - congratulations to Robert Mason who scored the most points! On Wednesday, our 2^nd 4^th and 5^th years took part in a national competition held by the IMTA, we are patiently awaiting results! During tutor time on Thursday, the school worked on sudoku puzzles to warm up their brain for the day. Gráinne hosted a codebreaker challenge at lunchtime and Robert took home his second prize! To finish off the week, our students took part in the treasure hunt organised by Lucy. Well done to Sam Lewis and Fintan Devine who displayed excellent teamwork and problem-solving skills throughout. Each day, the students were challenged with a riddle - congratulations to the 5 students who solved the riddles and won the cash prizes! We are sad to see the end of Maths Week 2023, but look forward to Maths Week 2024!

Principal John Maddock and Maths teachers Paddy, Lucy  & Saoirse congratulating Maths week winners                                                                                   

                                                                                                     Next Week

RSE Workshop

1st years will be involved in an RSE workshop on Monday 23rd of October from 8:45am - 1pm with teachers Shauna, Stacey and Amanda.

Study Skills Week

Study Skills week will run from Monday 23rd October - Friday 26th at ETSS Wicklow. This week is particularly important as we approach the first week of assessments in November. Teachers will provide some time in their classes to improve subject specific study skills. Stacey Finn our Guidance Counsellor will also provide parents with some information on how best they can implement these skills at home and outside of school hours of for a well-rounded approach to studying.

FRIDAY 13TH OCTOBER

Student Press Team Report

Basketball Update

On Friday October 6th, the girls’ Basketball team took on St. Marys in Arklow in a high paced basketball match on Friday morning, and the game was suspenseful to say the least. Our players gave it their all, flawlessly attacking the opponents and scoring countless points. In the end, St. Marys finished on topl. Our team was energetic and showed great teamwork skills throughout the match. Most importantly, they had a great time.

Lily Sweeney, Hyde 3rd Year

History Week @ ETSS Wicklow

On Tuesday, the 3rd year went on an exciting history trip that the teachers and staff organised for History week. These destinations were really far away, so all the 3rd years got to go on buses early in the morning to go from Wicklow to Dublin. They went to two destinations. firstly, Glasnevin, Ireland's National Cemetery, which is Ireland's largest cemetery. Since 1832, more than 1.5 million people have been buried there, including Daniel O'Connell, Michael Collins, Charles Stewart Parnell, Maud Gonne, and Eamon DeValera.

Each class got separated into groups, and a tour guide walked them through the cemetery, telling us interesting information about what took place there and background stories.  After the tour, the 3rd years were able to take a break and grabbed a snack or two from the cafe, which was in the museum beside the cemetery. After our break, they all went into the museum and explored different areas that focused on the background of the museum and the cemetery. The students were at a bast and were able to take many photos of the site.

A little while after that, there was another break for people to rest and eat. When everyone was ready, we walked through the cemetery to our next destination, the Botanic Gardens. The botanical gardens are surrounded by beautiful flowers, trees, plants, sculptures, and much more. Also, the National Botanic Gardens are famous for their beautifully restored and planted glasshouses. The one the 3rd years explored was The Great Palm House, built in 1883 when the previous glasshouse was damaged in a storm. The restored house was opened by a Taoiseach in 2004. And all the students were absolutely amazed by everything when they entered it. Afterwards, we walked a bit in the Botanic Gardens, and it did not fail to amaze us. This trip was definitely one to remember.

Marija Mickeviciute, 3rd Year

Third Year students visiting Glasnevin Cemetery

The beautiful National Botanic Gardens

Chess Tournament

A group of students from 2nd, 3rd, 5th year recently went to a chess tournament held at St. Andrew's Collage in Blackrock. The event was bustling, with over 40 schools showing up to compete. We took the bus in the morning, and when we arrived, we got the plan for the day and were divided into two teams. Then the games began! We were brought into the main hall to begin the matches. We started off a little rocky, but our teams racked up some wins. Eventually, the day was cut short, and we only had time for 4 rounds instead of 6.

As the day came to a close, we had some wins and some losses, but lots of fun! We tallied up our scores and our team leader Katie O’Connor handed them up to the adjudicator. Cody Grove won two and lost two matches, Garbhan Byrne won one and lost three matches, Luc Sommer won two and lost two matches, and Katie O’Connor won two and lost two matches. There were some more wins from our junior players, and this placed us 67th out around 150 teams.

