Message from HSE:

In our most recent HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast, we had the pleasure of talking with Dr. Ciarán Boylan, Psychologist in the HSE. We discussed exam stress and practical tips for parents and guardians on how to support young people through exam time. Dr. Boylan began by explain what stress is; a response to demands placed on individuals.

For young people, exams are a significant source of stress, manifesting both physically and mentally. Physical signs include an increased heart rate and sweaty palms, while mental signs can be excessive worrying or rumination. Recognising these signs is the first step in providing the right support. During our discussion, Dr. Boylan made an important distinction between stress and anxiety. Stress reactions typically subside after the stressful event, but anxiety can linger, independent of stressors. He advised parents to be vigilant for signs of irritability, decreased tolerance, and disengagement, which are common indicators of exam stress.

A key point Dr. Boylan emphasised was respecting a young person's choice not to talk about their stress or anxiety. It's crucial for parents to offer support and understanding while also giving space if the young person prefers not to discuss their feelings at that time. We learn strategies for parents and guardians to help manage exam stress, highlighting the importance of a supportive and organised environment. This includes ensuring nutritious meals, adequate sleep, and quiet study spaces. Emotional support is equally vital, respecting the young person's unique experience and offering a listening ear without projecting parental experiences or stress onto them. 

We hear about the importance of self-care, with an emphasis on activities that replenish energy, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques. Dr. Boylan highlighted the need for young people to stay present and focus on what they can control during exams. He suggested that students could practice some techniques during the weeks before the exams. We learn practical tips for the night before and the morning of exams as Dr. Boylan recommended maintaining normal routine, taking some time to engage in relaxing activities, and providing support for young people to unwind and prepare. On the morning of the exam, he suggested sticking to routine and have something to eat, even with a reduced appetite. Prearranging transportation and allowing extra time for unforeseen issues like traffic can also alleviate stress. It's important to respect what works for each individual, as different approaches to exam preparation may work for different people. Parents and guardians can play a supportive role by helping pack bags the day before and making a to-do list of what to bring to the exam. 

The importance of both practical and emotional support, self-care, managing expectations, and accessing available support and resources cannot be overstated. Dr. Boylan mentioned several resources for young people worried about exams, including websites like Jigsaw, SpunOut, and the HSE website. SpunOut also offers a 24/7 text service where young people can text 50808 for free to chat anonymously with a trained volunteer. Supporting young people through exams is a collaborative effort, and with the right tools and understanding, we can help them navigate this stressful period with confidence and resilience. 

Sports Day began with a 1st Yr Disco in the Assembly Hall. There were some great moves by both old and young alike. Many thanks to our 5th Yr Prefects to 1st years for hosting the event and a special thanks to our resident DJ Adam Mc Nally who played some super tunes to get everyone up moving and grooving. It was an excellent and fun start to the day. 

A chara, tá súil againn go bhfuil tú go maith,

The Kildare Wicklow Regional Officers for the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) are very excited to inform you that we have released a survey in regard to democracy and how it is put into today’s society and how it is used in action.

We are planning on putting a survey together which we are sending to our membership schools in counties Kildare and Wicklow; the survey statistics will be then used to make a useful resource that will assist students and show how democracy is really important in today’s society.

Survey Link: https://forms.gle/Poe5X1MZ9gV2o9DQ9 

Our aim is to have this resource prepared before the 2024/2025 academic year so we would mostly appreciate it if you could complete the survey before 27th May, 2024. Please get in touch with one of the Regional Officers who are CC’d if you have any questions about this email, and we will respond.

Le gach dea-ghuí,

Jason Tamayo & Aoibhe Toft

On behalf of the ISSU Kildare Wicklow Regional Officers

The 5th Yr Awards Ceremony was held this afternoon in the Assembly Hall. 

The awards were given in acknowledgement of all the great efforts and work displayed by the 5th year students

 during the year. It also provided an opportunity to recall the various talents and important contributions that our

students make to school life in CPC in their various leadership roles. 

 Congratulations to all our award recipients. 

