AlexPress February 2026

I hope you have all had a good week and that our students are settling well into the rhythm of the term. As always, it’s been a pleasure to see the energy and enthusiasm across the school, whether in the classroom, on the sports field, or through creative and community projects.  

This week’s newsletter highlights some of the many achievements and upcoming events that make our school such a vibrant place to learn. I encourage you to take a few moments to read through the updates so you can share in our students’ successes and stay informed about the busy weeks ahead.  

Thank you, as ever, for your continued support and partnership in your children’s education. Together, we help nurture their confidence, curiosity, and sense of belonging in our community.  

5th Year Information Evening - Tuesday 10 March

We are looking forward to welcoming TY parents and students to our 5th Year Information Meeting on Tuesday 10 March at 7 p.m. in the Concourse. At this meeting, the College Guidance Counsellor, Ms Earlie, will share more information about the Senior Cycle, the subjects we offer here at the College, and the CAO process. She will also be available to answer any queries that you may have. We look forward to seeing you there!

Preparations are well underway for the Junior DramSoc production of ‘Robina Hood’ by Stewart Auty with adaptations and additions by Chloe O’F (1H) and the cast! A hilarious twist on the classic Robin Hood legend, Robina Hood flips the story on its head with daring deeds, terrible villains, and laugh-out-loud wordplay. When the kind-hearted Sheriff Omar is tricked by his wicked new wife, Lady Mascara, his clever daughter Robina is sent into the forest and left for dead. But Robina survives — and grows up to become the fearless leader of a band of outlaws who rob the rich, mock the powerful, and stand up for what’s right. Years later, disguised and deadly with a bow, Robina returns to Nottingham for a royal archery contest — where secrets are revealed, villains are exposed, and justice finally hits the target. Packed with comic characters, outrageous jokes, crowd scenes, and pantomime-style fun, Robina Hood is a fast-moving, family-friendly comedy with a big heart and an even bigger laugh count.

Intermediate DramSoc and members of the Senior Film Society have been working on a new venture this year with Ms Rycraft titled from 'Stage to Screen' and they will be screening their short films and trailers during the interval of the Junior DramSoc performance. These films were written, directed, performed and edited by the students.

Come along and support this performance which is on Tuesday 3rd March at 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm in the school concourse. Tickets will be available from Wednesday this week and we look forward to welcoming you to our show.

We are delighted to launch the Nikki Evans Academy Easter Hockey Camp once again this year! The camp will run from Monday 30th March – Thursday 2nd April in Alexandra College.

The Nikki Evans Academy was created to provide a fun, inclusive environment where young girls can come together, build friendships and develop their love of hockey. Our camps focus on teamwork, staying active and, most importantly, enjoying the game. Players of all abilities are welcome. 

Our aim is that every girl leaves camp a more confident athlete and hockey player, ready to bring her improved skills back to her school and club.

Camp Groups & Times:

• 9.00am – 11.00am: 1st & 2nd Class
• 9.00am – 11.00am: 3rd & 4th Class
• 11.00am – 1.00pm: 5th & 6th Class
• 1.00pm – 3.00pm: 1st – 3rd Year

Places are strictly limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. We look forward to welcoming both familiar and new faces for another fantastic week of hockey!

As recipients of the Joan Kearney Scholarship 2026, Alannah Foley (5M) and Beatrice Ramsden (5K) hosted two students, Rosie and Daniela, from Friends Select School, Philadelphia. The girls shadowed Alannah and Beatrice here at Alex for a week, before taking part in a week-long placement with Professor Craig McEntee at the School of Biochemistry and Immunology at Trinity College Dublin. The group were also invited by Dr Ronan Lordan to visit his labs at the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences at RCSI. Alannah and Beatrice will travel to undertake a summer internship at the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics University of Pennsylvania later in the year.

January was a busy month for our mathematicians as competition season kicked off. Our 1st Year students took part in the national 1st Year Competition organised by the Irish Mathematics Teachers' Association. The competition involved a variety of problem-solving questions designed to challenge students’ mathematical thinking. This year, there were over 18,500 entries from 280 schools nationwide. The national average score was 52.4%. Nationally, only 53 students achieved a perfect score of 100%. We were delighted that one of our own students was among them and has been awarded a trophy. Congratulations to Jellie Z from 1B on this outstanding achievement.

We also sent three teams of Alex students to Oatlands College for the regional IAMTA (Irish Applied Mathematics Teachers' Association) Junior Problem-Solving Competition. 39 teams from schools all around the region took part, with students from 3rd Year and TY. The girls were tasked with solving challenging problems related to the Junior Cycle maths curriculum under strict timed conditions. It was fantastic to see the girls work as a team and push themselves as the rounds progressed. Alexandra College continue to boost the number of girls' teams at competitions such as these. In the end, the Alex teams placed 4th, 14th and 16th. Well done to all who took part! 

We look forward to hosting the Team Maths regional round for senior cycle maths students on March 5th. 

The Filmmaking Department are delighted to have been chosen as one of the twelve schools in Ireland to participate in The Future Leaders of Screen - Screen Careers for TY in 2026. This is an online programme for TY students with Oscar-winning film producer Lord David Puttnam, which will take place online in April and May this year with a graduation at University College Cork in May. 

One of the objectives of the programme is to work with students who have a keen interest in the screen sector, and to help them see the value in creative, ethical storytelling. Congratulations to the following four TY filmmaking students who have been chosen to participate in the programme with Ms Rycraft – Evanna M (4R), Gracín McD (4Y), Orla O’D (4T) and Bree C (4R).

A total of nine short films were entered into the Fresh Film Festival this year, 5 short films from the TY Filmmaking class and four films from the Senior Film Society and Intermediate DramSoc. We are thrilled to announce that nine of these films will be screened at the Fresh Film Regional finals in the Omniplex Cinema in Rathmines on Tuesday 3^rd March.

The students involved are looking forward to attending this event and seeing their work on the big screen, wishing the best of luck to all the filmmaking students.