Apart from the matches, we all took part in other social events at the tournament, such as Katie and Cody in the ‘Just dance’ room the Karaoke room. Overall, we were happy with our scores and has a wonderful time. We look forward to attending similar events in the future!

Cody Grove and Katie O’Connor – 5th Year

High concentration levels from 5th Year Cody Grove

School Report

Science in Action

PhD students from Trinity came into visit Saoirse's Chemistry class and Grainne Physics class on Tuesday. They gave a class on a "The Chemistry of being in Two Places at Once", where they talked about how electrons behave and all the weird and wonderful things electrons can do. The PhD students did two demonstrations where they showed the wave duality theory using their very one double slit experiment and also showed how fireworks are made. Thank you to Blaithin, Conor and Josh for coming in.

Saoirse Rawson – Science Teacher

Some colourful experiments in Science class this week

Amgen Biotech Experience

At ETSSW, we believe that fostering scientific curiosity and providing students with real-world experiences are essential elements of a well-rounded education. In our continuous efforts to offer our students the best in scientific education, we proudly introduce the Amgen Biotech Experience (ABE), a comprehensive and hands-on scientific education program designed to inspire and engage our students in the exciting world of biotechnology.

The ABE, in association with UCD Science, is a unique educational programme that provides students with the opportunity to work with research-grade equipment and supplies. This programme equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to explore the steps involved in creating biotechnology therapies. ABE offers students the chance to become true scientists, gaining insight into the world of biotechnology and molecular biology.

One of the most significant advantages of the Amgen Biotech Experience is the hands-on nature of the programme. Students have the unique opportunity to work with research-grade equipment and supplies, replicating the experiences of professional scientists. This immersion into the world of biotechnology is a valuable learning experience that can significantly enhance their scientific knowledge and practical skills.

The ABE programme includes a carefully crafted curriculum that is aligned with the core LC biology curriculum. This alignment ensures that students are not only gaining a deep understanding of biotechnology but also reinforcing the fundamental concepts of biology that they learn in their regular classes.

The ABE guides students through the intricate process of creating biotechnology therapies. From extracting DNA to cloning genes, and from transforming bacteria to producing proteins, students are exposed to the entire biotechnological pipeline. Through these real-world experiments, they gain valuable insights into the steps involved in developing innovative treatments for diseases.

In addition to the practical skills gained through the ABE programme, students also develop scientific literacy and critical thinking skill. These skills are not only essential for a career in biotechnology but also invaluable in various scientific disciplines and everyday life.

This experience is a remarkable educational opportunity for our students. It provides a bridge between theory and practice, offers hands-on experience with research-grade equipment and supplies, and aligns with our core biology curriculum. By participating in this programme, our students not only deepen their understanding of biotechnology but also enhance their scientific literacy and critical thinking skills. We are excited to witness the growth and transformation of our students as they explore the world of biotechnology through the Amgen Biotech Experience. This programme not only prepares them for future scientific endeavours but also instils a lifelong passion for learning and discovery.

At ETSSW, we are committed to providing our students with the best opportunities for growth and learning, and the Amgen Biotech Experience is a testament to that commitment. We look forward to seeing our students flourish as they embark on this exciting scientific journey.

Alicia Devlin Byrne – Science Teacher

TY students Alex Barry and Fillip Polcyn hard at work

                                                                                           Next Week

Royal Russell MUN 2023 - London

This weekend, a group of our Model United Nations debaters will be headed over to Croydon in London to attend a four-day conference in the Royal Russel School. In this conference, the students will be split into different committees, where they will debate topics, relevant in our world today, while modelling how it would happen in a United Nations conference.

Royal Russel’s International Model United Nations conference is affiliated and funded by the U.N., which goes to show how big of a deal this conference is to our team! Katie O’ Connor, Sonny Anderson, Éanna Maher, Lenna Smith, Hannah O’ Callaghan and Ayah Mohamed have been preparing for and looking forward to this conference since April, and are delighted that the weekend is about to commence.

Best of luck guys!

Katie O’Connor – 5th Year

Open Night 17th October 6.30-8.30pm

Next Tuesday we will be welcoming parents of 5th and 6th class students in the area into our school for our annual Open Night. We are hoping to surpass the incredible turnout from last year and lots of interactive activities are planned for the evening by the students themselves and staff. We look forward to seeing some of you there.  

