Catherine Ann Cullen, one of our parents has had one of her poems shortlisted for Poem of the Year in the An Post Irish Book Awards. Please take a few moments to read her beautiful poem, Triskele and you might consider voting for her poem. The poem voting is all the way down the list of books at this link: https://www.irishbookawards.irish/vote2020/ Wishing Catherine Ann every success. Triskele I arabesque from the margins of your great books. You have not fathomed me. I am older than letters: I ripple from the first stone that skimmed the sea, turn in infinite circles towards you. I am the sweep of a quill, the flourish of a turning feather, the wind ruffling a wing, a seashell whorl in the border, the antlers of a great elk, a serpent’s curled tongue. I mark time: sunrise at winter solstice, fireworks at year’s turn. I am the petroglyph at the gateway, the threshold of the passage grave, the portal to elsewhere, the tendril curling towards light eternal, the dark roots of the cosmic tree, her luminous branches. I am three stools for milking a sacred cow, three seats for a fireside of stories, three tops spun on the hearth. Find me in the minaret of Samarra, on the endpapers of the Koran, in the comb of the crowing cock. I whirl in the spill of Hokusai waves, in a Van Gogh skyscape, on a Klimt dress. I am without corners. I say Turn, turn again, change, remain. - Catherine Ann Cullen

AWARE Life Skills   4u and 4i will begin a four-week Life Skills course with Kevin Mc Manamon on Tuesday 3rd November. They will have the opportunity to take time to reflect on their experience of Covid-19 and learn how to face life’s challenges.   4u 8.40-10.00 in R41 4i 11.00-12.20 in R44  R Mc Ardle

The scheduled trip to Surfdock on Thursday 22nd October has been postponed. It will be rescheduled and will go ahead later in the year. R Mc Ardle

We hope that everybody in the school community stays safe and well over the weekend. These are challenging times for us all and we need to support one another as best we can by abiding by the restrictions. Please be advised that it is essential that any student who has been absent for a period of time due to restricted movement or self-isolation, must send in a self-declaration form by email to their year head, 3 days in advance of returning to school. This is essential and we ask you, the parents, to ensure that this is completed in time. Please link in with the HSE if you are unsure as to the period of time you may need to stay at home. Each case can be different, so you will need to discuss this with the HSE. Wishing you all well. Take care. Ms McDonough

YSI 40 Friday 16th 11.00-12.20 4O will develop the idea for their research project by participating in a road mapping workshop with Yvonne Campbell from Young Social Innovators. AWARE Life Skills   4L and 4O will complete their four-week Life Skills course with Kevin Mc Manamon on Tuesday 20th  October.  4L 8.40-10.00 in R39  4O 11.00-12.20 in R40  (Note change of times) Surfdock  4u- Tuesday 20th October  4O-Thursday 22nd October  Please ensure that you have completed the digital waiver to allow your daughter to participate in the watersports fieldtrip.    https://surfdock.checkfront.com/reserve/document/?template_id=9&id=PYQJ-300920    Location: Surfdock Grand Canal Dock, Ringsend, Dublin 4  Time: 10.00am-2.00pm  Students will meet at Surfdock at 10.00am and then make their own way home when the session ends at 1.30/2.00pm  What to bring:  Own clothes can be worn  Old runners Swimwear for under the wetsuits  Lunch, snacks and water  Leapcard for public transport  Large towel/robe for changing  Information:  Wetsuits will be provided by Surfdock and are sanitised after each use.   A large towel/robe is recommended for changing as the changing rooms are currently closed due to Covid-19.  

4O will take a trip to Bushy Park tomorrow, Tuesday 13th October, 1.00-3.40. They will put their current topic “Aristotle’s Theory of Happiness” into practice by taking time to go to Bushy Park. They should bring a treat to eat, a book to read, music to listen to or all the above! The class will leave school at 1.00, walk to Bushy Park and then make their own way home at the end of the school day.

Surfdock 4i- Tuesday 13th October 4L Friday 16th October Please ensure that you have completed the digital waiver to allow your daughter to participate in the watersports fieldtrip.  https://surfdock.checkfront.com/reserve/document/?template_id=9&id=PYQJ-300920 Location: Surfdock Grand Canal Dock, Ringsend, Dublin 4 Time: 10.00am-2.00pm Students will meet at Surfdock at 10.00am and then make their own way home when the session ends at 1.30/2.00pm What to bring: Own clothes can be worn Swimwear for under the wetsuits Lunch, snacks and water Leapcard for public transport Large towel/robe for changing Information: Wetsuits will be provided by Surfdock and are sanitised after each use. A large towel/robe is recommended for changing as the changing rooms are currently closed due to Covid-19. Play Livestreamed into the Classroom Thursday 15th October All students will watch the livestream of the play “Eclipsed” on Thursday 15th October from 1.30-3.30 in class as part of their English course. Location: base classrooms AWARE Life Skills 4L and 4O will continue their four-week Life Skills course with Kevin Mc Manamon on Tuesday 13th October. 4L 11.00-12.20 in R40 4O 8.40-10.00 in R39 TY Interact Club Monday 12th Oct 10.20-11.40 R26 Thank you to everyone that applied to become a member of the TY Interact Club. There was a huge response and it was evident a lot of time and effort went into each application. The first meeting of the club will take place on Monday 12th October with Mary O’Rafferty in R38 10.20-11.40. Congratulations and the very best of luck to the new committee in all your endeavors in the year ahead. R Mc Ardle

