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OMAGH ACADEMYWINTER NEWSLETTER2022

Thursday 11thOpen Night Friday 12thStaff Day (No pupils to attend) Thursday 19th Year 11 Parents Evening Thursday 19th- Monday 23rdYear 13 Internal Exams Monday 23rd- Friday 27th Ski Trip JANUARYWednesday 4th Spring Term begins Thursday 5th- Wednesday 11th Year 12 Internal ExamsTuesday 7thYear 12 Parents Evening Monday 13thPost 16 Subjects Evening Wednesday 15th Staff Day (No pupils to attend) Thursday 16th- Friday 17thMid Term BreakWednesday 1stYear 10 Parents Evening Thursday 9thSpring Concert @Strule ArtsTheatre Monday 13th- Thursday 16thYear 11 Exams Friday 17th St. Patrick's Holiday Tuesday 21stYear 9 Parents Evening Friday 31stEnd of Term (3:30pm)DATES FOR YOUR DIARYfebruarymarch

WELCOMEWelcome to our Winter Newsletter which provides us all with a wonderfulopportunity to reflect on another action-packed term at Omagh Academy. Wecontinue to provide for the holistic development of our pupils within and beyond theclassroom and that is evidenced by the vast range of activities undertaken by ourpupils and staff, together with their academic achievements. At the start of term, wewarmly welcomed our Year 8 pupils, as well as a number of older pupils, and we aredelighted all have settled in well and have fully and embraced our School ethos. Webelieve passionately that all our pupils thrive here in Omagh Academy and that theirpersonal growth, enhanced by the values of kindness, respect and responsibility, willempower them to be the very best that they can be. During this term we welcomedMiss Best to the Physical Education Department, Mr Crozier to the Technology andDesign Department, Mrs Galloway to the Religious Education Department, MrsKenning to the Geography Department and Mr Strain to the MathematicsDepartment. We welcomed Miss Aspinwall to our team of Classroom Assistants andMiss Com-Nouge as our new French Language Assistant. Our warmestcongratulations are extended to Mrs Buchanan on the occasion of her marriage to MrMatthew Buchanan and to Mrs Jackson on the birth of her daughter, Isabella. Early inthe term, we said goodbye to Dr Robinson, Miss Roulston and Mr Hassard, who haveall taken up new posts, and we extend to them our thanks and warmest wishes for thefuture. At the end of term, we say a fond goodbye to Mrs Waterson who is retiring,having worked as Librarian of Omagh Academy for 20 years, as well as leading ourEquestrian Club. We thank Mrs Waterson for her years of service and commitmentand wish her a long, happy and fulfilling retirement.Thank you for your continued support of Omagh Academy and I take this opportunityto wish our entire School community, and all the families and friends of OmaghAcademy, a very happy Christmas.

prize day We were delighted to welcome former pupil,Mr Willie Anderson, back to Omagh Academy! Since leaving school, Mr Anderson forged acareer as a rugby player - gaining 27international caps & captaining both Ulster andIreland. He then became a rugby coach,working with Dungannon, Leinster, LondonIrish, Scotland & Ulster. We were so pleased tohave him back in school again to inspire ourpupils. Speaking to the students he challenged them toset goals and have high aspirations - but not tobe afraid of the hard work & determinationneeded for success. We were pleased that Mrs Heather Andersonjoined him & presented the prizes to students.Our annual prize day took place on Wednesday21st September, a day in which we were able tomeet together and celebrate the success of ourpupils.Willie AndersonSpeeches were delivered by Mr Reilly (Chair ofthe Board of Governors), Mrs Maxwell(Principal), Head Boy & Head Girl and the guestspeaker. This year the musical interlude was provided by5 senior musicians. Kathryn, Izabella, Emma,Leya & Anna sang a beautiful arrangement ofthe hymn tune, ‘How Great Thou Art’.The guest speaker, Mr Willie Anderson,presented the school with a framed photographof one of his most iconic sporting moments - inthe Ireland v All Blacks match in 1989.

Pupils from Years 12-14 (2021-22) alsoreceived commendations for best insubject - for GCSE, AS & A-LevelIt was fantastic to see the range ofsubjects offered and the diversity ofinterests and skills across the yeargroups. Well done!Pinkerton MedalT Ross Henderson AwardSammy McKernaghan MemorialAward for service to the CommunityCyril Reilly Cup for Technology &DesignThe Training & Employment Shield forEndeavour in Sixth Form Shiels Trophy for top pupil in Year 9The Allen Stewart Award forEnterpriseIt was also wonderful to acknowledgehard work and achievements; and at thesame time allowing every student tosucceed at their own pace, utilising theirunique gifts & talents. This selection of images representsawards for academic success, communityspirit and involvement in school life -awarded to pupils in Years 8-13, 2021-22.We respect & value our educationalheritage and you may have heard of theseawards before. Awards included:The best aspect of Prize Day wascelebrating success with pupils, staff,families & friends.We know, however, that every day greatachievements & successes happen in theclassrooms, on the sports pitches, in musictuition & around our school community -and we will continue to champion ourpupils as they learn, discover & foster theirtalents!Well done to all for great achievements in2021-22. We look forward withexcitement to the year ahead! VERTIAS VINCETThe speeches provided opportunities tocongratulate pupils and their families,publicly thank the staff for theircommitment & diligence, comment onOmagh Academy’s place within theeducation sector and to acknowledge thevast range of extra-curricular activitiesprovided for the students.

