Pat Cox, President of European Parliament Opens Wicklow Town’s First Multi-denominational National School

Pat Cox, taking a break on the school steps with the pupils.

On Monday 26th, April 2004 the Principal, staff, pupils and parents of Wicklow Educate Together National School welcomed Mr. Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament, to officially open Wicklow Educate Together National School (W.E.T.N.S.)

In October 2002 a group of parents from Wicklow met for the first time hoping to set up an Educate Together National School. In late August 2003, the Department of Education & Science notified W.E.T.N.S. that it had received final recognition and on 1st September, following a weekend wielding sledgehammers and paint, the school opened its doors to pupils in temporary accommodation in the Marine House Hostel in Wicklow Town. This achievement was all thanks to the hard work of parents, the support of Wicklow Urban District Councillors and officials, and Brendan and Carmel O’Connor of Marine House.

The children, 15 in one class and 10 in the other (a co-incidence noticed by the President) performed a lively programme for the guests and Pat remained in the school, chatting to parents, staff and the children for over two hours.

Wicklow Educate Together National School operates under the patronage of Educate Together. The four grounding principles of Educate Together are to provide schools that are multi-denominational, co-educational, child-centred and democratically run. Since September, school principal Mary Feerick Byrne and staff have developed a welcoming, vibrant school for the pupils. This September another 30 new children will be enrolled. However, like all new multi-denominational schools, W.E.T.N.S. faces serious problems with accommodation. The Board of Management is continuously searching to source permanent accommodation which would satisfy the future development of the school and meet the financial, health and safety requirements of the Department of Education and Science.

Short news, Events, Campaigns

Children's Research Programme funds.
The National Children's Office now invite applications for research funding under the National Children's Office children's Research Programme. Proposals relating to the following areas are now sought: Play; Child impact statements; Recreation and leisure; Quality of life: and Youth homelessness.
Proposals from the following areas will also be accepted:
- Children's innate capacity;
- Formal and informal supports for children;
- Children's relationships;
- Giving children a voice; and
- The whole child perspective.

Research proposals ranging from E5,000 to E50,000 (inc. VAT) will be considered.
For further details please contact:
National Children's Office
1st Floor, St. Martin's House
Waterloo Road, Dublin 4.
Tel: (01) 242 0000

Alternatively a copy of the Request for Tenders (including the Terms
and Conditions) can be downloaded from our website http://www.nco.ie

The closing date for receipt of proposals is Wednesday 12th May 2004.

Volunteering Ireland

Volunteering Ireland’s Time Limited Commitment Service [TLC© Service] now has 957 registered volunteers wishing to hear about volunteering tasks or services which can be carried out in a short time span i.e. anything from 1 hour to 2 weeks.

Next week they will be sending out a list of such volunteering opportunities that can be carried out over the next three months. Please inform them immediately by email or telephone if you have a short-term volunteering opportunity that you'd like the TLC volunteers to consider.
Anne Crowe
Placement Service Manager
Volunteering Ireland
Coleraine House
Coleraine Street
Dublin 7
Tel: (+353) 1 8722622 ext 26
Fax: (+353) 1 8722623
email: anne@volunteeringireland.com
www.volunteeringireland.com

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© Educate Together, 2004