Limerick School Project Hosts March 2005 Educate Together National Forum

The second Educate Together National Forum took place on Saturday March 5th, 2005 at Limerick School Project National School, O'Connell Avenue, Limerick.
The event was a great success including lots of crucial discussion on major issues facing the sector. Key speakers included Paul Rowe, the CEO of Educate Together and Joan Crowley O’Sullivan, the National Co-ordinator for Special Education Support Services. Joan presented an informative presentation on current issues in special needs education for National Schools. There were also workshops on the transition from temporary to permanent buildings and the implementation of the “Learn Together” ethical education curriculum.

The purpose of Educate Together’s National Forum is to create opportunities for schools to exchange information and ideas based on experience, for schools to support each other, for personnel in schools to network, to act as a line of communication between the Directors of Educate Together and schools and to consider policy issues and policy proposals for consideration at future general meetings.

The National Office would like to sincerely thank everyone at Limerick School Project for hosting an extremely successful Forum.

L-R: David Denny, Chairperson, Board of Directors, Educate Together
Paul Rowe, CEO, Educate Together
Helen McInerney, Principal Limerick School Project
Pearl O’Shea, Executive, Limerick School Project.

Ireland’s First Teaching Council Launched by Minister Mary Hanafin

On Monday 28th February 2005 the first Teaching Council of Ireland was launched in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin.

Educate Together congratulates Joan Ward, Deputy Principal, Griffeen Valley Educate Together National School, (a past President of the INTO), on her appointment as first Chairperson of the new Teaching Council and Áine Lawlor on her appointment as Director. We also congratulate Susie Hall, current President of the ASTI, as the first Deputy Chairperson of the Teaching Council. All primary management bodies will be represented on the Council by Deirdre O’Donoghue and Fr Dan O’Connor.

The Teaching Council has 37 members, including 22  teachers.
Under the legislation this Council will hold office for three years from establishment date, which will most likely be in March 2006.

 The Teaching Council’s main functions will include:
• establishing a register of all teachers
• advising the Minister for Education and Science on the minimum standards of education attainment required for entry into initial teacher education programmes
• establishing procedures and criteria for the probation and full recognition of new entrants into the teaching profession
• drawing up codes of professional practice for teachers and offer guidance on professional conduct as deemed necessary
• investigating and, where appropriate, apply sanctions in relation to the professional misconduct or fitness to practice of any member
• setting out a framework for the in-career professional development of teachers
• advising the Minister for Education and Science on teacher supply and demand.

“As a regulatory body for the profession of teaching it has the very real potential to secure and enhance the status of this most vital profession in the eyes of people throughout the country” said Mary Hanafin T.D., Minister for Education and Science.

Nóra Ní Loinsigh, Gaelscoileanna, Mary Hanafin  T.D., Minister for Education and Science,
Deirdre O’Donoghue, Educate Together, Teaching Council and Paul Rowe, CEO, Educate Together. Thanks to Tom O’Sullivan, INTO for the picture.

Educate Together at the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

On March 2nd, Deirdre Mangaoang travelled to Geneva to attend the 66th session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) on behalf of Educate Together.  This session was to review the Irish government’s first report to the committee which detailed the steps Ireland has made to implement this Convention. (Ireland signed up in 1969 and formally ratified the Convention in 2000). Educate Together participated in the ‘Shadow Report’ compiled by over 40 NGOs which presented a critique of the Government’s report. Educate Together also presented its own Shadow Report (copy available on our website).

Educate Together’s case is that, in failing to provide a national network of schools that provide equality of access and esteem to all children in Ireland, the State is failing in its undertakings in this Convention.

The formal sessions were a unique opportunity to present Educate Together's case at an international level.  At the lunchtime NGO briefing session in Palais Wilson, Deirdre addressed the members of the Committee and explained that the vast majority of schools in Ireland are privately owned by a religious denomination and only 35 multi-denominational schools exist throughout the country. She explained that the entire multi-denominational sector had been set up by parents without State initiative or support. Members of the Committee expressed considerable surprise at this situation which is in stark contrast to the norms in democratic countries the world over.

In the afternoon public session the Committee members began their dialogue with the Irish government delegates led by Mr. Frank Fahey, Minister of State.  Education was a priority issue and several Committee members asked what the Irish government was doing to increase the number of multi-denominational schools and how the rights of children of minority faiths were currently being protected given the imbalance in school provision.  Also present at the public session were members of the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC), the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Inter-culturalism (NCCRI) and several international human rights organisations based in Geneva.

The CERD Committee will send their Concluding Observations and Recommendations to the Irish government in mid-March and we are hopeful that these will include a recommendation for increased support for multi-denominational education in Ireland.

Deirdre Mangaoang, Educate Together (centre)

Educate Together AGM 2005

The 2005 AGM will be held on Saturday May 14th at Griffeen Valley Educate Together National School. Griffeen Valley is the first school operating with Educate Together’s national patronage to be housed in a new permanent building. The building sets standards in the provision of new primary school buildings in Ireland and was constructed in a record 5 month period last year. We hope that this year’s AGM will have a record attendance. The programme for the meeting, including workshops and other activities, will be available shortly. All those interested in attending should either approach the Board of Management or patron bodies of member schools or, if you are interested to attend as a visitor, contact Educate Together’s National office at <agm@educatetogether.ie>. A reminder to all members. Motions must be emailed to info@educatetogether.ie  or posted to H8a Centrepoint Business Park, Oak Road, Dublin 12 as soon as possible and all nominations for election of Directors should be submitted by April 1st.

