Wednesday letter March 5th 2025

ONLINE & PHONE SAFETY

Dear Parents/Guardians,

This week, Garda Gavin Fleet is visiting Hollypark Girls' and Boys' Schools to speak with our 5th and 6th classes. During his visit, Garda Gavin will share an important reminder with the students about the potential dangers of social media. He will emphasise the importance of respecting others, the consequences of sharing photos without consent, and the need to avoid harmful behaviours such as racism and homophobic remarks online. He will also explain how even one mean or hurtful post can lead to serious consequences, including criminal investigations, school suspensions, or expulsion.

As parents, if you decide to give your child a phone, we kindly ask that you be aware of the potential risks that come with it. The online world can be overwhelming and, at times, even dangerous. While phones can be a great tool for communication and learning, they also open doors to environments that may be difficult for younger users to navigate safely.

As principals, we are seeing the real impact of online interactions on our students. Apps like Snapchat in particular, can present a challenging and sometimes unsafe space. Messages on Snapchat are designed to disappear after a short time, meaning that, if you check your child’s phone in the evening, many of the posts from that day may already be gone. This can make it difficult to monitor their interactions and ensure their safety. Please note that Snapchat’s terms of service state that users must be at least 13 years old, and younger children may be exposed to content or conversations they are not ready to handle.

We encourage parents to consider where and how phones are used in your home. It is important that phones are not taken into bedrooms at night and are instead monitored regularly. Keeping the lines of communication open with your child and checking in on their online activity is vital.

As educators, we are committed to supporting our students whenever they experience or share harmful online interactions. However, addressing issues that arise from the misuse of technology often takes time away from teaching and learning. This not only impacts the individual student involved but also reduces the overall learning time for all pupils, hindering their access to the full curriculum and limiting their potential to succeed.

In the best interest of your child’s safety and well-being, we cannot stress enough the importance of understanding the risks of the online world—whether it’s social media, phones, or online gaming. We encourage you to stay informed about these risks so that you can help protect your child from potential harm.

Thank you for your ongoing support in keeping our students safe, happy, and healthy both online and offline.

Kind regards,

Barry O' Donovan & Gernadette Gunning

https://www.webwise.ie/parents/parents-a-guide-to-snapchat/

Please click the link for a parent's guide to Snapchat. 

Seachtain na Gaeilge

Tá Seachtain na Gaeilge a chéiliúreadh againn sa scoil. Tá na buachaillí ar bís! Tá imeachtaí ar siúl timpeall na scoile- Comótas Ealaíne, Grúpa Ceoil, Tráth na gCeist, Céilí leis na Cailiní, Raidió Sheachtain na Gaeilge ar an idirchum agus Rásaí ar an Astro. Tá seans ag na buachaillí duaiseanna a bhuacaint sa chomórtais “Gaelgeoir an Lae” agus “Gaelgeoir na Seachtaine”.  Tá na buachaillí gnóthach ag foghlaim amhráin, dánta agus rainn le haghaidh an Pharáid. Beidh an Pharáid ar siúl sa chlós ar an 13ú lá de Mhárta ag 11:00.

ENGINEERS' WEEK

Engineers Week 2025 was a huge success in Hollypark BNS. Events took place across the week in all classes. Thank you to Ms. Hynes for organising and to the many parents and volunteers that came in to speak to the boys. Junior Infants were very lucky to get a visit from Oscar's mum, Ines, a space engineer. She chatted to the boys about space missions, going to space, and getting ready for space. The boys had wonderful questions and were fascinated by all things space-related.

Ms Hynes’ boys were very lucky to have a visit from Aidan Cleary, Cillín’s dad, a civil engineer. He spoke to the boys about bridges and showed them lots of equipment he uses for his job. The boys are delighted with the pencils he gave them. They will plant the pencils after use and are looking forward to seeing what flowers will grow from the seeds at the top of the pencils.

It was great to have Alan Keogh in to talk to the boys in 6th class about how engineering can assist with climate change.

World Down Syndrome Day

Get ready to rock in your odd socks once again, one of our favourite days of the year in Hollypark.