Junior Cycle Results Wednesday 18th October

The junior cycle results are soon to be announced on Wednesday 18th of October a lot of students are excited, nervous, worried etc. people have been talking about it a lot but we’re hoping that all or most results are good. Students took the junior cert in June on the 7th and ended on the 19th of June students have said that the hardest exam to take was maths while the easiest was English. They also said a question on the Irish exam was different than last year.

The announcement of the results will be posted in our school’s hall and the teachers are very excited to see how the students they have taught for up to three years have done in their second biggest exam in the school. I wish all the students the best of luck with their exam results and to not stress about it too much as they’re not defined by their junior cycle results.

Elliott Potts – TY

Some clubs and activities on offer for next week are as follows:

Monday

·       Book Club with Grace and Sarah

·       Lunch-time sports with Andrei

·       After-school Boys (Senior and Junior) Basketball with Lucy

Tuesday

·       Lunch-time Board games with Dara

·       Lunch-time Sports with Andrei

·       LGBTQ+ and Allies Lunch Time Club

·       Lunch-time School Press Team

·       After school Girls Volleyball with Andrei

·       After school Girls Basketball with Francisco

·       Evening Study 4 – 6 pm

Wednesday

·      After school boys soccer training

·      After-school girls GAA training

·      After school Mixed Volleyball

·      After-school Maths Support Centre

Thursday

·       Lunch-time sports with Andrei

·       Lunch-time Book club

·       Lunch-time Girls Rugby with Saoirse

·       Lunch-time Origami Club

·       After school Boys Volleyball with Andrei

·       Evening Study 4 – 6 pm

Friday

• Lunch-time Sports with Andrei

• Lunch-time Lego Club

• Lunch-time Model United Nations Club with James

• Lunch-time Green Schools with Ali

• After-school Self-defence class with Andrei

Friday 6th OctOber 

Student Press Team Report

Student Advisory Board of Studies

Hello everyone, my name is Eabha and I am going to tell you a little bit about the student advisory board committee. Sarah, our Deputy Principal set up the Student Advisory Board of Studies Committee.

As part of the Student Advisory Board of Studies committee, we help our fellow students take surveys, answer questions and most importantly try to get the young person’s point of view across in our education system. Often this is quite a different perspective than what our teachers have.

Then we take our peer's suggestions and give them to Sarah directly. We try to make our school better and more inclusive for everyone.

If you are interested in joining the work of the Student Advisory Board of Studies, you can go to our Deputy Principal, Sarah and signup. It is very fun and very helpful. Thank you!

Eabha Finucane O’Brien, 1st Year

Third Year Home Economics cook up a Lasagne storm!

This week Amy’s 3rd year Home Ec. class displayed their fantastic culinary skills when they cooked up some delicious lasagnes! Students were given the task of showing off their culinary skills while showing other important skills such as good time-management and while practicing good safety and hygiene.

Taste buds were blown away when the mouth-watering lasagnes were eaten! The 3rd Year ‘Chefs of the Week’ award was given to Jack Duffy and Bobby Connolly. Well done to all of our 3rd Year chefs!

Boys Basketball Blitz - Thursday, October 5th

On Thursday 5/10/23, Lucy's U16s boys' Basketball team took part in a Basketball blitz with two other Educate Together Secondary Schools. While narrowly missing out on the first match, they came home with a 28-point win from their second match.

Naoise O'Dubhslaine was crowned Man of the Match for the first game, and Callum Hodgkinson Foley took on the title for the second game. Quirze Garriga Raton, Patrick Adesola and Shaheen Mohamed scored some impressive baskets throughout the day. Well done all!

Lucy Bellotti, ETSS Wicklow Basketball Coach

Our Junior Boys Basketball Team after their big win! 

School Report

Enrolments 2024-2025

With the application window for first year 2024-2025 opening on the 2nd October, we have been busy meeting the local primary school students this week. Please see www.etsswicklow.ie/admissions for future information. Please also note that our Open Evening will be held on Tuesday 17th October.

ETSS Wicklow Student of the Month and Mathematicians of the Month

Well done to all of our students who received certificates this week for both Student of the Month and Mathematican of the Month!

Principal John Maddock pictured with September's Students of the Month and Mathematicians of the Month

ETSS Wicklow’s Maths Support Centre has reopened

Our Maths Support Centre runs every Wednesday from 1:15 pm to 2:15 pm. This initiative is designed to provide free assistance to all students seeking to enhance their mathematical skills and abilities. The Maths Support Centre is staffed by dedicated maths teachers and enthusiastic transition year students who are eager to help learners navigate through challenging maths problems.

