PRINCIPAL’S INTRODUCTIONAs we approach the end of the first term, it gives me great pleasure to present this issue of Nuacht Mhuire which provides a glimpse of life in St. Mary’s. As you will see, so much has happened since the beginning of the year, all of which contributes to our vibrant learning community.  In August, we were thrilled by the success of our students in 2016 examinations and, having taken time to celebrate these outstanding results, our attention is now focused on ensuring similar success in 2017.  With an emphasis on ‘Raising Standards by Reaching for the Stars’, we areencouraging pupils to believe in their abilities, have high expectations of themselves, set aspirational targets and strive to achieve their full potential. 

In November, we were delighted to learn that St. Mary’s had been shortlisted for a Capita and C2K 2016 ICT Excellence Award.  Following arigorous application process, including a judges’ site visit to assess how technology had improved the engagement and motivation of pupils and staff, the school was shortlisted in the ‘Transforming Teaching and Learning through Technology’ category and, at an awards ceremonyon 8 December 2016, St. Mary’s was announced as the overall winner in this category. 

Throughout the term, significant progress has been made on the construction of our new £4.5 million school extension.  The building of theMusic and Creative Arts Hub is now complete and our new Sixth Form Centre and classroom block is due to be completed by March 2017.  It is wonderful to see our building plans coming to fruition and I look forward to the enhanced resources and facilities our pupils will enjoyin the very near future. 

As this term draws to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone within the St. Mary’s community a happy and holy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.Mrs D. Gillespie, Principal

A LEVEL EXCELLENCEFollowing the publication of the 2016 A Level examination results, Mrs Gillespie reported anotheryear of excellence and success for St. Mary’s. An impressive 95.6% of all examinations taken bystudents resulted in A* - C grades.  37.2% of the grades attained were A* - A. Expressing her pridein students, Mrs Gillespie commented: “I am so pleased by the success of our young people andcongratulate them warmly on their achievement. These outstanding results reflect and reward theconsistent endeavour of students and the commitment of highly skilled and dedicated teachers whohave guided students along the path to success.  The support and encouragement of parents andguardians have also been integral to the exceptional performance of students in examinations and I wish to thank parents and guardians for working in partnership with the school to ensure that students fulfilled their potential.  As they embark on their chosen university or employmentpathway, I offer these students every good wish for the future.”

TOP OF THE CLASSTwo pupils from St. Mary’s excelled in this year’s CCEA GCSE examinations byachieving First Place (Joint) in Northern Ireland in different subjects. Lottie Kellyshared the top position in GCSE Drama while Caoimhe Meeke was placed joint first in GCSE ICT.  Speaking about the girls’ success, Mrs Gillespie said: “This isgreat news for Lottie and Caoimhe, for their subject teachers, for the school and, of course, for their families.  We were overjoyed to receive the notification fromCCEA informing us about the pupils’ success in these subjects.  It is so deserved.  I congratulate both the pupils and their teachers, Miss Allen and Mrs Higgins, who guided them towards this outstanding achievement.”

ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONYCelebrating the successes and achievements of the academic year 2015-16, the Annual Awards Ceremony was held in St. Mary’s on Wednesday 28 September 2016. As well as marking the outstanding attainment of pupils in GCSE and A Levelexaminations, the evening also provided an opportunity to recognise theaccomplishments of pupils in a range of extra-curricular activities, ranging from sportto public speaking. The Guest Speaker was former St. Mary’s pupil, Father JohnMcKeever, and the theme for the evening was ‘Building for the Future’. During hisaddress, Father McKeever congratulated pupils on their academic success but advisedthem to be wary of the pressure facing young people today to strive for perfection ineverything. He urged students to always remember that they are “only human” andexplained that he hoped that they would encounter failure in the future because somuch can also be learned from this experience.

GCSE SUCCESSYear 12 students excelled in this year’s GCSE examinations. Mrs Gillespie described thegrades achieved by students as “truly remarkable” and reported that 99% of studentsachieved A*-C grades in at least 7 subjects, including English and Mathematics. Animpressive 65% of all grades were A*- A. Expressing her delight at the success of students,Mrs Gillespie commented: “It is always gratifying to see our young people achieve thesuccess they so richly deserve. The hard work and commitment of students, the expertiseand guidance of staff, and the support and encouragement of parents and guardians haveall contributed to such excellent examination outcomes. I congratulate and commendeveryone involved. As they begin the next important stage in their lives, I would advisestudents to maintain their focus and motivation as they pursue future goals and ambitions.”

Annual Awards Ceremony

INTERNAL AWARDS CEREMONIESBetween 19 – 25 October 2016, internal awards ceremonies were held within school to recognise and reward the achievements of pupils currently in Year 9, Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12.Based on the academic year 2015-16, pupils were presented with a range of prizes and certificates acknowledging excellence in behaviour, attendance and academic progress, as well asawards for class spirit and achievements in sport, music and Pastoral House activities. As always, the school’s prize-giving ceremonies were meticulously co-ordinated by Mrs Higgins.

