Thug Stiúrthóir Oideachais an EA, Michelle Corkey, agus an Leas-Stiúrthóir nuacheaptha, Séamus Bradley, cuairt ar an Ghaelcholáiste ag tús na bliana úire le haithne a chur ar chuid dár ndaltaí agus scéalta a chluinstin faoi fhorbairt na scoile le blianta beaga anuas.
D’oibrigh Michelle agus Séamus i scoileanna sular fostaíodh iad leis an EA. Bhí Michelle mar phríomhoide Choláiste Naomh Rónán ar an Lorgain agus bhí Séamus ina bhall foirne ag Coláiste Imeasctha na hÓmaí. Thug Ben agus Tiarna turas na scoile do na cuairteoirí agus tugadh na sonraí is déanaí dóibh faoin bheart uaillmhianach tógála a mhéadóidh méid na scoile faoi thrí as seo go ceann 18 mí.
Tá talamh úr á bhriseadh ar an bhloc Teicneolaíochta, Ealaíne agus Ceoil i mí Feabhra 2022 agus críochnófar na seomraí dhá stór faoi dheireadh mhí Dheireadh Fómhair 2022. Ceannaíodh Pailliún Dhún Geimhin ó Chomhairle Cósta Chlochán an Aifir agus na Glinnte agus deiseofar é le háiseanna spóirt agus seomraí ranga breise a sholáthar do dhaltaí an Ghaelcholáiste – dhá rud atá de dhíth go mór ar an scoil.
Tá tréimhse inspioráideach amach romhainn d’Iar-Bhunscoil Ghaeilge Co Dhoire agus b’údar spreagthachta é an EA a fheiceáil ag tacú le forbairt na scoile ag an leibhéal is airde!
The EA Director of Education, Michelle Corkey, and the newly appointed Deputy Director, Séamus Bradley, made their way to the Gaelcholáiste early in the new year to visit the school, meet with pupils and hear first-hand how the school has developed over the last number of years.
Both Michelle and Séamus worked in schools before joining the EA with Michelle being Principal in St Ronan's College in Lurgan and Séamus working in Omagh Integrated College. Ben and Tiarna provided the visitors with a tour of the school and afterwards they were updated on the ambitious building programme which will see the school triple in size over the next 18 months.
Ground is being broken on the school's two storey classroom, Technology, Art, and Music block in February 2022 and that building should be completed at the end of October 2022. Dungiven Pavilion has been purchased from the Causeway Coast and Glens Council and will be refurbished to provide much needed sports facilities and additional classrooms for the Gaelcholáiste students.
There are certainly exciting times ahead for Co Derry's Irish Medium Post Primary and it was encouraging to see that the EA support the development of the school at the highest level!