First Year students enjoying a journalling workshop.

Coláiste Phobal Ros Cré

Student achievement: First Year student Luke Marks has been selected to represent Ireland as part of the 2024 Quadrangular event being held in the National Badminton Centre, Milton Keynes, England from Friday, April 26, to Sunday, April 28.

Luke is an accomplished badminton player and has represented both the Coláiste and his club, Roscrea Badminton Club, several times over the years. Best of luck to Luke and his team-mates.

Kindness Week

This week was planned by up to 30 staff to design a fun-filled week to promote kindness in our school community. Each student and staff member received a random act of kindness card to pass on to someone in our community to show appreciation for any kind act shown. These cards were handed out to students during wellbeing classes promoting the theme of kindness out and kindness in. Preparatory lessons explained self-compassion and the benefit of being kind to others and ourselves. During the week, each year group participated in an activity as follows:

First Years: Zumba with Barbara Troy and a junk Journalling workshop, building active and reflective capacities in students.

Second Years: Kindness walks in the monastery, an empathy-building story exchange walk where students paired up and shared answers to thought-provoking questions.

Third Years: Bench ball tournament building on being active and staying connected key skills.

Fourth Years: Engaged in Circus club, learning team-building and building connections.

LCA: LCA students enjoyed a nail painting activity and visited a local cafe

Fifth Years: Enjoyed a music gig with Jack Keeshan in the library. RE classes hosted a guest speaker on Kindness from the Jesuit Refugee Service.

Sixth Years: Paired up with peers to learn to jive during an extended workshop.

The social area hosted week-long events at lunchtime such as flash mobs, international music, and singing. The atmosphere was alive with music and dance. The motto for this week was ‘Kindness Counts’. This was translated into each native language of those represented in our school community, highlighting our diversity and the shared language that is kindness. The screens around the school were used to promote a different element of kindness every day.

Staff enjoyed treats and raffles, and a workshop on restorative and reflective practice. Students engaged in a poster and meme competition; the fruits of this can be seen across the school and social media pages. The week underpins the ethos of care in Coláiste and supports each community member to be connected to the positivity of kindness. Parents were invited to an evening workshop from our partner Jigsaw highlighting the importance of one good adult. Home economics classes provided surprise cookies as a random act of kindness throughout the week. Kindness was further celebrated in each year group as students received certificates acknowledging their contribution to kindness in the school community.