INSPIREEMPOWERACHIEVE

SENIORLEADERSHIPTEAMWe are delighted to announce our SeniorPupil Leadership Team for the school year2022-23.Back from left: Joshua (Deputy Head Boy - McClintock PS)Conrad (Head Boy - Irvinestown PS)James (Deputy Head Boy - Gibson PS)Front from left:Alex (Deputy Head Girl - Edwards PS)Jessica (Head Girl - Cooley PS)Emma (Deputy Head Girl - Gibson PS)Congratulations to the members of the Leadership Team and to all of thePrefects.

WELCOME YEAR 88A8B

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a year of memoriesnow available to read on www.omaghacademy.comSCHOOL MAGAZINE2021- 2022

christmas cardcompetition Winner – Michaela McCullaghRunner Up – Lana McArdleHighly Commended:Hannah Creddin, Rachel Nelson, Emily Hemphill, Thomas Hamilton, Izzie Andrews, Carys Morris, Emily Irwin Winner – Chloe FergusonRunner Up – Ellie Donaldson Highly Commended:Eva Adams, Foteini Schizonikas, Lewis McIvor, Emelia Fenton, Jason Shi, Betha Rickford, Adam Keysyear 8year 9year 10Winner- Harriet MartinRunner Up- Megan MooreHighly Commended: Brody Cathers, Ensa Mary Vinod, JasonHemphill, Katie-Jane Bradley, ElizaBereczk , Jonathan McCullaghThe entries for this year’sSchool Christmas Cardcompetition were veryhigh. The Art and DesignDepartment would liketo thank everyone whoparticipated for theirfantastic contributions.Well done to our overallwinner, Erin Stephens(10B) overall winnerErin Stephens

CAROL SERVICECelebrate ChristmasWhat a wonderful evening and display of OmaghAcademy community life as we gathered in StColumba’s for our Carol Service last week.Thank you to Senior Choir, Junior Choir, ChamberChoir, Brass Band, String Ensemble, WoodwindEnsemble, Guitarists & Pipers - the months ofhard work and lots of rehearsals were worth it! To Mrs Bingham & Mr Fyffe - thank you for greatmusic & opportunities . Thank you to theinstrumental tutors who have helped prep &instruct the ensembles in the background, and toMr McGlinn & Mrs Quick who attended.A special thanks to Miss Faris, the catering team,our readers, the powerpoint operator,congregation of St Columba’s who welcomed usso warmly and lastly to family & friends whojoined with us and supported us. All proceeds ofthe freewill offering on the night will support thework of Air Ambulance. The Work of Christmas When the song of the angels isstilled,When the star in the sky is gone,When the kings and princes arehome,When the shepherds are back withtheir flock,The work of Christmas begins:To find the lost,To heal the broken,To feed the hungry,To release the prisoner,To rebuild the nations,To bring peace among others,To make music in the heart. Howard Thurman

MUSICWe are delighted that some of our Year 9 musicians attended a Prizegiving ceremony at Stormont recently. Hosted by theUlster-Scots Agency, our pupils received certificates for progress in Piping. The pictures above are of our three pupilsHarrison, Amy and Judah along with the Education Minister, Michelle McIllveen, who presented their certificates. Thank you to tutors Mr Carmichael & Mr Megoran for their top class teaching and encouragement. Our drummers were unable to attend but will receive their certificates by post. ULSTER SCOTSMUSICShowbands Exhibitionstrule arts theatre Our Year 14 Music students had a great time at the Omagh Showbandsexhibition which was held at Strule Arts Centre recently. The interactiveexhibition and walking trail was highly informative. Thank you to DeclanFord and Terena Conlan for welcoming us so warmly. Our Senior Choir recently had theopportunity to sing some Carols atOmagh Library. It was a pleasure tosing and certainly put us in the festivemood!

QUEENELIZABETHservice of thanksgivingThroughout that week, our school community markedthe passing of HM Queen Elizabeth in many differentways. Perhaps the most apparent way was the flying of theflag at half-mast. We also joined together for a specialService of Thanksgiving on the 16th September.As we reflected on the life & legacy of Her MajestyQueen Elizabeth II in our special assemblies that day,we were joined by:Mr P Waterson, Deputy Lieutenant of the County ofTyrone, & Mrs Waterson.Mr Reilly, Chairman of the Board of Governors, MrSpence (Vice Chair) & Mrs Spence. Thank you to all those involved in producing a beautifultribute to our Queen.Queen Elizabeth, Britain's longest-reigning monarchand the nation's figurehead for seven decades, diedaged 96 on 8th September 2022.QUEEN ELIZABETH'S WAS A LIFE WELL LIVED; A PROMISE WITH DESTINYKEPT AND SHE IS MOURNED MOST DEEPLY IN HER PASSING. THATPROMISE OF LIFELONG SERVICE I RENEW TO YOU ALL TODAY. his majesty the king's address to the natio n and the commonwealth

Remembrance DayThe school community joined together on11/11/2022 for poignant Senior & Junior assembliesand a Service of Remembrance.Hymns, a scripture reading, reflections from the pastpupil archives and the solemn reading of the Roll ofHonour, culminated with the wreath layingceremony.We thank all who organised & participated in theservice. It is good to remember.It is good to reflect.Veritas Vincet.In Flanders FieldJohn McCrae In Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who dieWe shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

MATHS WEEKIn November, pupils and staff had the opportunity to celebrate all things maths by taking part in various funactivities for Maths Week in Ireland. The Mathematics Department, along with Y13 Mathematics students,organised a number of events, such as Maths bingo, competitions like ‘Whose room is it anyway?’ or‘Mathematical Dingbats’, Y10 had the opportunity to create ‘#iusemaths’ posters, pupils played kahoots,countdown, maths relay and staff even got treated to tasty maths bakes! A great effort by all pupils,especially A-level mathematics students. Well done everyone.

