Activities for Students in St. Mary's
School Events & Activities
The school holds a number of events throughout the year. These include
- Maths Week
- Science Week
- Well being week
- Anti Bullying week
- Book week
- Active Week
- Sports day
- Grand parents’ day
- Seachtain na Gaeilge
- Engineering week
- Library visits
- Halloween walk
- Cinema trip
- A range of sporting events ( please see our sports tab)
There are also a range of activities that take place in the school. These include:
Choir
The school choir is conducted by teachers Paula Nugent, Lisa Hogan and Gillian Kenny. The choir practice every Friday from January to April in preparation for our Confirmation ceremony and other school events throughout the year.
Green school activities
The Green Schools Committee recruits two people from each class at the beginning of the school year. The Committee gets involved in lots of activities throughout the year including inspecting class bins, eco-travel, school clean ups and much, much more. We’re working on our Biodiversity Flag this year and will have lots of activities and projects out in the school garden to promote wild habitats and biodiversity for native Irish species. Committee meetings are held throughout the school term facilitated by Ms Beaubien & Ms Nelson. For more information please see our Green school’s tab.
Quiz
The school takes part in the Credit union and Community games quiz events each year. Trials take place on Fridays in school and are open to all year groups. From these trials teams of four are selected to represent the school in U11 & U 13 categories.
After school activities:
Wellbeing Warriors
Wellbeing Warriors is an afterschool club facilitated by Ms. Kenny and Ms. Fleming. Our aim is to ensure that pupils in St. Mary’s SNS feel safe and happy in school .
Our mission is to share a positive outlook, build confidence and spread kindness around our school community. This is a fantastic opportunity for your child to become a champion of their own wellbeing through a variety of strategies such as circle time activities, meditation, art, drama and social skills in a safe and nurturing environment each MONDAY after school (2:30pm-3:30pm) for 6 weeks for each year group.
Olympic Handball
Training takes place for boys and girls from 6th classes, every Wednesday from November to April with Ms Hogan & Ms Nugent. We compete in the South Dublin Olympic Handball League. For more information please see our Sports tab.
Music
Lessons take place Tuesday afternoons from 2.30 – 6pm with Mr. Terry Clancy. All details and contact information is available from the school.
Basketball
Basketball lessons take place after school with Mr. Lenny McMillan from 2.45 to 3.45. All contact details and information is available from the school office.
The Gardening Club
The Gardening Club is organised by Ms Beaubien & Ms Lojek. It takes place every Tuesday from 2.40-3.40. It is a great way for children to get out into the school garden for lots of fun projects and activities. We will be planting vegetables and flowers throughout the year with different projects each term. It’s a great way to learn about nature and gardening, both indoor and outdoor through fun hands on activities.
Indoor Soccer
The indoor soccer competition is open to all pupils from 3rd to 6th classes. Matches take place on Thursday afternoons from 2.40 to 3.20 commencing January to June. For further information please see our Sports tab.
Maths Club
Maths club is open to students from 3rd to 6th classes. Classes are held weekly from 2.30- 3.30 and each year group works for a five week block. Third & fourth class commence their sessions in September and fifth & sixth class in November. These blocks are then repeated in the spring and summer terms. Each week children focus on a different topic to develop and reinforce mathematical skills (through written work, enjoyable interactive whiteboard activities, number fans and maths games for each topic). It is a fun way to develop mathematical skills for all students. For more information please contact the school.
Homework Club
St. Mary’s Homework Club takes place after school on Mondays to Thursdays from 2.30pm-3.30pm. It provides children with the opportunity to complete their homework in a quiet and structured environment. While also offering help and assistance to any children who may find some of their homework a little challenging. It is organised by Ms. E Murphy and Ms. P Nugent and runs from September to June each year. For more information please contact the school.
After School Yoga Classes
Practicing yoga is important for children for many of the same reasons it is important for adults. Yoga helps children to relax, relieve stress and anxiety, sleep better, improve emotional regulation, increase empathy, and improve mood and well-being.
Here Are 9 Amazing Benefits of Yoga for Children:
1. Yoga Improves Memory and Cognitive Functioning
When children practice yoga, they are essentially practicing their ability to focus on the task at hand. In their day-to-day lives, this translates to better concentration and cognitive functioning at school.
2. Yoga Improves Social Relationships
Yoga for children typically includes songs, games, and other fun activities that get kids moving together and learning from one another, particularly with partner yoga poses. This creates a positive, engaging environment in which kids can have fun, talk to one another, and learn to trust one another.
Yoga also promotes increased self-esteem, self-confidence and empathy within children – which translates to more positive relationships with others by reflecting their positive attitude toward themselves onto others.
3. Yoga Improves Sleep
Practicing yoga helps children to relieve stress by using their breathing to calm the mind and the nervous system. The physical practice of yoga also helps to relieve tension and release negative emotions held physically in the body, helping them to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
4. Yoga Improves Strength and Breath Control
Yoga takes some strength – both mentally and physically. When practiced regularly, we notice many physical and cognitive changes within ourselves, particularly increased flexibility, improved body strength, and mental clarity. All of this newfound strength has much to do with the breath.
Learning effective breathing techniques and building physical & mental strength from a young age helps to reduce the chances of obesity as well as increases self-esteem, self-confidence, and improves overall well-being.
5. Yoga Increases Determination and Perseverance
Yoga is a fun activity for children, in a non-competitive environment, in which they can learn new yoga poses and breathing techniques. When something is fun for children, they always want to know more and really love conquering the more difficult poses.
6. Yoga Improves Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is the ability to recognise and adjust your behaviour, thoughts, and emotions based on the situation at hand. Yoga offers many tools for developing life skills such as awareness and control in children.
7. Yoga Improves Independence and Coping Skills
It is important that children learn how to be independent and cope on their own while they have support and guidance from those around them. Through the practice of yoga, they will develop coping skills, like calmness of mind and clarity of thinking to help them navigate the world independently as they grow into young adults.
8. Yoga Improves Mood
Like any physical exercise, practicing yoga helps children to release their negative thoughts and feelings, bring about mental clarity, and feel better about themselves. When we do something physical, such as yoga, we release endorphins, creating feelings of calm and happiness.
9. Yoga Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Improving mood also means reducing stress and anxiety levels. Those same endorphins that increase mood will also reduce stress and anxiety in children and allow them to feel calm and in control, not overwhelmed by their emotions.
All these benefits make it clear that yoga can play an important role in our children’s physical and mental well-being, now and into their futures.
For more information on yoga classes at St. Mary’s Senior National School, contact Tracey at (087) 7937118
