It is our hope that our school would be an inclusive Catholic school where all children are treated equally, are helped to grow in knowledge and understanding and are encouraged to live a healthy, responsible Christian life.

Background

St. Rynagh’s National School is an amalgam of four schools within the Banagher part of the parish of Gallen and Reynagh also known as Cloghan and Banagher.

The amalgamation of the Convent N.S. ; Banagher Boys’ N.S. and Garbally N.S. took place in 1973 and the following year Shannonharbour N.S. joined.

The school depends on its intake from the Banagher section of the parish and Shanonharbour.

Two buses are used to transport the children form the Garbally and Shannonharbour areas. O’Meara Bros. are contracted by Bus Eireann to SERVICE THE Garbally route and Bus Eireann covers the other area.

St. Rynagh’s National School now caters for 190 families with a present enrolment of 300 pupils and from research it is estimated that the numbers will remain constant in the next four years.

The school was extended and extensively refurbished in 2001 and an additional classroom was added in 2006. It now comprises of 10 classrooms, a multi purpose room, a library, a learning support room, a general purposes room, staff room and offices.

The school staff consists of a Principal, 10 Class Teachers, 3 Learning Support/Resource Teachers, 1 full time Special Needs Assitant, 2 part time Special Needs Assistants, a Secretary and a part time Caretaker.

AIMS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils

1a. To provide a challenging, yet supportive environment to stimulate, maintain and develop a lively inquiring mind.

1b. To encourage all pupils to reach their true potential and eventually become independent learners who value learning with and from others, i.e. have a positive attitude to life-long learning.

2 To value application, perseverance, initiative and independence of thought and action, as well as co-operative endeavours.

3a. To develop in pupils a sense of moral values which can form a framework for a sense of own worth, and relationships with others, so as students become responsible members of society.

3b. To develop in pupils a positive attitude towards themselves and others with a strong sense of self respect. Also to develop a sense of respect for other peoples’ property, ideas and beliefs irrespective of gender, race, disability or academic achievement, etc.

4. To appreciate human achievements, failures and aspirations.
5. To develop positive attitudes towards and concern for the environment.

Curriculum

6. To offer a broad based curriculum in order to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge, promote enjoyment in learning, and to provide knowledge/skills to equip students for work and leisure as active, confident and responsible members of a rapidly developing society.

Community

7. To develop a school community which affords equal value to all its members, is seen to be just and encourages mutual respect, concern for others and truthfulness.
8. To foster close relationships between the school the pupils’ homes and the local community.

By implementing these and other policies, schemes of work, subject aims and objectives the School’s aims can be achieved.

PHILOSOPHY OF THE SCHOOL

The following principles are in line with the guides given in the introduction to the New Curriculum.

The New Curriculum with its new developments is being explored in the hope of providing a harmonious surrounding for the pupils and a comfortable basis for the teachers to work from.

The fundamental principles for the school are:

• An atmosphere right throughout the school conducive to learning.

This would mean that the material as well as the physical aspects of the child’s wellbeing is being catered for.

• A strong emphasis is placed on the basics of learning in all subjects, but particular time will be given to the teaching of Irish, English, and Maths.

• The development of language as a means of oral communication from Infant classes to the Senior classes.

• A gradual increase in the use of Irish which is introduced informally throughout the school to help in the building of vocabulary and leading to a more understandable grasp of the language by the senior pupils, as a daily means of communicating.

This process, we understand will be a slow one and progress here can only be judged in years rather that months.

• Discipline is considered to be very important and an integral part of the to the development of the child and for the best ongoing interest of the school. Discipline will never be heavy handed or sarcastic and should always be child centred.

• A code of discipline has been drawn up for the school (See separate section)

This will be discussed by all of the staff and updated as the need arises.

Each teacher, member of the Board of Management and each family will be given a copy of this code of discipline.

THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

The School community is part of a larger community. Links between the School and the larger local community enhance both the quality of life and learning experienced by both communities.

The following can all be fostered by close links with the community:

Pupils

To develop in pupils a positive attitude towards themselves and others with a strong sense of self respect. Also to develop a sense of respect for other peoples’ property, ideas and beliefs irrespective of gender, race, disability or academic achievement, etc.

To appreciate human achievements, failures and aspirations.

To develop positive attitudes towards and concern for the environment.

Curriculum

To offer a broad based curriculum in order to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge, promote enjoyment in learning, and to provide knowledge/skills to equip students for work and leisure as active, confident and responsible members of a rapidly developing society.

Community

To develop a school community which affords equal value to all its members, is seen to be just and encourages mutual respect, concern for others and truthfulness.

To foster close relationships between the School, the pupils’ homes and the local community.

The following are just some of the ways in which links have been forged with the local community.

The local garda visits regularly

Pupils often enter competitions organised locally and nationally, e.g. recently pupils entered a Credit Union Poster competitions and Table Quiz and Library Competitions.

Every year we hold a Bazaar and raise money for charities, local, national and international.

We have an active link with the local TIDY TOWNS GROUP group. Projects such as anti-litter campaigns have extended to benefit the local community.

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT

The current members of the Board of Management are:

Rev. P. Pepper – Chairperson (Bishop’s Representative)

Fergal McMahon – Principal and Sec. B.O.M.

Sr. Margaret – Bishop’s Representative

Tomás Flaherty – Teachers’ Representative.

Adrian Staunton – Parents’ Representative

Martina Moylan – Parents’ Representative

Micheal McGarry – Wider Community

Cora Stronge Smith - Wider Community

STAFF

The current members of the Staff are:

Fergal McMahon Principal

Catherine Doyle Flynn Deputy Principal

Carmel O Sullivan Special Duties Teacher

Kevin Wrafter Special Duties Teacher

Catherine Keenaghan

Annette Darcy

Jillian Flaherty

Denise Clancy

Lorraine Higgins

Niamh Garvey

Tomás Flaherty

Mary Hayes

Lisa Cunningham

Mirriam Burke

Teresa Gately

Clionadh Ryan

Paula Carey