Phoenix - "Our First Summer" at Edmund Rice College

Phoenix students reflect on the Summer of 2023 at Edmund Rice College - Revision for House Exams, Sports Day, 1st Year Trip to the Zoo and the Summer Provision Programme which comprised working with artists, choreographers, horticulturalists and SIDO
05-September-23
Phoenix - "Our First Summer" at Edmund Rice College

As Phoenix students begin their first full week of a new school year; we have been reflecting together on their first Summer at Edmund Rice College and the special memories we have made. We were reflecting on May and our use of a Tree of Knowledge to help us revise for the House Exams and the fun events we looked forward to too. As we were taking part in Sports Day on the grounds at St Brigid's GAA; Elite Marquees erected a Sensory Space for us. It was available to all SEN students as a sanctuary in which we could take sensory breaks and quiet time between races. We also enjoyed the 1st Year Trip to the Zoo where the resident peacock made quite the impression on us! Our Summer Provision Programme was a great success and we are so grateful to the participating teachers, SNAs and visiting instructors who delivered the programme. We started our mornings with breakfast together while we made our visual timetable of the day. Our lessons on school grounds included practising Life Skills by using the school's kitchen to prepare our lunch. In Literacy, we watched dramatizations of Social Stories by Carol Grey acted for us by our puppets in our Puppet Theatre. We also revised our vocabulary from our Summer Exams and we had fun in the afternoons at craft stations in the School Library. We worked with Sensory Dance choreographer Olwyn Lyons who facilitated two physical theatre workshops. We learnt how to communicate using gesture and the value of working together in groups to make the shape of the Eiffel Tower, a house, car and even a family portrait! We practised honing our receptive listening skills while trying new sensory experiences such as 'Colombian Hypnosis', 'Transformation Circle' and 'Cool Down'. These workshops also taught us further ways to self-regulate with ‘Shake-Out', 'Walk The Space: Stop! Go!', 'Touch The Ceiling Touch The Ground Stomp!' and the value of comfort breaks. We celebrated a double birthday at Bull Island where we enjoyed paddling in the warm salty soothing seaweed with our teachers and SNAs. We took a trip together on the train at Navan Road Parkway Train Station where we got to practise our Life Skills by buying tickets or using our Leap Cards. We visited the Natural History Museum and picnicked at Merrion Square Playground where we could use the Climbing Frames to regulate through proprioceptive stimulation before commuting back to ERC by train. Ms Bolger taught us how to 'Tie Dye' and it is a craft we will have for life. Some of our students were so thrilled with their 'Tie-Dye' creations, they proudly sported them on other trips of the programme! We had a fantastic whole day workshop with Sinead Dunne Finnegan of Dublin Youth Theatre. Sinead, a graduate of TCD and director of 'Making A Mark - Theatre For All' with Mill Theatre; worked with us using visual creativity through Mime and Kinaesthetic Communication of Emotion. We used collage, role play and dance; and sketches using Social Stories. We had a visit from Stephen McGann of SIDO (Sports Inclusion Disability Officer) with Fingal County Council who taught us how to apply bicycle safety locks on our bikes and presented us with Goodie Bags. Graham Bradley of 'Junior Gardens - Bradley's Horticulture-Social and Therapeutic' visited us and gave us a really interactive and interesting workshop about the flora growing in our school gardens. We received Statements of Achievement at the end of his workshop. We visited AirTastic in Celbridge where we thoroughly enjoyed "Space Golf" and on our final day of the Summer Provision Programme, we took alternative public transport by taking the bus to Blanchardstown where we met Sarah Beirne - Children and Youth Art Officer at the Box Reception of Draoicht. Sarah Beirne took us to a Sculpture Exhibition at Draoicht followed by a guided tour of the theatre's backstage to see the Dressing Room, the Green Room and the Controls Room! Friday 30 June was the last day of our Summer Provision Programme and Ms Bolger presented all participants with Certificates of Completion which we were delighted to receive!

Events
Feb
06 2025
6th and 3rd Year Mocks
Feb
17 2025
February Mid-Term Break
Feb
27 2025
1st Year PTM
Mar
06 2025
2nd Year PTM
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