ICT EXCELLENCE AWARDOn 8 December 2016, St. Mary’s was named as a Capita and C2K ICT Excellence Awardwinner.   Having been shortlisted in the category for ‘Transforming Teaching and Learningthrough Technology’, the school was announced as the overall category winner at an awardsceremony in The Merchant Hotel, Belfast which was attended by Miss Hagan, Director of e-Learning, and Mrs Gillespie, Principal.   

Established in 2015, the ICT Excellence Awards celebrate the innovative and collaborative use of technology in schools across Northern Ireland and the positive impact on students and theirwider communities.  The ‘Transforming Teaching and Learning through Technology’ categoryrecognises schools which have used technology to transform their educational experience andimprove the engagement and motivation of staff and students.   The judges were impressed by St. Mary’s use of technology to enable students to direct their own learning, embedtechnology into the lesson plan process and support innovative approaches such as the ‘flipped classroom’.  The judging panel also highlighted the fact that St. Mary’s approachsuccessfully prepared students for the next step of university or employment. 

Mrs Gillespie commented: “This award is a real testament to the hard work of the team at St. Mary’s.  We have always intended to use technology to enable independent, personalised andself-initiated learning – and it’s made a tremendous difference to the experience and education we are able to offer our pupils.  This has been a huge effort from the entire school and weare proud to have that work recognised by Capita and C2K.” As part of the award, St. Mary’s will receive a prize fund of £3000 to spend on ICT equipment from Capita.

A FAITH COMMUNITYOn Thursday 29 September 2016, the school community marked the beginning of the school year with a special Mass. Father Gates celebrated Mass with pupils in Year 11 – Year 14 in the Church ofOur Lady of the Assumption while Father Brannigan celebrated Mass in the school with Key Stage 3 pupils.

WELCOME TO ST. MARY’SIn September, we welcomed our new Year 8 pupils. It has certainly been a busy term for Year 8 as they made the transition from primary school. As the end of the first term approaches, the pupilsare happy, settled and very much part of the St. Mary’s school community. We wish them every success throughout their time in St. Mary’s and look forward to their contribution to the life of the school.

LEADING THE WAYThe Senior Student Leadership Team for 2016/17 is made up of the following Year 14 students:

Head Boy: Ruairi O’KaneHead Girl: Ethlinn WallsDeputy Head Boys: Kevin Small, Eoin McAuley and Ryan RocksDeputy Head Girls: Faoiltiarna Burke, Shauna Lennon and Sarah McNeill

We wish them well in their leadership roles this year.

ZUMBA TIMEOn Friday 9 September 2016, Year 8 pupils joined their Year 13 and Year 14 ‘Senior Buddies’ in theSports Hall for Zumba. It was an energetic afternoon of fun and dance which gave Year 8 pupils andtheir ‘buddies’ an opportunity to get to know each other.

A TOUCH OF CLASSOn Friday 16 September 2016, Year 14 students marked the beginning of their final year together with the annual Year 14 Formal. Organised by Mrs McNeil and the Year 14 Formal Committee, the glamorous event was held in the Tullyglass Hotel in Ballymena and gave students an opportunity to celebrate the friendships they have formed over their years together in St. Mary’s.

A DRUM! A DRUM! MACBETH DOTH COME… TO ST. MARY’SYear 10 Drama pupils enjoyed a performance of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth in the school on Wednesday 12 October 2016. C21, a Northern Ireland based theatre company, brought itstouring production of “the Scottish play” to St. Mary’s before moving on to finish its run in the Grand Opera House, Belfast. Following the performance, pupils took part in a short Q+Asession with members of the cast and crew who answered questions about their career training and experience, as well as discussing the value of studying drama at GCSE level and beyond.Debra Hill, who played the role of Lady MacDuff, explained: “The moment employers realise that you have a background in drama, they become very interested in you because they knowthat you can offer a range of highly sought after skills, including communication, confidence, teamwork and leadership.”

THEATRE VISIT TO THE PILLOWMANOn 18 October 2016, GCSE Drama pupils enjoyed a visit to the Grand Opera House in Belfast towatch The Pillowman by celebrated Irish playwright Martin McDonagh. The dark comedy has won two Tony Awards and an Olivier Award for Best New Play and it certainly met with theapproval of pupils.

YOU SHALL GO TO THE THEATRE On Tuesday 13 December 2016, Year 8 pupils travelled to the Millennium Forum Theatre in Derry to attend this year’s pantomime, Cinderella. It was an afternoon of fun, comedy andentertainment as pupils cheered for Buttons and jeered at the Ugly Sisters. Did they enjoy the show? Oh yes, they did!

