Easkey native is new deputy principal at Co Wicklow school

A NATIVE of Easkey has recently been appointed Deputy Principal in a post-primary school in Arklow, County Wicklow.

Joe Rolston was appointed to the position, in Glenart College, in December and started in the role on January 8.

Glenart College is a co-educational, multi-denominational school, under the patronage of Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB), with 620 students and approximately 60 teachers.

In 2016, the school community moved into a new state-of-the-art building and its enrolment has increased dramatically since then.

Mr Rolston is the school’s additional Deputy Principal and will work with Mr Damien Cloney, Principal, and Ms Gwen Campbell, Deputy Principal, as the school’s Senior Leadership Team.

Mr Rolston brings considerable experience to Glenart College. For the last 16 years, he worked as an English and Religious Education teacher in Presentation Secondary

School, Wexford, where he was also an Assistant Principal 1.

He has also previously worked as an English Associate Advisor with the Junior Cycle for Teachers (a support service of the Department of Education) as well as with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA).

He also currently leads a Community of Practice for English teachers through the Wexford Education Support Centre, as well as being a content-reviewer of English textbooks for the educational publishers, Edco.

Speaking of his appointment, Joe remarked: “It’s a great honour to join the school community at Glenart College as Deputy Principal.

“I want to thank my new colleagues and students for the very warm welcome that I’ve received over the last few weeks and I look forward to helping the school go from strength-tostrength in the times ahead.

This is an exciting time for the school, with growing numbers and opportunities available to students here that aren’t available in other schools in Arklow.”

Joe is a former student of Easkey National School and Coláiste Iascaigh and is a graduate of Carlow College, University of Galway and University College Cork.

He has also recently completed further postgraduate studies in educational leadership, through the University of Limerick.

He lives in Wexford with his wife and children.