Eleanor Bartholomew 5A Class Captain                         

Jamie Crowe 5A Class Captain                                        

Kaitlyn McDonald 5A Class Captain                               

Sadhbh Brady 5B Class Captain                                    

Zara Hayden 5B Class Captain

David Nolan 5C Class Captain

Sai McNab 5C Class Captain

Ellie McManus 5D Class Captain

Josh Kelly 5D Class Captain

Farida Ibirogba 5E Class Captain

Sam Moussoulides 5E Class Captain

Adam McNally 5F Class Captain

Aoibhe Toft 5F Class Captain

Eleanor Bartholomew 5L Class Captain

Jamie Crowe 5L Class Captain

Kaitlyn McDonald 5L Class Captain

Andrew Curran 5A LCA Leisure and Recreation Award

Eleanor Bartholomew 5ALCA Irish Award

Eleanor Bartholomew 5A LCA Vocational Preparation and Guidance Task Award

Kaitlyn McDonald 5A LCA Hotel, Catering and Tourism Task Award

 Damia RuslanHasbullah 5A LCA Hotel, Catering and Tourism Task Award

Damia RuslanHasbullah 5A LCA Vocational Preparation and Guidance Task Award

Charlotte Darby 5F Bright Star (Enterprise) Perpetual Award

Adam Bermingham 5B Prefect to 1st Years

Sadhbh Brady 5B Prefect to 1st Years

Sarah Coyne 5B Prefect to 1st Years

Emma Cremin 5E Prefect to 1st Years

Charlotte Darby 5F Prefect to 1st Years

Liv Hamilton 5B Prefect to 1st Years

Zara Hayden 5B Prefect to 1st Years

Lavinia Istrati 5E Prefect to 1st Years

Aife Leslie 5C Prefect to 1st Years

Jamie Maly 5E Prefect to 1st Years

Taylor Maxwell 5D Prefect to 1st Years

Megan McGuire 5C Prefect to 1st Years

Adam McNally 5F Prefect to 1st Years

Sam Moussoulides 5E Prefect to 1st Years

David Nolan 5C Prefect to 1st Years

Clara Quinto 5F Prefect to 1st Years

Aoibhe Toft 5F Prefect to 1st Years

Erin Whelan 5D Prefect to 1st Years

Ellen McGinley 5B Exam Prefect

Adam Tobin 5B Exam Prefect

Josh Kelly 5D Exam Prefect

Caoimhe Egan 5D Exam Prefect

Clodagh Kennedy 5D Exam Prefect

Daniel Stafford 5D Exam Prefect

Jasmine Byrne 5E Exam Prefect

Juliette Curran 5E Exam Prefect

Farida Ibirogba 5E Exam Prefect

James Reid 5E Exam Prefect

Liam Wynne 5E Exam Prefect

Niamh Hourihan 5F Exam Prefect

Adam O'Keeffe 5F Exam Prefect

 Gaisce Awards:

  Fionn Linehan, Jasmine Byrne, Aoibhe Toft, Jamie Crowe, Orlaith Plunkett, 

 Adam Bermingham, Ellen Mc Ginley, Sarah Douglas, Emma Cremin, 

Charlotte Darby, Jack Doyle, Adam O'Keeffe, Erinn Conroy, Chen Liu. 

Green Schools:

Jessica Archbold 5B School Community Development Prefect

Jessica Archbold 5B Green Schools Committee Member

Sam Moussoulides 5E Green Schools Committee Member

Dermot Guiney 5C Progress in Performance - Music

Grace O'Donnell 5C Progress in Performance - Music

Josh Kelly 5D Progress in Performance - Music

Jozef Fraszczyk 5E Progress in Performance - Music

Evie Sammon 5F Progress in Performance - Music

Erinn Conroy 5D Student Council

Josh Kelly 5D Student Council

Aoibhe Toft 5F Student Council

Sam Moussoulides 5E Student Council

Liv Hamilton 5B Perfect Attendance

Zara Hayden 5B Perfect Attendance

Eleanor Bartholomew 5A Academic Excellence

Liv Hamilton 5B Academic Excellence

Thomas Neale 5C Academic Excellence

Maya Fleig 5D Academic Excellence

Emma Cremin 5E Academic Excellence

Sinead Gordon 5F Academic Excellence

Kaitlyn McDonald 5A Application to Study

Sadhbh Brady 5B Application to Study

Aife Leslie 5C Application to Study

Conor Rooney 5D Application to Study

Sarah Douglas 5E Application to Study

Niamh Hourihan 5F Application to Study

Taylor Beresford 5A Co-operation

Adam Bermingham 5B Co-operation

Sadhbh Keegan-Treacy 5C Co-operation

Caoimhe Egan 5D Co-operation

Tom Aspell 5E Co-operation

Aoibhe Toft 5F Co-operation

Please see below communication from Golf Ireland:

The 2024-2025 Irish Post Primary Schools competition season gets underway in September.  The competition categories – Junior (Under-16) and Senior (Under-19) – will remain as before for Boys and Girls.  A decision was taken following review of last year’s competitions by the National Championship Committee, that the 2024-2025 Schools competition will be run as an individual competition only.  There will no longer be a team event.

