Congratulations to all the Leaving Certificate Class of 2010 on your results, and to all the staff who worked with you over the last five/six years. Best of luck in the future and to those of you awaiting First Round Offers on Monday 23rd August next. The School Guidance Counsellor will be available in the school on Tuesday 24th if you would like to make an appointment.

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Details of Provisional Staff and Student Timetables are now available on ePortal. You should call to the school office if you still have not picked up your Username and Password. Some class divisions, including Second Year Business Studies, Irish, English and Mathematics; and Fifth Year Irish, English, Mathematics, Biology, Business and LCVP classes have yet to be finalised.

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Return Dates for 2010/11

Monday 30th August: First Years, Transition Years, Leaving Certs and Leaving Cert Applied Year 2.

Tuesday 31st August: Second and Third Years.

Wednesday 1st September: Fifth Years and Leaving Cert Applied Year 1

 

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Minister Noel Dempsey T. D. turned the sod for the new school at an official ceremony on Saturday 19th June. In attendance were representatives of the three Trustee groups of the school (County Meath VEC, the Sisters of Mercy and the Bishop of Meath) as well as staff, parents/guardians, pupils and members of the general public. Pierse Construction have begun the initial phase of site clearance and laying of foundations.

The Principal Mr. Anthony Leavy welcomed everybody to what was an historic occassion for the community of Athboy and the surrounding areas. He said that the new school building would secure the future of education in the area and paid tribute to the bodies, communities and individuals who had been involved with education in the area in the past. the new building would allow for the provision of a full and comprehensive range of subjects, as well as enhancing the working conditions fo pupils and staff. In particular he thanked County Meath VEC and the Sisters of Mercy for the continued use of their premises until the new building was completed. Mr. Leavy also thanked parents and guardians from the community who had supported the new school and ensured its viability in terms of pupil numbers required to secure the enhanced schedule of accommodation allocated for the new building. He thanked the Student Council which was also represented for their ongoing work in supporting students of the school.

Fr. Patrick O'Connor, Chairperson of the Board of Management, spoke on behalf of the religious trustees. He paid tribute to the work of the Sisters of Mercy since they established a second level school in Athboy in 1959 and to the Bishop of Meath, Dr. Michael Smith, for his involvement in the school since it was established in 2004.

Mr. Tommy Grimes, Chairperson of County Meath VEC, thanked all those involved in facilitating the amalgamation in 2004. He paid tribute to the work of the new Board of Management, of which he also served, and looked forward to the timely completion of the construction project by Pierse Construction.

Minister Noel Dempsey explained that he had a long standing relationship with education in Athboy and had begun his teaching career under past Principal Mr. Con Kelly who was also present at the ceremony. Prior to officially turning the sod, Minister Dempsey explained that he had been involved in the negotiations around the formation of the new school and had worked closesly with the Sisters of Mercy and County Meath VEC from the outset. He emphasised that throughout these stages both groups put the projected needs of the pupils first. He acknowledged the work of Peter Kierans, CEO of the VEC) and noted that this sense of focus had helped to speed up the process and secure a position in the list of schools to be included in the PPP scheme.

Following the ceremony, refreshments were served by members of the Parents' Council.

The new school building is due to be completed by November 2011 under a Public Private Partnership scheme between MacQuarie Developments for Ireland and the National Development and Finance Agency. It will cater for up to 950 pupils and will have state of the Art facilities including 21 general classrooms, 3 Woodwork Architectural Technology rooms, 2 Engineering rooms, 2 Home Economics rooms with a dedicated Dress Design room, 3 Art Rooms, 5 Science rooms, 3 Multi-media rooms and a fully equiped Gym and fitness suite. The building will also have dedicated rooms for Music, Mathematics, Social Studies, Business, Religious Education, Technical Graphics, a Library and parents'/guardians' room. On site provision will also be made for a 6 hard court playing areas and a full-size soccer pitch.

The new building also includes a Special Needs Unit which will provide for students with special needs and allow for access to mainstream classes as required.

 

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Athboy Community School was one of fourteen secondary schools who participated in training for the Peer Education Programme in the South Meath Response premises in Trim from October to December 2009. The young people have found this experience both challenging and personally enriching. The Peer Education Programme is run in conjunction with 'positive Youth education' (pYe) Programmes, Drug Education Officer Liz-Ann Mc Kevitt of the H.S.E.N.E. and the S.P.H.E. school curriculum. SMR Project feels this is a great opportunity for young people in Co Meath and a positive and pro active approach to smoking and alcohol and substance use awareness / education for them.

The training was delivered by Lee O' Neill and Samantha Teather of '(pYe) Programmes. pYe Programmes is the partnership of the two youth/community workers, who felt there was a need to provide specific non formal education programmes to youth groups, schools, community groups and organisations. Both Lee and Samantha have many years experience working with youth groups and communities.

With the Peer Education Programme groups of transition or fifth year students are empowered to educate the 1st year students in their own school and also where possible 5th & 6th class pupils of their local primary schools. The Programme aims to empower young people to create change by dispelling the myths and providing the facts around smoking and alcohol and substance use and focus' on natural highs in life instead of chemical highs. It educates young people about some of the problems that may affect them from smoking and from alcohol and substance use and helps enable them to become independent, equal and active adults in our modern society.

All of the young people have actively embraced this five day training opportunity and are enthusiastic and committed.

If you areinterested in finding out more about the Peer Education Programmes please contact
Lee O'Neill 087 997 2579 or Samantha Teather 087 227 0916.
Email; pyeprogrammes@yahoo.com
Or
Cathy Whelan SMR Project, 046 9437245
Email; smrproject@eircom.net

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