Second Year Parents Information Evening Meeting St Davids

Second Year Parents Information Evening Meeting St. David’s Holy Faith Secondary School, Greystones, Co. Wicklow Wednesday, 26 th September 2018 7: 30 p. m. – 9 p. m.

Structure of Presentation: One hour & thirty minutes presentation on Second Year • Two speakers this evening: • School Principal – Mary O’ Doherty • School Deputy Principal – Simon Carey

The right start is vital from the beginning in second year Your son/daughter is growing and becoming a young man or young woman: • Difficult age – they will challenge and oppose • Boundaries • Increased responsibility and expectations • Motivation • Focus

• Monitor academic performance • Reading for leisure increases academic performance • Knowing who your children are with – monitor friendships, it is your duty! • Having boundaries – time to come home, time to go to bed… • Limiting online/computer games • Social Media – a Bullying Tool? • Punctuality – habit, be slow to write a note! • Attendance – habit, tough love, NEWB • Read our Code Of Behaviour – with your child • Zero Tolerance of interruption of Learning and Teaching

Year Head – Mr. Maloney • Homework journal • Homework & study • Uniform • Mobile phones • Lockers • Social Media

• Positive and affirmative role, working with your son &/or daughter, on a day-to-day basis • If you as a parent have a concern, Mr. Maloney, as Year Head, quite often is the first port of call as such. If there is a problem with a specific subject, contact the actual teacher first • Regular Assemblies with Second Year students

Deputy Principal – Mr. Carey • This is a vital year: the second year of a three – year programme, the Junior Certificate • Core subjects studied: English, Gaeilge, Maths, History, Geography, Religion, Science • Well-Being: CSPE, SPHE, PE • Optional subjects: French, Technical Graphics, Home Economics, Art, Spanish, Metalwork, Materials Technology Wood, Business (three studied)

Pastoral Care in St. David’s for your son &/or daughter in Second Year • Year Head (Mr. Maloney) • Class Tutors (Mr. Lawlor 2. 6, Mr. Gardiner 2. 10, Ms. Cunningham 2. 27 & Ms. Keaveney 2. 29) • Principal (Ms. O’ Doherty) & Deputy Principal (Mr. Carey) • Guidance Counsellor (Ms. Masterson) • SEN coordinators (Ms. Bailey & Ms. Doughty) • School Office Staff (Celina) & Care-taker (Anto) • All teachers of St. David’s Holy Faith Secondary School

Key school policies: • Lates and the need for a note signed. If no note, a phone-call or email that day required. • School uniform – thank you for working with us on our new enforcement • Tutor system (8: 45 a. m. – 8: 50 a. m. each morning – 2. 6, 2. 10, 2. 27, 2. 29) • Attendance • Mobile phones • Extra-curricular programme available online www. stdavids. ie and twitter

Extra-Curricular Activities 2018 - 2019 • 32 extra-curricular activities - Amnesty International, Art Club, Badminton, Basketball, Boxercise, Camogie, Chess, Christian Union, Club Gaeilge, Debating, Club Francais, Club Espanol, Diversity Club, Cross Country, Gaelic Football, Hockey, Hurling, Library & Book Club, Music Club, Photography Club, Gaisce, RC Racers (model cars), Rugby, Sailing, School show and drama, Science Club, Soccer, Spike-ball, Table Tennis, Young Scientist, Sci-fest, Well-Being, Student Council

Whole-School Exams 2018 - 2019 • No exams in November 2018 for Second Years due to full implementation of new Junior Cycle this year • February Exams 2019 (Six days: Friday, 8 th February – Friday, 15 th February 2019) • Summer Exams 2019 (Six days: Friday, 24 th May 2019 – Friday, 31 st May 2019)

School reports 2018 - 2019 • Feedback from school to you three times a year • First set or reports issued mid - December 2018 containing two class assessments and one continuous assessment by teachers on your child • Second set of reports issued in mid - March 2019 (February whole-school modular exams) • Final set of reports issued in June 2019 (Summer) • Study provided in exam hall(s) when students are not sitting exams for Second Years

Key events for Second Years 2018 2019 • Second Week of December 2018: issuing of school reports for Second Years • Tuesday, 6 th November 2018: Second Year Parent -Teacher Meeting • Friday, 21 st December 2018: Christmas Concert • Tuesday, 22 nd – Friday, 25 th January 2019: School Show • Week of Friday, 8 th February – Friday, 15 th February 2019: Whole-school February Exams

