Fashion Show 2019

 Rehearsals are well underway for the 31th Annual Fashion Show which will be held in The Radisson Blu Hotel, Ennis Road on Tuesday October 22nd at 8pm.

The show is produced by the Hilary Thompson Model Agency and this year, over eighty Transition Year will take to the catwalk.

Tickets are  €15 (Students €10) and are currently on sale from School Reception.

International Baccalaureate Information Evening

In 2013 Villiers began a long but rewarding journey towards becoming an International Baccalaureate (IB) school. Following a detailed feasibility study, the school became an IB Candidate School for the Diploma Programme in 2015.

After IB Consultant and Verification Visits, Villiers was officially authorised to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and became an IB World School in March 2017.

In September 2018, our first IBDP cohort began and includes students from Germany, Ireland, Poland and Spain. Students attending Villiers can now choose to study either the Irish Leaving Certificate or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

Villiers believes in a shared IB Schools philosophy: a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education for all its students.

Students taking the IBDP route in Villiers can now study:

1. Studies in language and literature (Group 1): Language and Literature A (English); Language A (self-taught)

2. Language acquisition (Group 2): Language B (English); Language B (German); Language ab initio (Japanese)

3. Individuals and societies (Group 3): Business Management; History

4. Sciences (Group 4): Biology; Chemistry,Physics

5. Mathematics (Group 5): Mathematics SL

6. The arts (Group 6): Visual Arts or another subject from Groups 1-5

In consultation with the IB Coordinator, alternative Group 1 and Group 2 languages may be available, but this option may incur an additional charge.

 To further augment the range of subjects available, Villiers has also established links with Pamoja Education (see  http://www.pamojaeducation.com/ for further details and conditions)

IBDP students are also expected to study the core elements of Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS), the Extended Essay (EE) and Theory of Knowledge (TOK).

This programme may be of particular interest to those seeking educational opportunities particularly in much sought-after areas such as medicine, veterinary science and engineering.

Villiers School is holding an information evening on the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in the school, on Wednesday October 16^th at 7.30pm.

Any interested parties are warmly welcome to attend and to meet with the school’s International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme team including, Ms. Storey, Headmistress, and Mr. Shane Hanna,

Head of IBDP.

For further information or if you have any queries, please telephone 061-451447 or email shanna@villiers-school.com

Independent Transition Year (I.T.Y.) Application and Personal Statement

Independent Transition Year (I.T.Y.) Application and Personal Statement

Name: ……………………………………………………..

Form: ………………………………………………………

Personality: Why do you think you are a suitable candidate for the I.T.Y. course? (50 words max)

 

Skills and Experience List any of your hobbies, achievements, interests and social activities that demonstrate your personality, skills and abilities. How might these benefit you on the course? (50 words max)

Motivation: What do you hope to achieve from participation in I.T.Y.?

Please return completed form C/O:

I.T.Y. Admissions,

Villiers School,

North Circular Road,

Limerick.

Alternatively you can return the form to the office or via the email address shanna@villiers-school.com.

Closing date for applications is Wednesday May 29th 2019.

School of Law visit

Delighted to welcome Dr Hope Davidson to Villiers School who spoke to Form 4 and 5 students about studying law at the School of Law in the University of Limerick . There was great interest in all of the programmes and in the work placements and the international opportunities that the School of Law has to offer. Villiers students have visited the School of Law as part of the Transition Year, Law for a Day and Community Law programmes over the last number of years and the School of Law look forward to continuing this relationship into the future.

International Women's Day 2019

To celebrate International Women’s Day on Wednesday March 6^th 2019, Villiers School is hosting a breakfast conference themed BALANCE FOR BETTER. A series of presentations will be given by inspirational female leaders from the Limerick/Clare region in the areas of business, health, sport, academia and public service. We are delighted to welcome Ms. Josephine Feehily, Chairperson Policing Authority, Ms. Hayley Harrison, Coaching Ireland, Dr.Tara Dalton, UL Researcher and Entrepreneur, Senator Maria Byrne and Ms. Laura Brennan, health advocate.

Conference Speakers

 Josephine Feehily is a former career civil servant. She was Chairman of the Office of the Revenue Commissioners – the Irish Tax and Customs agency - from 2008 to 2015. She served in a range of roles in Revenue before being appointed as a Revenue Commissioner in 1998, the first woman to hold this position in Ireland. During her Revenue career, Josephine was Chair of the World Customs Organisation for three years, and Chair of the OECD Forum for Tax Administration – a forum of leaders of advanced Tax Authorities. She also served in a range of positions in the then Department of Social Welfare and the Pensions Board, was an independent member of the Labour Relations Commission from 2000 to 2006 and contributed to many civil service reform initiatives during her career. Josephine is a graduate of the National College of Ireland and Trinity College Dublin. In 2016 she was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Limerick. She is currently Chairperson of the Policing Authority.

