Happy Valentine's Day

The Sixth Form Council and Parents' Council did a great job running the Valentine's Disco for years 8-10. The parents did a wonderful job decorating the hall, and designing beautiful Valentine's card and stocking the tuck shop with jelly hearts and roses to buy. Michael O'Brien and the sixth form team ran the disco and kept everyone safe and happy. I got so tired by the end of the evening - it's all Gerard McConkey's fault for making the elderly dance - that I put a packet of biscuits into my bag and shut my mobile phone in the biscuit tin. Ryan McQuitty had to rescue me from my own daftness and I am very grateful. A good time was had by all and money raised towards the sixth form formal. Thanks to all involved.

Two MLAs and an MP

First thing on Friday morning Jim Wells, DUP MLA, was our first visitor. He came in to talk to our A level Travel and Tourism class about his views in support of the Mournes becoming a National Park. Then cam John Mcallister, OUP MLA, who brought with him Owen Patterson conservative MP, Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, who headed up to talk to our A level politics class. Busy, busy, Busy. Jim Wells remembered his last visit to Shimna, many years ago, when Shimna student Thomas O'Rourke won a poetry competition organised by the National Trust, where Jim Wells worked at the time.

Home Economics at Last

We have just heard that the Department of Education has agreed the funds to provide us with rooms and equipment for home economics at last! Celebrations! That means the classes already doing home economics already with the microwaves will have the very best of facilities next year, and all our A level students will get the survival cookery classes they need for heading off to university! We are delighted.

Patrick's Gold

Patrick Poland called in to let us know that he has received his invitation to St James' Palace to be presented with his Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. Very well done and well deserved.

Academic Achievement

We are absolutely delighted that Tanya Murray has been offered a place to study French at Oriel College, Oxford.

Languages for Christmas

Geseënde Kersfees en 'n gelukkige nuwe jaar!
Geseënde Kersfees en 'n voorspoedige Nuwe jaar! Feliz Navidad y un prospero Año Nuevo ; Joyeux Noël et une bonne annéé. Il buon Natale ed un anno nuovo Felice! Prettige kerstdagen en een Gelukkig NieuwJaar! Zalig kerstfeest en gelukkig nieuwjaar! : Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo ;: Fröhliches Weihnachten und ein Glückliches Neujahr; Lystig Jul og et Glad Nytt År: Gun Tso Son Tan'Gung Haw Sun; Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan choctav: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito: Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!

Wonderful Presentation Evening

Another milestone was passed in the development of Shimna Integrated College as, for the first time, an OldScholar, Dana Jaber was the guest speaker at our Presentation Evening. Dana outlined what an Integrated Education had meant to her, and told of her experiences representing the UK at the World Economic Forum pre-session in Dubai. Kevin gave a report on the successes of our students this year, and Dana then presented our students with their GCSE and A level certificates. There then followed the presentation of awards in all sorts of areas of achievement in the life of the college. Newly donated awards this year included the Oliver Tobin Award for Irish, won by Caroline McCann, and the HF Law Centenary Award, a particularly impressive trophy, won by Oliver Elshotz. Music was provided by Niomi O'Rourke singing her own composition, Michael O'Brien and Danny White on "Duelling Banjos" and Jeannine Bradley and Niomi O'Rourke on "Chopsticks Variation". The evening finished off with tea and mince pies, and the raffle of the wonderful Gingerbread House built by the A level ICT class, with money raised going to Cancer Research. The evening was a tribute to our wonderful students, their parents and our staff and friends of the college. None of it would happen without organisation by Deborah McDowell. As always, the very best thing about Presentation Evening was the return of our OldScholars from their first term at university, from their Gap Year, from their new career.