THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM
PRINCIPALS FINALLY RECEIVE KEYS TO NEW SCHOOL BUILDINGS AS PUPILS AND STAFF PREPARE FOR THE BIG SWITCH
AFTER a 22-year wait primary school pupils in New Ross will finally have a modern new school to learn in when it opens its doors next week on Thursday, February 2.
The keys to the €10m Edmund Rice and Catherine McAuley senior and junior schools were handed over by builders Sammon Group on Friday. Edmund Rice Principal Brian MacMahon said: ‘I didn’t think it was going to take this long but in the end, due to the timing, we got a lot of stuff other schools didn’t get and today we have the most futuristic school in the county, if not the country. We got everything we wanted; the department have been fantastic!’
The opening of the new schools will mark the end of an era in eductaion in New Ross as Michael St and St Joseph schools close their doors for the final time next week. ‘It will be the end of an era. I’ve been pinching myself ever since I got the keys. The idea for a coeducational school in New Ross was first discussed in 1995.’
THE KEYS have been handed over to the new €10m school buildings in New Ross which have been described as being among the best school buildings in the country.
Principal of the Edmund Rice senior school Brian MacMahon said: ‘We got the keys on Friday just like that and I’ve been pinching myself ever since. The idea for a coeducational school in New Ross was first discussed in 1995. A committee was formed in 2000 and now, after all these years, we have two of the best school buildings in the country.’
The opening of the new schools will mark the end of an era in eductaion in New Ross as Michael Street and St Joseph schools close their doors for the final time next week.
Mr MacMahon said pupils will stay at home on Monday, January 30, Tuesday, January 31 and Wednesday, February 1, while staff get the classrooms ready and receive training on new equipment etc.
Pupils will finally begin their studies in the new buildings on Thursday, February 2.
Each school will be organising an open day or open night over the next couple of weeks for parents to come and have a look around and pupils will be brought on visits this week during school time, Mr MacMahon added.
‘The schools have everything. Pupils and teachers won’t know themselves the classes are so modern. They are bright and airy and have acoustic panelling and interactive whiteboard screens and every class has its own phone and thermostat control pad. They are just top class!’
Meanwhile a water harvesting system ensures the school complies with modern environmental standards.
Pupils can look forward to having a sports hall, complete with toilets which can be accessed from outside for visiting teams and groups.
‘We never had a sports hall in the CBS so when it rained you didn’t get to do PE. That will soon be in the past. Even the outdoor play space is three times what pupils enjoy now (at St Joseph’s).’
One of the most outstanding features of the new school is the special needs unit which boasts two large rooms and a multi-sensory room and garden.
‘The rooms are fitted with projectors and bean bangs. Each stimuli targets different senses. The kit out cost €8,000 and it’s really impressive. We also have a multi-sensory garden with a soft play area, picnic tables and a splash through water feature.’
Six pupils will be accommodated in each unit and the units will be staffed by one teacher in each, along with two special needs assistants. ‘Each child will have their own workstation as autistic children need their own space. Each pupil will have their own toilet and there’s an indoor play area. We aim to provide them with mainstream education as much as possible. They are not singled out and will be put into mainstream classes. It won’t be called a special needs unit so we’ll be coming up for a name for it.’
Work began on the schools in April 2015 and Mr MacMahon said the wait was worth it. ‘I didn’t think it was going to take this long but we encountered a lot of problems along the way. We had difficulty getting sites and then we had to get the land rezoned and then we had difficulty getting funding as the recession hit but in the end, due to the timing, we got a lot of stuff other schools didn’t get and today we have the most futuristic school in the county, if not the country. We got everything we wanted; the department have been fantastic.’
The cost of fitting out the school with furniture and IT comes to €250,000. The schools can accommodate 800 pupils and next year there will be 350 pupils in the junior school and 350 in the senior school.