Congratulations to Year 13 & Year 14 Mathematicspupils who took part in the recent UKMT SeniorMaths Challenge. Twenty-six pupils were mostsuccessful with nine pupils gaining silver certificatesand seventeen pupils receiving bronze certificates.Special mention must be given to Cameron Wilson(Y14) who received Best in School and BrooklynBaird & Joel Freedman who were Best in Y13. Welldone.UK SENIORMATHSCHALLENGECameron Wilson who received 'Best in School' with his Mathematics teacherMrs McColganBrooklyn Baird and Joel Freedman who both achieved 'Best in Year 13'. Theyare pictured alongside Mrs Trimble, Head of Mathematics.

MODERNLANGUAGESModern Languages Introducing our new FrenchAssistant: Julia from Bordeaux...weare delighted to welcome you toour school! Julia gives conversation classes toour Year 13 and 14 pupils andteam-teaches in year 8-12 classes. Best wishes for a great year!At our recent Prize Day, we celebrated the success of some of the wonderful linguists we have the pleasure ofteaching every day.A special 'Well Done' to top French A level, AS level and GCSE level students: Rachel, Iona and Carolyn.Best wishes as you continue your language-learning journeys!Pupil Success New French Assistant!

Recently, GOLD, SILVER and BRONZEcertificates were awarded toparticipants of the NICILT SummerChallenge. These hard-working YearNine pupils completed linguistic tasksduring the summer holidays!A huge welldone to all!NICILT SUMMER CHALLENGEOn 9th December, the Language Department had the pleasure of having back Aaron Freedman, one ofour A Level students from last year. Our French and Spanish GCSE/AS students thoroughly enjoyed listening to Aaron who gave aninspirational talk on the positive impact that languages had on his life. He shared his experiences atOxford Universify where he is studying Japanese.He did not only share some very funny stories of hisjourney in languages, but also gave some great advice to our students on why he recommends to have alanguage/languages at any level alongside other disciplines, even maths, science, Law or any others.Our language students felt really inspired and thoroughly enjoyed Aaron’s talk and how confident hewas. ¡Muchas gracias Aaron! Past pupil visit Aaron Freedman

In September, the Modern Languages Departmentcelebrated European Day of Languages which got off to adelicious start with Year 10's Taste Fest of foreigndesserts.These pupils took the biscuit with a scrumptious array ofsweet treats from Brazil, China, Italy, Spain, France,Germany, Greece, Australia...the list goes on.What efforts they made to research online recipes, buyingredients and prepare their chosen delights...we are soproud of you!European Day of LanguagesMANDARIN Mandarin Chinese Taster Sessions for all ofYear Eight recently took place in the ModernLanguages department. The pupils reallyenjoyed learning about the culture andlanguage, as well as experiencing a Chinese teaceremony.Years 8-10 pupils have now signed up for afterschool Mandarin classes which is reallyenocuraging to see!

BARCELONADay OneWe had a brilliant first day of our Year 12 Barcelona trip. Theearly start didn't stop us having a jam packed day full of funand cultural experiences. We went straight from the airportto Montjuic where we saw the 1992 Olympic stadium on theway to photograph some of the best views of Barcelonabefore taking the cable car down to the port.We then had the opportunity to visit the Boquería marketwhich was a riot of colours and flavours. We sampled somelocal delights and then immersed ourselves in some retailtherapy! Our final stop before heading to our hotel wasTheNou Camp stadium, Barca's sacred ground. What a day! We had a delicious picnic lunch in the medieval town of MontBlanc where legend has it St George slew the dragon.This morning's itinerary included a visit of the UNESCOWorld heritage site of Monaster de Poblet deep in the Pradèsmountains where we discovered an order of 25 cistercianmonks living in beautiful, peaceful surroundings dating backto the 12th century. Dinner included traditional seafood Paella and we followedthat by a walk into Salou for fun on the beach and late nightshopping.We spent the morning in the Roman city of Tarragona. CSImurder mystery style tour. Lots of interactive challengescompleted to win clues as to who killed Pontio Pilatus. We aresorry to report that we have a murderer in our midst...MmeMiles! We then went toReus and the Gaudí museum. Then itwas back to the hotel for pool games, birthday celebrationsand more beach and shopping fun!Our final full day was spent in the incredible Port Aventuraunder beautiful blue skies. Super day! The pupils have been brilliant and it has been a pleasure tointroduce them to the culture, customs, food and sites ofCataluña. Many memories have been made!Day TwoDay ThreeDay Four

