News - September 2007

HEADLINES:
* JUNIOR CERT RESULTS 2007
* LEAVING CERT RESULTS 2007
* STUDENT CONGRATULATIONS
* ANUNA
* WORLD CYBER GAMES - FIFA 2007
* MASS FOR THE OPENING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR
* SCIENCE OLYMPIAD TRIALS - DCU

JUNIOR CERT RESULTS 2007

Well done to the Junior Certificate Class of 2007 on their excellent Junior Certificate results.

46% of the students attained 8, 9 or 10 higher A’s, B’s, C’s.
67% of the students attained 6 Higher A’s, B’s, C’s.
2 students scored 9 A’s
2 students scored 8 A’s
1 student scored 7A’s
3 students scored 6 A’s

No student failed any paper at Ordinary level while four students were unsuccessful at Higher level out of the 647 grades allocated.

I congratulate all students in this Year Group on their success and upholding our strong academic tradition

6.6 Higher Level A’, B’s and C’s per student is a highly commendable average.

A sincere word of thanks to the teaching staff in the school for their excellent work with this group over the last three years. In particular a word of thanks to the staff who took the full Transition Year class of 2007 on a camping expedition. On Thursday they faced the challenge of climbing Lugnaquilla and returned to school refreshed and invigorated. It is a statement that truly highlights our commitment to the holistic development of the child.

Leaving Cert Results 2007

Well done and congratulations to the Leaving Cert. Class of 2007, their parents and their teachers on this year’s outstanding Leaving Certificate results.

13% achieved 540 points or more (equivalent of 6A’s)
28% achieved 500 points or more
47% achieved 450 points or more (equivalent of 6B’s)
66% achieved 400 points or more
82% achieved 350 points or more (equivalent of 6C’s)
89% achieved 300 points or more

The points average achieved by this Leaving Cert. group is 428 points per student – a remarkable achievement, (i.e. 1 A, 3B’s and 2C’s)

St. Gerard’s is a Catholic, mixed ability school and I commend all the students on their individual achievements, regardless of their academic ability. I am particularly proud that no student failed any examination paper at any level in any subject.

Staff, students and parents have worked extremely well together to create the opportunity for such an excellent examination result profile. There is no substitute for tremendous teaching in the classroom aligned with a strong work ethos. I wish the students every success as they await the allocation of College places and in their future 3rd level careers.

For many with the completion of their 14th year in the school, the fruition of their efforts is complete. To quote the American author Ursula Le Guin “it is good to have an end to journey towards but it is the journey that matters in the end”. The Class of 2007 have journeyed through a long and fruitful fourteen years. It is what they have learnt from the journey that counts most.

To the Class of 2007, may I remind you of the evening of our Graduation Mass and the words of Ralph Emmerson “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”.

Tom Geraghty.
HEADMASTER

STUDENT CONGRATULATIONS (10/09/2007)

Congratulations to Carol Dalton – 4th Year – who has been offered a place in the Irish National Youth Ballet Company. This is a great honour and achievement for Carol as a direct result of her outstanding efforts over the years.

Every congratulations.

Anúna (24th September 2007)

Congratulations to Eabha MacMahon (5th Year) on being invited to join the International Singing Group Anúna. This is an outstanding achievement for a most talented singer.

Congratulations to Eabha and Anúna on their Summer Concerts in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Killarney and Adare Manor.

The school looks forward once again this year to Eabha’s contribution to music over the coming months.

World Cyber Games - FIFA 2007 (25th September 2007)

Congratulations to Michael Traynor of 6th Year on becoming the Irish Champion and qualifying for the World Cyber Games FIFA 2007 which take place from the 2nd to 8th October in Seattle in the United .

We wish Michael every success in the World Championships.

Mass for the Opening of the School Year (25th September 2007)

The Mass for the opening of the school year was one of the most meaningful services I have attended here in the school. Father Ben Mulligan, in his most excellent Homily, left us with two messages to take head of:

“Prayer is listening to God rather than responding to God”

“Each one of us is of infinite value in the eyes of God”.

Father Ben emphasised the importance of taking time out of our busy schedule to reflect. A simple exercise would be at the end of your homework each evening, to take two minutes out to read the reflection at the end of the School Planner. It is guaranteed to give you a boost and to reinforce how valuable each one of us are in the eyes of God.

Tom Geraghty.
HEADMASTER.

SCIENCE OLYMPIAD TRIALS - DCU (25th September 2007)

Many congratulations to Issy Spencer-Higgins and Ben Blunnie in Transition Year who have been invited to attend for trials for the Irish Science Olympiad Team in DCU.

This invitation is based on their outstanding results in both Mathematics and Science in the Junior Certificate examination.