Dear Parents,
Myself and Bernie Ryan (Chairperson of the BOM) were invited to a meeting last week with Malachy Molloy (Patron’s appointee to manage our amalgamation) and Rosaleen Crowe O’Neill (Diocesan education secretary), to discuss our proposed amalgamation with Athenry Boys school. Also present at the meeting were John Connolly (Principal of the Boys school) and Philip Casey (Chairperson of the Boys school).
It was agreed at this meeting that a steering committee of the Principal and DP, 2 teachers, 2 BOM members and 2 parents ie 16 in total from both schools, would hold meetings to make arrangements for amalgamation. The first such meeting will take place sometime in September 2023 with a view to working towards getting the schools amalgamated asap and possibly even as soon as 2024. A similar steering committee would have met previously before the Covid -19 pandemic. All of the interested parties will be kept informed of any updates etc as the process develops and unfolds.
At this point in time we can’t say exactly what an amalgamated school might look like. In time this will all be worked out and communicated with you all. What we can say for sure is that the amalgamated school will be using both the SCN campus and the Boys School campus until such time as a brand new coeducational school would be built on the site of the old presentation secondary school ie where the gaelscoileanna are currently operating from. It’s heartening to hear the Dept. is already working behind the scenes to make this a reality! It’s all very exciting news for the town!
Should you have any questions please feel free to ask me and I’ll do my best to answer them but please realise that this is uncharted water as much for me as it is for all of you. Together however I’m confident that we will make this historic journey very successfully together.
Ní neart go cur le chéile,
Le meas,
Fergal Naughton