Both Ms Thornton and I visited our wonderful 6th Year cohort today. We fully appreciate that they have a lot to contend with at the moment - a pandemic and the Leaving Certificate. As a year group, they have shown immense maturity, courage, diligence and patience since they have returned to school. We would like to offer our praise and we are extremely proud of them as a year group. We wish them well, encourage them to do their best at all times, aim high and to hold onto their dreams. As you know, we are, as a nation, concerned about the rising Covid-19 related cases. This is especially so in Dublin and in the Rathmines area. Health and safety and keeping the school open are our main priorities at the moment. In light of this, we are unfortunately, not in a position to provide supervised study for 6th Years at this point. We are also not letting 6th Years go down to Rathmines for lunch at this juncture. We will review these decisions over the midterm break and if the situation improves, we would like to reinstate the 6th Year lunchtime privilege, but only when it is safe to do so. The girls, whilst disappointed, were receptive and respectful of these decisions. The Board of Management was consulted in the process. The health and safety of all members of our school community are our primary concerns at the moment and keeping the school open. We hope you can appreciate these temporary decisions in light of the current Covid situation. Thank you. Hope is a wonderful thing, something to be cherished and nurtured, and something that will refresh us in return. And it can be found in each of us, and it can bring light into the darkest of places. NEVER LOSE HOPE!

Thursday 8th Oct 4i 1.40-3.00. Friday 9th Oct 4o 11.00-12.20. Monday 12th Oct 4u 2.20-3.00. Tuesday 13th Oct 4L 8.40-10.00 Monday 19th Oct 4u 2.20-3.00 (second session) All workshops will be in your base classrooms. Ms Mc Ardle

Due to the weather forecast for later in the week, 4o will now go on their geography fieldtrip to Howth tomorrow, Thursday 8th October. The group will meet at 8.45 in Connolly Station and travel on the DART to Howth. After the fieldtrip the will get the DART from Howth Station to Connolly Station and then make their own way home. Civvies can be worn, no uniform required. Bring a packed lunch and Leap card for the DART. R Mc Ardle

AWARE Life Skills 4L and 4O will continue their four-week Life Skills course with Kevin Mc Manamon on Tuesday 6th October. 4L 11.00-12.20 in R40 4O 8.40-10.00 in R39 4O Geography Fieldtrip 4O will travel to Howth for a geography fieldtrip on Friday 9th October with Ms Mc Namee. The group will meet at 8.45 in Connolly Station and travel on the DART to Howth. After the fieldtrip the will get the DART from Howth Station to Connolly Station and then make their own way home. Civvies can be worn, no uniform required. Bring a packed lunch and Leap card for the DART. Surfdock Watersports Trip All TYs will have the opportunity to participate in a watersports activity day in their class groups. The first session will begin on October 13th with details to follow. The day will include kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and wakeboarding. In order to participate, a digital waiver must be completed by the parent/guardian of each student. The waiver is sent directly to the company. Students will not be allowed to participate without the completed waiver. Link to digital waiver:  https://surfdock.checkfront.com/reserve/document/?template_id=9&id=PYQJ-300920 R Mc Ardle

The deadline for applications for the Interact Club is Friday 2nd October at 10.20am. Applications should be placed in the box outside R34 (kitchen). What to include on your application form: Name Class Why I would like to be a member of the Interact Club. Ms Mc Ardle

This is to advise you that the Minister for Education and Skills today issued a statement relating to the Leaving Certificate 2020 Calculated Grades Process. A copy of this statement can be found at the following link. https://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Press-Releases/2020-press-releases/PR20-09-30.html The Department has put in place a helpline for students which is now open and will be operated up to Sunday 04 October. The helpline number is 01 8892199. Updated information has also being posted at www.gov.ie/leavingcertificate. An email address for queries is also available at LC2020@education.gov.ie. Regards, C McDonough Principal

Rotary Club Thursday 1st October All TY students will participate in a Rotary Club workshop with a view to establishing an Interact Club in transition year. After the workshops, students will have the opportunity to apply to be a member of the Interact committee. https://www.rotary.org/en 4L - 10.20 4O - 11.00 4U - 1.40 4i - 2.20 Rescheduled Young Social Innovator Workshops 4O - Friday 2nd October 4U - Monday 5th October 4L - Tuesday 6th October Each workshop will take place during Social Ed class.

