Swedish Prize

Congratulations to Elsa Sauveroche who won 2nd prize in the SWEA Cartoon and writing competition. This is a national competition so Elsa did extremely well

Launch of VoiceThread at the CES

The French Department at the CES has created its first Voice Threads and is excited about the possibilities that this relatively new innovation offers to their students. A Voice Thread is an online media album that can hold any type of media (images, documents and videos), allows people to make comments in different ways - using voice, text, aodio file or video - and share them with anyone they wish anywhere in the world. Voice Threads allow students to reach outside the classroom and to connect with students or classes in other schools. Primary school pupils as well as older students, mothertongue and second language students alike, enjoy and benefit from the new dimension that this brings to their oral and written expression. The CES Voice Threads have been embedded in the French site in Meath VEC Share Point and you are invited to have a look and participate in this venture.

Europe Day 2009

The students of the CES celebrated Europe Day on Thursday 07 and Friday 08 May. On Thursday 07 the primary school pupils hosted an Assembly in St. Seachnall's N.S. There was a presentation during which the children presented well known as well as some very interesting less well known facts about each of the countries of the Euripean Union. At the end of the presentation al of the children listened to Beetoven's Ode To Joy, the anthem of the EU.

Students prepared dislays in St. Seachnall's and in Dunshauhglin Community College representing the countries of the EU and students, teachers and parents prepared food which visitors to the displays were invited to sample.

Jersey Day

Friday 09 October was Jersey Day throughout Ireland and was designated a fund raising day for Goal, the international humanitarian agency dedicated to the alleviation of suffering among those most in need throughout the developing world.

The pupils of St. Seachnall’s and the CES played their part by wearing their favourite jerseys and contributing 2 euro to GOAL.

Inspectors' visit to the CES

On Wednesday 07 October, St. Seachnall's and the Centre for European Schooling welcomed a group of forty school Inspectors from several European Countries.

The group which included Chief Inspectors from the Departments of Education of six countries as well as officials from Ministries of Education from several countries, were in Ireland to attend an annual conference, attended a presentation on the CES given by Director Una Barton and visited classrooms where they met teachers and pupils. The inspectors also visited classrooms in St. Seachnall's and attended a whole school Assembly where they enjoyed a brief presentation on the history of Dunshaughlin. The children also sang the Irish National Anthem Amhrán na bhFiann and the European Anthem Ode To Joy.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall 1989 by Stefania Tornambene

On Monday the 9^th of November 2009, Berlin celebrated the 20^th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall with a “Festival of Freedom”, during which over 1000 foam domino tiles over 8 feet tall, were stacked along the former route of the wall in the city centre and toppled. The fall paved the way for German reunification on October the 3^rd in 1990.

The symbol of oppression and tyranny was taken down, representing the end of the cold war and finally freedom for all. It also led to independence and fall of communism in countries such as Poland, Hungary and Slovakia in the same month.

It has been and always will be a great moment in my memories, witnessing this amazing historical event.

I was in the middle of my Abitur (Leaving Certificate) when the unthinkable finally happened:

The German-German border opened, after street riots days before, and unbelievable crowds of people were passing from East to the liberal West, some stopping to help hammering down the wall.

My class at that time and myself were very lucky to be at the right place at the right time. The meaning of freedom, free speech, privacy and having choice in life, which we (Wessies) always had, just because we happened to be on the other side of the border, became clear to us, in that very moment. And only later we realized the historical significance in the world.

As a memory we positioned one of the typical DDR cars the Trabant in the middle of the school yard, painted in pink with the following written on it:

ABI 89/90 , marking the school year of our Leaving Certificate and the beginning of freedom and reunification not just of Germany, but in other aspects, too.

Stefania Tornambene , CES German teacher

Christmas assembly

How do you celebrate Christmas? The children of the Centre for European Schooling recently presented some of the Christmas traditions of their countries to the children of St. Seachnall’s. We heard about Het Sinterklaasfeest in the Netherlands and Germany, polvorones in Spain, Świety Mikołaj in Portugal and much more.

The children were then joined by all the pupils from countries other than Ireland in singing Jingle Bells in several languages.

Non-denominational Ethics: Irish Aid Project

In November and December three CES Ethics classes combined to produce a booklet entitled A Day in the Life of Asaad and Stacy showing the different day to day lives of children in Ireland and Somalia. The booklet has been entered in a national competition which is organised each year by Irish Aid under the auspices of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

European Hour: Module 2

The second European Hour module concluded on 09 December with presentations from the Netherlands, Germany and Spain. The projects will form part of end of year celebration in June 2010.

Sinterklaas visits the CES

In Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands children (and adults) traditionally celebrate the feast of ‘Sinterklaas’ on 6 December. If you have been good all year Sinterklaas will surprise you with lovely sweets.

We were delighted to find out that this year again the pupils of the CES had been very good and were therefore surprised with lovely treats from Sinterklaas. Let’s hope he will remember us again next year.

Sinterklaas

School Open

St. Seachnall's and Dunshaughlin Community College will reopen tomorrow Tuesday 12 January. Classes will start at 08.30 in primary school subject to confirmation from bus company on Tuesday morning. Parents will be notified by text as early as possible if the bus is unable to run.

Well done Elsa!!!

Meath County Council organised an Anti litter poster competition. Elsa Sauveroche (2nd yr) was one of the 14 winners. She was presented with 100 euro at the launch of the 2010 Calendar on Dec 4th in the Solstice in Navan. Congratulations to Elsa!

Bye Bye Ritva

It is with regret that we say Goodbye to Ritva today. It was a pleasure to have worked with Ritva over the past months and we will all miss her. I am sure that her pupils will miss her also, especially Ibai. We wish her good luck and happiness.