AlexPress November 2024
Principal's Update
6th Year Wellness Break
We are delighted that we have the opportunity to bring 6th Years to the Bloomfield House Hotel, Mullingar from Tuesday 7 to Thursday 9 January 2025 for a ‘Wellness Break’. This trip will allow the girls to be well-rested and recharged during January, before launching into the second half of their final year in Alex, mock examinations, orals, practicals, and the long farewell.
Christmas Exam Timetable
The 5th Year Christmas Exams timetable is available on the College website below.
5th Year Christmas Exam Timetable
Christmas Hamper and Voucher Drives
Our TY students are leading two all-school Christmas drives this year, which we hope all students will get involved in.
Our traditional Hampers Drive in support of SVP and the Alex Women's Charity has begun this week. Each form class from 1st to 6th Year has a group of TY students in charge of helping them make a hamper. We ask that all hampers be ready by Wednesday 11 December 2024, when TY students will collect them after lunch. Each form will need to source their own box/hamper for all of the items, and the requested non-perishable items for inclusion in hampers are below:
Tinned Fruit/Veg, Packed/Tinned Soup, Tinned Spaghetti & Baked Beans, Tinned Tuna & Fish, Tin Stew/Meatballs, Breakfast Cereals & Muesli, Noodles, Rice & Pasta, Pasta/Rice Sauce, Muesli/Cereal Bars, Tea & Coffee, Sugar, Marmalade/Jam, Chocolate, Crisps, Biscuits, Popcorn, Sweets, Soft Drinks, Selection Boxes
We've decided to add a Food Voucher Drive to our Christmas initiatives this year to tackle the growing issue in our society of children's poverty. The TY students will learn all about this in their upcoming talk from the Barnardos team. Irish families who struggle to make ends meet need support to buy food for their children, so we can donate food vouchers to help them. These vouchers can be purchased in all the main supermarkets like Aldi, Lidl and Tesco and the TY students will be collecting them at the door every morning. The Junior School has been running this initiative very successfully for the past two years, and we are looking forward to supporting this initiative.
Thank you to all those in our community for your generosity in particular at this time of the year when the act of giving is very important.
MAD Festival 2025
We are looking forward to introducing our new MAD Festival this year! Organised by the Music, Art, and Drama Departments, this will be an incredible two weeks of creativity from 26 February - 10 March 2025.
Music Masterclasses
We are thrilled to welcome leading musicians from around Ireland to give masterclasses in piano, strings, woodwind and voice throughout MAD Festival. The masterclasses are open to all students grade five and above. Each performer will receive insightful and personalised guidance to enrich and develop their pieces to the next level. Masterclasses are a great opportunity for the students to gain confidence in performance and gain fresh ideas on musical interpretation, techniques, and performance strategies to enhance their skills with high-profile musicians.
Applications for the Masterclasses can be completed at the link below, and will close on Friday 6 December 2024. Please note, there is a fee of €25 for participating in each masterclass if your application is successful. Auditions will take place the week of 9 December and successful candidates will be notified during the week of 16 December.
Music Competitions and the Young Classical Musician of the Year
Competitions are open to all students of Alexandra College, whether you study in school or outside of school. There are a number of different categories with prizes sponsored by Music Maker. This is a fantastic opportunity to share your music with others and receive feedback from acclaimed adjudicators.
Applications for our competitions can be completed at the link below, and will close on Friday 20 December. Please note, there is a €10 entrance fee for each competition you enter.
Young Classical Musician of the Year
MAD Art Competition
Submissions are now open for the MAD Art Competition! All students are invited to participate in the competition, whether you study Art in the College or not.
The winning art will be professionally framed and displayed permanently in the College. For more information, please contact Ms Clegg!
Culwick Choral Competition 2024
As usual, this year's Culwick Choral Competition was an exciting afternoon in the College. Many thanks to Tine Verbeke, our adjudicator, for her time and expertise, and well done to all those who performed.
