TY Newsletter 27th April - 1st May
Leaving Certificate Reform & 5th Year Information
Welcome to our South African Exchange Students
The Secret Pizza Society: Workshops
Spiritan Global Citizenship Education (GCE) Event
Flynn Park Excursion
Gaisce Bronze Awards
Immersion Trip Raffle
Shanghai International Youth Interactive Friendship Camp, 12-22 July 2026
🎓 Looking Ahead: 5th Year & Leaving Certificate Reform
As our Transition Year comes to a close, it is time to look toward Senior Cycle. Last week, Mr. Hogan shared important information regarding the ongoing Leaving Certificate Reform and what students can expect as they enter 5th Year.
Subject Specifications: All students and parents are encouraged to visit www.curriculumonline.ie to review the new subject specifications, which detail the learning outcomes and assessment structures for the coming years.
Reform Updates: Information on the phased changes to the Leaving Certificate can be found in the PDF document linked here:
🇿🇦 A Warm Welcome to St Alban’s, Pretoria
We are delighted to extend a very special welcome to our South African Exchange students who arrive in Ireland this Wednesday. This marks the second year of our partnership with St Alban’s College and we are very happy to continue what is becoming a pillar of our TY programme. We look forward to seeing our students and their South African counterparts learn from one another over the coming weeks.
🍕 The Secret Pizza Society: Workshops
Get ready for dough-tossing and wood-fired flavours! The Secret Pizza Society is hosting making (and eating!) workshops in the Assembly Hall this week.
Date | Classes / Groups | Venue |
Monday, 27th April | ||
8:45am - 9:25am | All TYs | Assembly Hall |
9:30am - 11:40am | 4.4 | Assembly Hall |
11:40am - 1:40am | 4.5 | Assembly Hall |
Tuesday, 28th April |
| |
8:45am - 10:45am | 4.1 | Assembly Hall |
11am - 1pm | 4.2 | Assembly Hall |
Thursday, 30th April | ||
8:45am - 10:45am | 4.3 & South African Exchange Students | TBC |
Note: All students participating in the upcoming Immersion Trip are scheduled to attend on either Monday or Tuesday.
🌍 Spiritan Global Citizenship Education (GCE) Event
Thursday, 30th April | 9:45am - 2:30pm | Assembly Hall
STMC is proud to host this year’s GCE event, welcoming delegations from all Spiritan schools. This is a significant opportunity for our students to engage with global justice and social entrepreneurship. We are honored to host the following keynote speakers:
Deirbhile Craven: Trócaire Global Justice
John O’Shea: Founder and former CEO of GOAL & Social Entrepreneurship (35 years of leadership).
Louise Quill: CEO of Tír na nÓg.
Our Immersion Trip participants will be representing the school during the proceedings; we wish them the very best. A massive thank you to Mr. Doolan for his hard work in coordinating this prestigious event.
🧗 Flynn Park Excursion
Friday, 1st May
All TYs will head to Flynn Park for a day of water park obstacles and paintballing.
Departure: 8:30am SHARP from the Ailesbury Road Gate.
Gear: Please ensure students have appropriate clothing for both water activities and outdoor sports.
🏅 Gaisce Bronze Awards
Congratulations to those who have completed their Gaisce Bronze Challenge. To finalize your award, please drop your completed record sheets into my office.
Submission Deadline: Wednesday, 13th May.
Forms: If you require a replacement record sheet, please click the link located at the bottom of the school website's homepage.
🎟️ Immersion Trip Raffle: Signed Memorabilia
Tickets for the Immersion Trip Raffle are officially on sale this week! This is a vital fundraiser for our upcoming travel, and we have some truly fantastic prizes up for grabs, including:
A signed Leinster URC Winner.
Asigned 6Natiobs Maych Play Ball signed by Caelan Doris.
Tickets can be purchased throughout the week. We encourage everyone to support this worthy cause as our students prepare for their journey and work toward their fundraising goals.
TY Immersion Trip 20th Anniversary & SOS Children’s Village Appeal
Dear Parents,
As we prepare for our departure to Mauritius and Réunion Island on May 17th, we are marking a very special milestone: 20 years of TY Immersion Trips at St. Michael’s College.
I have attached a letter detailing our upcoming visit to SOS Children’s Villages Mauritius.
Beyond our Spiritan projects, we are fundraising and collecting essential supplies to hand-deliver to the children in the village. A "wish list" of needed items (School supplies, clothing, and musical instruments) is detailed in the attached letter. All donations can be dropped into the Chaplains Office in school.
We would be deeply grateful for any support you can provide to help us make this anniversary trip truly impactful for the local community.
Sincere thanks,
Oliver Doolan
St. Michael’s College
☝️☝️ Wonderful gift - STMC Phone Card holder handy for Leap Card & Revolut ☝️ ☝️
€5 for Immersion Fund.
All funds go to Spiritan Primary School for Deaf Children in Tanzania and SOS Children Villages Charity in Mauritius.
🇨🇳Shanghai International Youth Interactive Friendship Camp, 12-22 July 2026
We have an exciting opportunity coming up this summer.
We've been invited to send a group of five STMC students (aged 14-18) to the Shanghai International Youth Interactive Friendship Camp, taking place from 12-22 July 2026 in Shanghai, China. The camp is now in its 20th year and brings together young people from countries all over the world.
Over the ten days, students will be visiting landmarks like the Oriental Pearl Tower, taking a day trip to Suzhou, spending time with a local host family and taking part in cultural activities and group projects with fellow campers. Board, accommodation and local transport in Shanghai are fully covered - the only expense is the flights that will be confirmed next week in relation to costs. A teacher from St Michael's College will chaperone the group.
This is a genuinely great chance to travel, meet people from different backgrounds and experience life in one of the world's most interesting cities.
Please note that this is an expression of interest and that the TY criteria of selection for trips will apply for the final group who can access the expression interest form on Google classroom.
A copy of the invitation letter can be found here:
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