Whether you're struggling with algebra, geometry, or calculus, this weekly session serves as a welcoming space for students of all levels to receive personalized guidance and support in their mathematical journey. It's an excellent opportunity to reinforce your math knowledge and boost your confidence in the subject. Join us and let's make maths an enjoyable and rewarding experience!

Royal Russell MUN 2023 – Parent and Student Information Evening

The Model United Nations (MUN) is an international format of debate which allows students to take part in simulations of the United Nations by representing different countries and NGO's/IGOS in different committees that debate a range of relevant and topical issues. It develops strong organisational, negotiating and research skills, encouraging group work and working with others. An MUN club is ran in the school by Ceire and James on Fridays at lunchtime.

MUN students are also given the opportunity of attending various MUN's in schools across Ireland throughout the year where they have the opportunity to work alongside students from various other schools and develop skills which aid them in their life after school. Six of our students will be representing our school at the prestigious Royal Russell’s MUN event in Croydon, London from Saturday 14th to Tuesday 17th of October 2023. We held an information evening on Thursday 5th October for parents to discuss the highlights of the four-day event and an outline for ETSS Wicklow first international trip abroad.

Furthermore, the school hosts an annual WICKMUN event, organised by Ceire and James, in the school where we invite schools to attend and participate in our own MUN style debate. This year, the event will be hosted on the weekend of April 19th - 20th, 2024. All are welcome to join MUN in one of the numerous roles of the event.

Guidance @ ETSSW Parent Talk

On Monday 2nd of October parents were invited to attend a online talk from our new guidance counsellor Stacey Finn about the Guidance Counselling that is now being provided for all ETSS Wicklow students in an educational setting, some students in a vocational setting and, few students in a personal setting.

Currently, our 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students receive educational guidance on a modular basis of 11 weeks where they examine identification of aptitudes, abilities and interests in a way that they can apply self-awareness and self-efficacy to their curricular subjects.

4th and 5th year students receive guidance for one hour a week covering personal connections, relationship and sexuality education, aptitude testing, skills-based analysis, career investigation and workshops in further education and training.

Guidance offers students a safe-space to explore their sense of self with links to the community and knowledge of their goals, present and future, and most importantly - how to get there!

Our Guidance Counsellor Stacey is a member of the school's Care Team which plays a pivotal role in understanding students' needs and support them the best way possible.

Some highlights for the upcoming week are as follows:

History Week Monday 9th to Friday 13th October

Students are very excited for next week’s History week, organised by History & English teacher Dara Hogan. Each year group will have the opportunity to visit a Historical location and really bring History to life outside the classroom. We look forward to hearing back from the Press Team about each of the events.

Monday  - TY Trip to Dublin City Centre

Tuesday  - 3rd Trip to Glasnevin Cemetery

Wednesday - 2nd Year trip to Wicklow Gaol

Thursday - 5th Year Trip to GPO Witness Museum

Friday - 1st Year Trip to National Heitage Park, Ferrycarrig

Some clubs and activities on offer for next week are as follows:

Monday

·       Book Club with Grace and Sarah

·       Lunch-time sports with Andrei

·       After-school Boys (Senior and Junior) Basketball with Lucy

Tuesday

·       Lunch-time Board games with Dara

·       Lunch-time Sports with Andrei

·       LGBTQ+ and Allies Lunch Time Club

·       Lunch-time School Press Team

·       After school Girls Volleyball with Andrei

·       After school Girls Basketball with Francisco

·       Evening Study 4 – 6 pm

Wednesday

·      After school boys soccer training

·      After-school girls GAA training

·      After school Mixed Volleyball

·      After-school Maths Support Centre 

Thursday

·       Lunch-time sports with Andrei

·       Lunch-time Book club

·       Lunch-time Girls Rugby with Saoirse

·       Lunch-time Origami Club

·       After school Boys Volleyball with Andrei

·       Evening Study 4 – 6 pm

Friday

• Lunch-time Sports with Andrei

• Lunch-time Lego Club

• Lunch-time Model United Nations Club with James

• Lunch-time Green Schools with Ali

• After-school Self-defence class with Andrei

Thursday 28th September 

Report from Student Press Team

European Languages Week

This week at ETSS Wicklow we celebrated European Languages Week. This week was fun filled with a range of activities at tutor time, lunchtime and during classes. There were activities such as designing a European Languages Week t-shirt contest, languages games and brain teasers fun in at lunchtime, tutor time EU language music video, digital posters and much more fantastic activities. We also had our annual ‘Drop Everything and Salsa (DEAS)’ for the last 15 minutes of class on Wednesday, where students, teachers and SNAs took part in busting some multicultural dance moves! This fun week could not have happened without our amazing MFL Department, Sheena, Esther, Josephine and Francisco!

