Page 86 - The Gonzaga Record 1994
P. 86
THIRD YEAR PARENTS’ FORUM
Anyone who has come to the Forum concerned. An intense discussion went on
Meetings realises that the essence of the for some time, with promises from the
Forum is that of a co-operative, under the teachers to take up some of the ideas
gentle guidance of a Chairperson (or two suggested during the coming year.
this year), held in the benign presence of
our tea-maker, Fr John Dunne. The group
met monthly during term and organised a ‘R e lig io u s’ E v en in g (M a r 1994)
series of events, the purpose of which was It was with some trepidation that we
to bring parents together and discuss mooted this evening, very concerned that
subjects of mutual interest, without we got the mix right, by making the
impinging on the role of either a Parents’ evening of interest to parents and
Committee or a Management Committee. encouraging participation, while avoiding
This year the events organised were: a an overly “charismatic” approach. We
presentation on study-skills enhancement, were very fortunate in securing Fr Tom
coupled with a talk on music education; a Leyen SJ as our speaker. He gave a very
discussion on Transition Year; a informative and entertaining review of
‘religious’ night, and an end-of-term current issues in the Church, as well as
Mass. participating in a free-flowing discussion
All of these events adhered to the, by on subjects ranging from an approach to
now, familiar format of a brief one-hour prayer in the home, to priestly celibacy.
presentation/discussion, followed by a Our fears of audience non-participation
glass or two of wine. Details of the proved to be groundless, and many
individual events are as follows: parents obviously enjoyed the opportunity
to inform themselves on various points.
S tu d y & T im e M a n a g em e n t S k ills a n d
M u sica l E d u c a tio n (N o v 19 9 3 ) E n d -o f-Y ea r M a ss (J u n 19 9 4 )
A presentation was made by Joe Reville This event organised by the parents and
of Student Enrichment Services on the celebrated by Fr John Dunne, has rightly
contents of a weekend course which he become a highlight of the year. It was
subsequently gave to the boys. The particularly well attended by parents and
presentation caused a lot of lively boys, and also by some teachers/tutors,
discussion, and convinced many parents whose presence was much appreciated.
of the merits of having their sons attend The Mass was followed by a social get-
the subsequent training course, which was together. An objective assessment of the
indeed very helpful for the boys. Parents' Forum seems to suggest that it is
The second half of the evening was a a useful vehicle for parent dialogue, as is
lively and humorous talk by pianist and evidenced by the splendid support the
Gonzaga parent, John O ’Conor, on events them selves receive from the
encouraging musicianship in our sons. parents. The monthly meetings of the
organising group are notified to all. There
is no need to be invited to attend, and new
T ra n sitio n Y ea r D isc u ssio n (F eb 1 9 94) faces and ideas would be most welcome.
There was a particularly large turnout of
parents for this discussion, which was Anne Ryan
also attended by some of the teachers Mahon Murphy
78
Anyone who has come to the Forum concerned. An intense discussion went on
Meetings realises that the essence of the for some time, with promises from the
Forum is that of a co-operative, under the teachers to take up some of the ideas
gentle guidance of a Chairperson (or two suggested during the coming year.
this year), held in the benign presence of
our tea-maker, Fr John Dunne. The group
met monthly during term and organised a ‘R e lig io u s’ E v en in g (M a r 1994)
series of events, the purpose of which was It was with some trepidation that we
to bring parents together and discuss mooted this evening, very concerned that
subjects of mutual interest, without we got the mix right, by making the
impinging on the role of either a Parents’ evening of interest to parents and
Committee or a Management Committee. encouraging participation, while avoiding
This year the events organised were: a an overly “charismatic” approach. We
presentation on study-skills enhancement, were very fortunate in securing Fr Tom
coupled with a talk on music education; a Leyen SJ as our speaker. He gave a very
discussion on Transition Year; a informative and entertaining review of
‘religious’ night, and an end-of-term current issues in the Church, as well as
Mass. participating in a free-flowing discussion
All of these events adhered to the, by on subjects ranging from an approach to
now, familiar format of a brief one-hour prayer in the home, to priestly celibacy.
presentation/discussion, followed by a Our fears of audience non-participation
glass or two of wine. Details of the proved to be groundless, and many
individual events are as follows: parents obviously enjoyed the opportunity
to inform themselves on various points.
S tu d y & T im e M a n a g em e n t S k ills a n d
M u sica l E d u c a tio n (N o v 19 9 3 ) E n d -o f-Y ea r M a ss (J u n 19 9 4 )
A presentation was made by Joe Reville This event organised by the parents and
of Student Enrichment Services on the celebrated by Fr John Dunne, has rightly
contents of a weekend course which he become a highlight of the year. It was
subsequently gave to the boys. The particularly well attended by parents and
presentation caused a lot of lively boys, and also by some teachers/tutors,
discussion, and convinced many parents whose presence was much appreciated.
of the merits of having their sons attend The Mass was followed by a social get-
the subsequent training course, which was together. An objective assessment of the
indeed very helpful for the boys. Parents' Forum seems to suggest that it is
The second half of the evening was a a useful vehicle for parent dialogue, as is
lively and humorous talk by pianist and evidenced by the splendid support the
Gonzaga parent, John O ’Conor, on events them selves receive from the
encouraging musicianship in our sons. parents. The monthly meetings of the
organising group are notified to all. There
is no need to be invited to attend, and new
T ra n sitio n Y ea r D isc u ssio n (F eb 1 9 94) faces and ideas would be most welcome.
There was a particularly large turnout of
parents for this discussion, which was Anne Ryan
also attended by some of the teachers Mahon Murphy
78
