31 March 2023

Inclusion Committee – report by Ms. M. Jordan

The Inclusion Committee met on Thursday 23.03.23 to plan their work for the remainder of the year.

Our focus will be on securing champion status as a School of Sanctuary and holding a fundraiser and awareness day for Down Syndrome Ireland.

School of Sanctuary:

The Inclusion Committee is delighted to lead the school on its journey to become a nationally recognised School of Sanctuary. This is a school that is recognised for being a welcoming school that is proud to be a place of safety and inclusion for all, particularly migrants and refugees. The status is achieved once members of the school demonstrate that they have learned about multiculturalism with particular focus on experiences of migrants and refugees, carried out action to promote inclusion and acceptance and spread this positive message by sharing their learning with the wider community.

Here in Loreto, we have already created links with our neighbours in the Presentation Secondary School who visited our Multicultural event and on Thursday Ms. Sweetman, Yosra El Hussein, Sonya Briukhovetska and Ms. Jordan attended a School of Sanctuary event with Bunclody Vocational College and learned all about the great work being done there as part of their School of Sanctuary work.

We look forward to many more enjoyable events as we continue our journey as a School of Sanctuary. 

Down Syndrome Awareness:

At the meeting Sophie & Katie Ennis explained how they would love to tell their classmates about their wonderful sister Ella who was born with Down Syndrome and is now almost two while also raising some money for Down Syndrome Ireland.

The group decided to hold an awareness day and fundraiser on Friday the 28^th of April with the following actions:

• Students to wear odd socks and / or blue & yellow accessories to show support
• A bake sale will be held at 10.45 with all funds raised going to Down Syndrome Ireland
• Katie & Sophie’s parents will bring Ella to school and deliver a PowerPoint to students at the following times:
  • 11.45- 12.25: 2^nd Years
  • 12.25- 1.05: TYs
  • 2.25- 3.05: 6^th Years

We look forward to a lovely day of celebrating difference and acceptance while also raising money for this worthy cause.

Young European Translators Competition – report by Ella Carley, Isabelle Molloy and Eve Donohoe

Ella Carley

The Young Translators Competition is organised by the European Commission to promote the learning and use of European languages. Here in Ireland, this competition focuses on the modernising of the Irish language as it is recognised to be living and in use by the EU. 

“The competition has three goals: to promote a high standard of Irish, to encourage multilingualism among secondary school students and to encourage their interest in careers with Irish.” ~ gov.ie  

There are six categories in the competition: a prize for the best translation from English in each province, an overall prize for the best translation across the island of Ireland, and a prize for the best translation from a language other than English. 

Both Isabel and I translated both English to Irish  and Spanish to Irish, Eve translated English to Irish.  

The texts for translation were quite simple and easy to understand – overall the completion not only works on your grammar but also on your flexibility and common sense in communication.  

I would recommend this competition to anybody who would like to improve their Irish ( the build up motivates you to practice, quite a bit) and anybody who has an interest in translation in general.  

Isabelle Molloy

Hace tres semanas, otras dos chicas y yo participamos en el concurso de jóvenes traductores de europa. En la primera parte del concurso tuve una hora para traducir un párrafo del inglés al irlandés. En la segunda parte del concurso tuve un hora y media para traducir un párrafa del español al irlandés. La competencia fue muy difícil porque las oraciones earn muy largas y había muchas palabras difíciles. Aunque fue duro, me pareció muy gratificante. Me alegro de haberlo hecho.

Aistritheoirí Óga le Eve Donohoe

Ar an 7ú Márta, ghlac mé féin agus beirt eile ón gcúigiú bliain páirt i gcomórtas aistriúcháin darbh ainm “Aistritheoirí Óga”. Bhí sé eagraithe ag an Aontas Eorpach i gcomhairle leis an Roinn Gaeltachta agus Cultúr.

Tá trí phríomhaidhm ag an gcomórtas: Ardchaighdeán Gaeilge a chur chun cinn, an t-ilteangachas a spreagadh i measc daltaí méanscoile agus spéis i ngairmeacha teangeolaíochta a chothú.

Cad a bhí le déanamh ag na rannphartaithe? Ar maidin, tugadh doiciméad dúinn as Béarla agus bhí uair an chloig againn chun é a aistriú go Gaeilge. Ba í “Oidhreacht na hEorpa” an téama sna téacsanna don chomórtas, ábhar atá go mór i mbéal an Choimisiún Eorpach faoi láthair.

An dúshlán is mó a bhí againn maidir leis an aistriúchán ná an Ghaeilge a scríobh i stíl líofa sothuigthe, toisc go raibh a lán cora cainte comhráiteacha ann. É sin ráite, d’éirigh linn na deacrachtaí a shárú agus chuireamar feabhas ar ár gcuid Gaeilge ag an am céanna. Táimid fíorbhuíoch dár múinteoirí Ms Carroll agus Ms Nolan as an deis iontach seo a chur ar fáil dúinn.

Wexford Karting Academy – report by Izzy Mc Dermott (2^nd year)

Hi, my name is Izzy McDermott. I attended the Wexford Youth Academy on January 22^nd, February 19^th and March 10^th. Their go karting workshops take place at Kiltorcan raceway in Kilkenny. I attended this with my dad. The workshops include a 2-hour classroom-based session and then a 30-minute session on the track to show off our skills and to put into practice what we learn. In the workshops, we learned how to work as a team. There are 11 events in total. This includes 6 classroom-based events, 1 Grand Prix and 4 sprints. We also spend 2 days at other motorsports events as part of youth academy. The year runs from January to May. We learn about how to control the kart, how do get ourselves ready for a race and how to get the kart ready for a race weekend. Around 50 young people aged between 8 and 21 are allowed in the academy.

Wexford Motor Club was first set up in 1973 by a small group of motorsport enthusiasts and today has a thriving membership of competitors. The annual stages rally brings nearly €1 million into the economy each year. The Wexford Youth Academy is run by the Wexford Motor Club.  The youth academy was founded in 2015. It aims to nurture and encourage more local young people into motorsport.

Oral Exams

We extend our best wishes to the 6^th year students as they take their oral exams over the coming days. Examinations will take place in Gaeilge, French, German and Japanese.

Easter Break 

After a busy term, the school closes today for the Easter break. I thank each and every member of the school community for their commitment over the past term and I wish all Loreto families a peaceful, safe and restful Easter.

Forthcoming Events 

• Friday, 31 March – Easter holidays begin
• Saturday, 1 April – Thursday, 6 April: Leaving Certificate oral exams
• Monday, 17 April – school reopens