- 1st Year: When I Grow Up – Matilda
- 2nd Year: True Colours – Trolls
- 3rd Year: (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life – Dirty Dancing
- 4th, 5th, & 6th Year: Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat - Guys and Dolls
Congratulations to the winners of our Culwick competitions:
| Best Choir in 1st Year | 1S |
| Best Choir in 2nd Year | 2S |
| Best Choir in 3rd Year | 3S |
| The Gladys Ruddock Prize for Presentation, 1st - 3rd Years | 2H |
| The Gladys Ruddock Prize for Presentation, 4th - 6th Years | 5th Year |
| The Anne Cassidy Award for Best Accompanist, 1st - 3rd Years | Hayley F (3H) |
| The J. Pomeroy Award for Best Accompanist, 4th - 6th Years | Eva Murphy (5K) |
| The Brenda Wilkes Award for Best Conductor, 1st - 3rd Year | Emily M (2H) |
| The Molly Dunlop Cup for Best Conductor, 4th - 6th Year | Francesca D (4Y) |
| The Culwick Cup for Self-Trained Choirs, 1st - 3rd Year | 1S |
| The Gwladys Jones Cup for Self-Trained Choirs, 4th - 6th Years | 6th Year |
| The Adjudicator's Prize (for keeping everything together) | Jasmine Z (3B) |
| The Jean Dolan Cup for Solo Singing | Gracín M (3B) |
| The Geraldine Temple Lang Cup | Ciara H (4R) |
TY Geography
![TY Geography]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1732813242/alexandracollegeeu/ybss5gjoghv9i0rjgu3a/Screenshot2024-11-28at45858PM.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1732813242/alexandracollegeeu/ybss5gjoghv9i0rjgu3a/Screenshot2024-11-28at45858PM.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1732813242/alexandracollegeeu/ybss5gjoghv9i0rjgu3a/Screenshot2024-11-28at45858PM.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1732813242/alexandracollegeeu/ybss5gjoghv9i0rjgu3a/Screenshot2024-11-28at45858PM.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1732813242/alexandracollegeeu/ybss5gjoghv9i0rjgu3a/Screenshot2024-11-28at45858PM.png","width":1460}])
4T has been studying 'My Local Area' in Geography down at the River Dodder this term, researching river valleys, bluff lines, dry point sites, economic background to the Milltown area, transport routes, Ordnance Survey maps, and more.
RIAM Spotlight Awards 2024
![A red illustration of a newspaper above all caps "AlexPress"]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1662127531/alexandracollegeeu/wyhq8ruluh4c7kezl403/AlexPressLogo2020.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1662127531/alexandracollegeeu/wyhq8ruluh4c7kezl403/AlexPressLogo2020.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1662127531/alexandracollegeeu/wyhq8ruluh4c7kezl403/AlexPressLogo2020.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1662127531/alexandracollegeeu/wyhq8ruluh4c7kezl403/AlexPressLogo2020.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1662127531/alexandracollegeeu/wyhq8ruluh4c7kezl403/AlexPressLogo2020.png","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1662127531/alexandracollegeeu/wyhq8ruluh4c7kezl403/AlexPressLogo2020.png","width":2083}])
Congratulations to Ms Derval O'Sullivan, vocal teacher who was awarded a Teacher 2024 certificate of recognition for the recent Royal Irish Academy of Music Spotlight Awards.
These special certificates are awarded to recognise a teacher's dedication to a student's growth and success in this year's RIAM Spotlight Awards. Well done again!
Leaving Cert RE Trip to Irish Jewish Museum
![Leaving Cert RE Trip to Irish Jewish Museum]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1732791145/alexandracollegeeu/b6iasaqantgpsgqw9xoh/image1.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1732791145/alexandracollegeeu/b6iasaqantgpsgqw9xoh/image1.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1732791145/alexandracollegeeu/b6iasaqantgpsgqw9xoh/image1.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1732791145/alexandracollegeeu/b6iasaqantgpsgqw9xoh/image1.png","width":1024}])
On Thursday 21st November, the 5th and 6th Year Leaving Cert Religious Education (RE) classes visited the Irish Jewish Museum in Portobello. We began the trip by stopping in the Bretzel Bakery for some hot beverages and snacks. The Bretzel Bakery is one of the longest-running Jewish businesses in the area.
