Community input sought for Two Mile

NATIONAL SCHOOL WILL RECONFIGURE AFTER CHURCH HANDS OVER CONTROL

PARENTS hoping to enrol children at the soon to be opened Two Mile Community National School will have their queries answered at a special information evening organised by the Kerry Education and Training Board (KETB).

The school will open as a community national school in September after Bishop Ray Browne handed over control of the school to the Kerry ETB. In doing so it becomes the first school to reconfigure under Minister Richard Bruton’s plans to roll back Church control.

The information evening takes place on July 6 at 7pm when the ‘Community National School Model (CNS) and the role of the Education and Training Board, will be the primary focus.

Parents will also have a chance to tour the school, meet with other interested families, and view the new school uniform.

“We are really delighted that our school is opening again this September as we have worked tirelessly for the last year trying to find a way to make this happen,” said Lisa Casey of Two Mile Community Group. “Thanks to Kerry ETB and the Diocese of Kerry we are now in a position to open our doors again and hear the sound of children in our school in September,” Lisa added.

Kerry ETB is a patron of eight post-primary schools and one Post-Leaving Certificate College, while Two Mile Community National School will be the first primary school of its kind in Kerry. As part of the takeover, Two Mile Community NS will have a Board of Management with responsibility for overall strategic planning and policy development.

“We are very happy to work with Kerry ETB as the new patron of the Two Mile School. They have their Head Office in Tralee and are available to support and guide the school in a similar way to the support they provide for their post primary school at Killarney Community College,” said Tim Hogan - also of Two Mile Community Group.

Meanwhile, Ann O’Dwyer is Director of Schools with Kerry ETB and said a distinguishing feature of the CNS model is its multi-denominational ethos as it caters for children of all faiths and beliefs equally.

“Parents of children in existing CNS schools appreciate that these schools make space for the spiritual part of a child’s identity. The model celebrates religious diversity in a meaningful way. Speaking to parents in the Killarney area, it is obvious that they want the choice of this type of educational setting for their children,” Ms O’Dwyer added.

The school is currently accepting enrolments from Junior Infants to 6th Class - contact Kerry ETB directly on 066 7121488 086 4183558 or by emailing cns@kerryetb.ie.