INSPIREEMPOWERACHIEVE

Our A and AS Level Politics pupils recently had the opportunity to meet UUP Deputy Leader Robbie Butler. Mr Butler took questions about the NI Assembly, Executive and politics in Northern Ireland. Thanks for visitingOmagh Academy!On Monday 5th December the Year13 & 14 Politics pupils had theopportunity to meet and questionJohnathan Buckley MLA. Mr Buckley spoke about the NIAssembly, the Executive, Unionismand the British Political Process. Healso talked about the challenges ofworking in Politics and how to getinvolved as a young person. We thank him for his visit and timespent with the pupils!politics visitsRobbie ButlerJonathan Buckley

SUZIE LEESuzie Lee

VISIT FROM SUZIE LEEThe Home Economics Departmentwas delighted to welcome ‘BestHome Cook’ Suzie Lee to school onFriday. After winning the prestigious TVcompetition, Suzie has continued tocombine her love of cooking with herrole as an accountant & mum. Year 10 Pupils, alongside GCSE Food& Nutrition students were able to askquestions, watch the cookerydemonstration and then taste somesamples! We all really enjoyed the afternoonand thank Suzie for sharing with us. Itwas an inspirational event!Check out Suzie'ssocial media outletsfor fun recipes andcookalongs!suziecookingthebooksSuzie Lee Cooks Suzie Lee Cooks

SPRINGBOARD FUTURECHEF COMPETITIONRecently, some of Mrs Braden’s Year 10 Home Economics pupils participated in the Springboard FutureChefcompetition. Their task was to design, plan and prepare a main course dish.After all pupils tried out their chosen dishes, 6 pupils were selected by Mrs Braden to take part in the schoolheat final. This final was judged by Mrs Maxwell and Mrs Davidson who both commended all pupils for their‘restaurant’ standard dishes which were all incredibly enjoyable. Judging proved to be a very difficult task due to this high standard but after deliberations they selected Jasonas their overall winner with Alick as the runner up. Jason’s dish was ‘Lemon glazed salmon’ served with riceand vegetables. All pupils were then presented with a certification for participation and the finalists also received a small prize.Well done to all pupils involved.

ECO SCHOOLS The Eco Club have had a busy term. Meeting every Monday at lunchtime, wehave had a great group of volunteers who have helped around our schoolgrounds. From weeding the flowerbeds, picking up litter to planting bulbs,everyone has joined together to make our school look good. Bug hotels havealso been built as well as restocking the bird feeders regularly. Thank you to staff & pupils for keeping our grounds and providing colour!

SCIENCE Year 10 Trip to Armagh PlaneteriumYear 14 Trip to Magilligan Point.Science Trip at Millenium Forum run byLoughs AgencyMany of our pupils have had the opportunityto go on numerous Science trips, as outlinedbelow;Science Trip Science Club has also proved popular thisterm. It takes place on a Friday at 1:15pm inS4 and all Year 9 and 10 students are mostwelcome. Armagh PlaneteriumMillenium Forum: Loughs Agency Trip

MAGILLIGAN FIELD TRIPYEAR 14 FIELDWORK SAMPLING

THANK YOUThis term, we have said 'Farewell' and 'Thank you' to three members ofstaff. Aaron Hassard and Heather Roulston have both been members of ourteam of Classroom Assistants and Dr Leanne Robinson, a teacher in ourTechnology and Design Department. We wish them all well in their newposts!Visit to Strule Artscentre learnspark workshopLast week, our Junior Drama Clubstudents had the oportunity to visitStrule Arts Centre to watch theproduction of 'A Christmas Carol' byHazel Wand Theatre School. It was afabulous production and it was lovelyto see several of our own stduentstake to the stage! Well done to allinvolved!Our Year 13 pupils had the opportunityto take part in the LearnSparkProgramme. These popular sessionstaught the pupils how to studyindependently and effectively, enablingthem to reach their full potential. During the sessions, students alsoexplored areas such as: organisation andtime management; interrogating keynotes; memory and retrieval practice;and wellbeing and resilience.

The Staff team was delighted to join togetherfor a special fundraising coffee morning - withproceeds in aid of the vital work provided byMacMillan Cancer Fund and NIPANC,focusing on prevention of pancreatic cancer.Special thanks to Mrs McLaughlin & Mrs Orrfor organising the event and encouraging usall to support these charities.Charity Fundraiser

One day was spent at Bletchley Park and the National Museum of Computing. Pupils had the opportunity to gain an insight intobreaking the German code during World World 2, which was instrumental in winning the war. The pupils took part in a workshopinvestigating encryption and decryption techniques. At the Museum of Computing pupils witnessed Alan Turing’s bombe and theenigma and range of other key historic computers. That night was concluded with a guided bus tour around the sights of London.Pupils also explored career opportunities in Computing/IT. They visited CKX, a world leading company in Artificial Intelligence,where they received an inspirational talk from Chris Knight, the Chief Executive. His account of his own background in roboticsand satellites was very interesting as was the detail he shared on the cutting edge AI he is currently developing in relation toAgriculture and Climate Change. He also highlighted the fantastic opportunities open to girls in the sector. Pupils also visited Black and White Web Designs a prominent multimedia/web software company. Peter Franklin, the managingdirector, gave an insightful presentation on website styles and design approaches. The pupils then participated in a workshopwhere they worked in groups to produce a design specification for specific clients. Peter commended their ideas and excellentpitches. Well done all!ICT TRIP TO LONDONOur GCSE ICT classes recently had a wonderful opportunity to go to London for a packed schedule of workshops and events aswell as some sightseeing around London. Outlined are just a few of the events that pupil's attended:

SOROPTOMIST COMPETITIONCongratulations to our Year 13 pupils whorecently took part in this competition. Iona achieved 2nd place. Other pupils who tookpart were Sarah, Mia, Priya, Claudia and Kathy. The girls delivered speeches on a range of topicsincluding Mental Health and Gender Equality. A cohort of Year 11 girls have been involved in the WISH (The Walking InScHools) study which was overseen by Ulster University - Study At Ulster inconjunction with the PE dept. Today they were presented with certificates ofparticipation & a hoodie. The girls were encouraged to take part in peer ledwalks led by older pupils who were trained as walk leaders.Well done to the participants & the walk leaders!#wellbeing #youthmentalhealth #healthWISH STUDY

geography GEOGRAPHY

Year 9 Geographers enjoyed a trip to GortatoleOutdoor Education Centre where theycompleted a river study as part of their 'Riversand Weathering' topic. Vital field skills weredeveloped, and a chance to apply their learning tothe real world! All four year 9 classes took part across a two dayperiod where they impressed their teachers andinstructors with their superb knowledge,enthusiasm and hard work. A fantastic day out leading up to half term! Welldone year 9!River Studyyear 9Year 12 GCSE Geographers recently completedtheir residential field trip to Magilligan FieldCentre. They conducted a primary investigationof the Curly Burn river and spent time presentingtheir data as well as analysing, interpreting andevaluating their findings. The students workedextremely hard for tis component of their GCSEcourse. Well done on producing some excellentwork!field tripyear 12

Our AS Geographers also recently virtually attended a lecture hosted by the Geographical Associationand Queens University Belfast on the topic of Flood Management. This was a great opportunity to develop pupils’ understanding and knowledge of this topical issue andto hear from industry professionals. There was even a festive hot chocolate or two!Year 13 Geographers, Iona, Ruby, Eve and Amy recently tookpart in the British Council’s COP27 Climate SimulationNegotiation at Belfast City Hall where they had theopportunity to find out what it’s really like to negotiate aclimate deal.During the negotiations, the pupils had to agree on a globalstrategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and successfullyreduced global temperature rises to 1.8°C, with countries ontarget to reduce temperatures to 1.5°C by 2030. Theyadopted different roles and engaged with the process ofcoming to an agreement really well. The event was very interesting and the pupils have gained agreat experience. Well done!British Council cop27 climate simulation negotiationVirtual Lecture

SCHOOL COUNCIL election timeOur School Council representatives have had anaction packed first term, meeting on a regular basis todiscuss many important issues. Our representatives were elected as a result of anelection campaign in the month of September. Onceelected, these members met and agreed on their roles,made preparations for Anti Bullying week as well asdiscussing plans for the year ahead. The council also organised a Christmas HamperAppeal, with all items going to our local foodbank inOmagh. Every member in form class were encouragedto bring in one food item which was then put into a hamper. It was wonderful to see each class involvedand helping to make a difference in our community.This week, we enjoyed a well earned brunch atBob&Berts. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all! We mustthank our representatives for all their effort and workso far this term. Your work has been so muchappreciated!

10A Ryan Henderson 10B Isaac Henderson 10C Jodie Elliott 10D Charlie Conway 12A Eleni Schizonikas 12B Amy Rutledge 12C Sarah Donnell 12D Philip Crawford 13A Zara Hamilton 13B Joel Freedman 13C Erin McFarland 13D Jack Thompson 14A Sam Irvine 14B Tori Hamilton 14C Drew Patterson 14D William Buchanan year 8SCHOOL COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVESyear 9year 108A Emily Pinkerton 8B Oscar Magee 8C Anna Liggett 8D Joey Donnelly 9A Stewart Beattie 9B Theo Hardy 9C Zach Keys 9D Isabella Crawford year 1111A Matthew Armstrong 11B Bailey Bell 11C Lena McCann 11D Sam Hempton year 12year 13year 14Deputy Head Boy – James Fleming(Chairperson) Deputy Head Girl – Alex McCay (Vice-Chair) Head Girl - Jessica Rennie (Chairperson) Head Boy - Conrad Hale (Vice-Chair)

Monday14thNovemberWe took part in Odd Socks Day with EmilyRobb 8C winning the prize for best oddsocks! She was presented with a sweethamper at Junior Assembly. Our Junior School Council also presentedtheir acrostic during assembly. We then had a Donut sale with allproceeds going to Aware NI.Tuesday15thNovemberPupils watched a video presentation on'Reach Out' during PSE. This presentationwas produced by our Senior SchoolCouncil and outlined incidents of bullyingwith classes then working on a discussionactivity on how we would respond. OurAnti-Bullying Policy was also givenoutOur Donut Sale continued!Wednesday16thNovemberIn SeniorAssembly, our Senior SchoolCouncil delivered a presentation on'Reaching Out'. Thursday17thNovemberYear 9 were involved in Anti-Bullyingworkshops delivered by Ignite Wellbeing.In JuniorAssembly, the Junior SchoolCouncil made a presentation to all pupils.Friday18thNovemberYear 8 attended Internet Safety Talks bythe PSNI.ANTI BULLYING WEEK EVENTSAnti Bullying week took place in November and as part of this national awareness, ourschool community took part in a range of events in order to encourage pupils to 'ReachOut'. Outlined below, are the events that took place during this particular week. Thanksto our School Council for their effort in producing and taking part in many of theseactivities. Photos are included of these events on the following pages.

