INTRODUCTION Welcome to St Michael’s College Development e-Newsletter, "Development Ezine" produced by the Development Office. As a member of St Michael’s College community we plan to keep you in touch and hope that you endeavour to keep the connection with us too. Our aim is to issue two such e-Newsletters a year to keep you abreast of our ongoing development projects and fundraising initiatives as well as keeping you informed of news from around the school and beyond.
LATEST DEVELOPMENT NEWS
You will no doubt have noticed over the last few weeks the commencement of construction work to the main entrance off Nutley Avenue. We are pleased to announce that Peter O’Brien & Sons (Landscaping) Ltd have won the tender and have been assigned to carry out the works to our new outdoor play facilities which includes the redevelopment of the tennis courts, the Senior and U13s rugby pitches, the Junior School playground, and the running track. This is exciting news. So please excuse our appearance over the coming months as we undergo our redevelopment works.
The schedule of planned works are listed below:
Temporary Entrance at Nutley Avenue: From Thursday, May 12th there will be a temporary entrance to St Michael's College adjacent to the current entrance on Nutley Avenue. This is to accommodate construction traffic. Please drive with caution. There will be two work men directing traffic at the entrance to prevent any delays. Apologies for the inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your patience. It will be all worth it come September!
Nutley Avenue Entrance -- Parent's please take care when driving and keep an eye out for construction traffic.
Junior School Playground:Over the Summer holidays we will be upgrading our Junior School playgrounds and installing a shock absorbing Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) surface providing the boys with a safer environment for playtime. When the boys come back to school in September, they will notice new fencing around the play area which is being erected to protect the play area surface.
Senior and U13s Pitches: Construction work commenced on the back pitches in April, immediately following the end of the rugby season. If you've been on campus recently, you will have noticed the mounds of soil and subsoil which have been stripped from the pitch area. To date, the 1st stage of the irrigation system for the new outdoor play facilities has been installed. Over the coming weeks the contractors will be installing the drainage to the Seniors pitch and electrical ducting around the edges of the new access road and running track. Works will continue over the summer months.
Front Pitch: While the works to the two back pitches is underway, the front pitch will remain unchanged for the next year or so. Once the senior grass pitch is commissioned for play later in 2017 works will commence on the front pitch. At this point in time, we endeavour to redevelop the front pitch as an all-weather synthetic pitch, similar to the U13s pitch.
Repainted Sports Hall. Currently being used for exams. One student seems happy with his paper!
Sports Hall: Works on the Sports Hall commenced just before Easter which involved renovating the changing rooms, upgrading the entrance lobby with new doors, a new matt well, painting and lighting. Over the Summer holidays, a new Junkers Beech Floor will be laid replacing the old concrete floor. The advantage of the new Junkers floor is that it is a high performance sports floor with optimum shock absorption and ball bounce in line with modern Health & Safety standards. In an effort to keep the Sports Hall as a multi-purpose facility a new roll out carpet has been purchased for hosting events such as the Graduation Ceremony and Prize Giving.
Science Labs: the science labs continually need updating and ongoing maintenance. We recently rewired, re-plumed and painted the science labs. Over the holidays, the Physics Lab is scheduled to be upgraded with new work benches, taps, gas, water and electricity along with a full audio visual upgrade.
We would like to thank our Community of parents, past pupils and friend of St Michael’s College for their generous donations to our Building on Success Development Campaign. Without the ongoing support of our Community, none of these developments would be possible.
DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS
In 2015/16, we welcomed over 90 new families to the St Michael’s Community. We hosted three Development Information Evenings to introduce the new parents to our Building on Success development appeal, one on February 25th in the Main Hall and two on March 15th and April 26th in the Senior School Library. A good show of parents attended the meetings and were able to ask questions, gain updates, meet each other, and give valued feedback to us. At this stage we hope every family who has a son in St Michael’s College is fully aware of our Building on Success Development campaign. If anyone still has not had the opportunity to hear our plans first hand and would like to do so, please contact our Development Manager, Judith Hally who will be happy to arrange a meeting or fill you in directly. Judith can be reached on 01-2189421 or email: judith.hally@stmichaelscollege.com. Alternatively, feel free to pop in the Development Office for a chat.
CAMPAIGN UPDATE
As of May 1st, 2016 we have raised pledges of €3.84 million. Of this, we have €1.61 million in cash from generous donations, (of which €1.2 million has been spent) and have a further €2.23 million pledged over a five year period (this figure includes the tax benefit rebate from the returned CHY Certs). This is great news, however, as we have just commenced construction works on the outdoor facilities, we must strive to complete our development plans.
If you pay tax in Ireland and have not yet filled out either a CHY3 or CHY4 Cert, please get in touch with the Development Office and we will be happy to send you the relevant documentation. As you know, if eligible for a tax rebate, the value of your gift can be enhanced by approximately 45% once you return your CHY Cert to us.
For example: if you donate €1,200 a year to St Michael’s College, and fill out the relevant CHY forms, your gift could be worth a further €539 to us bringing the total value of your gift to €1,739. For further information, please contact Judith Hally at 01-2189421 or email: judith.hally@stmichaelscollege.com. Thank you.
