Our school would like to acknowledge the fantastic work done by our student Anti-Bullying Ambassadors (ABAs) in organising this year’s wonderful Stand-Up Week. The theme for this year was ‘You belong Here’ and the focus of the week in our school was on being an ally, through kindness and respect for everyone.

Stand-Up Week 2023 was a great success here in Loreto Foxrock, finishing in a riot of colour on Friday 10th when every student in the school wore their year group’s colour to turn our school into glorious Rainbow School for a Day. Our ABAs also arranged a fabulous balloon Rainbow Arch at the entrance to our school, adding further to the bright colour and joy.

Some of the many activities arranged by our ABAs included a badge competition with the winning designs printed on badges and then distributed on different days during the week. Congratulations to Mya Madigan, Lee Reys and Angel Ibi in sixth year, Jessica Holohan in fifth year and Alison Heeney in third year for their wonderful badges.

Particular commendation must go to our ABAs who presented each day of the week, on a different aspect of what being an ally actually means. They also planned a range of educational and fun challenges for the school including a Scavenger Hunt and a Kahoot based on key Stand-Up terms. Our corridors provided a Stand-Up Week Educational Walkabout with definitions of key terms and facts visible everywhere.

Well done to our ABAs on their dedication and creativity and to our whole school community for their support, engagement and enthusiasm during Stand-Up Week 2023.

Edel Browne

A big congratulations to Kate McConnell, Cara Keane, Alison Neville and Eadaoin McClean, all 2nd years. Not pictured but part of the team and playing that day was Laura Russell, 3rd year who recently won the Division 1 Shield with Kilmacud Crokes U14 Football Team. 

Eadoin has been seleted to the Dublin U14 Camogie panel for the coming season, well done Eadoin!

Good luck to our Senior A Hockey team who play in the opening round of the Leinster Senior Cup on Wednesday v Holy Child Killiney. The match starts at 4 in Holy Child and all support is welcome. 

That's a wrap for Readers' & Writers' Week 2023!

Here's a quick recap of this week's events.

Monday - Presenter and past pupil Laura Woods spoke to 6th Yrs about writing for radio and TV.  Author Bea Fitzgerald came to speak to all 5th Yrs and Classical Studies students about her novel Girl, Goddess, Queen.  30 1st Yr students attended The Loreto Literary Festival in TCD.

Tuesday - The opening rounds of the LCF Spelling Bee got underway.

Wednesday - Presenter and journalist Jacqui Hurley spoke to 3rd and 6th Yrs about writing and sport.  Simone Schuemmelfeder told stories to 1st & 2nd Yrs and the Grand Final of the Spelling Bee took place!  Congratulations to 6th Yr Áine who won after a very closely contested final round.

Thursday - We had visits from not one, not two but three wonderful Irish writers.  3rd Yrs had a workshop with author Aislinn McLoughlin, 5th Yrs attended a Q&A with another past pupil, author Amanda Cassidy and 1st Yrs were entralled by Dave Rudden in the Concert Hall.  3rd Yrs also battled it out in a Book Quiz and judging began on the Great Book Bake Off.  Finally, several lucky students found Golden Tickets under their chairs in class and won chocolaty prizes!

Friday - Today was Fictional Friday and our whole-school theme was the Wonderful World of Roald Dahl.  The school was full of Matildas, 3 Little Bears, 3 Little Pigs, Little Red Ridinghoods, Mike TVs, Violette Beauregards, Fantastic Foxes, insects from James' Giant Peach and of course the Witches (aka the teachers)!  Our final speaker of the week was yet another past pupil, Amy Clarkin, who spoke to 6th Yrs about her debut novel What Walks These Halls and finding your path in life when sometimes things go off track.  Finally, all students took part in the Literary Scavanger Hunt to test their knowledge on all things books!

This fantastic week would not be possible without our wonderful librarian, Ms Morrissey.  Huge thanks to her for all her hard work in putting together such an incredible programme for the students and reminding us all of the importance of reading for pleasure in our lives.

Follow all things books and reading that happen in LCF thoughout the year on our Twitter/X account @WellReadFoxrock.

And we are off! Readers' & Writers' Week 2023 got off to a flying start yesterday at LCF. 6th yrs had a talk about writing for TV & radio with presenter and past pupil Laura Woods. All 5th Yr students and Classical Studies students met with Bea Fitzgerald author of Girl, Goddess, Queen who came all the way from London to be with us! And 30 1st Yr students attended the inaugural Loreto Literary Festival - Telling Tales - in Trinity College. Spelling bees are taking place today. Follow all the action on our Twitter/X account @WellReadFoxrock.