CLUB MHUIRE The well-established Irish language lunch time club, Club Mhuire, was back in action this year foranother term of promoting all things Irish. So far, Year 8 Irish pupils have been learning songsin Irish, playing a variety of games using Irish vocabulary and generally enjoying the languagebeyond the classroom environment. The Irish Department is grateful to former A level and currentUlster University student, Medb Ní Dhúláin, who has joined the department as part of a Tutoring inSchools project. Medb has been the driving force behind Club Mhuire this year. For any studentwho has enjoyed the Club Mhuire experience, we recommend a Gaeltacht course this summer!

GAEL LINNSUCCESSYear 10 pupils enjoyed success in the Gael Linn Quiz inCookstown on Thursday 13 October 2016.

Out of more than 200 participants, four St. Mary’s pupilsachieved Second Place, making 2016 the fourth consecutiveyear that St. Mary’s pupils have secured a top placing inthe competition. 

The pupils - Raicheal Nic Giolla Domhnaigh, Amy Ní Luachráin, Eimhear Ní Bheatsúin and Darragh Mac Flionn - will now compete in the Ulster Final in early 2017. We wish them well!

GAELBHRATACH LAUNCHIn pioneering fashion, the Irish Department has signed up to Gael Linn’s Gaelbhratach scheme for 2016/17. Gaelbhratach, which culminates in successful schools being award with a flag inrecognition of the promotion of Irish, provides students with the power and incentive to take ownership of the promotion of the language within the school community. Andrea Ní Fhaoláin from GaelLinn visited St. Mary’s in September to launch the scheme, provide training and to help establish a committee. Currently there are over 20 members of the committee and the roles of Cathaoirleachand Leaschathaoirleach have been awarded to Róisáine Ní Mhaoláin and Caoimhe Ní Néill respectively.

To achieve the Gaelbhratach, students must demonstrate an organised and innovative approach to the promotion of Irish language and culture. The committee, which meets after school each Monday,has demonstrated great commitment to the scheme. So far, they have surveyed the school community with regard to their knowledge of Irish and organised a céilí for Key Stage 3 pupils. We wishthem every success. Go n-éirí an bóthar leo!

INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAYOn Wednesday 21 September 2016, St. Mary’s marked International Peace Day in a significant way. Thirty three Year 10 pupils from St. Mary’s joined other pupils from within theMagherafelt Learning Partnership and across Northern Ireland at the ‘Amazing the Space’ event at the Maze, Long Kesh. Meanwhile, St. Mary’s was the host venue for a live streaming of the main event and welcomed pupils from other schools within the Magherafelt Learning Partnership for a morning of activities, including a ‘Big Breakfast’ and a Zumba session beforejoining the live stream. Year 10 pupil, Amy Loughran, played a central role in the event as her ‘Peace Pledge’ was filmed and broadcast during the live stream. Organiser of the event, Dr. David Latimer, spoke about the important role young people have in peace-building. He said: “Young people, with open minds, fresh ideas and positive energy are the key to a brighter future in Northern Ireland. The young have the power to forge a path of good hope that shimmers with peace and prosperity. This central idea is the catalytic touchstone of theAmazing the Space initiative.”

YOUR HEALTH IS YOUR WEALTHSt. Mary’s actively promotes health and well-being and encourages pupils to make healthy lifestyle choices. This year, there is a particularfocus on promoting positive mental health and raising pupils’ awareness of mental health issues. Year 12 pupils attended a ‘WellnessSeekers’ presentation, Year 11 pupils participated in a mental health workshop and Year 10 pupils took part in a ‘Mood Matters’ workshop.

MINDING THEIR OWN BUSINESSYear 13 students put their entrepreneurial skills to the test whilst raising an impressive £1000 for local charity,Action Mental Health. Twenty students from Business Studies and Economics participated in a Young Enterprisescheme that saw the students set up their own mini-company. The group personally customised mugs and designed school hoodies which they sold at St. George’s Market in Belfast and throughout the wider schoolcommunity. Students decided through a class vote to donate £1000 of the money raised to Action Mental Health.On presenting the cheque, Conor Doran, Managing Director of the Young Enterprise Group, explained why they had chosen Action Mental Health as a recipient of the funds: “As I and other students have got older, we realise that mental ill health is a serious problem within Northern Ireland. Unfortunately many of us have witnessed what mental illness can do to people and how it can affect a whole community when someone loses their battleagainst it. Action Mental Health work tirelessly within our local schools to promote awareness of mental healthissues and encourage us to talk to someone if we are ever in doubt. We wanted to raise funds for the charity so they could continue their worthwhile work raising awareness and reducing the stigma associated with mental health issues”.

Research has shown that one in five adults in Northern Ireland will show signs of a mental illness, with theprevalence of it here being 25% higher than in England.

Speaking particularly about mental health in young people across Northern Ireland, Fundraising and Events Officerof AMH, Callum Clark, said: “One in ten young people below the age of 16 will suffer from a diagnosable mentalhealth disorder. Action Mental Health offers a range of services for young people. For example the Healthy Meproject promotes social and emotional wellbeing in children through prevention and self-help.”