Hayley Harrison’s areas of expertise lie in sports coaching and coach education. She began coaching at the age of 18 (while still competing internationally) and is still coaching at the highest level over 30 years later.  Her B.Ed (Hons) & Masters degrees are both in the area of second level education, but coaching was always her no.1 passion. She became the first woman in the world to hold an international level coaching qualification in the 400m Hurdles in 1991, has held national coaching positions in both sprints and hurdles and holds over 60 coaching qualifications in over 50 sports. Hayley has coached athletes to almost 200 national senior titles in the UK & Ireland and her athletes (coached jointly with her husband, Drew) have set almost 70 Irish records over a 24 year period.  Working for Sport Ireland Coaching, she has designed and delivered programmes for the training of Coach Developers and Trainers of Coach Developers in all 61 registered sports in Ireland and runs similar programmes annually in Tokyo for the international community.  She is involved in writing coaching policies within the European Union, is one of the five global experts in the area of Coach Development and is a leader in the International Elite Women’s Coaching programme. Her time and skills are increasingly sought after throughout the world.

Senator Maria Byrne was elected to the 32nd Seanad in April 2016. She is the current Government Seanad Spokesperson on Education & Skills.

Maria represented the Limerick City West local electoral area on Limerick Council from 1999 up until her election to Seanad Éireann in 2016. She was only 32 years old when she was elected as a councillor on her first attempt. Maria served as Mayor of Limerick from 2010 to 2011. In 2017, Maria was nominated by Former Minster for Finance & Limerick City TD Michael Noonan to contest the General Election for Fine Gael in Limerick”.

Dr Tara Dalton is a Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering in the School of Engineering at the University of Limerick. She is one of the founders of Stokes Bio – a spin-out company that was sold to Life Technologies in 2010 for $44m. She is currently the CEO of Altratech – a start-up focused on RNA viral detection, with specific applications in HIV. Her current research interest is in the development of very high-throughput microfluidic devices for gene expression on single cells with applications in cancer. She has graduated 20 PhD Students, published over 100 refereed papers and has over 50 granted patent and patent applications.

 Laura Brennan has spearheaded a HPV vaccine campaign for the World Health Organisation (WHO) after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis at just 25 years old. Laura has shared her story in a poignant video, encouraging parents to vaccinate their children, as part of a WHO European campaign. The young woman, who holds an honorary doctorate from UCD, was diagnosed with stage 2B cervical cancer in December 2016. After she learned that her illness was incurable, Laura reached out to the HSE on Facebook, telling them her story and asking if there was some way to help raise awareness.Laura has since worked with the HSE as a patient advocate and has received several honours for her work, including her honorary doctorate from UCD and the inaugural Patient Advocacy Medal from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Laura has also been awarded the title of Clare Person of the Year for 2019. She also appeared on The Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy to discuss her battle with illness and advocacy work. 

Junk Kouture 2019

Voting starts today for ‘Hidden Lotus’ designed by Nell,Alex and Kathryn.
Please register and vote for us on http://app.junkkouture.com Please vote every day! Please select south region or Hidden Lotus.
Best of luck girls and teacher Ms.Thornton.

TY Drama - A Midsummer Night's Dream (with a twist)

Rehearsals are well under way for this year’s Transition Year production of a Mid Summer Nights’s Dream (with a twist) with over 50 students taking to the stage under the watchful eye of directors Ann Blake and Niamh Bowen.

A Mid Summer Night’s Dream is a tale of two worlds, of fairies and humans. In Ann Blake and Marie Boylan’s re-write of this classic Shakespearean play, the fairy world is viewed through the folklore of Ireland, where the Irish fairies trick and fool the royal Athenians in a fun and fast paced comedy of mistaken identity, marital discord, and pure tomfoolery.

Our Transition Year show this year, will be staged in the exquisite surroundings of Dance Limerick, a repurposed church set in the architectural beauty of Limerick’s Georgian Square - St. John's Square.

This play brings music and magic, comedy and crazy, to the stage, showcasing the best of transition year talent, accompanied by live music and stunning costumes and props, all bespoke for this show. 

Performance dates are Wednesday January 16^th and Thursday January 17^th 2019.

Show starts at 8pm.

Tickets are available from the school office 061- 451447. Adults €15 / Students €10.

Fashion Show 2018

 Rehearsals are well underway for the 30th Annual Fashion Show which will be held in The Radisson Blu Hotel, Ennis Road on Tuesday October 23rd at 8pm.

