Trim school tops for third level

AN IRISH Times survey last week revealed that Scoil Mhuire Secondary School in Trim had the highest percentage of students progressing on to third-level education in Meath.

Earlier this year, Dunshaughlin native Jacqueline Maher was appointed principal following the retirement of Jerry Kearney and at the end of her first term in the school, Ms Maher told the Meath Chronicle how she is already feeling very much at home in the school and has been overwhelmed by the support she has received from students, teachers and parents.

While delighted that Scoil Mhuire came out as the top feeder school in Meath with 83 per cent of students going on to third-level education, Ms Maher emphasised that such figures are not an indication of all that goes on in a school and stressed the importance of the holistic development of the student.

"It is a reward for the commitment of the teachers and students in the school and showed the students achieved to their potential," she said.

Scoil Mhuire's new principal explained how she believes in a sense of achievement and the fulfilment of potential and said it does not matter if a student gets an A1 or a D1 if they are achieving to their potential.

"Some students struggle to get a D1 and for them to get a D1 is as much as an achievement as an A1 is for another student," she said.

Ms Maher wants to see her students not only develop academically but also socially and physically and have a good overall development.

She said some students who get 600 points haven't developed their social skills to meet people and cope with life outside the classroom and not being teacher led and that they want to develop independent learning.

Ms Maher is a native of The Bush, Dunshaughlin, and completed her degree in Maynooth where she qualified as a maths, biology and science teacher.

Her first post was at St Fintina's Secondary School in Longwood where she taught for three years before moving on to St Mogue's College, a small vocational school in Bawnboy, Cavan. Her next teaching position brought her to the Old Bawn Community School in Tallaght where she was based for 14 years, the final six as acting deputy principal.

Ms Maher is already well known in the Trim area through her involvement with Killyon Camogie Club and Warrenstown Basketball Club and she was previously involved in Kiltale Macra.

She played camogie with Killyon up to last year and actually played along with some of her students and many past pupils of the school.

"The support from the staff, students, parents and the Board of Management has been so good. We have an excellent staff who are extremely hard-working," she said.

"Coming into a school with a good sound tradition and history, you want to maintain all the good things that go on and develop them further if possible, like the choir to enhance students holistic development."

Ms Maher also said there were not enough students for transition year this year and she would like to see a transition year next year. 

"I think for some students, transition year is a necessary year. Some girls are young and immature and they don't have the maturity to reach their best potential at senior cycle.

"It's not a doss year. It helps the girls to be better prepared for senior cycle. Many don't realise the jump from junior cycle to senior cycle and the year gives them enough information to make informed decisions."

Ms Maher said it also gives students a chance to stop and determine what direction they wish to go in and to take stock.

A school inspection report found the academic achievement of the school was above the national average but Ms Maher pointed out that the school also has a pastoral care system that is "second to none" with two form teachers for each class, two year heads in each year, and the 'Athrú' group of 15 fifth years who are involved in a mentoring programme for first years, helping the girls settle into school, organising games, DVDs and a Hallowe'en concert for 2008.

There is also a group of lab technicians  who help the science teachers and organise events during science week such as a science quiz, experiments and announcing science facts over the intercom.

The school has a "reverse vending" machine  where the girls put in their plastic bottles and get a token in return. There is a competition among the classes and those who collect the most tokens win a prize. Junior classes win a CD player and the seniors a trip to Dublin and one group has collected 1,000 plastic bottles. There is also a strong students council in the school,

This year, the girls have "adopted" the nearby MS Centre as their charity for the year and raised €3,000 for the centre through a swim-athon.

Ms Maher has instigated the renaissance of the school which has 80 members who had their first public performance in St Patrick's Church recently where they put on a fabulous Christmas carol service.

The girls practise during their own time, giving up their lunch breaks and also staying back after school to work with Jane Lynch of Meath Diocesan Choir.

Ms Lynch conducted the choir for the carol service and her son Vincent Lynch, an accomplished musician, accompanied the choir.

Ms Maher said the service was "stunning" that there were beautiful readings, poems and singing. "It brought a lot of people to tears". Donations from those who attended came to over €1,000 which will also be given to the MS Centre.

Ms Maher also said people would be surprised to see all that goes on in the school and not to be fooled by appearances. Activities include camogie, football, basketball, cross-country running, athletics, equestrian, archery, debating, choir, lab technician group, the student council, senior prefects, and the Athrú group.

"I am gobsmacked on a daily basis by the commitment, work ethic, community spirit, the relations between students and teachers, the whole staff and the support of the parents council," said Ms Maher.

"They are a very good group of girls, respectful and co-operative. There is a lovely atmosphere when people come into the school and see the commitment and feel the work ethic and the ethos of the school."