Registration is now open through links below:

Leinster Irish Post-Primary Junior Boys and Girls (Under 16 on 1 January 2025) https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/10601388538043857399

Leinster Irish Post-Primary Senior Boys and Girls (Under 19 on 1 January 2025 www.golfgenius.com/pages/10601407524752095741

Please ignore the date on registration for qualifying.  Dates have not been confirmed yet for each venue.  All qualifying venues will take place from early to mid-September 2024.

We will endeavour to do our best to assign students to the venue closest to their school.

Competitions Regulations for the competition can be viewed https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/10601407523175037433 

Please forward this email to your students and/or parents at your earliest convenience as we are eager for students to enter before they depart for summer holidays.  Students can register for the competition using their parents email address as the contact email.

Our Celebration of Learning today was an outstanding celebration of the talents, enthusiasm, effort and kindness of all our students. We are so proud of each and every student. The development and progress for each of them has been a joy to see. It was extraordinary. We celebrated all aspects of student achievement and are delighted to acknowledge all the hard work and effort of all our students this year. Each student received a pack with all their certificates enclosed.

Our Award Winners were

TY Dedication and Enthusiasm Award- Matthew O’Gorman

TY Creativity and Enthusiasm Award- Luke Costello

TY Outstanding Leadership Award- Eleanor Steed

TY Empathy and Inclusion Award- Rhys Byrne

TY Personal Development Award- Amy Schmelter, Emily Strong, Garvin McDevitt, Alex Curtin

TY Community Award Dylan Labuschange, Aisling O'Regan

TY Environmental Award Caoimhe Keenan, Rebecca Brown, Ella Brown, Grace Carroll, Zoe Thackaberry

TY Entrepreneur Award- Joseph Hayes, Oscar Monks, Noah Mahon 

Pop Up Restaurant Best Chef Award- Aoibheann O’Brien

Pop Up Restaurant Best Creative Design- Matthew O’Gorman, Rhys Byrne

Pop Up Restaurant Best Leadership- Luke Costello

4A Student of the Year  Luke Costello 

4B Student of the Year  Alex Curtin

4C Student of the Year  Sam Gaynor

4D Student of the Year  Aoibheann O’Brien

4E Student of the Year  Dylan Labuschagne

Overall Students of the Year- Eleanor Steed and Rhys Byrne

Dear parents/guardians,

This morning, current TY students received their choice subjects for 5th year.

As you know, we listen closely to the students in terms of deciding what subjects to run - if not enough students opt for a particular subject then unfortunately we do not have the resources to run it. We do our very best to ensure that as many students get the exact subjects they want to do but you will understand that it is not always possible. The ranking of subjects is very important and so priority is given to student subjects in this regard. If a student did not get a subject they wanted it is likely because the class was full by the time it got to their ranking of the subject or because the subject is scheduled to run at the same time as a higher ranked subject that they have been assigned.

Below are the option lines for next year's 5th year:

Opt Block 1

Ag Sci, Biol, Phys, DCG, Fre, Ger 

Opt Block 2

Geog, Tech, Econ, Chem, Hist, Fre 

Opt Block 3

Geog, Const. Studies, Home Ec, Mus, Fre, Ger 

Opt Block 4

Biol, Const. Studies, Accounting, Art, Hist, Comp Sci

Please study this information carefully - obviously your child can not study two subjects that will be on at the same time. 

Should your child wish to change an option please send me the full details to joeleonard@cpckilcullen.com and I will see if it is possible, depending on space available in the class. At very least I will add their name to a waiting list as sometimes a place can become available in classes which are currently full. Please note, I will only reply when a change is possible but I will make note of all requests.

Students taking the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme do not need to worry about this as the programme follows a set curriculum.

I hope your son/daughter is pleased with the choices received and I wish them well in their studies after a hugely successful TY.

Kind regards

Joe Leonard