Web Donations
In an effort to make donating to our Development Fund easier and more convenient for you, we have decided to put an Online Donation Facility on our website.
Over the coming weeks, St Michael’s College Development Fund will be introducing a donation button to allow you to pay online with your debit or credit card to our Building On Success development appeal. This means that you can now make your donations conveniently and securely. You can also pay in automatic instalments.
To access the system, please go to the "Make a Donation" option on the Development tab of the St Michael’s College webpage and select …see the "Make a Donation" Button, pictured above.
The first time you use the system you will be prompted to register with your email address and password. After that you will be able to logon using this email address and password.
Follow the instructions on the screen to select the appropriate items(s) to pay and enter your card details when prompted.
You will receive a receipt via email for every payment you make. From then on you can login to your account at any time and look at donations you have made and any instalments set up by you.
All payments processed using EPP are done using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology which ensures the security of the transaction as it is being processed. All payments are processed by a PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliant payment processor, which ensures all card holder data is managed securely.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the Development Office.
NEWS FROM AROUND THE SCHOOL
Junior School
Confirmation
Congratulations to the boys in Sixth Form who received the Sacrament of Confirmation on Wednesday 20th April. On a day of glorious sunshine, the boys participated fully in the Mass of Confirmation which was celebrated by Monsignor Lorcan O’Brien in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Merrion Road.
The annual Sixth Form Graduation Mass for pupils and their parents will take place on Friday 27th May at 7.00p.m. in the College Chapel. The Mass will be followed by dinner and prize giving in the Assembly Hall. This will be the final even for Sixth Form to join with us as a group before they begin Secondary school. We wish them every success in the years ahead.
First Holy Communion
Congratulations to the boys in Second Form who received First Holy Communion on Saturday 7th May in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Merrion Road. The Chief Celebrant on the day was Fr. Pat McGlynn C.S.Sp who was joined by Fr. Tony Little C.S.Sp and Fr. Roderick Crowley CM. This was a very special occasion for the boys who participated fully in the Mass. Afterwards the boys and their families returned to the Assembly Hall for delicious refreshments which had been kindly prepared and served by the parents in First Form to whom we extend our thanks. We are also grateful to Ms. Larkin and the choir, accompanied by Ms. Denise Kelly on harp, for the beautiful singing which greatly enhanced both the Confirmation and Holy Communion Ceremonies.
Soccer Festival
Boys from First to Sixth Form boys took part in the annual soccer Festival on Friday 22nd April. Due to the unavailability of our pitches, the venue for the event was the Leinster grounds in Donnybrook where the boys got the opportunity to play on the types of surface which will be available to them from September 2016 onwards. We are very grateful to the teachers and coaches for all their help on the day.
Sports Day
The combined Sports Day for Junior School and Senior School took place in Irishtown Stadium on Friday 13th May from 10am - 2pm on a beautiful sunny day. We look forward to next year when our new facilities will allow us to run off the occasion on the school campus.
The Sports Day and Open Day for Preschoolers, Junior Infants and Senior Infants will take place on Wednesday May 18th on the front pitch. As well as taking part in the races, boys will also take part in a variety of fun activities.
Marathon Mission
Since Easter all boys in the Junior School have been taking part in the Marathon Mission, organised by Ms. Doyle and the first such event by any Primary school in the country. The final mile of the race will be run on Wednesday 18th May in Deer Park, Mount Merrion when parents are also invited to run/walk the last mile with their son. This will be a fantastic achievement for the boys and we are very grateful to Ms. Doyle and the teachers for facilitating the event.
SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS
Rugby Update
Another season is in the books and what an exciting future ahead with our new all-weather pitch coming online this September and our new natural pitch coming soon after. All our teams were very competitive and we had a semi-final at Senior 1st, 2nd & 3rd level, winners at Senior 4th level, quarter-finalist at Senior 5th level and finished runners up at Senior 6th level.
Perhaps a highlight for the rugby season was the Junior Cup final, where we were pipped at the post by a strong Blackrock team. All levels at U16 played right through to March, with Junior 2nds unlucky to miss out on the semi-finals, while the Junior 3rds & 4ths were made exits at the penultimate semi-final stage. Not to be forgotten was our 1st year cup team, who finished runners-up to Willow Park, after an impressive cup campaign, where they accounted for St Mary's College and Terenure College twice. Well done boys. We look forward to great performances next year!
In the coming weeks the Senior Squad for 2016/2017 will be travelling to South Africa for the 1st time in the school’s history. Based in the Western Cape, 41 players and staff will sample all the delights of South Africa. A highlight will be the opportunity to attend the Test Match between the Springboks and Ireland at Newlands Stadium.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the parents, past pupils and businesses that have contributed to make this trip possible for our boys.
Athletics
St Michael’s College was represented by 80 students at the East Leinster Athletics Championships in Santry National Stadium recently. 35 medals were awarded to our boys with 28 qualifying for Leinster Championship. We were the top U15s school in East Leinster winning the Junior Boys Cup. Congratulations to all our athletes who participated. Well done to all who helped get them there.