Pictured, are members of the Senior School Council who presenteda cheque for £336 to Margaret from AWARE NI. This money wasraised through our Anti-Bullying week fundraiser bunsale.Omagh Academy was awarded 'The Investors inMental Health Award' at the recent Aware NIInvestors in Mental Health Awards in Belfast. Thisaward was presented in recognition of OmaghAcademy's contribution to the promotion ofpositive mental health. We look forward tocontinuing to build on our work in the year ahead.Well done to Emily Robb 8C, whowon the sweet hamper for the'Best Odd Socks'!'INVESTORS IN MENTAL HEALTH'AWARD Olivia, our Familyworks School Counsellor visitsschool one day per week. She is able to facilitatecounselling sessions in addition to seeing pupils for‘drop in’ sessions. Further information about theFamilyworks School Counselling Service can be foundon our website under the Pastoral Tab --SchoolCounsellor.School Counsellor

Orla from IGNITE delivered anti-bullying workshops toour Year 9s and 10s as well as to our School Councils.There was discussion of definition of bullying, how wordsand actions can impact upon others and how we neverreally know what is going on the lives of others. Pupilswere fully involved in all activities. Thank you to Orla fordelivering the workshops.Some members of the Senior School Council attendedDiana Award Anti-Bullying Ambassador Award Trainingwhich was delivered virtually.

From February 2023, Omagh Academy will be taking partin Operation Encompass. Operation Encompass is an earlyintervention partnership between Police and Schoolsaimed at supporting children who are impacted bydomestic abuse. Further information will be circulated toparents & carers early in the Spring Term. In the meantime,you may wish to visit Operation Encompass website to findout further information. The School Safeguarding Team arecurrently completing the requisite training in preparationfor the roll out of Operation Encompass.The Period Dignity Project aims to make essentialcare accessible and available in conjunction with thebreaking of stigma and taboos around periods. Anew ‘Purple Bag’ committee comprised of SeniorPupils is in place for the 2022-23 academic year,building on the work of the inaugural committee in2021-22. . With funding from the Department ofEducation in place, pupils have been stocking keyareas including toilets with products. In the SpringTerm of 2023, the committee plan to deliver shortpresentationsPurple Bag Project In September, we welcomed the‘Love for Life’ Team to school todeliver tailored workshops toYears 9, 11 and 13 as part of theRSE programme.EA REACH Youth worker, Kelley, reconnected withYear 9 in October to deliver wellbeing workshops. InFebruary 2023, she plans to offer a further workshop toYear 9 on the topic of motivation. EA REACH Projectoffers youth work support for the emotional health andwellbeing of pupils within schools across NorthernIreland. The REACH programme is provided as part ofthe Department of Education’s ‘ Emotional Health andWellbeing Framework in Education ’.ea reach workshops

Many children and young people will receive new devices and computer games for Christmas, but we’reasking parents, do you know what your child is doing online or most importantly, who they are talkingto?For some children, it will be the first time they’ve owned a device that connects them to the onlineworld. Even for older children, a new device means new corners of the digital landscape to explore –and unfortunately, new risks to be aware of.Along with our partners at the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland, we have put together somekey tips on how to make sure children enjoy the internet safely.These tips include; checking the privacy, location and parental controls on devices that the child uses,checking the direct messages and chat functions on apps, using parental controls and having openconversations with their child about what they are doing online.Parents and carers can access the Safeguarding Board NI App for online safety information and advice.Practical tips and advice have been published on the Police Service’s website here:https://www.psni.police.uk/safety-and-support/keeping-safe/protecting-yourself/internetsafety/keeping-children-safe-onlinepsni workshopsConst. Harkness (Schools’ Community Liaison Officer) presented on Online Safety to Year 8 pupils inNovember, reminding them of key messages including how to stay safe online.Online Safety Christmas 2022 Advice from the PSNIMISS FARISMR BINGHAMMRS MAXWELLMR HAMILTONSAFEGUARDING TEAMWe are committedto safeguardingand promoting thewelfare of theyoung people of ourschool MR YOUNGMR REILLYDesignated GovernorDeputy Designated TeacherDesignated TeacherPrincipalDeputy Designated TeacherChair of Board of Governors MRS DAVIDSONDeputy Designated Teacher

A huge congratulaions to Amy Patterson whorecently won the 'Women in AG' Schools'competition. The task was to produce a video on aninspirational individual. Amy chose her dad andproduced a high quality video showing clips fromschool, her home farm and the mart!Amy was presented with her prize at the UlsterFarmers' Union "Women in Agriculture"conference, held in Glenavon House Hotel,Cookstown. Speakers at the event included DAERA MinisterEdwin Poots, UFU President David Brown andAimee Budge . The event was highly inspirationaland informative for our students. Well done Amy!WOMEN INAGRICULTUREcompetition winnerAmy Patterson Basil Bayne (Student Support Co-ordinator for Harper Adams in Ireland)visited us recently, to present the Awardfor top GCSE Agriculture student to JohnClingen and the Award for Excellence inAgriculture at A Level to Garrison Sproule.Basil met with Garrison who has enrolledfor a BSc Honours in Real Estate at HarperAdams University and Year 14 students, toanswer questions on Further Educationand careers in the Agri food sector.pupil success

Our Year 12-14 Agriculture students had a great trip to the ArdsPeninsula recently. It was a fantastic insight into farming andfood production and a great day was had by all.We would like to thank our hosts: Roy Lyttle Produce, Thomasand Samuel Steele of Rowreagh Farm, Harrisons of Greyabbeyand Adrian and Emily McGowan of Millbank Farm. ArdsPeninsulaagriculture trip Agriculture Club We have had a busy term at Agriculture Club, with a range of visitors coming in to speak to us about importantfarming topics. Speakers have included YFCU Vice President, Shannan Vance, Barbara Alcorn from RuralSupport NI, Benjamin Bingham from Fane Valley Feeds and Lunsay Hawkes from UFU. Our club runs everyTuesday at 1:20pm in the Lecture Theatre- come along after Christmas!