Simon Harris Visit

On Friday 22nd September, Minister Simon Harris came into our school to talk to our Politics and Society students and to answer their questions. On top of the questions Hannah O’Callaghan and Sonny Anderson made a Podcast with Minister Simon Harris about Ministerial Responsibilities, Covid 19, Budget and The Future. Before the 5th year students asked their questions, Minister Simon Harris gave us a brief introduction on how he got to this point as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science & Justice. All the students had very interesting questions about Ministerial Responsibilities, Cheaper College Tuition and Accommodation, Significant Change to 3rd Level Registration Fees, and more.

One of the questions from a 5th year student Hugo asked ‘When do you think the government will make a significant change to Third Level registration fees?’ Minister Simon Harris had a lot to say about this as he is hoping he can reduce them by €1000 as at the moment they are around €3000. He also said it is so high that a lot of the college students get grants instead to pay the registration fee. Another question from Daniel about the issue about college tuition and accommodation might be cheaper, what Minister Simon Harris didn’t realise that there was no State Student Accommodation in the country before he became the Minister of Higher Education.

Moving on to the podcast with Hannah and Sonny, Minister Simon Harris once again introduced himself and said it was great to be here today with the Politics and Society students in ETSS Wicklow. Sonny started off with a great question asking, ‘What paths would one of us take if one of us wanted to pursue a career in Politics?’. Minister Simon Harris said to us that it is mostly to believe in yourself and to realise what makes Ireland better and just to go for it and don’t let anyone stop you from doing it. After that, Hannah was just talking about Ministerial Responsibilities, and why we are putting so much money into third level education as people are leaving the country because of prices and could there be some sort of a contract that you have to stay in the country after a few years after your course. Minister Simon Harris responded with, they are going to try to reduce the cost of education and build more homes so young people have places to live around the country. After that there was a couple more questions asked but overall I think that all the students were very happy with the answers they got from Minister Simon Harris.

Harry Tindale 3rd Year

Minister Harris interviewed at our Podcast Studio by 5th year students Hannah and Sonny

School Report

TY Trip to Carlingford

Our TY students set off this week to Carlingford Adventure Centre on Monday with teachers Alicia, Cian, Andrei and SNA Sue. Students had the opportunity to bond with their new classmates through action-packed activities like ziplining, lazer combat and the nightline (blindfold) challenge! Not only did students report that they really enjoyed themselves, but it was also lovely to hear how complimentary Carlingford Adventure Centre were of our students

Some of our TY students preparing for the zipline challenge at Carlingford this week!

Chess Tournament

On Monday Craig and both his Junior and Senior chess teams travelled to St Andrew’s College for a national Inter-School Chess tournament. All of our students won games and while we didn’t win the title this year – we did beat 60 other schools in the competition which Craig and his teams were delighted about! Well done to students Cody, Conor, Prahad, Harris, Jack Katie and Luc!

Students Jack, Harris, Conor and Prahad in action in St. Andrews!

Ladies Football

On Thursday 28th September our Junior Girls made ETSS Wicklow history by being our first Junior Ladies football team to tog out against St. Davids in Greystones! Our girls had a tough match but learned a lot in the process and Coaches Clare and Caitlin are very optimistic now for future games! As always we would encourage our girls to try out new sports like ladies' football and make some new friends in the process!

ETSS Wicklow Ladies Football with coach Clare O'Sullivan

Model United Nations Bake Sale

We have a delegation of 6 students Katie, Sonny, Eanna, Hannah, Ayah and Lenna travelling to the prestigious Royal Russell International Model United Nations event in London next month with teachers James and Grace. The students have been busy fundraising this month and treated all students to a bake sale this Thursday in aid of their big trip!

Enrolments 2024-2025

With the application window for first year 2024-2025 opening on the 2nd October, we have been busy meeting the local primary school students this week. Please see www.etsswicklow.ie/admissions for future information. Please also note that our Open Evening will be held on Tuesday 17th October.