On meeting the Young Enterprise participants, Callum commented further: “It is great to see a group of young people talking about mental health openly and informatively. The students have shown a real flair for business and AMH are so grateful that they have decided to donate their hard earned cash to the charity”.

Mrs McKeever, Head of Business Studies and Economics, praised the students, saying: “It was a privilege to oversee such an enthusiastic team and to witness their leadership and teambuilding skills develop. The pupils gained invaluable support from Invest NI mentor Eugene Heaney and they take forward personal and business skills for life”..”

TAKING ACTIONOn 16 September 2016, Year 10 pupils presented Anne Walker from Action MS with a cheque for almost £3000 for the charity. The money was raisedthrough a sponsored walk which the pupils undertook at the end of Year 9.

Congratulations to all Year 10 pupils on this outstanding fundraising effort.

SMOOTH OPERATORSOn Monday 3 October 2016, Miss Donnelly and the staff of Café Bordeaux held a ‘Smoothie Taste Testing Morning’enabling all pupils to sample the range of delicious smoothies available in the school at break time and lunch time. The event was held as part of the school’s focus on promoting nutrition and healthy eating within the school. Each month,pupils are rewarded for making healthy food choices in Café Bordeaux. Pictured are those pupils who received rewards in September and October: Sarah Devlin (8B), Rachel Quinn (9D), Bronagh McAteer (10E), Ciara Cassidy (11E), Molly McAllister (12B), Jason McFlynn (13PBR) and Kerri Quinn (14UDO).

YOUNG MEN’S HEALTHY LIFESTYLE EVENTSOn Friday 18 November 2016, six Year 13 pupils attended the Young Men’s Healthy Lifestyle Event in Magherafelt High School. Cormac Murphy, Conall Devlin, Cathal McErlean, John Marron, Liam Og McElhone and Giuseppe Lupari engaged in a workshop exploring a range of health-related issues.

ALCOHOL AWARENESSTHEATRE IN EDUCATIONPROGRAMMEOn Monday 21 November 2016, Year 9 pupils took part in an AlcoholAwareness Theatre in Education Programme. The performance of ‘Smashed’and the follow-up workshop explored issues such as health, anti-socialbehaviour, making informed choices, peer pressure and self-esteem.

PARTY POLITICSHistory and Politics students attended a local democracy event in the Mid-Ulster Council’s Magherafelt offices. Ferghal McFlynn, Sarah Gallen and Niamh McElwee took part in a ‘speed dating’ event where they met a number of local councillors from various political parties. They had an opportunity to raise questions on a range of local government issues that were of interest to them.

SHARE AND SHARE ALIKEIt has been a busy few months for Shared Education in St. Mary’s. Since the start of the new academic year,three year groups - Year 9, Year 10 and Year 12 - have been involved in Shared Education projects with our post-primary partner schools within the Magherafelt Learning Partnership. Building on the success of last year’sDrama project for Year 9 students, this programme is being delivered again to the current Year 9 group. All Year 9 pupils experience a block of six lessons exploring issues of conflict, diversity and reconciliation through drama games and performances.

In Year 10, a group of 50 pupils were selected to participate in a Shared Education History Project centred onHuman and Civil Rights in the USA and Northern Ireland. Pupils experience 12 teaching sessions both in and out of the classroom along with peers from other schools. On Thursday 17 November 2016, pupils from St. Mary’s and other MLP schools involved in Block One of the project travelled to Belfast with Miss McGouran to enjoy a bus tour around Belfast City embracing all of the murals and history the city has to offer. They learned about the religious and political tensions that developed in Northern Ireland after Partition and also the emblems, flags and symbols that are used in Nationalist and Unionist communities. Pupils evengot to sign the Peace Wall. In October 2016, pupils also travelled to Maghera Cinema to see the film “Selma”.

At Key Stage 4, revision sessions were offered in GCSE English and Maths at different tiers of entry across MLP schools to help ensure pupils’ success in upcoming examinations.

THAT’S A WRAPIn St. Mary’s, the Shoebox Appeal is an annual event and every year, students, parents and staffshow their outstanding generosity by contributing to this appeal.  Linking up with the charity, Road of Hope, the St. Mary’s Shoebox Appeal will help to bring festive cheer to some of the poorestcommunities across Eastern Europe. Miss Burns, Head of RE, explains: “This year, the campaign waslaunched to Key Stage 3 pupils and, thanks to their overwhelmingly kind response, we were able tosend off 264 shoeboxes. Those who would not have ordinarily received a gift at Christmas will nowbe able to experience the joy of opening a Christmas present this year. A whole-hearted thank youto all who contributed to the appeal.”

