New principal outlines vision for Derry's St Eugene’s Primary School amid major renovation project

St. Eugene’s Primary School and Nursery Unit has announced the appointment of Mrs. Aine Deane as its new Principal.

The decision follows a comprehensive recruitment process carried out by the school’s Board of Governors with the chair, Mrs. Una Horner, confirming the appointment, offering her warm congratulations to Mrs. Deane as she prepares to take up her new role.

‘We are delighted to welcome Aine as the new Principal of St. Eugene’s,’ said Mrs. Horner. ‘We wish her every success in the years ahead as she leads and supports our school community.’

Mrs. Deane has held the post of vice principal for a year now and a lot of that time was as acting principal. She will assume responsibility for guiding the long-established Derry school into the next chapter of its development, continuing its strong tradition of inclusive education for local children and families under the Catholic ethos.

Aine Deane has 20 years teaching experience, most of them spent at Sacred Heart Primary School in the Waterside where she held a number of senior roles including pastoral care co-ordinator and a number of SENCO posts.

There she taught P1 and P7 pupils and was well respected by her colleagues, pupils and parents.

A proud Greysteel woman, Aine is married to Ryan and they have a daughter, Rhianna (14). She comes from a family of seven and has a twin brother. Aine also has strong family connections to Quigley’s Point and Creggan.

Speaking after last week’s appointment, the new Principal said she was very proud to be taking up the reins at St. Eugene’s and looks forward to a challenging, but rewarding few years ahead.

‘I only came to St. Eugene’s a year ago to take up the position of vice principal and found myself thrust into the position of acting principal due to unforeseen circumstances. It was big shoes to fill as Mrs. Carol Duffy was highly thought of by all in the school.

She describes how having to step up early in her time at the school, she quickly learned to adapt and play the part of Acting Principal.

‘Having very little senior management experience it was ‘into the deep end’ and a tough learning curve but one that helped me realise my potential and believe in my abilities. St. Eugene’s is going through a phase at the minute where we are working on fifty per cent capacity with our lower school under renovation for a new roof and structural changes. We all look forward to the completion of the work and we can get back to capacity.’

Sipping a coffee and sat behind her desk in her ‘temporary’ office but still managing to take 4/5 phone calls, I asked her what’s it like to be responsible for a school steeped in history as St. Eugene’s is, while also pointing out that a former pupil was the late Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, who also held the post of Education Minister.

‘I didn’t realise that until I was here a few weeks’, she laughed. ‘And, I’m told we have quite a number of former famous pupils! In terms of St. Eugene’s - It’s exciting. It’s challenging. But it’s great! The hours are long. I start at 8am and am often last out of here since we started back in September, but it’s so rewarding.’

‘We have a fantastic staff here. At St. Eugene’s we are one big family. All help out when the going gets tough and we support each other.’

With the lunch bell ringing, I asked her what her plans, her vision and herr ambitions for the school when all the work is completed?

‘The completion of our new build is about far more than a newly renovated school. It is an opportunity to shape the future of St. Eugene’s Primary School. My vision is to create a school where every child feels safe, valued and empowered to succeed. The new environment will enable us to create spaces that support both learning and emotional regulation, ensuring every child feels a sense of belonging

‘I am particularly passionate about developing high-quality outdoor play and learning opportunities for our Foundation Stage children. Outdoor provision should inspire curiosity, creativity, independence and resilience, giving children the very best start to their educational journey

And finally, quoting the school’s long-time motto, she added: ‘My ambition is that every child at St. Eugene’s flourishes academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually, living out our motto each day 'Do Your Best.'