We then had a tour of the museum's lower floor, seeing lots of memorabilia of well-known members of the Irish Jewish community, including artwork from past Alex student Estella Solomons. We also saw a preserved Jewish kitchen with two sinks and draining boards for the separate preparation of dairy and meat. Our final portion was spent upstairs in the old synagogue, where our tour guide went through in detail the Torah scrolls, the tallit (prayer shawl) and other ways of worshipping. This was a great opportunity to see the faith in action and learn some further details to help us in our upcoming exams.
Student Council Corner
Hi everyone, this is the student council, and we are excited to share the various initiatives we have been working on over the past month.
Christmas Jumper Day
We’re excited to announce that the Student Council is once again organising a Christmas Jumper Day on December 13th! This year, we will continue the tradition of celebrating the season of giving while supporting a worthy cause. All proceeds will go to providing Riley period products for another school.
Looking back at last year’s event, we’re reminded of our school community's incredible festive spirit and generosity. In 2023, we raised over €800 for the Irish Red Cross’s Gaza appeal through the support of students, teachers, and staff. From dazzling Christmas jumpers to a lively “Just Dance” session, the event was filled with joy, music, and holiday cheer.
This year, we aim to make the day just as special!
- €2 donation if you’re wearing a Christmas jumper and
- €3 donation if you’re not,
We’re bringing back some of last year’s highlights, including Christmas songs and activities to fill the concourse with festive energy. Don’t forget to wear your best Christmas jumper and show off your holiday spirit!
Let’s come together, spread some Christmas cheer, and make this year’s event another festive success!
Stand Up Week (Bake Sale and Assembly)
This year, Stand Up Week took place from November 4th to 8th. Since we're not in school during Pride Month in June, this week is dedicated to celebrating and supporting the LGBTQ+ community in our school. Stand Up Week, organised by Belong To Ireland, highlights the importance of inclusion and allyship.
As part of the week, our student council held a bake sale and an assembly to show our support. In the assembly, Aisling D. (4J) and Iseult H. (2B) shared how far the LGBTQ+ community has come and discussed ongoing challenges:
- While equal marriage is legal in Ireland, progress is still being made toward full acceptance.
- 1 in 5 LGBTQ+ students face bullying due to their sexuality or gender identity.
- 76% of LGBTQ+ students feel unsafe in school.
These statistics highlight the importance of showing visible support and being an ally. Here are some tips we shared on how to be an ally:
- Learn about the LGBTQ+ community – Understanding their experiences helps you support them better.
- Respect pronouns and chosen names – Practice until it becomes natural.
- Speak up against bullying – Stand against homophobia and transphobia whenever you see it.
- Be supportive when someone comes out – Respect their boundaries and reassure them of your support.
- Treat everyone equally – A person’s identity doesn’t change who they are.
In support of Stand Up Week, students from the Student Council participated in a bake sale. We raised a total of €142, going to the charity “Belong to”, the national LGBTQ+ youth organisation. Thank you to all the students who supported this event.
Maryam K. (3R)
ISSU Regional Council (North/South Dublin)
On Thursday, November 21st, Amy and I went to the first ISSU regional council meeting of this year. First, we had some small ‘icebreaker’ debates on different relevant topics. Afterwards, we did a workshop on the senior cycle redevelopment, where we discussed in groups what we already knew about it and what changes we wanted to see implemented in the future, before sharing what we had discussed with the rest of the attendees. We were then very kindly provided with pizza and wedges for lunch which we enjoyed. Then we voted for the Dublin regional officers. 6 Regional officers are chosen from Dublin, 3 from the North and 3 from the South. Anyone who wanted to put themselves forward was able to make a short speech before all attendees had the chance to vote, using a ranking system. Overall, it was a great experience and we hope to attend more in the future.
Amy C. T. (3H) and Lucy R. (1B)
DLR Libraries Initiative Update
We’re excited to share an update about our library initiative! The physical library cards will finally be delivered to our school this month so please keep an eye out for announcements.
We apologise for the delay and appreciate your patience.
Hope Concert 2024
The Alexandra College community came together last week in support of the Hope Foundation and our 5th Year students travelling to Kolkata in March. It was a fantastic evening of music and drama from both Junior and Senior School as well as our Alex Voices parent choir. Funding from the Alex community over the years has supported educational initiatives and medical care, as well as the Ashar Alo Home for teenage girls in Kolkata. This year, we raised an incredible €5195 - thanks to all in our community for their support!