RAISING CONCERNOn Wednesday 26 October 2016, four Year 13 students engaged in Youth Ambassador Training withCONCERN.  Accompanied by Miss Burns, Head of RE, Hugh McKenna, Caoimhe McKay, Ciara Cassidyand Conall Devlin travelled to Limavady to participate in the training event which focused on public speaking, event management and presentation skills. Having successfully completed training, students successfully launched the #SMGCONCERN Fast Campaign within the school at the beginning of November.

IN A SPIN AND GOING FASTOn Thursday 24 November 2016, the whole school community united in a joint fundraisingeffort to support Concern Worldwide. Each Year Group selected a fasting activity and soughtsponsorship for their efforts. Year 8 pupils fasted from bad attitudes while Year 10 fastedfrom behaviour points. Girls in Year 12 gave up make-up and cosmetics for the day and Year 11 went on a ‘digital detox’. Year 9 pupils took to the grounds of the school to do a littersweep as part of their fast from litter. Year 13 and Year 14 students, along with Miss Burns,Mrs Higgins and the Senior House Master and Mistress for each Pastoral House, took the leadin organising the ‘Go Fast Spin for Syria, Lift for Lebanon’ spinathon. Staff and students allbecame involved in what was a high energy day. St. Mary’s also welcomed a film crew tocapture footage of the fundraising event which will be used by Concern Worldwide to promotethe work of the charity and encourage future fundraising efforts.

THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD On Tuesday 29 November 2016, the RE Department launched the 2016/17 Pope John Paul II Award programme to Year 13 students. Through the Pope John Paul II Award, young people are enabledto take an active part in the life of their Church, in the life of their community and society and also become more aware of the teaching and role of the Catholic Church in the world. With over 60students leaving the launch with applications, it is hoped that this group of young people will follow in the footsteps of current Year 14 students who are in the final stages of completing the award.

A WHOLE NEW WAY OF LIFE To celebrate the end of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, between 14 – 18 November 2016 House Assemblies took place based on the theme, ‘Mercy is a Whole New Way of Life’. Pope Francis believes that‘Mercy’ is at the very heart of the Christian faith and encourages us to make ‘Mercy’ the cornerstone of the life and mission of the Church.  He calls us to open “our hearts to a hope of being lovedforever despite our sinfulness”. Mercy gives us the courage to repent and empowers us to change our lives. We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenityand peace.  Pope Francis wishes that all Christian people rediscover “the Corporal and Spiritual works of Mercy”. “It will be a way to reawaken our conscience, too often grown dull in the face ofpoverty.” For centuries, Christian people have shown mercy in two ways: by attending to people’s physical and emotional needs, and by offering moral and spiritual guidance. The House Assemblyreflected upon the Corporal Works of Mercy to help promote the various charitable and fundraising events that took place in St. Mary’s during November and December.

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLEThe 2016-17 Eco-Schools Committee was formed in September 2016 and, since then, the group has been busy promoting environmental awareness within the school. As well as the ongoing focus onreducing litter and saving energy, the Eco-Schools Committee has been involved in three main projects this term. Firstly, the school’s greenhouse has been prepared for the planting season. Secondly,as the cold weather approached in November, the Science Club and Eco-Schools Committee worked together to make ‘bird cake’ which was distributed around the grounds of the school, including theHouse Garden, in the hope that this effort will entice the birds back to our school following their absence as a result of the work in developing our new school extension. Finally, in December, thisyear’s ‘Cash for Clobber’ initiative was launched to promote the recycling of old clothes.

CAMBRIDGE CHEMISTRY CHALLENGECongratulations to Year 14 students who were successful in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge.Emma Boyle, Daniel Bradley, Sarah Downey, Shania O’Boyle and Ellen Skelly each achieved theCopper Award in this prestigious competition. Organised by Cambridge University, the ChemistryChallenge requires students to complete a ninety minute written examination with the aim ofstretching and challenging students in all aspects of A-Level Chemistry.

CHEMISTRY AT WORK EVENTOn Tuesday 22 November 2016, a group of Year 12 students attended the Chemistry at Work Exhibition at Queen’s University in Belfast.

BUDDING LINGUISTSOn Tuesday 27 September 2016, Year 13 and Year 14 language students visited Holy FamilyPrimary School to teach French, Irish and Spanish to Primary 3 - Primary 7 pupils to markEuropean Day of Languages. The Sixth Form students were extremely keen to take part in thisproject, and for many it was actually an opportunity to return to their former primary school. The lesson topics ranged from ‘colours’ to ‘animals’ and lots of careful planning was involved.The primary pupils thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to learn a new language anddemonstrated great enthusiasm and confidence. The “new teachers” were rewarded for theirefforts with some well-deserved treats, provided by the primary school at the end of their lessons.

I’M A FRENCH STUDENT… GET ME OUT OF HERE!On Friday 25 November 2016, 28 courageous Year 10 pupils faced their own ‘bush tucker trial’ as they undertook to eat snails for charity. Motivated by their interest and curiosity in French cuisine, pupils tasted delicious molluscs in the Home Economics Department in the presence of their French teachers, Miss Venot and Miss MacOscar, and Miss Hagan, who also took part inthe challenge.