The show is produced by the Hilary Thompson Model Agency and this year, over eighty Transition Year will take to the catwalk.

 There will be a raffle on the night with fantastic prizes and proceeds from this will go to two nominated charities.

Tickets are  €15 (Students €10) and are currently on sale from School Reception.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Information Evening

Villiers School is Ireland's only authorised International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme boarding school having been authorised in March 2017.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme was established in Geneva in 1968 to provide students with a balanced education, to facilitate geographic and cultural mobility and to develop international understanding.  Since then, this challenging programme has developed to become a byword for academic excellence as top universities across the globe increasingly recognise its merits.

Villiers’ authorisation as an IBDP school is the outcome of a process which has taken over 5 years since its initiation and is seen by those involved as a very natural progression for what has traditionally been one of Limerick’s most “International” schools.  

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is offered in Villiers School as an alternative to the traditional Leaving Certificate Programme. The benefits of the IB programme, apart from its academic rigour, is that it is transferable from country to country and school to school, and is recognised by top university in Irealnd and all over the world.

The school will hold an information evening to introduce the programme to interested parties on Wednesday October 17th at 7.30pm.  Further information is available from 061-451447.  

ITY Magazine now available

ITY magazine now available
Click here    http://www.villiers-school.com/Documents/ITY_Magazine_Final_Draft.pdf

TY Drama - Not so Grimm Tales

Rehearsals are well underway for this year’s TY Drama Production ‘Not so Grimm Tales' which will see over 40 students take to the stage in the beautiful surroundings of St. Mary's Cathedral. 

Not so Grimm Tales is a hilarious tongue-in-cheek retelling of classic Grimm fairy tales that feels fresh and contemporary! A working mother notices her daughter has picked up some not-so-great lessons from the fairy tales she been reading, so she sits her down and tells her new, more modern and empowering versions of some of the classics.

Directed by Ann Blake and Niamh Bowen, Not so Grimm Tales will be brought to the stage by Villiers Transition Year students performing and working on many aspects of production.

The play runs for two nights on Monday May 14th and Tuesday May 15th at 8pm in St. Mary's Cathedral, Limerick.

                 Tickets are available from School Reception  Adult €10, Student €8

Villiers School Fashion Show Tuesday October 24th 2017

Villiers School Fashion Show

Tuesday October 24th 2017

Radisson Blu Hotel, Ennis Road, Limerick

Tickets now on sale from Janet in School Office

Adults €15, Students €10

Senior Boys Rugby and Hockey Teams in Cup Finals

Best of luck to the Senior Boys Rugby Team in the Mungret Cup Final v Bantry on Wednesday March 29th at 2.30pm in University of Limerick.

The following day Thursday March 30th, the Senior Boys Hockey Team take on Newton in the Munster Schools Final at 2pm at home. All support welcome!


       Senior Boys Rugby Team 2017

     Senior Boys Hockey Team 2017

 

TY Drama - Our Town

 Villiers School presents ‘Our Town’

Rehearsals are well underway for this year’s TY Drama Production ‘Our Town’ which will see over 80 students take to the Lime Tree stage in a classic play by Thornton Wilder.

It’s a day just like any other, and the townsfolk of Grover’s Corner get on with their daily routines; Howie Newsome delivers the milk with Bessie, his trusted horse, Joe Crowell does his newspaper round, the school children finish their homework just in time for school, and Simon Stimpson is preparing for an evening’s rehearsal with the town choir. It’s just like any other ordinary day in Grover’s Corner.  Two families, the Gibbs and the Webbs, living in adjacent houses, are the focus of the play.  However, underlying the everyday events of their lives – marriages, births, and deaths – is a hope for something more, a transcendental experience unique to the human condition. ‘Our Town’ is a play in three acts that follows the lives of George and Emily as they transition from childhood to adulthood. Both heartwarming and groundbreaking, Wilder’s ‘all American play’ is a classic that will have the audience both laughing and crying.

Directed by Ann Blake and Niamh Bowen, Our Town will be brought to the stage by Villiers Transition Year students performing and working on all aspects of production.

Director, Ann Blake stated, “This is a unique and wonderful opportunity for Transition Year students, who experience all aspects of production through mentorship and apprenticeship. I’m particularly excited about this year’s show! I would have loved an opportunity like this when I was in Transition Year.”

Co-director Niamh Bowen is equally enthused, “They are a great group to work with, this year’s show is going to offer audiences a unique experience!’

The play runs for two nights on Thursday February 2nd and Friday February 3rd at 8pm in The Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick.

Tickets are available from School Reception 061 -451 447 and from the

Lime Tree Box Office 061 – 953400 and at www.limetree.ie

Adult €15, Concession €10