SCHOOL ETHOS Friday, 27 th April 2007

Background 1)Changing times 2)Changing beliefs 3)The damaged credibility of the institutional Church 4)New forms of school patronage 5)Need to account for school ethos at WSE 6)Need to define ourselves in a multi-cultural, multi- faith Ireland.

MISSION STATEMENT “ Fas agus Foghlaim” or growth and learning are the summation of all we try to do with the children who are entrusted to our care. We aim to do the very best we can for every child who comes into our school, to maximise their talents and potential, to give them a solid grounding in basic academic work and to open their eyes and minds to the world that awaits them.”

SCHOOL ETHOS “Our school aims to give the children a sound religious and moral education within the established Catholic ethos of the school and to help them establish a faith in God which will grow and develop. The ethos of Scoil Ide can be seen in the everyday dealings all those who work in the school have with each other. It is manifested in the respect and consideration shown by teachers to pupils and vice versa. We are proud of the children who are part of our school and hope they go on to become fulfilled adults.”

Schedule of a Roman Catholic School “A Roman Catholic School (which is established in connection with the Minister for Education) aims at promoting the full and harmonious development of all aspects of the person of the pupil: intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual, including a living relationship with God and with other people. The school models and promotes a philosophy of life inspired by a belief in God and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Catholic school provides Religious education for the pupils in accordance with the doctrines, practices and tradition of the Roman Catholic Church and promotes the formation of the pupils in the Catholic Faith.”

3) RELIGION: Scoil Ide is a Catholic Parish School. No child is discriminated against on the basis of religion. Non-Catholic children are not required to participate in the Religion Class, which is allocated 30 minutes per day, and the teacher allows them to undertake other schoolwork. If, however, parents do not wish their child to be present during the religion class they must make their own arrangements for the supervision of their child during this time. The Revised Curriculum states, “ In seeking to develop the full potential of the individual the curriculum takes into account the child’s affective, aesthetic, spiritual, moral and religious needs. The spiritual dimension is a fundamental aspect of individual experience, and its religious and cultural expression is an inextricable part of Irish culture and history.” Religion in our school is cross curricular and if parents do not wish their child educated in such an environment it would be prudent for them to seek multi-denominational education. Scoil Ide School Plan: Equality Policy

“The concept of a Catholic school is not some airy-fairy philosophical ideal floating free of reality. Those who are responsible for Church-linked schools assume a serious duty to ensure that the school will strive to be a centre of excellence in every sphere” Sr. Eileen Randles; Former General Secretary of CPSMA

How would you know? 1)If someone entirely uninformed of our school system arrived into Scoil Ide how would they know we were a Catholic school? 2)What do we do that makes us a Catholic school? 3)Is there a religious sense to the school?

What are our Challenges? 1)“As the faith community around your school disintegrates somewhat, the role of the school in the personal and religious formation of the pupil becomes more important but also more difficult” CPSMA 2)The move by some within the Church towards what they envisage as a much smaller “elite” church of those who fulfil all their religious obligations. 3)How to be visibly and confidently Catholic in the face of a society which sometimes seems to be in a “dumbing down” race.

How can we do this? 1)Keep doing what we are doing!Live up to our own Mission Statement and ethos. “ The Glory of God is people fully alive” 2) Make reflection and communal prayer part of class and school life!-Assemblies, begin and end each class day with a short prayer. Begin each lunch time with Grace before Meals. 3) Use appropriate symbols in school and class.