THE BIG PICTUREBuilding contractors, Connolly and Fee, launched an art competition for Key Stage 3 pupils. The competition invited pupils to create a suitable design for a mural representing life in St. Mary’s for display on the temporary hoarding at the front of the school as building work on the new school extension takes place. The winner of the competition was Year 9 pupil, EmmaMeeke, whose design was judged to reflect both the breadth of the St. Mary’s pupil experience and the spirit of the school community. Emma received a prize of £100 from Connolly and Fee for her excellent design. Meanwhile, Carla Doherty, also in Year 9, was named runner-up in thecompetition. On Saturday 1 October 2016, both girls, along with some Year 12 pupils and Artand Design staff, came together to complete the painting of the mural. Professional mural artists,Jamie Harper and Ed Reynolds, were on hand to provide technical training in mural painting. The final mural is now on display at the front entrance of the school.

WORK OF ARTOn Friday 28 October 2016, AS Art and Design students visited the 135th Royal Ulster AcademyArt Exhibition at the Ulster Museum in Belfast. The students firstly viewed the superb and variedrange of contemporary Fine Art on display in the exhibition and then met with the EducationManager, Colleen Waters, to get advice on how to arrange a professional art exhibition and avariety of textile techniques and approaches used in fashion design over the years. Students also visited Gormley’s Fine Art Gallery and the Emer Gallery in Belfast to view the work ondisplay. It was a very interesting and valuable activity that the students will remember and from which they have taken great inspiration.

ART ATTACKOn Thursday 27 October 2016, former pupil of St. Mary’s,Ciara Hampsey, visited the Art Department to deliver aHalloween special effects make-up workshop. More than 60 pupils from Year 10 - Year 14 enthusiastically took part in the exciting event which included a demonstration by Ciara as well as the opportunity to experiment with thegruesome special effects techniques themselves.

Art and Design student, Cassie Ni Chathain, commented: “This workshop showed us a different and often unseen aspect of Art and Design and we thoroughly enjoyed it!”

THE ROAD AHEADOn Tuesday 22 November 2016, Year 14 students had the opportunity to attend a hard-hittingand thought-provoking demonstration and presentation on Road Safety delivered by membersof the local Emergency Services. The purpose of the event was to promote safe driving habitsamong young people as they become drivers and to highlight the potential consequences ofdriver carelessness in an effort to reduce road traffic accidents.

SO TO SPEAKOn 17 November 2016, three students - Orla Mallon, Laura Kane and Lottie Kelly -participatedin the Soroptimist International public speaking competition in Ballycastle. Each girl deliveredher speech with great zest and enthusiasm and all pupils were highly praised for theirperformances. Orla Mallon was awarded Second Place for her speech entitled, “Living to 100 - Good or Bad?” She was commended for her natural delivery, originality of topic andher fervent humour throughout. All three were wonderful ambassadors for St. Mary's and a great night was had by all.

READING REALLY IS THE BEST MEDICINEOn Monday 12 September 2016, Year 8 pupils welcomedlocal author, Christine Hamill, to St. Mary’s library. Pupils had the opportunity to listen to Christine readingextracts from her recent novel, The Best Medicine, and toask questions about what it was like to be a publishedauthor. Year 8 pupil, Katie-Mae McCloskey, commented:“It was an inspirational morning and I really enjoyedreading the book as it was so funny. It was also exciting to meet a real-life author!” Charley Nicholas (8D) was the lucky winner of the free copy of The Best Medicine.

THE BURIAL AT THEBESOn Wednesday 5 October 2016, Year 14 English Literature students travelled to the Theatre-at-the-Mill in Newtownabbey to see a production of Seamus Heaney’s The Burial at Thebes. The tragic drama, a translation of Sophocles’ Antigone, is one of the set texts studied by students as part of the A2 course. The production featured Year 14 English Literature student, Clodagh Martin, in the role of Ismene.

ON THE RIGHT PATHCareers Education continues to be an important focus in St. Mary’s, ensuring that pupils makeinformed choices about future courses and career pathways. Throughout the first term, manyevents were organised by the Careers Department to support pupils in making important career decisions.

At the beginning of September, Year 14 students had the opportunity to attend an Open Day at Queen’s University, Belfast and Ulster University. On Monday 12 September, forty Year 13students attended the Altnagelvin Hospital Health Fair. On Wednesday 23 November 2016, Year 14 students took part in the school’s annual Mock Interview Evening. A special word ofthanks is offered to our guest interviewers for the evening who gave so generously of the timeand expertise in providing such a valuable learning experience for students. On Monday 28 November 2016, Year 13 students attended the University Road Show which visited St. Mary’s for the morning

STUDY SKILLS WORKSHOPOn Tuesday 6 December 2016,  Year 12 pupils took part in a Study Skills workshop to launch their revision for the MockExaminations in January 2017.  The workshop was presented by Young Enterprise and focused on individual learning styles to allow students to maximise their performance.  We wish them success in the forthcoming examinations!   

