From the Principal’s Desk……
One of the most unsettling things about my job is that I can never really be satisfied with the school and everything about it. Our teachers, as a group, have the same problem - there is always something at St. Laurence College which needs to be improved or replaced or brought back to basics. This is a good thing. Our school has a proud history, but a good past is positively dangerous if it makes us content with the present and so unprepared for the future.

At this mid-school-year stage we should take the time to look back and evaluate what has gone on here since August. Unfortunately, we are often too relieved to have reached a break to stop and look closely at how we got here in the first place. Remember we are all professionals here - students and teachers alike - and happy professionals evaluate themselves all the time (unhappy ones evaluate everyone else!)

When I think of the cheerful busyness of St. Laurence College and the opportunities we provide for every student (yes, and teachers and parents too) to develop and grow professionally and personally, I always find myself wishing the same old wish.

As a student, ask yourself some questions:

• What's my school attendance like?
• Did I get in to school every possible day?
• Did I find myself asking for class time to be spent repeating material just because I wasn't there?
• How would my exam results look if I had been present every possible day?

Try this experiment and make it your New Year gift to yourself - come to school every school day for the rest of the year and prepare to be startled by the benefits that follow.

Why do anything less?

Our Young Scientists
2nd years Craig Flynn, Corey O' Neill, Craig Barnes and Darragh Hughes received a Special Commendation in the Junior Group for their project at the Young Scientist Exhibition that closed on Jan. 13th.  The project was entitled Lucky Goals: use of aspects of Maths to give an advantage in sport. Their project was featured in an article in the Irish Independent on Wednesday Jan.10th and listed in the Irish Times on Saturday Jan. 13th.  Craig Flynn was interviewed for radio FM 104, and this was broadcast on their 4 and 5 o'clock news on Thursday.  Congratulations to all four students and to Mr. Tony McGennis their teacher. (See picture)

Afternoon Study Awards
At the end of the Advent Carol Service held in the library on Thursday December 14 th, the following students were awards gift vouchers to mark their consistent hard work and application during Afternoon Study in the first term.

1st Year Luke Wills
2nd Year Kevin Knight
3rd Year Emma Kearns, Shauna Harding, Megan Kelly

Afternoon Study continues this term, Monday to Thursday for Junior students

Ballybrack Choices

Last year Springboard Family Support Agency Ballybrack set up a young men’s group as a joint project with the school. This group, known as “Ballybrack Choices,” planned and produced a short film about growing up as a teenager and the issues young people face in the area. The film won 1st Prize in the Arts and Culture section of the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Community Awards. The group have had their picture in the local papers in the last week. Congratulations to all the lads. We would like to thank the girls in Springboard for all their hard work in setting up the project. This year the group will again meet and work in Holly House and we wish Dairin West the very best of luck in her new post as coordinator of the centre.

Transition Year News

December
4th Year took to the ice at the RDS in December. A great day was had by all and most students remained standing. Some real ice skating skills were shown by Ms. Joyce and Mr. Collins who accompanied the students.

January
A visit from the Minister of Education, Mary Hannafin, on Monday the 22nd to meet our Transition Year students.

Transition Year students continue their collaboration with St. Brendan’s College, Bray in preparing the great Sean O’ Casey tragic comedy, ‘Juno and the Paycock.’ Students are giving up after school time and weekends to rehearse and we wish them every success. We hope lots of parents and students will come to see the play at St. Brendan’s College at 8 p.m. Wed. 24th, Thurs. 25th and Fri. 26th January.

During Religion Class this month, all Transition Year students will be offered an 80 minute Yoga Session to help them experience this way of relaxing and focusing.

March
Work on the musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ is going well, with students from other years now also getting involved. The performances are scheduled for Tues. 20th to Fri. 23rd of March at the Mermaid Theatre, Bray Main Street.

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Home Economics Room Dedicated
To dedicate the newly renovated Home Economics Room, a Eucharist was celebrated in the superbly fitted new space on Friday 12 th of January. Representatives of each Home Economics class were invited, as were staff. To everybody’s delight Ms Ann Bennet, a former teacher in the subject, joined the congregation and read the first reading. Music was provided by Ms Susan Buckley , Past Pupil and the Mass was followed by a wonderful reception with tremendous savouries and desserts.

On Monday 22 nd Jan. the room will be officially opened by the Minister of Education and Science, Mrs. Mary Hannafin and the school’s architect, Mr. Billy Finnegan.

CAD CAD CAD . . .
The College has received a government grant to refurbish and re-equip the Technical Drawing Room with CAD (Computer Aided Design). New computers and the software are covered by the grant, which will help to implement the new Technical Graphics and Technical Drawing Courses.

Sports Report
St. Laurence College’s hard-working coaches and players have 34 matches played so far in all competitions.

* The Cadet Boys Basketball Team lost by 1 basket in the All Ireland cup 2nd Round to St. Conleth’s but are competing well on the league front. The minor boys have won 1, lost 1, with two to play. Junior and minor girls have yet to play and the Seniors have 2 wins recorded.

* The boys’ soccer season is over for all except the under-13 boys who lost after extra time in the Cup, but the league is yet to come. Both girls’ teams have won all their matches so far, scoring 24 goals in four games!

* Congratulations to past pupil, James O’ Shea who played for the Irish under-19 soccer team against France last month!

On Friday January 12th, the Senior Gaelic Footballers contested the quarterfinal of the Dublin Colleges' Regional section versus OLM Drimnagh. On a windy afternoon, the conditions made it difficult for both teams to play an attractive style of football. The first half saw our men settle well, with some fine points from Jake Kelly (3) and JJ Mulligan (2). Dean Allen chipped in with a fine 45-yard free. The defence kept the Drimnagh forwards at bay for long periods, and the half time score read OLM 1-4 St Laurence's 0-6. Wind-assisted in the second half, the Drimnagh lads tagged on some crucial points early on, and try as they might, our men could not break through the opponents' defence in the harsh conditions. In the end, and despite our best efforts, we lost out on a scoreline of 2-12 to 0-8. Mr. Fay and Mr. McGennis would like to thank all players involved for their efforts during the season. Team captain Matthew Fitzpatrick Mee and the lads deserve praise for gallant displays on the field this season.

The Laurence Factor!
First, Second and Third year music students took part in ‘The L Factor’ for the first time before Christmas. This competition entailed the three classes singing their chosen songs to our esteemed judges, Ms. McCarry, Ms. Theresa Deane and Ms. Linda Cavanagh. Songs included ‘Summer of 69’ by Bryan Adams, ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon and ‘I’m a Believer’ from Shrek. The competition will continue at the end of this term when the classes try to improve their scores and catch up on competitors. Well done to all involved.

Celebrating the Founder

January 22nd is the feast of Blessed William Chaminade, founder of the Marianists. To celebrate, we feature each year one of the Characteristics of Marianist Education. This year it is the turn of ‘Education for Formation of Faith.’ Events for the week will include speakers from Sli Eile, an art competition, contacts with members of the L.I.F.E. group at a Marianist school in Cincinnati and a school Mass on Wednesday 24th Jan. in the Church of the Apostles, Willow Vale at 11.20 to which all are welcome. ””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””