Unlocking the Growth Mindset - Thrive Podcast
Welcome to back to Thrive - a wellbeing podcast for Alexandra College students! In this inspiring episode, our 4th Year host dives into the concept of the growth mindset, exploring how embracing challenges and learning from setbacks can lead to personal and academic success. She interviews a range of teachers who share their unique perspectives on the value of adopting a growth mindset in schools, workplaces, and everyday life.
Highlights:
- Tips for fostering resilience and persistence.
- Insights on how a growth mindset shapes lifelong learning.
Whether you're a student, teacher, or someone eager to develop a more positive outlook, this episode is packed with practical advice and motivating stories.
3rd Year Mock Election
In CSPE, our form 3R has been discussing the current general election for the past couple weeks. We learned all about our constituency Dublin Bay South and the whole voting process in Ireland. We learned about polling stations, ballot papers and how our votes get counted. In Ireland we use the proportional representation voting system. Our form decided to then hold a mock election for all of 3rd Year and we replicated our constituency by having 10 of us represent a different candidate. Everyone was assigned a task, whether it was making posters to display around the school, creating ballot boxes and ballot papers, canvassing for the candidates or being involved in the count.
On Wednesday we turned the HWC into our polling station for all of 3rd Year to vote. I was one of the returning officers. There was a great atmosphere and all the candidates had to explain their manifesto to the year group. When counting the votes, we found it challenging to complete, but in the end, we got our four candidates for the four seats of Dublin Bay South. Kate O’Connell (Rose S), Eoin Hayes (Carina B), Chris Andrews (Lauren A) and Ivana Bacik (Lauren K) were elected.
Our mock election was a great experience and has helped us gain more interest in the real election on Friday.
We will be very curious to see the results for Dublin Bay South. Will it be the same result?
Junior School News
This month's Junior School News features J5's Trip to Russborough House, ocean facts from PS Upper, and more!
AlexAI - an ICT Initiative
As AI becomes embedded in systems we use every day, it has become more important than ever to engage with and critically explore the benefits of generative AI. At Alex, students are introduced to the topic of AI, focusing on generative AI, in 2nd Year IT class, conducting research and writing an essay on the "Effects of AI on Society". AI is also a strand in the new Leaving Certificate Computer Science course, again focusing on investigating "the complex relationship between computers and society".
Mr. LaCumber and our ICT department are currently trialling an initiative to introduce AlexAI, a Leaving Cert revision assistant trained on tailored documentation of the LC curriculum that would allow students to utilise useful and reliable information in their revision. Many thanks to Mr. LaCumber for putting together this initiative - for more information, please see the slides from our recent staff meeting linked below.
Alex Learning Journal
As part of our ongoing school-self-evaluation process, study skills are an area we have been currently working on. In the 1st Year guidance class, girls can access an editable self-reflection online learning journal. This is a one-stop shop where they can input feedback from tests, valuable resources and things they may want to look at again in one place. It also encourages the girls to link study skills and strategies between their subjects. It includes infographics on revision strategies, time management, organisational skills, and graphic organisers. The purpose of this is to help the girls set short-, medium- and long-term goals and to encourage and promote reflection on their own learning.
Hermione Headlines
This month's edition of the Hermione Headlines features craft nights in Res, a trip to Wonderlights, and more!
Annual Prize Giving Ceremony 2024
We were thrilled to welcome back alumna Sarah Coffey (Class of 2002) of The Muses, her newly-founded brand language and copywriting consultancy as special guest at this year's Prize Giving Ceremony on Monday 4 November.
Her powerful message to the girls: “Her win is yours... just as your win is hers”.
Well done to all those who received prizes on the day! Please find the programme for this year's Annual Prize Giving Ceremony linked below:
Sport Report November 2024
Soccer Update
- Seniors won their league match comfortably against Ballinteer CS
- Minors had a strong win in their cup match against Old Bawn CS
- 1st Years won against St Raphaela's
- Juniors had a decisive win against St Seton's in the cup
- 1st Years won 5-0 against St Kilian’s in the league
- Seniors lost in sudden death penalties in the last 16 of the cup
- 1st Years lost against St. Raphaela's in the league
- Minors had a strong win against Stratford College in the league
- Juniors had a comfortable win against St Laurence College in the league
- 1st Years won their cup match 4-3 against Blessington CC
- Juniors won 3-1 in their cup match against St Joseph's Lucan
Hockey Update
Senior Hockey bowed out of the Senior Cup after losing in a tough away trip to Kilkenny. They will now move on to the Senior Plate in January, along with two important league games pre-Christmas against Loreto Dalkey and High School.