RCUK SCIENCE EVENTOn 1 December 2016, 17 Year 10 pupils joined 55 other pupils from across the MLP at Queen’sUniversity, Belfast to celebrate the culmination of the three-year RCUK / SUPI initiative betweenQueen’s University and MLP schools. The RCUK / SUPI programme aims to foster links between localschools and motivate young people to aspire to university study. Over the three years, MLP pupilshave worked with members of the Biomedical Science Department, the Pharmacy Department, theElectrical Engineering and Computer Science Department, the Law Department and the DramaDepartment at Queen’s University, to name but a few. At the celebration event, the results of a poster competition were announced and St. Mary’s pupils swept the board. Lile Keenan and BethDixon were highly commended for their posters in the Technology and Communication category.Meanwhile, in the Pharmacy: Drug Development from Concept to Clinic category, Helen Dohertyachieved Third Place, Erin Forbes secured Second Place and Rory Harman won First Place. Well done to everyone involved.

KARATE KIDSBetween 23 – 28 November 2016, two St. Mary’s pupils competed in the European Shotokan Karate-Do Championships. Havingbeen selected to represent Northern Ireland in the event, siblings Kevin Diamond (Year 12) and Laura Diamond (Year 11), travelledto Chalkida in Greece to participate in the competition. Kevin competed in the Cadet Men Kumite and Cadet Men Kata categories,while Laura competed in the Children’s Female Kata and Children’s Female Kumite categories. Participation in this competition was a huge sporting accomplishment for Kevin and Laura who have to undertake two squad selections each year to obtain a placeon the team and who train at least four times per week to sustain such a high standard of karate.

PLAY IT AGAINOn 1 December 2016, world concert pianist, Ruth McGinley, visited the Music Department and gave an inspiring pianomaster class to Year 11 and Year 12 GCSE Music students.  Three Year 12 students - Katherine Shields, Aoife Mulvenna andCatriona O’Neill - performed a variety of pieces for her and were guided through the importance of communicating a storyor emotion to an audience. Ruth worked with each girl in turn, paying particular attention to one aspect of their chosenpiece. She also discussed her life as a concert pianist, including the challenges she faced and how she overcame thedifficulties of always having to be ‘perfect’. 

Ruth was most recently seen performing in the Last Night of the Proms concert at the Titanic Slipway in Belfast and has justlaunched her own album.

SILVER DUKE OF EDINBURGH EXPEDITIONBetween 22 – 24 September 2016, a group of Year 14 students completed their qualifying Silver Duke of Edinburgh expedition in the Mourne Mountains.

AS MAGILLIGAN TRIPOn Tuesday 4 October 2016, Year 13 Geography students participated in a visit to Magilligan Field Centre.

PERSONAL ECONOMICSOn Wednesday 1 December 2016, Year 11 pupils took part in the Young Enterprise Personal Economics Programme.

UNDER THE SEAOn Thursday 22 September 2016, Year 13 Biology students participated in a field trip to PortaferrySeashore and the Exploris Aquarium.

MACRORY CUP CAMPAIGNOur MacRory Cup squad had a fairly positive start to the 2016/17 season, qualifying for the next round of the MacRory Cup in January, but just missing out on qualification for the McCormick Cupsemi-finals pre-Christmas.

The campaign started with a draw against Patrician High, Carrickmacross on a wintry Saturday morning in Armagh. The boys controlled most of the game but conceded second-half goals to leave withone point rather than two.

In the second group game, the boys showed some real potential as they easily defeated St. Patrick’s, Cavan in Garvaghy. This performance is sure to have raised a few eyebrows around Ulster.

Our third game, again in Garvaghy, was against one of the pre-tournament favourites, St. Colman’s Newry. The boys played brilliantly again but a couple of late errors allowed St. Colman’s to hit the net twice and salvage a draw.

Having been unbeaten and taken four points from our opening three games, we went in to our final game versus Omagh knowing we had safely managed toavoid the dreaded playoffs and qualify for the next round of the MacRory Cup, no matter what the outcome. A win, however, would see us through to aMcCormick Cup semi-final and an automatic spot in the MacRory Cup quarterfinal. Omagh, to this point, had won all three of their group games and, to ourdisappointment, they made it four from four in Augher. A sub-par performance,on top of injuries to several key players, saw us fall to our first defeat of the season and just miss out on a McCormick Cup semi-final spot.

The draw for the next round of the MacRory Cup has granted us a home gameagainst St. Michael’s, Enniskillen. This game is to be played between 25 - 29January 2017 and, even though Enniskillen would be viewed as very strongopponents, our aim is very much a place in the quarter finals.

