Dear Parents and Students,
Christmas Wishes from GCC
With Christmas just around the corner, all in GCC extend holiday greetings to our students, staff, parents and all your families. We wish all who are part of our GCC school community, a peaceful and restful Christmas break and a prosperous New Year filled with happiness and opportunity. We are as always grateful for the unstinting support of our parents, our GCC Parents’ Council as well as our GCC Board of Management for their invaluable guidance in ensuring the smooth and effective running of our school.
A special word of thanks goes to our exceptional support staff – our SNAs, office personnel, cleaning, and caretaking teams – who work tirelessly behind the scenes to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all our students. As always we acknowledge our wonderful teaching staff who go above and beyond to put the best interests of students first and create a truly positive and impactful learning experience. We are incredibly fortunate to work with such dedicated and talented staff in GCC and the school continues to flourish, year after year, thanks to the invaluable contributions of the exceptional people in our school.
We wish you and your families a well deserved break over Christmas and look forward to returning in the New Year rejuvenated and ready to take on the positive challenges ahead in 2025. We will see you all on Monday 6 January 2025!
GCC Board of Management Monday 16 December 2024 – Agreed Report
Please click on the link to view the Agreed Report from our GCC BOM meeting last Monday 16 December 2024.
Agreed Report for the BOM Meeting Monday 16 December 2024
GCC Student Blackrock Castle Observatory Exhibition
Congratulations to GCC 5th Year student Lucas Twomey Gracia (Rang Tara) who has had an exhibition in the run up to Christmas at Blackrock Castle Observatory. His exhibition entitled ‘A Brief History of lighting’ looked at how lighting can be separated into many different formats and types with a huge variety of applications from safety to science, photography to astronomy and how technology has changed them. Please click on the link below to view:
https://www.bco.ie/exhibitions-events/the-history-of-lighting/
DARE and HEAR National Information Day Saturday 11 January 2025
Our GCC Guidance Department is delighted to see the return of our in-person DARE and HEAR Information Day, taking place in Devere Hall UCC on January 11th from 10 am – 2 pm. Munster Technological University (MTU) will partner with University College Cork (UCC) staff at Devere Hall. These events give DARE and HEAR applicants a chance to meet one-on-one with DARE and HEAR Practitioners, ask questions about their application and gain insights into the kind of supports their local college or university provides for students who apply to DARE or HEAR. No registration is needed for this event. Further information:
DARE and HEAR National Information Day Saturday 11 January 2025
Invitation: ‘Keeping Our Kids Safe Online’ Webinar Tuesday 14 January 2025
Please click on the link below to view details of an upcoming webinar entitled ‘Keeping Our Kids Safe Online’ which is taking place on Tuesday 14 January 2025 at 7pm. During the Webinar Dr. Richard Hogan will deliver the latest updates and research thinking about the challenges parents and families face given the growing influence of technology on our children’s lives.
Guidance for Schools on Managing Behaviour – Relevant Publications
During the school year 2024/2025, a number of publications will be issued to assist and support schools to understand behaviours. These publications have been developed to support the work already being done in schools. Support and training will be provided to schools on each of these guidance documents in due course. Please click on the link to view a list of publications with estimated publication dates.
Guidance for Schools on Managing Behaviour Upcoming Publications
Glashaboy Flood Relief Scheme [GFRS] Update Friday 20 December 2024
Please click on the link below to view the latest GFRS update from Sorenson.
2025 Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied and Junior Cycle Examinations
Parents and students are asked to note that the timetables for the 2025 Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied and Junior Cycle examinations have been published on www.examinations.ie.
The suite of timetables can be accessed under the Examinations 2025 Banner on the home page.
Senior Cycle Redevelopment [SCR] Information Note to Schools
Please click on the link below to view the latest update from the Department of Education on Senior Cycle Redevelopment.
Senior Cycle Redevelopment Information Note to Schools – December 2024
Important information in relation to the Leaving Certificate Oral Examinations 2025
Please click on the link below to view Circular S88/24 which contains important information in relation to the Leaving Certificate Oral examinations 2025.
6th Year students and parents are asked to note that the Oral examinations in Irish and the Modern Foreign Languages in 2025 will be delivered by SEC appointed examiners in schools in the early part of the Easter holiday period from Saturday 12 April to Thursday 17 April inclusive.
Important information in relation to the Leaving Certificate Oral Examinations 2025
GCC Green Schools
Please click on the link below to view our GCC Green Schools newsletter which highlights some of the work being done by our Green School’s team over the last month. Our thanks to Mr. Crowley and our Green Schools team for preparing this publication.
GCC Green School’s Newsletter-December 2024
GCC Activities of the Week Monday 6 to Friday 10 January 2025
Please click on the link below to view the activities for next week Monday 6 to Friday 10 January 2025
GCC Activities of the Week (Monday 6 to Friday 10 December 2025)
GCC School Gym
Parents and students are reminded that our GCC school gym is open Monday to Friday before school for 4th, 5th and 6th year students. Students can use the gym upstairs in the PE Hall every day from 8:00am until 8:45am and it will be fully supervised. Thanks you to our GCC teachers for providing this wellbeing opportunity to students.
Disability Access Route to Education (DARE )scheme
UCC DARE Information Slots
Dear students & parents, the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE )scheme is a third-level alternative admissions scheme for school leavers whose disabilities have had a negative impact on their second-level education. DARE offers reduced points places to school leavers who, as a result of having a disability, have experienced additional educational challenges in second-level education. Click here to find comprehensive information on the DARE scheme
For the first 30 mins approximately, there will be a presentation giving an overview of the DARE scheme with an opportunity for questions and answers afterwards.
Booking is essential for our online DARE clinics & once you have booked you will receive a reminder and link 24 hours before the clinic. (Link to book below)
UCC DARE Online DARE Clinics will be held on the following dates:
January 22nd-Wednesday-5 to 7pm
GCC CBA Assessment Calendar for 2024/2025
Please take note of the GCC CBA Assessment calendar for 2024/2025 displayed in the picture below:
GCC Upcoming Calendar Events – January 2025
| Monday 6 January | GCC reopens after Christmas Holidays | @ 8.50am |
| Thursday 9 January | GCC Seminar on Subject Choice in 5th Year for parents of TY & 3rd Years | @ 7.30pm |
| Monday 13 – Friday 17 January | GCC Séjour Linguistique à Paris | |
| Tuesday 14 January | GCC Staff Meeting | 4.00 – 5.50pm |
| Monday 20 January | PPT Meeting for TY students | 4.15 – 6.45pm |
| Thursday 30 January | GCC School Musical | |
| Friday 31 January | GCC School Musical | ` |
We hope you have a lovely Christmas break.
GCC Senior Management [Ronan McCarthy (Principal), Patrick O’Mahony (Deputy Principal) Caroline Byrne (Deputy Principal), Seamus Kennefick (Deputy Principal)]