• CBAs in English, Business, Francais, Espanol, Science (May 2019), Visual Art (January - April 2019) with Gaeilge first term of Third Year (October 2019) • Week of 11 th – 15 th March 2019: Seachtain na Gaeilge • Wednesday, 13 th March 2019: Whole-school Numeracy Day • Friday, 3 rd May 2019: Sports Day • Thursday, 16 th May 2019: Presentation Day • Friday, 24 th May – 31 st May 2019: Whole-school summer exams

New Junior Cycle • The new Junior Cycle is an eight year project (2014 – 2022) involving curricular changes in all subjects for the junior years, First –Third Years • It commenced in 2014 with English; 2016 Science & Business; 2017 languages (Gaeilge, Francais, Espanol) and Visual Art; 2018 Maths, History, Geography, Home Economics; 2019 (Creatives - Religion, Technical Graphics, Mat Tech Wood, Metalwork) • For your son(s)/daughter(s), these changes affect English, Science, Gaeilge, Francais, Espanol, Visual Art & Business

New aspects to new Junior Cycle? • The new J. C. shifts focus on summative, terminal exams to continuous/formative assessments • No levels (higher or ordinary) in subjects under new J. C such as Science, Business, foreign languages, Visual Art • Levels (higher or ordinary) maintained for three core subjects – Gaeilge, Maths, English • Old grading system maintained for History, Geography, Religion, Maths, all other optional subjects (Mat Tech Wood, Metalwork & T. G. ) for your son/daughter • Course work (CBAs) carried out in Second & Third Year in subjects and descriptors awarded/no grades • Junior Certificate of 2020 awarded in two formats: Junior Certificate results and Junior Certificate Profile of Achievement (JCPA)

• In the Junior Certificate exams of June 2020, they will only sit one two-hour exam paper in each of the above subjects (English, Science, Business, Gaeilge, Visual Art & foreign language) • They will have submitted two course-based assessments (CBAs) in May 2019 (Second Year) and December 2020 (Third Year) • These CBAs will be awarded in November 2020 when your son(s)/daughter(s) receive their Junior Certificate Profile of Achievement (JCPA) • Your son(s)/daughter(s) will still receive their Junior Certificate results in September 2020 and the JCPA will issue two months later with results, CBAs and noncurricular achievements in their three years of secondary schooling

New grading system for Junior Certificate Exams (2020) Students are awarded no grades in English, Business, Francais, Espanol, Visual Art, Gaeilge & Science (2020) – instead J. C. results will appear as: • Distinction (90 – 100%) • Higher Merit (75 – 89%) • Merit (55 – 74%) • Achieved (40 – 54%) • Partially Achieved (20 – 39%) • No Grade (0 - 19%) Each paper is two hours in duration

Old grading system maintained (History, Geography, Maths Creatives & Religion), as well as levels (Higher or Ordinary) for all other exams subjects until 2022: • • A = 85 – 100% B = 70 – 84% C = 55 – 69% D = 40 – 54% E = 25 – 39% F = 10 – 24% N. G = 0 – 9%

Grade/Descriptor awarded for CBAs • Each subject department devises its own standards protocol for CBAs that students must follow Subject departments meet and all teachers apply the criterion and award one of four descriptors: • Exceptional • Above Expectations • In line with expectations • Yet to meet expectations These will be shown in the JCPA report issued in November 2020

How are grades shown for J. C. Exams in June 2020? CBAs reported? • Your son and daughter will receive two types of reports on their Junior Certificate (2020): • As with every year, on Wednesday, 9 th September 2020, they will receive their Junior Certificate results for all eleven subjects with grades for seven or less subjects provided and descriptors for English, Science, Gaeilge, Francais, Espanol, Visual Art & Business • Additionally, at the end of November 2020, St. David’s will issue a second certificate called the Junior Certificate Profile of Achievement (JCPA) which will contain Junior Certificate results (June exams 2020), CBAs in English, Gaeilge, Science and option subjects Business, Francais, Espanol, Visual Art (completed in December – February of Third Year) as well as notable, noncurricular achievements, of your son and daughter in Second & Third Years

Website support for parents on New J. C. ● New syllabi introduced in a phased basis ● Specific information for parents at www. jct. ie ● The “Information Leaflets” are particularly useful ● https: //www. jct. ie/perch/resources/publications/jcinfo-parents-post-primary-may-2017. pdf

Q&A?