Loreto Rumbek Newsletter
Tuesday, March 07, 2017 in Loreto News, Social & Political
MUN Report by Caitríona O’Sullivan
Monday, April 11, 2016 in Loreto News, Students, Parents, Social & Political
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On the 21st of March till the 24th we, a group of 21 from fourth and fifth years, took part in the St Andrew's International Model United Nations in the Royal Marine Hotel. We had been preparing for the MUN conference for about a month meeting at lunch and after school to discuss our committees and the question we had chosen within these committees. We were all allocated a country which we were going to be an ambassador of and then a committee which we would represent our country in. We were given a choice of questions from which we were to choose one. We each had to come up with a resolution for our question which we would then bring to MUN and merge it with other resolutions that other students from other schools in Ireland and around the world had written.
On the first day we had the opening ceremony which consisted of a few speeches and then we were let off for lunch. After lunch we were assigned our committee rooms where we were divided up into our questions. Everyone within their groups merged their resolutions with other countries that their own country agreed with. For example the USA and Russia would tend not to merge as their governments would usually have very different views on how a country should be governed but countries such as France would merge with Italy as they are known as allies. We spent a long time merging our resolutions, taking the best operative clauses from everyone's own resolution to make one comprehensive and detailed resolution. We all really enjoyed merging our resolutions as we all got to know lots of different students in the process. Our day finished at half four with everyone's resolution merged and written up.
Our day on the 22nd began at half eight when we went straight to our committee rooms where we began our debates on our resolutions. The debates consisted of the main submitter reading the beginning of the resolution and then taking any questions the rest of the 'floor' may have. The chairs, which were the people who governed the debate usually allowed for three questions. Then anyone who wishes can take the podium to speak about the resolution and can also submit amendments to alter or add a clause to the resolution to make further improvements. After a few speakers on the amendment the floor votes on whether they will pass the amendment or not. The debate then goes back into discussions on the resolution as a whole and more amendments can be submitted. After about an hour or so of debate the resolution is finally voted on to see if it has passed or not. This was repeated for a couple of resolutions and took up the whole day.
Wednesday consisted of more debates on the resolutions and the day finished with a fun hour with our chairs where we played a game of “Take Me Out” which was a lot of fun.
On the last day we arrived at half eight where we gathered for General Assembly. General Assembly was basically the same thing as the debating but just on a larger scale. They debated one resolution from each committee and then one resolution that the chairs had written taking a bit of each resolution on human rights which was mainly about the crisis of the Syrian refugee crisis. This went on for the most part of the day until we had our closing ceremony at four o'clock.
On Thursday evening we had our MUN disco in the hotel which was lots of fun and we all thoroughly really enjoyed it.
Overall we all had an amazing time at MUN. Although at first it seemed a bit daunting as most of us had never done anything like it before we really benefited from it. It was an experience that we will never forget and we all hope to take part in MUN again next year.
Solidarité Avec Paris
Tuesday, November 24, 2015 in Loreto News, Students, Parents, Social & Political
To show our solidarity with the people of Paris and France, the 3rd Year French class has made this poster for the Social Justice Wall. All Students and Staff are invited to sign this poster on the Science Corridor.
4T Grandparents’ Mass 27th April 2015
Tuesday, May 05, 2015 in Loreto News, Students, Parents, Social & Political
Enjoy the video by Ms. Travers of 4T at the Grandparents' Mass on 27th April 2015.
Grandparents’ Mass
Thursday, April 30, 2015 in Loreto News, Parents, Social & Political
The 4B, 4M and 4T classes held their Grandparents' Mass this week. The grandparents had a wonderful time visiting the school and celebrating this special occasion with their granddaughters. Thanks to everyone who worked together to make this such a memorable occasion for all involved. A special thanks to Ms Travers, Ms McTaggart and our celebrant, Father Paddy Boyle.
Model United Nations
Wednesday, April 15, 2015 in Loreto News, Social & Political
This year, over the first week of the Easter holidays, nearly forty students from Fourth and Fifth year participated in the St Andrew's International Model United Nations, which was held in the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire. MUN aims to be a simulation of the real United Nations - complete with Security Council, General Assembly, as well as a wide range of other committees - where students can come together and share their enthusiasm for politics, diplomacy, international affairs and help to produce solutions to some of the greatest problems facing our world today. The ambition behind MUN is to encourage young people to speak out on world issues and to submit and discuss their own ideas and thoughts, to help combat these problems.