CORN NA NÓG COMPETITIONOur Year 10 boys exited the Corn na nÓg competition at the quarter-final stage to St. Colman’s, Newry in a freezing cold day in Armagh in November. It was a slightly disappointing end tothe competition for a group which has high potential to improve as they move through the school.

After a good group stage where the boys recorded excellent wins against St. Patrick’s, Armagh and St. Michael’s, Enniskillen, and suffered their only defeat to pre-competition favouritesAbbey CBS, the boys felt confident moving in to the quarter-final game. In atrocious conditions, we had a great start, scoring two early goals, but faded as conditions deteriorated and we lost our full-back and midfielder to injury. St. Colman’s played some great football to win the game, but this group of young players certainly gave us some great moments in 2016 andoffer plenty of hope for the coming years.

LADIES’ GAELIC FOOTBALLLadies’ Gaelic Football in St. Mary’s has been going from strength to strength this year, with both the U16 and U20 teams still in the running to be crowned Ulster Champions.

After topping their group in the preliminary round of the Ulstercompetition, the U20 team are now currently preparing for the Ulster Final with an outstanding semi-final win over St. Patrick’sAcademy, Dungannon. The U16 team also topped their group and,with a great performance in the Ulster Quarter Final, they now find themselves in an Ulster Semi Final in the coming weeks. The girls have put in a great effort in all trainings, includingcollaboration fitness training with the Senior Camogie team which has been a great success. We wish both teams the best of luck in the final stages of the competition.

SUPER DAY IN CROKE PARKOn Monday 26 September 2016, a group of Year 10 boys travelled to Croke Park in Dublinto participate in the Super Games Centre Day with a focus on Gaelic Football and Hurling.

YEAR 8 GAELIC FOOTBALL SUPER LEAGUEThroughout the month of September, the Year 8 Boys’ Gaelic Football Super League took place at lunchtime. Congratulations to 8D who emerged winners having played against 8B in the final of the competition.

OISIN MCGRATH CUPOn Friday 14 October 2016, Year 8 boys travelled to the Mid-Ulster Sports Arena in Cookstown to compete in the Oisin McGrath Cup.

NUTRITION AND HYDRATION WORKSHOPOn Thursday 17 November 2016, members of the school’s senior sports teams attended an Ulster GAA workshop based on Nutrition and Hydration.

SEEING STARSCongratulations to Orlaith Prenter and Caoimhe Meeke who made it to the final thirty in the trials for 2017 Ladies’ GaelicFootball All-Stars. The girls made it through a tough round of All-Star trials during which the team was cut from two hundredpotential All-Stars to a panel of thirty. We wish both girls the best of luck on their 2017 All-Star journey.

A UNITED FRONTOn Saturday 19 November 2016, a group of 46 pupils and 6 staff attended the Manchester United V Arsenal match at Old Trafford Stadium.

MAKING A SPLASHCongratulations to the St. Mary’s swimmers who took part in the Swim Ulster Schools’ CupChampionship in Bangor on 16 October 2016. The pupils were excellent ambassadors forthe school and demonstrated accomplished swimming technique and pacing. The boys’ relay team – Luke McCann, Adam Rocks, Eoin McEvoy and Eoin Walsh – came 14th in theBreaststroke and 17th in the Front Crawl, while Ciara Malcolm finished 3rd in both finals and achieved national qualifying times in both the Breaststroke and the Individual Medley.Well done to all involved.

CHRISTMAS HAMPER APPEAL Key Stage 5 students got into the spirit of Christmas early this year by donating goods forthe St. Vincent de Paul Society's Christmas Hamper Appeal. An annual event in the school,pupils and staff responded generously to the appeal again this year and a total of 24hampers were presented to representatives from the local St. Vincent de Paul Society. The hampers will be distributed to local families in time for Christmas. Thank you toeveryone who contributed to this year's appeal.

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS As the Christmas holidays approached, pupils and staff enjoyed some festive celebrations and took a little time to reflect on the true meaning of the season. In mid-December, eachYear Group enjoyed Christmas dinner on a designated day and, on 15 December 2016, Mrs Gillespie invited all staff to Christmas dinner in Café Bordeaux. On 14 and 16 December2016, pupils and staff had the opportunity to attend the annual Carol Service in the Churchof Our Lady of the Assumption, Magherafelt which was led by Father Gates. The Music andRE Departments worked together to prepare the service which featured Christmas carols,reflections and gospel readings. Scenes from the Nativity were also presented using a series of freeze-frames.

THE MUSIC BOXOn Thursday 15 December 2016, the Senior Choir performed in The Music Box in the Waterfront Hall, Belfast alongside Peter Corry.

St. Mary’s Grammar School 3 Castledawson Road, Magherafelt, Co. Derry BT45 6AXT: 028 7963 2320 F: 028 7963 4250 E: info@stmarys.magherafelt.ni.sch.uk

2017 UPCOMING DATES7 - 14 January Year 9 Ski Trip21 January Open Morning

24 - 31 January Internal Examinations (Year 11-14)