Laois secondary school wins Trinity university award
A Laois secondary school has been awarded by Trinity College Dublin for its work to promote third level education to its students.
Mountmellick Community School has won the Trinity Access: Schools of Distinction, Community Award.
The Schools of Distinction Award, conferred by Trinity Access, Trinity College Dublin, recognises and showcases the efforts of schools nationwide to transform their school culture and to develop innovative approaches to teaching and learning.
Mountmellick Community School was particularly successful in the variety of initiatives organised such as College Awareness Week, guest speakers, college taster programmes, facilitating mentoring and promoting leadership in learning.
Joanne Teehan is the school's Guidance Counsellor.
Lisa Keane is Director of Trinity Access.
“We are delighted to recognise the innovative, leadership and community focused work that these schools have achieved in an extraordinary year. We hope to share the learning from these beacons of creativity with all our other school partners. A warm congratulations from all in Trinity Access for your courageous and creative leadership.”
The award recognises that often extraordinary work is being successfully undertaken by schools in challenging conditions. Participants draw on their own school and community resources and the resources of the Trinity Access project to support educational innovation and change.
This School of Distinction: Community Award, recognises the achievement of schools who evaluate and identify the needs of their students and teachers through its School Survey.
Community Award winners like Mountmellick CS then set relevant targets to address these needs and action student centred programmes. Winning schools have begun the process of engaging their students in three core practices of Pathways to College, Mentoring and Leadership in Learning and have plans to expand these innovative programmes.