We represented six different countries: Georgia, South Africa, Rwanda, Kenya, Egypt and the Maldives. This year six students completed their second conference, taking on special roles as ambassadors, with over thirty getting involved for the first time. The conference welcomed nearly 700 delegates from twenty different countries around the world, and we spent the week engaging in insightful and fruitful debate, regarding issues such as government surveillance, state-sponsored paramilitary groups, child marriage and climate change, to name but a few. As always, this year's MUN proved to be another wonderful, and invaluable, experience and, despite some nerves in the days beforehand, all of our preparation over the past few months certainly paid off.
MUN is undoubtedly an incredible activity to take part in, from the research required beforehand, to the adoption of views and perspectives other than one's own, to the countless life-long friends you make from around the world each year and, perhaps finally, that final satisfaction of raising your placard and knowing you helped in creating a resolution that made it to the General Assembly. And so, after our unforgettable experiences at Model United Nations, perhaps we can finish knowing that one day, we can do the same at the real United Nations.
S. Fynes
Walk for Water
Monday, April 13, 2015 in Loreto News, Students, Parents, Social & Political
On Thursday 26th March, 43 girls from 4th, 5th and 6th year, along with 4 teachers, took part in the annual International Walk for Water. The group met at the Dodder in Rathfarnham, armed with rucksacks, buckets and banners! We drew some water from the river and at 08:45, commenced our 6km journey to school.
Our route took us in the direction of Harold’s Cross bridge where, in what has become a tradition, we met Anne Cleary, Executive Director of Aidlink. Our connection with Aidlink began about 4 years ago as part of our preparation for an Immersion Experience in Kenya.
Aidlink is an NGO working in Kenya, Uganda and Ghana, and its focus is to support basic needs programmes such as Water and Sanitation, Education, Food security and Healthcare.
Our walk to school was not a fundraiser, but rather an effort to:
1. Be in solidarity with the thousands of girls in sub- Saharan Africa who walk up to 6km a day in search of water, thus forfeiting the chance of an education. (Women are also expected to do 90% of domestic work.)
2. Acknowledge that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential to the realisation of all human rights.
On arrival in school shortly after 10:00, we deposited the water in the shrubs, flowers and plants in the carpark.
We felt all the better for our energetic and hopefully, thought- provoking, start to the day!
Easter Egg Collection for SVP
Friday, March 27, 2015 in Loreto News, Social & Political
Mission Possible, the Junior social justice group in our school, have been busy all week collecting Easter eggs. Everyone has been so generous in contributing to this collection. The eggs will be brought to the SVP head office and then distributed to deserving children around the city. SVP hope to collect a total of 5,000 Easter eggs during this campaign and our staff and students have certainly helped to meet that target.
Mass to celebrate Opening of Academic Year
Monday, October 06, 2014 in Loreto News, Parents, Social & Political
Opening of the Academic Year Mass
The annual Mass to celebrate the beginning of the academic year was held in St. Teresa’s Church, Clarendon Street, on Tuesday 23rd September. The theme for the mass was “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire!”
Opening reflection for the new school year
What will this year bring?
We do not know;
It will bring its usual times of work and play,
Experiences of success and failure,
All the things that are part of School life.
It is a new beginning;
The planting of a seed that will grow for a year,
The seed of fruit that will blossom in times to come.
It is a new hope;
Hope for good work, for successful results,
For friendship, for fun, for learning.
In this coming year, may there be learning, prayer and fun.
May there be hard work, faith and friendship.
May no one in this School be lonely;
May no one experience hardship from others.
We might feel a bit afraid of the coming year,
Especially if it’s an exam year or if we are new to the School.
Some of us may feel very confident and glad to start again.
No matter what, we ask God for his help in the coming year.
Folk Mass
Monday, October 06, 2014 in Loreto News, Parents, Social & Political
The first Folk Mass of the academic year took place on Saturday evening, 4 October in the school Assembly Hall. Our celebrant, Fr. Christopher Clarke O.C.D, provided us with a beautiful mass and plenty of food for thought. Well done to everyone involved for contributing to the liturgy in such a prayerful way.
'Folk Group' meet every Thursday at 12:25 until 1pm in the Assembly Hall. Students from all year groups can join and new members are always welcome.
The next Folk Mass is on Saturday the 6th of December at 18:30 in the Assembly Hall and all are welcome.
Morning Prayer
Wednesday, October 01, 2014 in Loreto News, Students, Social & Political
Morning Prayer takes place in the school Oratory every Friday from 8:30-8:45am. It is an opportunity for some quiet prayer and reflection. Everyone is very welcome.
Ice Bucket Challenge
Friday, September 05, 2014 in Loreto News, Social & Political