Some highlights for the upcoming week are as follows:

Guidance Information Evening

On Monday 2nd October at 7 pm we will be hosting an online information evening on Guidance with our Guidance teacher Stacey. Please see email from Fran at reception for further details.

Student Advisory Board

Our school Advisory Board of Studies comprised of teachers and led by teacher Dara is expanding its membership this year to include students in discussions on teaching and learning and the best teaching methodologies to use in class. Student representatives on the Advisory Board will be meeting Deputy Principal Sarah on Monday to give feedback and thoughts on the latest developments in the school on teaching and learning.

Basketball Blitz

Our basketballers will be back in action next Thursday with Coach Lucy in an Educate Together Secondary School Basketball competition. We wish them the best of luck and are sure they will do us all proud!

Some clubs and activities on offer for next week are as follows:

Monday

·       Book Club with Grace and Sarah

·       Lunch-time sports with Andrei

·       After-school Boys (Senior and Junior) Basketball with Lucy

Tuesday

·       Lunch-time Board games with Dara

·       Lunch-time Sports with Andrei

·       LGBTQ+ and Allies Lunch Time Club

·       Lunch-time School Press Team

·       After school Girls Volleyball with Andrei

·       After school Girls Basketball with Francisco

·       Evening Study 4 – 6 pm

Wednesday

·      After school boys soccer training

·      After-school girls GAA training

·      After school Mixed Volleyball

·      After-school Maths Support Centre - This service is free to students and takes place after school on a Wednesday from 1:15-2:15. Qualified maths teachers and TY tutors will be available to help students who are struggling with certain topics in maths and also to assist those students wishing to further excel in mathematics.

Thursday

·       Lunch-time sports with Andrei

·       Lunch-time Book club

·       Lunch-time Girls Rugby with Saoirse

·       Lunch-time Origami Club

·       After school Boys Volleyball with Andrei

·       Evening Study 4 – 6 pm

Friday

• Lunch-time Sports with Andrei

• Lunch-time Lego Club

• Lunch-time Model United Nations Club with James

• Lunch-time Green Schools with Ali

• After-school Self-defence class with Andrei

Finally, a reminder that school will be closed on Friday 29th September. 

Friday 22nd September

There has been a very diverse range of activities and events here in the school this past week! While we started this week with staff in-service on Monday, our first years selected and began their short courses and the first of their two option courses. Our Junior boys basketballers were in action this week, we held an information evening for third-year parents, our 5th years visited the RDS for a Careers Fair, and we also had a visit to the school from Minister Simon Harris!

Please see below some news from the week:

Visit from Minister Simon Harris

Organised by our Politics and Society teacher Robert, Minister Simon Harris visited our 5th Year PolSoc students today for a talk on life in politics and the Irish political system. Following the talk, Minister Harris visited our podcast studio for a good ol’ fashioned political grilling with students Sonny and Hannah! Stay tuned next week for our school’s Press team’s full report!

Minister Simon Harris meeting with ETSS Wicklow 5th year Politics and Society students.

Minister Harris in our podcast studio with interviewers Hannah and Sonny.

Student Advisory Board of Studies

Our school Advisory Board of Studies led by teacher Dara is expanding its membership this year to include students in discussions on teaching and learning and the best teaching methodologies to use in class! This exciting development will place students at the heart of school self-evaluation and really give a platform this year for student voice.

Junior Boys Basketball

Our Junior Boys Basketball team had a great showing against Mercy Secondary School, despite narrowly losing a very close game! There was some fantastic baskets from Callum Hodgkinson Foley and Quirze Garriga, while Naoise O’Dubhslaine and James McGowan defended their team with everything they had. Congratulations to our man of the match – Shaheen Mohammed, the top point scorer in the game!

The ETSS Wicklow Junior Boys Basketball Team in action against Mercy Secondary School.

Third Year Junior Cycle Information Evening

We held an online 3rd Year Parent / Guardian information evening on Thursday 21st September. The information evening focused on CBAs, mocks and of course the June Junior Cycle exams. Please contact Fran at reception if you would like to access a recording of the evening.

Fifth Year Trip to RDS

Friday 22nd September saw our 5th-year students travel to the RDS in Dublin for the Worldskills Ireland and Higher Options Careers fair. The WorldSkills Ireland fair is a unique opportunity for teachers, Guidance Counsellors and students to learn and experience all the different skill-based career options available in Ireland. Additionally, students attended the Higher Options fair to gain further information regarding further and higher study or training in Ireland, Europe and beyond.

