ABOUT US

Our Story

The school is a Catholic Primary School, which caters for boys and girls from Junior Infants to 6th class. It operates under the patronage of the Diocese of Ossory. The school is managed by a Board of Management, is funded by the Department of Education and Science (DES) and operates within the guidelines and regulations set down from time to time by the Department.

Dunnamaggin National School is a rural primary school in the heart of Co. Kilkenny, Ireland. Our school provides a nurturing, inclusive and stimulating environment where every child feels valued and supported. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality of education to our pupils and empowering them to reach their full potential. Our school is committed to fostering a love of learning in our pupils and encouraging them to become life-long learners. We believe that education is a partnership between parents, teachers and the wider community, and we work together to create a positive and supportive learning environment for our pupils.

School Ethos

The school recognises the central role of the family as the primary educator of the child. The school also accepts and supports the constitutional right and duty of the parents to provide for the religious, moral, intellectual, physical and social education of their children.The school aims to provide the best possible environment to cater for the cultural, educational, moral, physical, religious, social, linguistic and spiritual values and traditions of all its students, with the resources available to us. The focus of the school philosophy is the educationof the whole child to reach his/her full potential. We show special concern for the disadvantaged, respecting the dignity and uniqueness of each person. Working together as a school community, the Board of Management, Principal, Staff, Parents and Pupils will strive to provide an environment, which will allow all students to develop to their maximum potential and fulfill their role in society.

STAFF AT ST. LEONARD'S

Principal: Jackie Delahunty

Jackie Delahunty – Principal – SEN teacher

Ann Marie Croke – Junior Infants & Senior Infants

Karina Langton – Deputy Principal – Senior Infants & 1st class

Anne O Sullivan – 2nd & 3rd Class

Vera O Dwyer – 3rd & 4th class

Caroline Comerford – 5th & 6th Class (Ms. Ryan on Maternity Leave)

Fiona Maher – SEN Teacher

Siobhán Rodgers – SNA

Ancillary Staff

Geraldine Brennan – Secretary

Pascal Connolly – Caretaker

Anne Murphy – School Cleaner

End of Year Report 2018-2019

Board of Management 2018/2019: Chairperson and Patron Nominee- Margaret Walsh, Patron Nominee – Elaine Hickey, Principal- Jackie Delahunty. Teacher Rep. –Vera O’Dwyer, Community Representatives – James Rossiter, Niamh McCole. Parents Representatives – Yvonne Lyons, Jim Hickey

Fr. Flavin –Chairperson of the BOM and friend of staff and children of St. Leonards died suddenly in September. We all still miss him. We would like to thank Fr. Cassin for his ministering role during the year.

Sacraments: Children in 2nd Class received the Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion during the year. Thanks to Fr. Cassin, Ms. O’Sullivan and staff for preparing the class so well.

Policy & Curriculum Plan Development

Policies reviewed by the Board during the year were the Inclusion Policy, Emergency Closure Policy, Exemption from Irish and I.T Policy. Our Critical Incident & Child Protection Policies are reviewed annually.

Designated Liaison Person: Jackie Delahunty

Deputy Designated Liaison Person: Karina Langton

The New Language Curriculum was introduced through training and evaluation. SESS: We are looking at Oral Language as our third area of improvement.

Resource Teaching: As of last year, we get an allocation for Special Education Training based on Special Needs numbers, social context and test results. The allocation is then deployed to children with individual learning needs. Children with complex special needs will be able to avail of resources linked to learning via the HSE. Our SET cluster remains the same for next year with Kilmanagh and Newmarket.

Staffing: We have received notification from the SENO that we will be reduced to one SNA post this year. Ms. Una Kennedy has indicated she will return from Parental Leave in September. Unfortunately, this means we will have to say goodbye to Ms. Noeleen Delahunty and Ms. Mary McCluskey. Noeleen job-shared for the past 3 years and Mary was SNA for 2 years. Both are invaluable members of staff and we will miss them terribly. No doubt our loss will be another school’s lucky gain and we wish them both well in their future employment.

Parents Association: Thank you to the Parents Association for their support and fundraising initiatives during 2018/2019. Their fundraising during the year included Dunnadash and the Sponsored Walk. They also provided refreshments for Dunnadash, New Parents evening, Communion and Graduation and also a treat after Spikeball and Camogie finals.

Yearly Calendar: The yearly calendar for 2019/20 was sent home in June and uploaded on our website.

Booklists & Book Rental: Booklists were sent home early in May and an arrangement is in place with Scholars to provide the books by the end of term. Our Book rental scheme is extended each year.

Green School: Ms. Langton and the Green School Committee worked hard again this year securing our 5th Flag –Biodiversity.

TUSLA/N.E.W.B. Reporting: The school completes mandatory reports to the National Educational Welfare Board and TUSLA. All absences in excess of 20 days were notified to TUSLA. Any child protection issues brought to the attention of the school must be reported to TUSLA

New Infants: We welcomed new infants for September 2019 on Thursday 30th May from 10am –12. We will have 18 Juniors starting and one new child in First Class.

School Events:

It was another busy and enjoyable year in St. Leonard’s N.S!

Board of Management

Jackie Delahunty - Principal

Vera O’Dwyer - Teacher’s Rep.

Sean Ryan - Parent’s Rep.

Elaine Aylward - Parent’s Rep.

Elaine Hickey - Patron’s Nominee

Sinead Sheil - Community Rep.

Bob Doherty - Community Rep.

Parents' Association

Chairperson - Naoimh Murphy

Michelle Doherty

Mary Johnston

Bernie Moore

Mary Moylan

Orla McCormack