Concussion Study
St Michael's College, along with Blackrock College, St Mary's College and Gonzaga College are taking part in a first of its kind medical study into the effects and recovery of adolescent rugby players from concussion. This study will be carried out by the Santry Sports Clinic and we, in St Michael's College, are proud to be part of furthering the understanding of this serious issue. Around 60 players from St Michael’s, will take part in a range of baseline tests and return to those same tests should they be suspected of receiving a concussion during the season.
The Spiritan Development Education Showcase
This year’s Development Education event was hosted by our sister school, Blackrock College, on Friday April 22nd last.
St Michael’s College was represented by TY students - Oliver Begley, Elliot Haran, Des McCarthy, Jack McGarry, Ted Halligan, Adam Peat, Kevin McGrath, Scott Penny and Teachers - Mr Oliver Doolan & Mr Aaron Copeland. We were also accompanied by Fr Brendan Foley.
This was the second Development Education (DE) Showcase event celebrating the DE projects of six Spiritan Secondary Schools. The six schools are: St Michael's College, Blackrock College, Willow Park School, St Mary's College, Rockwell College and Templeogue College.
Guided by Fr Billy Cleary C.S.Sp., the DE Showcase event highlights what development education is all about. It encourages everyone to think of how to better promote the values of justice, equality and human rights in Spiritan education.
This year, St Michael's College presented a project that encompassed themes from the global to the local. Taking the skills of brick making learned from the recent TY Immersion Trip to Brazil, coupled with a heightened awareness of global issues as a result of this experience, the boys' project focused on applying this to the Garden Classroom that is now underway on the school grounds. The project is called “Walls Around the World”, and the presentation was very well received at the showcase event. Well done TY year for representing St Michael’s College.
Grease, the Musical
The Senior School Musical “Grease” was hosted by Transition Year Students from St. Michael's College in conjunction with Mount Anville Secondary School on Thursday 12th, Friday 13th and Saturday 14th May, 2016 in the Concert Hall in St. Michael’s College.
Rehearsals took place for the last two months and all the cast and production team were very busy preparing for what was an awesome show!
Congratulations to Ms. Delaney, Colin, Sarah and all the cast & production team on a wonderful show between two great schools! Grease is the Word!
Health Promotion
The Health Promoting School concept was introduced by the World Health Organisation and encouraged by both the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Health to highlight the role of schools in health promotion. As you know, St Michael’s College set up a Health Promoting School Team at the beginning of the academic year comprising of students, teachers and parents.
One of the first initiatives we undertook was to survey all parents and students asking how they felt about the school (i.e., Is St Michael’s a happy place? Does the school promote student health and well-being? etc.) Overall, the results of the survey were very positive. However, it was felt that, with all the challenges facing young people today, the school could do more to promote both positive mental health and physical health education.
As a result, we hosted a Positive Mental Health Week, making everyone aware of mental health issues by participating in a number of fun activities. This was a huge success. Next year maintaining physical health will be our main goal.
The atmosphere in the school during PMHW was terrific and The Health Promoting School Team would like to thank everyone for embracing the week so enthusiastically.
Come September, we look forward to our new outdoor playing facilities which will go a long way to helping promote more physical activity all year round.
Over the last number of years, The Green Schools Team has been very successful in securing three flags for St Michael’s College and promoting awareness of the three themes of Litter and Waste, Water and Energy. For the next two academic years, the Green Schools team’s role is to maintain standards in these areas while also aiming for a new flag under the theme of Travel.
So far this year, the team has been working behind the scenes undertaking numerous projects towards achieving the fourth green flag ranging from audits on litter & waste, light bulbs used, travelling to school sustainably to transport surveys.
Last week they organised a very successful ‘Take a Hike Thursday Campaign’ which involved encouraging students and staff alike to walk, cycle or take public transport to school.
Green Schools volunteers undertaking a traffic survey in an effort to earn our fourth Green Flag.
IN MEMORY
The St. Michael’s Community was deeply saddened to learn about the death of our former Bursar Fr. Michael Duggan, C.S.S.p, who passed away at the end of March. Our thoughts and prayers are with Fr. Duggan’s sister Anne, nephews, nieces, grandnephews, grandnieces, extended family and Spiritan confreres. Rest in Peace
We were also saddened by the passing of past pupil, Kevin O’Shaughnessy, (Class of ’82) on April 19th last after a short illness. Kevin is survived by his wife Tracy, children Zoe, Adam and Shane, parents Donn and Connie, brothers and former Michael’s boys, Gerry, Donn and Dave, along with a large extended family, and a wide circle of friends to whom we extend our sympathy. He will be in our thoughts and prayers.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Thank you for taking the time to read our new Development Ezine. If you have any thoughts, ideas or feedback you’d like to share please contact: Judith Hally, Development Manager, St Michael's College, Development Office, Ailesbury Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, telephone 01-2189421 or email: judith.hally@stmichaelscollege.com. Alternatively, feel free to pop in during the week to our development office which is located in the Senior School Admin Office.
We look forward to keeping in touch.
For more information about our development activities, please check out our website: www.stmichaelscollege.com