Further details will be posted and published on our website: www.educatetogether.ie in due course.

The “Learn Together” Curriculum - Developments

Local “Learn Together” Launches.

Currently Educate Together schools all over the country are co-ordinating launches and workshops on the new Ethical Education Curriculum, “Learn Together”. If your school is holding a launch please get in touch with the National Office so we can include your event in the next Newsletter.

• Donabate Portrane Educate Together National School officially launched Learn Together, The Ethical Education Curriculum in their school community on Thursday March 3rd.  The evening was a huge success consisting of a short introduction by Maeve Corish, Principal Teacher, on the significance of the Curriculum as the cement that will hold the ethos in place in the school community. Paddie Murphy, writer and Principal of Rathfarnham Educate Together National School, gave an informative account on the development and contents of the Curriculum. Entertainment was provided by the students. This was extremely enjoyable and perfectly reflected the objective of the new Curriculum.

• On the 8th March 2005 Dalkey School Project National School presented and discussed the curriculum in their school community. Frieda McGovern, writer and Principal of North Bay Educate Together National School gave a presentation on the development and practical implementation of the new Curriculum at local school level.

• Rathfarnham Educate Together National School held a practical workshop on the new curriculum for all members of the school community in their school on the 8th March 2005 after their AGM meeting.

Publications, Events and Campaigns

• The Educate Together Sector’s New Website Goes Live

Educate Together’s new website is now live and accessible at www.educatetogether.ie.  Its main objective is to act as a key resource for all our schools, prospective parents and the general public. It provides up to date relevant information on the sector, acts as a information resource for established schools, new schools and prospective schools, provides guidelines on media relations, communications and fundraising and a 10 minute documentary on developments in the sector. Many thanks to all those who assisted in developing the site.

• What is an Educate Together School?

The National Office is delighted to announce the completion of one of our most useful and eye-catching publications, What is an Educate Together School? This is a brochure explaining the ethos, development  and necessity of the Educate Together sector. It is an essential tool for new school groups and a key information resource, answering all queries for parents, teachers, pupils new and old. It will be available to all schools through the National Office from Friday 18th March.

Educate Together and the Festival of World Cultures 2005

The Festival of World Cultures is one of Ireland’s leading International arts festivals celebrating diverse cultures from around the world through a packed weekend of concerts, street theatre, dance, exhibitions, markets and fairs. In 2005 the Festival plans to showcase the wealth of multicultural activity taking place on a community & youth based level throughout the country. The festival office would like parents, teachers from Educate Together school communities to get in touch with details of projects you are working on which could be suitable for this year’s Festival programme. Projects can be performance, exhibition or workshop based.
Festival Dates: Friday 26th – Sunday 28th August Contact: Jane Davy, Festival Manager
Ph: (01) 204 7271  Email: fwc@dlrcoco.ie

National  Children’s Resource Centre

Thursday March 10 2005 – Parenting & Different Cultures
As our community here in Ireland expands to welcome and include different cultures, this aim of this evening is to give parents the opportunity of coming together to partake in a simple information sharing evening.  The richness of philosophies and techniques that inform parents from around the world in bringing up their children within their community will be explored and the different approaches and methods that are used by parents from varying cultural backgrounds explored. Facilitator: Mary Crosbie

Thursday April 14 2005 – Parenting Issues in Second Relationships
The focus of this evening is to explore the issues that parents entering second relationships encounter and ways in which these issues can be handled. It will look at the impact of the change on children; issues that arise for children; decision-making and clarity of roles and responsibilities. Facilitator: Margaret Acton

Thursday 19 May 2005 - Parents Supporting Children’s Learning
The aim of this event is to provide parents with an opportunity to explore ways in which they can provide appropriate support to their children up to early teens,  in order that their learning is facilitated effectively.  Learning occurs for children in many different ways, including schoolwork and through homework, and parents are well positioned to support each of their children in ways that are suited to that child. Facilitator: Priscilla Fitzpatrick

Cost per event : €10.00 (unwaged – no charge)  
Venue: National Children's Resource Centre, Barnardos, Christchurch Sq, Dublin 8  
Time: 8.00pm to 10.00pm  (Refreshments served from 7.30p.m.)
As numbers are limited, if you would like to book a place on any of the above,  please contact Martina Dumpleton, Barnardos NCRC, Tel: (01) 4530355 Ext 213

Email: martina.dumpleton@barnardos.ie
www.barnardos.ie <http://www.barnardos.ie/> <http://www.barnardos.ie/>   

Dates for the Diary

Monday March 21st - International Day Against Racism
Thursday March 24th - Standardised Easter holidays begin
Monday March 28th & Tuesday 29th - INTO Congress, Galway
The Annual General Meeting of Educate Together will be held on
May 14th, 2005 at Griffeen Valley Educate Together National School, Lucan Co. Dublin.

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For further information please contact the Educate Together National Office;
E: info@educatetogether.ie Tel:01 4292500, Fax:01 4292502
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© Educate Together, 2005