Irish-exempt students sit for other languages [IrishTimes]
- Published: 14 April 2010
MORE THAN half of the students granted an exemption from studying Irish for the Leaving Certificate due to a learning difficulty over the last three years have sat or intend to sit other European language exams such as French or German, data from the Department of Education shows.
Provisional figures of this year’s crop of Leaving Certificate students show 2,297 students will not sit the Irish exam due to an exemption, but 1,326 of those intend to sit an exam in another European language.
In the 2008-2009 school year, 2,119 pupils were granted an exemption from taking Irish due to learning disabilities, but more than 1,200 studied another European language. In the 2007-2008 school year, 1,772 students got a similar exemption. The figures show 1,210 studied other European languages over the period.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
County Colours Sports Day Appeal for the ISPCC
- Published: 13 April 2010
RAISE FUNDS FOR YOUR SCHOOL & THE ISPCC
WHAT:
Allow your pupils to wear their county colours to school on sports day for a suggested donation of €2 each.
Each school keeps 50% of the total funds raised for their own school fund and returns the remaining 50% to the ISPCC.
All participating schools will receive a quantity of special jersey shaped badges in the chosen county colours (1 per pupil). In addition the school will receive an ISPCC sports day trophy which can be awarded to a pupil on the day, or kept for the school.
WHEN:
The campaign will run throughout May and June when school sports days normally take place.
HOW:
- Register your interest by calling 1850 50 40 50 or email countycolours@ispcc.ie
- We will send you a fundraising pack, with hints and tips for your sports day and the quantity of badges you require for your school.
- After we receive 50% of the funds raised, we will send all schools a certificate of participation, and a thank you letter.
Brian Cody, Manager of the Kilkenny hurling team is proudly supporting this appeal and said: “This is a great idea and I am delighted to lend my support to this appeal. I would encourage all schools to get behind this – everybody is a winner in this appeal”.
Teachers call for calm over Phoebe death [herald.ie]
- Published: 13 April 2010
TEACHERS at the US school were Phoebe Prince was bullied to death claim the media's "nasty tone" has worsened the situation.
As calls mounted for officials in South Hadley High School in Massachusetts to make a full statement on the tragic case, the head of a teachers' union has defended their actions.
President of the South Hadley Education Association, Bill O'Neil has blamed newspapers for having "painted a picture of South Hadley High School as a school out of control -- a place where everyone knew of the bullying and no one did anything about it".
"That image is just plain wrong," he said.
Full Story: www.herald.ie
Schools are being “ripped off” by gas bills [educationmatters.ie]
- Published: 13 April 2010
Schools are being charged one-third more for gas than they should be because they are treated as businesses, Fine Gael TD Brian Hayes says.
No distinction is being made between schools and businesses when it comes to the price of gas, Fine Gael education spokesperson Brian Hayes has pointed out.
Deputy Hayes has called on the Commission for Energy Regulation to immediately review the charging structure for gas in schools.
Full Story: www.educationmatters.ie
Exempt students study other languages [IrishTimes]
- Published: 13 April 2010
More than half of the students granted an exemption from studying Irish for the Leaving Certificate due to a learning difficulty over the last three years have sat or intend to sit other European language exams such as French or German, data from the Department of Education shows.
The figures show 2,119 pupils were granted an exemption from taking Irish in the 2008-2009 school year due to learning disabilities, but more than 1,200 studied another European language.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
