Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

Although there are still four weeks of school left in the 2023 academic year, it is natural for staff and students to be thinking about the end of the year and be planning for 2024. Year 8 students have chosen their electives for Year 9, they are busy preparing their dance for the annual Dance Battle and they are regularly asking about their Homerooms for next year.

The Dance Battle is one of the highlights of the year and requires a broad range of skills to be successful. Each Homeroom prepares a dance of 3 to 4 minutes and then each Homeroom performs their dance on Wednesday 6 December on the Year 8 Activity Day. Students are in control of the entire process:  the choreography, the music, costumes and any backdrops needed. During the preparation process they will need to work together, manage conflict and communicate clearly – essential skills for success now and in later life. Teamwork is an essential part of this, and to quote Lily Barclay (8-61): “teamwork makes the dream work”. Wise words indeed!

It is essential that we mark the end of the year fully and appropriately. Transitions can be times of loss as well as opportunities. Although it’s exciting to be moving into the Kildare Centre, there may be a loss of the identity built up in the Year 8 Homeroom and the relationships built throughout the year. Some students will feel vulnerable about this process and will require reassurance from their teachers, friends and family. Their teachers will connect them with the best they have been, and the best they have achieved during the year, and hopefully they can celebrate and feel good about what they accomplished in 2023.

Whatever happens, they can start to prepare for a well-earned break, and start to plan for the wonderful opportunities that await them in Year 9 in 2024. No doubt the families of Year 8 have earned a break also, and we ask for God’s blessing upon them during the Christmas season.

Bill Fitzsimons
Level Leader: Year 8