Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
I am writing to you to inform you of the upcoming events due to take place in Transition Year in the last term.
TY School Musical
This year's TY show will be ‘Hi School’ Musical. This upbeat musical comedy is a firm favourite with all age groups. There are many well-loved songs and it is peopled with colourful characters, who despite being larger than life, also contain a hint of the people we all came across in our own school days. This year's group have excelled in their commitment to this creative project and their hard work will be fully on display in the high standard of song, dance, and visual treats the audience will get to experience. The show will take place in SCS at 7.30pm on Thurs 9th, Fri 10th & Sat 11th March. Tickets are available from cast members, the school office and Cathal O’ Donovan’s Bookshop. Ticket will also be available on the night. Come along for an evening of fantastic entertainment. The ticket price is as follows: €10 for one ticket, €30 for a family ticket.
Tickets for our raffle will be on sale each night. At the moment we are sourcing some great prizes for the raffles. If you have any unwanted gifts at home (e.g. toiletry sets, boxes chocolates/biscuits, gift vouchers) that you would like to donate to our raffle, we would very much appreciate it. Tickets will cost €2 per strip, € 5 for three strips.
End of Year Portfolio and Interview
As part of the Certification process, each TY student is required to complete a TY Portfolio. Each student is required to submit a minimum of six items: one voluntary activity, 6 tests, 2 projects, 2 TY specific events, CV and career investigations. There are also compulsory elements to this portfolio which certain subject teachers have requested the students to submit. All students have received this information and the Closing date for submission of the portfolio is on or before Friday April 28th. Following the submission of the portfolio, students will be given a five-minute interview on their overall experiences of T.Y.
TY mini-Company
Business ideas were brainstormed & generated! Market research was conducted Christine Duggan from the student enterprise programme has been very supportive as usual with advice and support. Prototypes were produced, marketing was carried out both inside and outside of the school to generate sales.
Students set up impressive stands and presented their products at the open night on December 8th where demand for their creative and unique products was high. Full production followed and the enterprises were very busy satisfying their customers.
The Regional Finals of the Student Enterprise Programme is on Monday next the 6th of March in The Celtic Ross Hotel where the top four enterprises will compete against other schools in the west Cork region. We felt the fairest way to make this selection was to hold our own enterprise competition within Skibbereen Community School where each company was interviewed by two judges, Mr John Dullea and Ms Anne Hayes. We are very grateful to these teachers for giving up their time to come to our class and for the advise they have given to the companies. This was a difficult task but CES Beads, Jella Smile, MC Grass Measuring and Listarkin Glass are the four companies representing SCS on Monday next at the Regional Finals of the Student Enterprise Competition 2023. Preparations are well under way as each group has submitted their report and are working on their display boards for Monday next so we wish them all the best.
Work Experience
Students completed their second week of work experience the week beginning Monday 20th
This week has again given them a fantastic insight into the world of work and what the day-to-day life within their chosen career taster looks like.
Social Placement
Social placement week will run from Monday 17th- Friday 21st of April. During this week students will embark on helping or working within the community in various charity organisations, care settings, primary schools, preschools, creche, Library, Cope, CoAction, clubs or community projects which contribute to the health and wellbeing of the local Skibbereen and wider West Cork community. Each student will be required to select two preferences for social placement. We will endeavour to place your son/daughter in a placement of their choice. However, this may not be possible but, we would hope in that case to allocate them their second preference.
Each student will be given details of their allocated placement over the coming weeks. For those of you involved in voluntary organisations and would like the assistance of some of the Transition Year students during this week, please don’t hesitate to contact us at the school on 028 51172 or grettaburchill@skibbereencommunityschool.ie, conoruhl@skibbereencommunityschool.ie,
Karen Weekes Talk on Resilience and Positive Mindset
Karen who is a lecturer in MTU was the first Irish Women to undertake the mammoth adventure of crossing the Atlantic in a rowing board. Her experience and display of resilience and positive mindset is something that can only empower and inspire our TY students here in SCS. Hopefully this story encourages them to dream big
Ocean Plastic project
A number of our TY students carried out two days of plastic collection on some of our local beaches. This fantastic project opens our young generations eyes to the amount of waste we are producing and what harm it doing to our beautiful local environment. Their example is one we should all follow. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Outdoor Pursuits activities
Outdoor pursuits will kick off again onThursday March 30th., with a choice between a 46km cycle from Waterford to Dungarvan along the beautiful Waterford Greenway or testing their love of heights while rock climbing at Awesome Walls in Bishopstown..
On April 24th the TY group will have a choice between Team building activities in West Cork Secrets and Sailing in picturesque Glandore.
Finally on May 11th this year's TY outdoor pursuits adventures will conclude with two water activity options. Surfing in Inchydoney or Kayaking in Schull.
TY RCSI Mini Med
The RCSI Transition Year MiniMed programme takes place annually in RCSI and offers transition year students an excellent opportunity to gain experience of what it is like to train and work as a healthcare professional. The programme consists of lectures, practical’s and real-life surgeries via video link to the operating theatre, all of which are carried out by leading professionals in their respective areas.
This year we have split the programme into three distinct areas MiniMed, MiniPharm, MiniPhysio.
Programme 1: RCSI Transition Year MiniMed – 27 February-1 March, online programme only
Programme 2: RCSI Transition Year MiniPharm – 2 March 2023, online programme only
Programme 3: RCSI Transition Year MiniPhysio – 3 March 2023, online programme only
12 TY students registered for this programme and found it to be a wonderful experience. Well done to all involved
Attendance and End of Year assessments
Lots of events and activities going on in our busy TY programme at this time of the year. Certain students are involved in some and not in others but please be reminded that 18 out of the 28 weekly classes are academic based and will continue to cover material important to their senior cycle subjects in 5th and 6th year, so full attendance is as important as ever. Class summer tests will commence in May to assess students' academic progress throughout their TY year.
Fees outstanding
The Transition Year fee of €130 is now overdue. This payment includes TY Journal, 24-hour school insurance, software licensing, locker rental, photocopying, communications and TY module instructors.
This payment can be made using our online payment system available through the school website or by paying at the school office. Payment of outstanding fees is essential to secure places on the planned TY trips.
If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us at the school.
Yours faithfully,
Conor Uhl/ Gretta Burchill