Battle for patronage of new Dunshaughlin post-primary school ends on Monday
The educational bodies vying for the patronage of a new secondary school proposed for Dunshaughlin have been campaigning for parents’ support as voting comes to a close on Monday next.
Three bodies – the Louth Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB), who already run the local community college, educational patron, CEIST, and An Foras Pátrúnachta, the largest patron of Irish-medium schools in Ireland at both primary and secondary level, are seeking the patronage, with the first two groups putting in the strongest campaigns to run the 600-pupil school due to open next September.
LMETB proposes to name this school Coláiste Ríoda should they be appointed patron, saying it is committed to excellence and innovation in the education of young people and adults through the provision of dynamic services delivered by professional staff.
LMETB says it has an excellent tradition in new school start -ups and would look forward to opening the doors to another LMETB school which will offer a broad and balanced curriculum with a diverse range of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities where the aptitudes of students are central to its design. Its patronage campaign for the new post primary school can be accessed on www.lmetb.ie
In the Dunshaughlin area, LMETB currently manages Dunshaughlin Community National School, the Centre for European Schooling and Dunshaughlin Community College.
Clare Ryan CEO of one of the Educational Trusts hoping to run the new school, “This is an awesome responsibility that these parents have been given; because their decision will have a deep impact not only on their own children’s lives but on the lives of future generations of children living in the town and surrounding areas. It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity to really impact on the educational landscape of the town, so we’d really encourage parents to choose really carefully; it’s huge”.
Last Thursday, a virtual open evening for parents in Dunshaughlin was held by CEIST, patron of 107 Catholic post-primary schools and co-patron of 34 community schools and community colleges. CEIST schools in Meath include Eureka Secondary School, Navan, Scoil Mhuire, Trim and St Joseph’s Mercy Secondary School, Navan.
CEO of CEIST, Clare Ryan said: “We were completely blown away by the level of interest in the kind of high quality, state-of-the-art Catholic secondary school we’re seeking to offer to the town. The support has come through the local primary schools obviously and we’re really grateful to the principals and teachers, parents and young people who’ve gotten behind our efforts. The local clergy have also been really marvellous. Parents want the kind of superb school our Trust is offering and they’re taking their role as arbiters of this decision for the town extremely seriously. It was incredibly heartening to be part of it.”
Dunshaughlin resident, Rita Meagher, principal of Mercy Navan, added: “What we want parents to do now is simply exercise their vote; every vote counts and every vote will matter. As a parent, I think the worst thing would be if parents said after the fact that they hadn’t heard about it, or didn’t realise they’d the choice in this; that would be a terrible tragedy really and a bit of kick in the teeth to the Department of Education’s patronage process”.
Ms Meagher suggests parents need to give serious consideration to CEIST.
“It’s not only about whether or not you’d definitely send your child to the CEIST school, it’s actually about ensuring we’ve a real choice in the matter. By voting for CEIST, you can safeguard that choice for Dunshaughlin for now and for the future”.
The Online Patronage Process System can be accessed at: https://patronage.education.gov.ie. Voting will run until 9am on Monday 16 November 2020. Parents/Guardians of pupils in second to sixth class from the planning area are eligible to vote.