Our Minors will start their cup campaign this Thursday away at Newbridge, and our Juniors will start their campaign after Christmas.
Basketball Update
Our Under 19 team fell 46-24 to Portmarnock Community College in a high-quality game. We are looking forward to our 1st and 2nd Years starting their league campaign after Christmas.
TY Market Day 2024
The TY students started the day off with setting up all of the stalls and advertising their products. Throughout the day, they all had numerous people, both students and teachers going from stall to stall and buying from the mini companies. There were multiple choices of items that could be bought, including food, cards, keychains, t-shirts and hand warmers. Even the junior school students visited and explored the concourse. Everyone was extremely creative and had great ideas.
It was an amazing and memorable experience all the TYs have learnt a lot of things about businesses and marketing. This year was a great success.
TY Architects in Schools Programme
For the past three weeks, myself and a group of TYs were given the opportunity to take part in an architect module led by a real and practising architect.
We have gathered every Wednesday for the last 4 periods of the day. On the first day, the architect went through all the different projects and jobs he had taken on throughout his career. It was very interesting seeing all the work he had done and seeing it come to life. After that, we got given the task to create our own building under the theme, “learning spaces”. We were encouraged to think outside of the box and try be as creative as possible. We had access to cardboard, paper, plastic, styrofoam and other scraps we could find. Myself and my partner, Olivia decided to create a library. We spent the remainder of the first day planning out how we were going to bring our idea to life and how we could make it unique. It was important that the building was functional, meaning no concave walls or ceilings. The following Wednesday we immediately got to work on our builds. It is rewarding seeing our structure take shape and come to life, as well as watching everyone else’s builds take shape. Some structures are large and geometric, others are delicate and detailed or modern and sleek.
With one more day of the module to go, we hope to finish our buildings and have to time to paint and decorate. Before the module ends, the architect will guide the TY’s through the steps on becoming an architect and what the job entails. I found this module really interesting and even challenging at times. Trying to build a stable and supported building that was also interesting to look at was difficult at times! The module was immersive and hands on and I benefited greatly from it.
MUN November Update
PARKMUN 2024
On Friday, 8th November, and Saturday, 9th November, Zoe P. (4R), Lily H. (4O), Amy C. T. (3H), Savannah Gordon (5L), and Aisha Madar (5J) participated in PARKMUN at Newpark Comprehensive School, proudly representing the delegation of Algeria.
The event offered an incredible opportunity to engage in debating complex political topics while meeting and collaborating with students from a variety of schools.
Rima Fukumoto (6J) also had the honour of guest chairing the Health and Youth committee alongside two other chairs, being part of facilitating thoughtful and productive discussions throughout the event.
Although the team did not win any awards, the experience was invaluable. The delegates sharpened their debating skills, exchanged ideas with peers, and formed meaningful new connections.
The team extends their heartfelt thanks to Ms. Leckie for her time, guidance, and support throughout the event. We look forward to participating in more exciting MUN activities in the future.
RADMUN 2024
On Friday 15th and Saturday 16th of November, Maryam K (3R), Aisha Madar (5J), Zoe P (4R) and Cathy Wan (6K) attended RADMUN 2024 at Rathdown School. We represented Mexico in our respective committees, and these are some of our favourite topics:
SPECPOL: The Aegean Sea Dispute
E&E: Fast fashion and textile waste
DISEC: Terrorist Recruitment
H&Y: HIV Detection and Treatment in LEDCs
Congratulations to Cathy Wan who won a distinguished delegate award in the SPECPOL committee. We got valuable experience in debating with different schools and meeting new people. The team would like to thank Ms. Leckie and Ms. Newsome for their time and assistance in preparing and attending these events.
We look forward to the debating at the next MUN event.