YOUNG ENTERPRISEBamboo toothbrushes are increasingly fashionableand undoubtedly environmentally friendly. With afocus on fun, sustainability and dental hygiene forchildren aged six to twelve, Omagh Academy’sYoung Enterprise company “Bambrushes” haveplaced an innovative spin on the bambootoothbrush.A hand made envelope has been designed,addressed to the buyer, franked with a panda pawstamp and tied carefully with string. Inside theenvelope is a letter which presents tenenvironmentally friendly pieces of advice, each froma different coloured panda. One of the attractivebamboo toothbrushes is boxed and included withthe letter. The fun for the buyer lbegins withdiscovering which colour of brush they will get andthen in matching their brush to the same-colouredpanda on the letter. Finally, they must follow thematching panda’s advice, to improve theirsustainability and have healthy teeth.“Bambrushes” are pleased that their product, whichcosts £2.00, is completely environmentally friendlyand sustainable. The company sold out at OmaghCounty’s Christmas Fair and at St. George’s Marketin Belfast. Look out for “Bambrushes” in February atthe Young Enterprise Market in Main St, Omagh!

SCRIPTURE UNIONAnother great term for both our Junior and Senior ScriptureUnions. We have been so encouraged and blessed by ourpupils coming faithfully each week to learn more about God,as well as having fun and fellowship together.In Junior SU, we have enjoyed bible studies by Mr Binghamon 'The Prodigal Son', visits from our E3 worker SarahEmerson as well as plenty of games and ice breakers.Senior SU have had a packed term with several visitingspeakers as well as attending numerous events outsideschool associated with our local churches. We thank all theteachers involved in both clubs as well as our SU committee. We also held a joint praise and worship session recently andonce again, we were so encouraged by our pupils makingtime to come amidst busy schedules.Last week, our pupils also took part in a Scripture UnionCarol Service with donations going towards the work of E3Omagh and Castlederg. It was great to see our pupils takingpart in this uplifting service. Just a reminder that our Junior SU takes place on a Fridaylunchtime whilst Senior SU meets on a Thursday lunchtime.

TRIP TO MANCHESTERYOUR PARAGRAPH TEXT Many of our Year 8 and 9 pupils recently took an trip over to Manchester to watch a football match. ManchesterUnited recorded a comfortable 3-0 win over Sheriff Tiraspol at Old Trafford in the Europa League.In a match dominated by the Reds, headed goals from Diogo Dalot and Marcus Rashford in each half were added toby a late Cristiano Ronaldo strike to settle the victory. A wonderful match to attend! Pupils also had the opportunityto go to Old Trafford superstore as well as going to the kit room executive lounge for some complimentary food. Agreat time was had by all. Thank you to the staff involved for organising this trip! MANCHESTER UNITED 3 SHERIFF TIRASPOL 0

RUGBY We are now almost half way through the2022/2023 rugby season. All school teamshave had a number of games and producedsome memorable performances along the way. The draw for the Danske Bank UK Schools CupRound of 16 was recently held at KingspanStadium. Once postponed games have beenplayed, we will know our opponents in eithercup or bowl competition. Our 2nd XV have made a great start this termwith a recent super win against Limavady. The Medallion squad have worked hard thisterm, and now progress to the 3rd round of theMedallion shield. We look forward to more rugby in the newschool year. PUPIL SUCCESSCongratulations to HarryMcIllwaine our MedallionCaptain, who was recentlyselected to play for theUlster U17 squad inmatches against anAustralian touring side,NSW Raptors. The finalscore was 21-0. A greatopportunity for Harry!

Well done to our girls who took part in the Ulter Rugby X7s school blitz atOmagh Accies RFC at the beginning of December. Our senior team played in a 7 team blitz and we had two junior teams in a 10team group. Both age groups ejoyed the games today and will play again in thenext round in the new year. Thanks to Darren McGuigan for organising. GIRLS RUGBYBLITZYEAR 8 BLITZA great first experience for our Year Eight pupils back in November! The pupils travelled to FoyleCollege for a blitz and came away with five winsout of six games across the two teams. The boysloved the games and all put in fantasticperformances. They look forward now to starting to train regularly after school and getting to playmore games!

