Parents Update Friday 24 February 2023

Dear Parents,

First Year Reading Intervention

As part of our update on Friday 27 January [ Parents Update Friday 27 January 2023 – Glanmire Community College (glanmirecc.ie)] we informed parents about our planned 1st Year reading intervention and the rationale behind it. Parents are asked to note that the intervention will begin next Monday 27 February. Students will read four times a week for forty minutes in class. Each student has also been set up with a read theory account to practice non-fiction reading at home. All first-year students are encouraged to spend at least fifteen minutes, three times a week, using read theory at home.

As part of our literacy intervention, our TY students have organised a community book drive to gather sets of class novels for our reading community. There are seven book titles which we are looking for students/parents to donate, if they so wish. These are all novels that have been studied over the last five years in our school by our students so they might be sitting gathering dust on a shelf somewhere.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle
Once by Morris Gleitzman
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman
Stone Cold by Robert Swindells
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

GCC CanSat

CanSat is an educational competition initiated by the European Space Agency (ESA) that challenges students to design and build a miniature satellite, integrated within the volume and shape of a soft drink can.The dedicated team of Toby Tangney, Nathan Manley, Alan Browne, Adam Hayes and Aisling O’Sullivan are working hard for the first round of the competition on 11 March. They plan on talking to the 1st years about their project and you can follow their journey below!

Website -> https://candromeda.netlify.app/

Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/gcc_candromeda/

Twitter -> https://twitter.com/GCC_Candromeda

The Carbon Club – GCC Green Schools

GCC Carbon club students have being doing great work this year focusing on reducing our carbon footprint as a school. It is part of a competition within Cork ETB to raise awareness among the whole school community on reducing our energy consumption in school, at home, and while travelling.

If we get to reduce how much we produce the school will be able to provide more fun activities to students. It is vital we take control of the amount of carbon we are producing and reduce it as soon as possible, before it’s too late.

The most effective ways we can reduce our footprint on the school campus are turning off lights, turning off computers/TV’s and other appliances when not in use, and raise awareness and tell other teachers/friends.

Before mid-term the TY Carbon Club students ran a poster competition with our first-year students. The entries were very impressive and we reveal our 3 winners below. Each student received a prize for a voucher to the value of €50, €30 & €25 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Well done to all 1st year entries, and thank you to the TY students involved and Mr. Horgan for facilitating this.

Winners; 1st Place: Abimbola Fashade (R. Brian); 2nd Place: Niall O Rourke (R. Aoife); 3rd Place: Nikola Mis (R.Cathal)

GCC Healthy Eating Policy Survey

The school is in the process of developing our Healthy Eating Policy and we would appreciate if you could take the time to fill in the following short questionnaire. Please see the link below:

https://forms.gle/7NvxKRy7MSNt5uSW6

Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete it.

“Trees On the Land”  Initiative 

Trees on the Land is a cross-border initiative working to establish young native trees across the 32 counties of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It is a charity & not-for-profit project from the Green Economy Foundation in collaboration with the Woodland Trust. Glanmire Community College got behind the Woodland Trust mission this spring to plant over a million native Irish trees across the Island of Ireland.

Students and teachers planted fifty native Irish trees on the school campus this week. It was a wonderful week of hard work and cooperation to get the young saplings into the ground. The trees planted include Oak, alder, birch and some apple trees.

The project generated great excitement and fun in our school community. Students will enjoy protecting and enjoying these beautiful trees for years to come.

Our trees will help to remove carbon from the air, reduce pollution, provide a habitat for terrestrial biodiversity, and promote good health and well-being.

First Year Bingo-Meitheal Team

This morning, during the first class six members of the Meitheal Team instructed and supervised Bingo for the First Year Class Aoife. They enjoyed it and the two winners look forward to getting their prizes next week. A big thank you to Ms Mc Inerney, Lee and Peter who worked hard to set it up. The First Years have started as they mean to go on, always working hard. This was a well deserved break for them.

Peter, Lee & Harry

First Year Film Competition – Short Film Winner

Please click on the link to view ‘A meaningless Life’ shot entirely on location in the school grounds and made by Marleen Higgins, Caroline Ebarmamiegbevbor and Ailsa Canty all in 1st Year Rang Aoife. Well done to the all the students who took part.

https://youtu.be/j2Jvvr0UO30

GCC  Review of the Week

Please click on the link below to see our review of the recent activities in the school. Items include:

• History honours for GCC
• Boys U14 Football
• First year Camogie
• First Year well-being mornings continue
• Lunchtime Club for 1st years
• Yoga Sessions
• South Munster Schools Cross Country – Tramore Valley Park

Click here to view

GCC Activities of the Week 

Please click on the following link to view the planned activities for the week beginning Monday 27 February 2023.

Activities for the week  beginning Feb 27th 2023

2nd Year Pupil/Parent/Teacher (PPT) Meeting 

Parents are asked to note that our 2nd Year PPT will take place in-person next Tuesday 28 February. Please note also that, as per DES circular M58/04, the school will finish for students at 3.35pm next Tuesday with the meeting scheduled from 4.15pm to 6.45pm. Details of centres, registration, seating plan and other information etc. will be shared with staff and parents next Monday.

Our final PPT meeting of the 22/23 school year for 1st Years takes place in-person on Monday 13 March.

Staff Development Day

A reminder to parents that as part of our GCC Strategic Planning process, the school will be holding a Staff Development Day on Thursday 16 March 2023. This will necessitate the closure of the school for the full day to students.

GCC Canteen

Parents are asked to note that our canteen provider O Crualaoi’s have notified the school of planned price increases for a number of items which they supply. The changeover will happen next Wednesday 1 March and the details are as follows:

• Chicken rolls was €3.00 going to €3.50
• Dinner (chicken curry etc) was €3.50 going up to €4.00
• Soup was €1.50 going up to €2.00
• Panini was €3.00 going up to €3.50
• Minerals will be increasing in cost by €0.10

Calendar Events 

We hope you have a nice weekend.

GCC Senior Management

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