We hope you are keeping well. Here is important information from the State Examinations Commission (SEC) for any student from the LC class of 2020 who is considering sitting Leaving Certificate examinations. The examinations are scheduled for evenings and at weekends with candidates sitting their examination(s) in the school where they had been entered or scheduled to sit the examinations in June 2020. Subject to public health advice, the examinations will commence on Monday 16th November and will run each evening and at weekends over a four-week period to Friday 11th December 2020 As you are aware, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Leaving Certificate candidates were offered the option of receiving Calculated Grades and/or sitting Leaving Certificate written examinations at a later date when it was considered safe to do so. Leaving Certificate candidates who are not satisfied with their Calculated Grades, including those who have appealed their Calculated Grade/s or who were not in a position to receive a Calculated Grade, may opt to sit written examinations. The examinations are also open to candidates who opted not to receive Calculated Grades. Those students who received Calculated Grades and who now sit Leaving Certificate 2020 will be credited with the higher subject grade achieved between the Calculated Grade and the written examination. Students taking the postponed examinations will be graded on the basis of their written papers only, other than in the case of 5 Leaving Certificate subjects and as the practical coursework components had been completed prior to school closure in mid-March, and will now be included in the grading of these subjects. The written examinations will be based on the normal question paper format, content and structure, and duration as in previous years. Examinations with two written question papers will continue to have two papers. Timetables The examination timetable is now available at www.examinations.ie The examinations will commence on Monday, 16th November 2020 and will take place over a 4- week period to Friday, 11th December 2020 in the case of the Leaving Certificate in order to accommodate each of the June examination sessions, along with LCVP. The examinations will take place with one examination session on weekday evenings and two examination sessions on each day of the weekends. The examinations are scheduled to start at 5.30pm each weekday evening, and at 9:30am and 2pm at the weekends. It is intended that candidates will take the examinations in their own school, i.e. the school in which they were entered for or scheduled to sit the June 2020 examinations. Candidates will be required to attend at the school 15 minutes before the start of each examination and to sign an attendance/centre roll to confirm their attendance and for contact tracing purposes. Candidates will be required to bring photographic ID to each examination session. Format of Examinations Candidates will be provided with written examinations only, including the aural tests in Music and language subjects, and use of DVDs in LCA and LCVP. The written examinations will be based on the normal question paper format, content and structure, and duration as in previous years. Candidates taking the postponed examinations will be graded on the basis of their written papers only It is not feasible at this stage to conduct examinations in oral or practical components, or to try to complete unfinished coursework. The oral and practical components of the exams are school- based, requiring significant levels of support at school level, including the requirement to take serving teachers out of their schools to undertake state examinations work. In the case of five Leaving Certificate subjects (2 in the case of SLHS) the coursework involved will be marked as this had been completed prior to school closure and these marks will be included in the grading of these subjects. These are: · Home Economics journals (already marked by the SEC); · LCVP Portfolio; How to Apply to sit Examinations In the case of the Leaving Certificate, candidates who wish to sit an examinations(s) in November, will be given the opportunity to apply through the Candidate Portal used for the Calculated Grades process, which will open at 9am on Monday 28th September and close at 5pm on Friday 2nd October. Examination Fee There will be no fees charged for sitting these examinations. Reasonable Accommodation(s) Candidates who have been approved the use of reasonable accommodation(s) for the June examinations will have access to this resource in November, eg a spelling and grammar waiver, or access to a reader, scribe or special centre. It is not possible to approve new applications for reasonable accommodation in any other circumstances, other than the normal emergency application process which applies each year. SEC will issue further instructions in this regard closer to the examinations. Examination Centres The SEC will assign candidates to take their examinations in their own school and not to an individual centre within the school. In the meantime, if you have any queries please contact the SEC by email on November2020@examinations.ie or by calling the SEC on 1800 111 135 or 1800 111 136. Best of luck with your various plans at this stage. From all in St Louis High School C McDonough

Young Social Innovators All TY students will have the opportunity to engage with the Young Social Innovators initiative which encourages and facilitates students to make positive changes in their community and beyond as part of their Social Ed class. On Thursday 4i engaged in an introductory workshop with Yvonne Campbell. 4L and 4U will be introduced to the initiative in their Social Ed classes on Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th. Information on the initiative can be found at https://www.youngsocialinnovators.ie/ AWARE Life Skills 4L and 4O will begin a four-week Life Skills course with Kevin Mc Manamon on Tuesday 29th. They will have the opportunity to take time to reflect on their experience of Covid-19 and learn how to face life’s challenges. 4O 8.40-10.00 in R40 4L 11.00-12.20 in R39

TY History trip postponed Please come to school as normal. Trip to Stephen’s Green is now postponed due to very wet weather. Spread the word please with your friends in the class. Thank you.

Ms Muldoon's history class will go on a walking tour of the statues and monuments in St. Stephen's Green on Thursday 24th September. Meeting at the Grafton St entrance at 9.30am in full school uniform. Returning to school on foot for classes in the afternoon. Bring a packed lunch.

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