Some highlights for the upcoming week are as follows:

TY Trip to Carlingford

There is great excitement amongst our TY students this week as they get ready to set off to Carlingford Adventure Centre on Monday with teachers Alicia, Cian, Andrei and SNA Sue for what promises to be three action-filled and memorable days!

Evening Study

Our after-school study programme is set to start next week. After-school study takes place from 4 – 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and is an excellent place for students to study in a quiet teacher-supervised environment. Please contact Fran at reception for further details.

Chess Tournament

On Monday Craig and both his Junior and Senior chess teams will head to St Andrew’s College for a national Inter-School Chess tournament. We wish both teams the very best of luck in the competition!

Origami Club

A brand new student lunch-time club was launched this week by Harry Tindale in 3rd Year – lunch-time origami is already proving very popular with students and is a great example of student-led initiatives here in the school! If your child is interested in creating their own club please do encourage them to speak to their tutor.

Our new Origami club which started this week!

European Languages Week

Our first themed week of the year starts on Monday 25th September. Students will be given daily language activities during tutorial and additional challenges to try outside of school, while on Wednesday we will be having a special “Drop Everything and Salsa” event!

Girls GAA Match

On Thursday 28th September our Junior Girls football team will be in action against St. Davids in Greystones. Led by teachers and coaches Clare and Caitlin, we are behind them all the way and wishing them the very best of luck!

Some clubs and activities on offer for next week are as follows:

Monday

·       Book Club with Grace and Sarah

·       Lunch-time sports with Andrei

·       After-school Boys (Senior and Junior) Basketball with Lucy

Tuesday

·       Lunch-time Board games with Dara

·       Lunch-time Sports with Andrei

·       LGBTQ+ and Allies Lunch Time Club

·       Lunch-time School Press Team

·       After school Girls Volleyball with Andrei

·       After school Girls Basketball with Francisco

·       Evening Study 4 – 6 pm

Wednesday

·      After school boys soccer training

·      After-school girls GAA training

·      After school Mixed Volleyball

·      After-school Maths Support Centre - This service is free to students and takes place after school on a Wednesday from 1:15-2:15. Qualified maths teachers and TY tutors will be available to help students who are struggling with certain topics in maths and also to assist those students wishing to further excel in mathematics.

Thursday

·       Lunch-time sports with Andrei

·       Lunch-time Book club

·       Lunch-time Girls Rugby with Saoirse

·       Lunch-time Origami Club

·       After school Boys Volleyball with Andrei

·       Evening Study 4 – 6 pm

Finally just a reminder that school will be closed on Friday 29th September.

Friday 15th September 

We have had a diverse range of activities happening in the school this week, from drama workshops and assessments for first year students, to student council elections and our annual Parent Staff Association AGM yesterday evening. A big thanks to all the parents and guardian who turned out for the AGM despite the weather. There are some big plans for future PSA events this year, so stay tuned!

Some highlights for the upcoming week are as follows:

Evening Study

Our after school study programme started this week. After school study takes place from 4 – 6 pm on Tuesday and Thursdays and is an excellent place for students to study in a quiet teacher supervised environment. Please get in touch with Fran at reception if you wish to book your child a place.

Simon Harris Podcast

Our Politics and Society teacher Robert has organised a podcast with students and Minister Simon Harris on Friday in the school. The Wicklow People will be in attendance and Minister Harris is sure to come under a good old fashioned political grilling from our 5th Year Students!

RDS Careers Fair

Organised by our new career guidance teacher Stacey, some of our Senior Cycle students will be attending the RDS careers fair next Friday to research the different jobs and third level opportunities that await them after school.

Girls Sport

Girls sport in the school is off to a really great start this year with a new GAA ladies team led by teachers Clare and Caitlin and now a promising new girls rugby initiative with teacher Saoirse. Our new PE teacher Francisco is also starting a girls basketball team, so do please encourage your daughter to attend some of those great sporting options!

Clubs and activities on offer then next week are as follows:

Tuesday

• Lunch-time Board games with Dara
• Lunch-time Sports with Andrei
• LGBTQ+ and Allies Lunch Time Club
• Lunch-time School Press Team
• After school Girls Volleyball with Andrei

Wednesday

• ·       After school boys soccer training
• ·       After school girls GAA training
• ·       After school Mixed Volleyball
• ·       After school Maths Support Centre

Thursday

• Lunch-time sports with Andrei
• Lunch-time Book club
• Lunch-time Girls Rugby with Saoirse
• After school Boys Volleyball with Andrei

Friday

• Lunch-time Sports with Andrei
• Lunch-time Lego Club
• Lunch-time Model United Nations Club with James
• Lunch-time Green Schools with Ali
• After-school Self-defence class with Andrei

Finally just a reminder that the school will be closed on Monday 18th September to facilitate a teacher in-service day.

