WHAT A SCHOOL!
Sports days, school visits, school tours, Green Schools BioBlitz, graduation preparation, science, history projects, STEM, Aistear, PE, lots of learning and lots of fun. That is just a snapshot of one day in the life of a Hollypark student. The saying is true, school days are the best days of your life.
6TH CLASS CEREMONY OF LIGHT
A special thanks to Fr. Kieran, chaplain Maeve and our wonderful 6th class teachers and SNA for our ceremony last Thursday evening. It was the most beautiful and poignant ceremony as the parents passed on the candle to their boys. We are so proud of the polite, respectful, kind young men they are becoming. These photo boards will forever adorn our corridors along with the great memories of our wonderful pupils.
PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION FUNDRAISING
A huge thank you to all of the families who have entered our Lunchbox Cooking Competition in collaboration with the award-winning TV chef, Mark Moriarty.
It is not too late to enter via the Aladdin payment link - it will remain online until midnight tomorrow night. The suggested price is €10.50 but you have the option to raise or lower that amount.
All funds raised will go towards the creation of the Sensory Pathway/Trim Trail which will be built in the school garden.
All entrants will receive a link to Mark’s video on 4 June and it can be viewed any time before the competition closing date of 11 June. All competitors should recreate the recipe and send a photo to the Parents’ Association at hollyparkboyspa@gmail.com.
Mark will judge the entries and award a prize of a home cooking starter kit and a €150 voucher for Volpe Nera restaurant in Blackrock to the winner.
Many thanks,
Jo-Ann Crowley
Parents’ Association Chairperson
To purchase the recipe and enter the competition, please click the link attached: https://www.aladdin.ie/p/5534vo2304ka5478
TRIM TRAILS
Trim Trails (sensory trails) are a series of individual stations scientifically designed to provide a range of exercise, gross motor skill development and movement breaks to children. Stations include balance beams, sit-up bars, chin-up bars, parallel bars, and more challenging stations such as pole climbs and ladder walks. Trails can include stations for the upper body, lower body, balance & coordination and climbing/jumping equipment designed to test the whole body.
Thank you to the Parents’ Association and to our past pupil Mark for supporting this project. It is sure to add to the holistic development of each pupil in our school. Our Trim Trail equipment will be particularly beneficial to children with additional needs. We will give you a further update in the coming weeks.
BOOKLISTS
If you wish to order your books through the school for 21-22, please note that, booklist closing date is Friday, June 4th at 2.30pm. Orders cannot be accepted after this date. You can pay online via Aladdin, by cheque or by cash. Please return booklist form and insurance form to your class teacher.
STAR OF THE FUTURE
This week’s star of the future is Roman Geyger, 1st class. Roman has recorded a time lapse video of a runner bean plant growing over a 48-hour period. Roman has beautifully crafted a video recording of the action. This is worth a watch boys! Well done Roman.
https://1drv.ms/v/s!Ai3uw6d7kA6sgoxY6KkSLFjHv12PWg
SPORTS DAY
Sports days take place this week. Please ensure your son is equipped for an Irish summer and has sun cream applied prior to arrival at school and also has a light rain jacket in case of showers. All events will take place on the Astro pitch. All boys should have their own water bottle clearly labelled.
SCHOOL VISITS
There was a lot of excitement on Monday morning as the Nore Valley Farm rolled into the Hollypark carpark. Boys from junior and senior infants were educated on many animals including donkeys, ponies, lambs, pigs, ducklings and rabbits.
FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT SKILLS
Dodging is a locomotor skill that involves quick and sometimes deceptive changes of direction to evade or catch an opponent. Dodging takes the skill of running and incorporates dynamic, fluid and coordinated movement, allowing the pupil to change direction proficiently. Good balance and stability is essential to perform dodging, with a low centre of gravity achieved by bending the knees, thus allowing the body to rapidly shift from one side to another. This low stable position enables the muscles in the legs to generate maximum force in a sideways direction to create the dodging action.
The skill of dodging is evident in a wide range of playground activities and is a central component of most team sports. From as basic an activity as playing chase, to evading an opponent on a hurling pitch or avoiding a punch in the boxing ring, the dodge is an important skill in the pursuit of success in many sporting activities.
To access a video showing the correct technique for dodging, please click here.
CONCUSSION AWARENESS
With the boys returning to sports clubs and the beautiful weather we are currently enjoying now is a very busy time of the year. It is important to know and recognise the signs and symptoms of a concussion. I have attached a graphic for you as a reference.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOYS!
This week is a special week for these boys.
Roman Geyger, George Morgan, Ryan Crowley, Cormac O’ Sullivan, Daniel O’ Cearbhaill, Mudi Ohadike, agus Eoin Flood.
We wish you a happy birthday boys!
GREEN SCHOOL, BIODIVERSITY
Boys are participating in the School Backyard BioBlitz organised by the Heritage Council. The search continues during the week and a full report will be available for submission to the Heritage Council. Together with our solar panels, wildflower garden and green schools committee, we are helping to create a sustainable environment for our future generations. Well done boys, keep up the great work.
UPCOMING WEBINARS
SUNFLOWERS AND PAT PERERA
Some things are synonymous with each other. When I hear the word sunflowers, I always think of one name, Pat Perera. Pat has been planting sunflowers with boys in Hollypark for the last 30 years. Her task was made very difficult this year with Covid, but she found a way! Pat has set up stall outside her home and is offering sunflowers to all students. Thank you for everything Pat, we are looking forward to inviting you back to Hollypark next year.
A HERO IN THE MAKING
Rían O'Halloran completed 100K in May for LauraLynn Children's Hospice. Altogether Rían and his family raised 1100 Euro. Rían completed his 100K in May by walking to and from school each day, hiking at weekends and on rainy days clocking up kilometres on his exercise bike. We are so proud of Rian and it is great to see so much money donated to a great cause. Well done to all involved.
ADVERTISING ON THE NEWSLETTER
If any parent or member of the school community would be interested in advertising their business on the Wednesday letter, please send an email to the Parents’ Association at hollyparkboyspa@gmail.com with the subject header “Advertising”.
DOGS
Many families have recently purchased dogs during lockdown. Dog owners have been very responsible in not letting dogs onto the school property. When walking your dog around the school, we ask that you keep the dogs close to you as the leads are causing trip hazards for our children walking on the paths.
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
We continually encourage our boys to participate in sport and exercise. You do not have to be a member of a team to feel the benefits of exercise on your mental health and wellbeing. For many years, ‘Fitness’ has been a subject as part of our homework. For the month of June, we will once again place a huge focus and emphasis on this part of our hidden curriculum. Boys, please see the information below as to the many benefits sport and exercise has on our lives.
For more information visit www.mentalhealthireland.ie
Beir bua agus beannacht,
B. O’Donovan
02.06.2021