RUGBY SPONSORSWe are delighted to welcome Burnhead Rural Services& Lagan Adventures - Belfast Hydrobikes on board asour Medallion Rugby Squad sponsors for the next 2seasons.Pictured, handing over the new playing tops are MrGraham Cooke (Burnhead Rural Services) and MrStuart Bradshaw (Lagan Adventures - BelfastHydrobikes).Also pictured, Principal - Mrs Maxwell, Coaches - MrMcGuigan & Mr Porter along with Captain - HarryMcIlwaine, Sam Harper, Matthew Brady & MatthewMcClung. Omagh Academy thank these local businesses for theirsupport and the squad look forward to wearing thenew tops for the first time this weekend.#supportlocalwww.laganadventures.comwww.burnheadrural.com

HOCKEY 1stXI Captain - Hollie Berrabah1stXI Vice-captain - Amy McFarlandSecretary- Sara Hamilton & Sophie EgertonTreasurers - Eve Duff and Sophie Alexander(missing from photo)PRO - Jessica Rennie and Brooklyn BairdHOCKEY COMMITEE2022-23SENIOR HOCKEY HONOURS TIESCongratulations to the following hockey playerswho received their senior hockey honours ties.Ties are presented to Year 14 players whorepresent the 1stXI and have dedicated over 6years of service to school hockey so far.Jessica Rennie, Rihanna Orr, Emma Clarke, SophieAlexander, Amy McFarland, Hollie Berrabah, SaraHamilton

A hard fought match for the 1stXI ended in a narrow 2-1 defeat in theSchools Cup recently. Hollie Berrabah's side started strong and scored within the first fiveminutes through Sophie Egerton. They maintained a high level ofpressure in the first half but Ballyclare equalised in the 3rd quarter. Itlooked to be going to run ins at a stage but Ballyclare scored in the finalquarter to take the lead. Omagh piled on the pressure in the finalminutes with many corners and chances but unfortunately the finalwhistle blew and the game ended 2-1. We wish Ballyclare good luck in the next round of the Cup. The 1stXI now await the draw to determine their Senior Plateopponents.The U14s recently played against RSD in the Junior Cup Match.RSD got off to a great start and Omagh had a lot of defending to do. RSDcreated lots of chances and were able to convert and lead 2-0 going intohalf time.In the 2nd half Omagh did have opportunities to get into the RSD circle butcould not clinch a goal to get back into the game. Everyone played withgreat determination but unfortunately it wasn't our day. Sophie Little was player of the match as she had numerous saves to maketo ensure RSD got no more goals. Game finished 2-0 to RSD and we wishthem all the best in the next round.Hard luck to the 2AXI who lost 2-0 to Strathearn in the McDowell Cup.Strathearn scored both goals in the last quarter. Our girls should be veryproud of themselves. The 2Bs suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Down High School in the GibsonCup . Despite enjoying the majority of play and chances, they couldn't findthe back of the net. Hard luck but you should be proud of an excellentperformance.The U13s have had a busy term with lots of matches played and showingmuch improved performances. A particular well done on the 7-0 win in Westof Ulster League. 1st XI2nda XI2ndb XIu14u13

FOOTBALLIt has been a busy season for our footballers witha range of matches being played across theprovince for both our U18 and U16s in the SchoolPlate competition. Our footballers also recently had two great daysof experience & competition at Omagh LeisureCentre for the NI Schools Futsal regionalqualifying events.On theTuesday, we fielded three teams at Yr8/9level & 2 teams at Yr10/11. The boys playedbrilliantly across all teams but the Yr10/11 Team1 reached the semi final, losing out to eventualwinners Holy Cross.On the Wednesday it was the turn of the girls. Wefielded 1 Yr8 team, 1 Yr 9 & 1 Yr10/11 team.Again there were some excellent performancesbut the stand out team was the Yr8s who reachedthe Semi Final, again losing out to Holy Cross.Many thanks to the IFA for organising & toOmagh LC for hosting. Well done to ALL our pupils.

Well done Daniel Beatty on a greatperformance (x 3 goals and 1 assist)with Dungannon Swifts at theSupercup NI tournament!PUPIL SUCCESSWell done to Ellie Armstrong whogot selected to represent TeamIreland at the 2023 World Games inBerlin. A super achievement!Well done to Erin Sproule whowas placed 12th at the IrishCombined Events Championshipsin Athlone!Well done to Amy McLaughlinwho secured a qualifying spot forthe British Shooting Schools PistolChampionships, taking 3rd placein the individual competition!Well done to Amy McFarland whowas recently part of the Sion Swiftsquad, playing Glentoran in theWomen's Challenge Cup Final atWindsor Park!Well done David Lyttle for winning3rd place over the summer in theIrish Boys Golf AmateurChampionship!Cole McCullough continues to besuccessful in Motocross Sport. He qualified8th in the World Championships and is theyoungest ever person to win a 125ccoverall British Round. This is an amazingachievement. Well done!

In September, three of our Athletestravelled to Antrim to take part in theUlster Schools Multi Eventscompetition. Harvey King (6th) Erin Sproule (6th) &Jazy McAskie (12th) all performedwell across the various events. It was great to see the 3 athletes riseto the challenge of competing in newevents, especially in unfamiliar eventssuch as the hurdles. Well done.Our 2 GCSE PE classes were at Armagh Palace grounds recently to complete an Orienteering programme. Thepupils worked on a number of different skills including, map & compass work, pacing, hand railing & controlprocedures. On top of this they of course worked on their aerobic fitness across some tough challenges.Despite the terrible weather, the pupils worked hard, kept smiling & successfully completed all the challenges.We’d like to thank the staff who led a fantastic programme & worked with our pupils today.ATHLETICSORIENTEERING PROGRAMME

designed and produced bymrs cuddywe wish youa merrychristmasand a happynew year