SCHOOL OPENING FINALLY IN SIGHT
New €10m co-ed school set to open on February 2
AN OPENING DATE of February 2 has finally been decided upon for the new €10 million co-educational school, six months after it was due to open.
The builders committed in October to conclude works on all buildings by November 28 and to hand over the two schools – located at Castlemoyle – fully completed by December 12, but further delays occurred. The company is facing delay charges running to thousands of euro per week from the Department of Education.
Edmund Rice NS Principal Brian MacMahon said: ‘We can finally announce that the new school buildings will open for pupils on Thursday, February 2.’
Work on the Junior School is finished and the Senior School is to be finished by December 22.
‘I am worse than a child looking forward to Christmas. It’s been a long road – 16 years for the buildingng and 21 years for the co-ed project.ect. Now finally, both projects come me together in the new state-of-the art buildings.’
The school was due to open in August.
WORK has once again been delayed on the the new €10m coeducational primary school in New Ross, which is now not due to open to 700 of the town’s pupils until February.
The builders committed in October to conclude works on all buildings by November 28 and to handover the two schools - located at Castlemoyle - fully completed by December 12, but further delays occurred and work is now not expected to be finalised until Christmas Eve. The company is facing delay charges running into thousands of euros per week from the Department of Education.
Edmund Rice NS Principal Brian MacMahon said: ‘We had further meetings with our own team and our removals contractor, but we can finally announce that the new school buildings will open for pupils on Thursday, February 2. The last week in January has been set aside for moving everything in and we’ll be opening the new schools on Thursday, Ferbuary 2. That gives us time also to bring classes and staff up to the new buildings to familiarise them with the new surroundings and it takes the pressure off everyone on the supply front.’
Mr MacMahon said work on the Junior School is finished and the senior school is to be finished by December 24. ‘In fairness, Sammon are working late nights and weekends to get it over the line. They have a lot of projects on the go and they want this one finished.’
Describing the new buildings as ‘just fantastic’, Mr MacMahon said: ‘ I am worse than a child looking forward to Christmas. It’s been a long road – 16 years for the building and 21 years for the co-ed project. Now finally, both projects come together in the new state-of-the art buildings.’
The Catherine McAuley and Edmund Rice schools, which are presently based out of the old St Joseph’s and Michael St school buildings, reopen after the Christmas break on January 9. ‘We will start packing as we go through that week. The removals firm moves in next month, and they begin moving all our stuff over that weekend.’
The pupils will get a mini holiday and stay at home for three days as the move takes place in early February while staff are trained in and familiarised with the new facilities and the staff get all the classrooms ready for occupation.
Mr MacMahon said: ‘ The pupils arrive in for the first time then on Thursday, February 2. At this stage I believe the council are to finally start work on the roadworks on the Bawnmore Road. The road is to be widened. A footpath and lighting is to be provided and filter lanes, zebra crossings etc will be put in place.’
When it opens the new school will see New Ross CBS, St Joseph’s and Michael St national schools amalgamated giving New Ross its first ever fully coeducational primary school.
There will be 320 senior students and 340 students in the school which has capacity for around 850 pupils.