European Science Education Research Association Conference

From the 21st to the 25th of August 2017, Mr. McDonagh will attend the 12th conference of the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA). The conference is being held in Dublin City University. Mr. McDonagh will present a poster detailing the Erasmus + KA2 project Matters of Matter – Future Materials in Science Education, which will be on display in the Helix.The theme of the conference, Research, practice and collaboration in science education, underlines aspects of great relevance in contemporary science education research: the need to reflect on different approaches to enhancing our knowledge of learning processes and the role of context, designed or circumstantial, formal or non-formal, in learning and instruction. For more information visit www.esera2017.org

St. Joseph’s win at Bloom

St. Joseph’s Secondary School won the top prize, the Certificate of Distinction, in the postcard garden category on the opening day at the Bloom Festival in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. Entitled “Drogheda on the Boyne” the garden is a portrayal of a bright vibrant town where the image of yesterday is very different to the one of today. It was designed by Leaving Cert student Thomas Finnegan with assistance from Transition Year student Michael Traynor. It features well known historical landmarks in Drogheda; the Viaduct, Millmount and St. Laurence’s gate. To construct his design in four weeks, Thomas assembled a team which consisted of Niall Leonard (Caretaker and Horticulturalist), Mr Bernard Sharkey (History teacher), Ms Tracy Murray (Art teacher), Ms Karen Murphy (Technology/Woodwork teacher), Mr Damien McDonagh (Science teacher), Mr Cian O’Neill (Woodwork teacher), Mr Declan Farrell (Woodwork teacher) and Bryan Gardiner.

The garden was officially opened by Alison Cowzer, co-founder and marketing/innovation director of East Coast Bakehouse, a biscuit manufacturing business in Drogheda. People that visited the garden on the opening day included President Michael D. Higgins, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and RTE’s Marty Morrissey. The Bloom team would like to thank all their sponsors and Mr David Madden (Principal), Mr Paul Savage (Deputy Principal) and the Board of Management of St. Joseph’s for all their support.

Group Photo - Left to Right:

Thomas Finnegan, Bryan Gardiner, Ms Murray, Mr O’Neill, Ms Murphy, Mr McDonagh, Mr Farrell, Niall Leonard

Thank You

The end of the school year in 2017 marks the end of the Erasmus + project in the school. Over 30 Transition Year students took part in the project over the past three years. Students were presented with a gift bag commemorating their participation in the project, which contained pens, a USB key, notepad and mouse mat. Front row – left to right: Evan McGrane, Ben Flanagan, Dylan Floyd, Alan McGrane, Ryan Sands, Shane McQuillan, Shane Hickey, Finn Madden

Middle row – left to right: Sean DiFiore, Anthony Kent, Luke Callaghan, Ciaran Harmon, Ciaran Brennan, Neil Holdcroft, Aaron Stone, Robert Kinch, Joshua Reilly, Michael Collins, Kenneth Fallon, John Holdcroft, Jack Kennedy

Back row – left to right: Tadhg O’Reilly, Darren Morgan, Cian Fitzpatrick, Ciaran McCann, Zachary Keller, Euan Reid, Cillian Walsh, Adam Connolly, Aaron Foley, Alan Connor, Cian McKenna

Absent from picture: Ronan O’Gara, Eoin Reid, Harry Lipscomb, Darragh Halpin, Peter Finegan, Liam Ryan

Erasmus+ KA2 Project contribute to Bloom Entry

The Erasmus + KA2 project Matters of Matter – Future Materials in Science Education, is pleased to be part of the schools recent entry into the Bloom festival, Phoenix Park, Dublin. It is hoped that the materials added to the design by the project, which include smart materials interacting with light and sustainable materials will propel the school to success in the postcard garden competition. For more information on the garden design visit the home page of the schools website.

Sustainable materials for Insulation

Transition Year students in Mr. McDonagh’s class are investigating the uses of sustainable materials as insulation. The students created a timber model of a house, complete with cavity in the external walls. The students will add layers of different materials as insulation and record the temperatures within the house. Results of this experiment will be shown at the Transition Year Presentation night at the end of the month.

St. Josephs goes to Bloom

St. Josephs Secondary school is proud to announce, that it has an entry accepted for the Bloom festival in Dublin. Entitled “Drogheda on the Boyne” and designed by LCA student Thomas Finnegan, it will compete in the Postcard Garden competition. Thomas’s design was selected from thousands of entrants and features well known historical landmarks in Drogheda: the Viaduct, Millmount and St. Laurence’s gate. Thomas and his family have always had a keen interest in gardening and have attended the Bloom festival for the past number of years. At Bloom, Thomas was inspired by the creativity and hard work that the designers put into their gardens and hoped that one day he could also display a design at Bloom. In late February this year Thomas was browsing the Bloom website where he came across the Postcard Garden competition. He thought it would be the ideal competition to enter on behalf of the Green School Committee in the school, of which he is president. Having consulted with Michael Traynor (Vice President of the Green School committee,) Mr. Sharkey and Ms. Murphy, Thomas completed the design and application form for the competition. Across his Easter holidays from school Thomas found out his design had been accepted.

With his dream now realised, Thomas put together a team to assist him with the construction of his design, which includes Michael Traynor (Vice President of the Green Schools Committee), Niall Leonard (Caretaker and Horticulturalist), Mr Sharkey (History teacher), Ms. Murray (Art teacher), Ms. Murphy (Technology teacher) and Mr. McDonagh (Science teacher). The design will be constructed in school and then assembled on site in the Phoenix Park. All plants for the design were purchased locally.

The Bloom festival runs from the 1st to the 5th of June 2017 in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. Further information and photographs will be available in the coming weeks on the school website www.droghedacbs.ie

St Josephs Junior Rugby team take the Duff Shield !

The Junior Rugby team won the Duff Shield in Donnybrook on March 15th defeating Naas CBS 25 points to 11. Captain Harry Lipscomb seen here lifting the trophy.

Pavullo, Italy Trip

From the 4th to the 11th March 2017 students travelled to Pavullo, Italy in the final mobility of the Erasmus + project. It was a busy week with much scientific work carried out and cultural experience gained.

Plant Boxes

Students are using different forms of recycled plastics to create plant boxes and containers. These containers currently have peas and broad bean seeds planted in them but will be used for a variety of plants over the course of the year.  

Sugarcane Biodegradable Containers

Students are also investigating biodegradable and compostable bagasse sugarcane containers for use as plant containers. It is hoped the bagasse sugar cane will biodegrade over time, reducing the need for traditional plastic pots for plants. If the containers biodegrade, it will reduce the need to move the plants from smaller pots into bigger pots as they grow. This will reduce transplant stress.  

Virtual Head Sets

As part of the Erasmus+ Science project students are currently finishing up working on their  virtual reality headset made from cardboard. After several attempts and prototypes the students have completed a working headset made simply from cardboard and binocular lenses.