Friday 8th September

It’s been a busy full week back in the school with clubs and activities back in full swing! Some of the clubs and activities on offer this week have been, creative writing club, Model United Nations, Green Schools, Volleyball and Board Games club, but to name a few! We would especially encourage our new first years to find their interest and join a school club – and if a club hasn’t been established yet we will help them to set up their own!

Please see some other news then from the week below:

STEM

Our partnership with the UCD school of Mathematics and Statistics is continuing into this year. We are very proud of being one of only a handful of schools nationwide to have been selected to take part in research on effective teaching and learning within the mathematics classroom. This week maths teachers Lucy, Patrick and Gráinne have been spending some time in UCD and have been linking in with Professor John Sheekey  on developing student conceptual understanding of mathematical concepts.

Also a  HUGE WELL DONE to our girls Astro Pi team, who all received certificates from the International Space Station for completing the international Astro Pi competition! 15,000 teams entered worldwide and our girls’ Astro Pi team who were led by teacher Ali, were one of only 50 teams internationally who managed to complete the entire challenge, which is an absolutely brilliant result! This week then Ali has been taking part in the Phase 5 implementation of the national Leaving Certificate Computer Science course with a view to establishing Computer Science as a core subject in Transition Year and then in Senior Cycle as a Leaving Certificate optional subject for next year.

Ali's Astro Pi Coding team of Ioanna, Rosie, Lily and Aoife 

The Arts

Our 5th year artists went to Kilmarcurragh today to paint ‘en plein air’ as they are currently studying the impressionists. They were very lucky now to get the continental weather for a very authentic experience!

The Greatest Showman – Flashmob

We had some great feedback from our Transition Year students this week who on Thursday engaged in Dance Concepts Flashmob workshop where they learned two of the routines from the Greatest Showman. Great practice for our end of year TY musical!

Tickets to Success Initiative

Back by popular student demand, our ‘Tickets to Success’ initiative was launched this week. This initiative sees students rewarded with tickets for efforts in class, good attendance and punctuality. Students can then enter their tickets into a raffle each term to win some great prizes like Apple Airpods, Apple Pencils and Shopping Vouchers, to name just a few prizes!

Some highlights for the upcoming week are as follows:

Evening Study

Our after school study programme is set to start next week. After school study takes place from 4 – 6 pm on Tuesday and Thursdays and is an excellent place for students to study in a quiet teacher supervised environment. Our deputy principal Sarah will be in touch with further details.

1st Year Cat4 Assessments

First year students will be completing their Cat4 assessments next week. These are assessments that are designed to help students and their teachers understand how they learn and how best they can be supported in class. While we have assured students that no study is necessary for these assessments, further reassurance from home would also be greatly appreciated.

Clubs and activities on offer then this week are as follows:

Monday

• Book Club with Grace and Sarah
• Lunch-time sports with Andrei
• After-school Boys (Senior and Junior) Basketball with Lucy

Tuesday

• Lunch-time Board games with Dara
• Lunch-time Sports with Andrei
• LGBTQ+ and Allies Lunch Time Club
• Lunch-time School Press Team
• After school Girls Volleyball with Andrei
• After school Girls Basketball with Francisco

Wednesday

• After school boys soccer training
• After school girls GAA training
• After school Mixed Volleyball
• After school Maths Support Centre - This service is free to students and takes place after school on a Wednesday from 1:15-2:15. Myself and other qualified maths teachers will be available to help students who are struggling with certain topics in maths and also to assist those students wishing to further excel in mathematics.

Thursday

• Lunch-time sports with Andrei
• Lunch-time Book club
• Lunch-time Girls Rugby with Saoirse
• After school Boys Volleyball with Andrei

Friday

• Lunch-time Sports with Andrei
• Lunch-time Lego Club
• Lunch-time Model United Nations Club with James
• Lunch-time Green Schools with Ali
• After-school Self-defence class with Andrei

We would especially encourage all of our new students to try out the clubs and activities on offer – it is a great way to meet people with similar interests!