15th September 2008
Nationwide petition drive for second-level Educate Together schools
When the first Educate Together primary school opened in Ireland thirty years ago, it was as result of a campaign by pioneering parents determined to claim their constitutional and human rights to choose a multi-denominational, democratic ethos for their children’s education.

Since these rights do not cease when children reach the age of twelve, Educate Together is now moving to expand its successful model into the post-primary sector. Educate Together believes that reform of second-level education in Ireland is long overdue.

The need for an education system that promotes innovation and creativity, responsible citizenship, and social inclusion and cohesion has never been greater. Since these are the values that underpin Educate Together’s unique ethos, the time is right for parents’ voices to be heard. Educate Together has applied to the Minister for Education and Science to be registered as a patron of second-level schools, based on its outstanding track record at primary level.

A nationwide school-gate petition campaign will be held at all Educate Together schools throughout the country on Thursday, September 25th in order to lobby the Minister to confirm this registration as a matter of urgency. Come along to sign the petition at Waterford Educate Together National school, Morrison’s Road, Tycor before 9am, 1.15-1.45pm and 2.15-2.45pm on the 25th, or sign online at www.educatetogether.ie/2_campaigns/secondlevelet.html, to support the campaign for Waterford’s second-level Educate Together school!

14th September 2008
Waterford’s second-level Educate Together at the Munster Express 10k Fun Run, September 14th 2008

Our hardy runners braved the elements in Waterford’s 10k Fun Run on Sunday September 14th to raise awareness and funds for Waterford’s second-level Educate Together school campaign. The annual charity Fun Run is a fixture in the Waterford calendar and this year over 900 participants turned out to support a variety of causes.

The committee for Waterford’s second-level Educate Together school sends a big THANK YOU to our fantastic runners and fundraisers!

Thanks are also due to Excel Promotions www.excelpromotions.ie, Six Cross Roads, Waterford for sponsoring our eye-catching t-shirts.

10th July 2008
Educate Together Second Level Newsletter Vol 1, Issue 5
» Educate Together website

4th July 2008
Why do we need a second-level Educate Together school in the South East?
There are many good schools in the South-East region. However, there is none that is based on Educate Together’s specific ethos; that is, multi-denominational, co-educational, learner-centred, and democratically-run. In many areas, the only choice for parents is to send their children to schools with a religious ethos and an increasing number of parents do not want this for their children. Educate Together believes that all children have a right to full involvement in the life of their school – No Child an Outsider.

The project committee that is running the campaign for Waterford’s proposed second-level Educate Together school plans to open the school in August 2009. If you are a parent or guardian who would like this choice of school for your children, here is what you can do to help the campaign:

• Lobby your local TDs – use the sample letter at http://www.educatetogether.ie/2_campaigns/secondlevelet.html; TDs’ contact details are under “Lobbying” at www.secondleveletw.com.

• Sign the petition at http://www.educatetogether.ie/2_campaigns/secondlevelet.html, the website of the national Educate Together movement.

Pre-enrolment for Waterford’s second-level Educate Together school is open and numbers are already high. Pre-enrolment forms can be downloaded from www.secondleveletw.com.

20th June 2008
Waterford Set to Make History With Country’s First Educate Together Second-Level School
Emer Nowlan, Second-Level Project Manager at the national Educate Together organisation in Dublin, has pronounced herself “delighted” with the progress of the current pre-enrolment drive for Waterford’s proposed second-level Educate Together school. On a recent visit to Waterford, Ms Nowlan reported on progress from the national perspective and was in turn briefed by the Waterford project committee on the success of the campaign here to date. Subject to approval by the Department of Education and Science, the Waterford school looks set to make history by becoming Ireland’s first second-level Educate Together second-level school. With over 200 students already enrolled and pre-enrolment forms being distributed to primary schools throughout Waterford City and County, the pre-enrolment campaign for the school is exceeding expectations. The project committee is urging interested parents to pre-enrol their children sooner rather than later. The Educate Together philosophy is based on four key principles: multi-denominational, child-centred, co-educational and democratically-run. The Educate Together second-level project committee in Waterford is working hard to ensure that the parents and children of the South-East have the option to choose this kind of education at second level. Educate Together already has an enviable track record in Waterford, with the thriving Educate Together primary school now in its sixth year. To pre-enrol your child, simply download and complete the form at www.secondleveletw.com and return it to the address on the form.

23rd May 2008
Public Meeting on Waterford’s Second-Level Educate Together School makes demand clearer than ever
Committee members pronounced themselves “delighted” with the high turnout at the public meeting on Waterford’s second-level Educate Together school, held in Waterford on Saturday May 17th. The feedback received at the meeting will now be incorporated into the Submission Document for the Department of Education. This document will make an irrefutable case for filling the current gap in second-level education in Waterford and the South-East with an Educate Together second-level school.

Proceedings started with a very interesting update from Niall Wall, New Schools Officer at Educate Together, who travelled from Dublin for the occasion. Niall informed attendees that the progress made so far by the Waterford group towards opening a second-level Educate Together school has set the standard for other groups nationwide.

The major part of the meeting consisted of brainstorming sessions. One of the main findings to come from these sessions was parents’ desire to have a respectful learning environment at second level for their children. Parents were keen that this respect be three-way between teachers, parents and students. Educate Together’s unique Ethical Education curriculum was also found to be a major incentive for parents of prospective students, regardless of whether or not their children attend the Educate Together primary school.

The pre-enrolment process for Waterford’s second-level Educate Together school is already in full swing. To pre-enrol your child, simply download and complete the form at www.secondleveletw.com and return it to the committee (see form for details).

Pictured are attendees of the second public meeting to find out what parents want for the proposed Second Level Educate Together school for Waterford held at the Waterford Educate Together N.S. Photo CCImages

7th May 2008
Educate Together Second Level Newsletter Vol 1, Issue 4
» Educate Together website

25th April 2008
Site located for second level school
Another piece of good news is that a site for the school has now been located. The site is situated near the Outer Ring Road, close to Waterford Retail Park. We will be sharing playing pitches with the nearby Gaelcholáiste Phort Láirge. This is a very exciting development in the campaign for a second-level Educate Together school for Waterford and is another big step towards welcoming the first students to the school in September 2009!

Website launched!
The second-level Educate Together school website has been launched and can be found at www.secondleveletw.com.

21st April 2008
Second-level school meeting on May 17th
Parents are invited to attend a meeting on Waterford’s second-level Educate Together school in Waterford Educate Together N.S. from 10 am to 1 pm on Saturday May 17th. The purpose of this meeting is to “brainstorm” in order to find out exactly what parents want from a second-level school and what will make this school different. This information will be included in a Submission Document to the Department of Education, which is a major step in setting up the school. The committee is encouraging as many parents as possible to attend this meeting – it is your opportunity to have your say about what you want Waterford’s second-level Educate Together school to be like.

Pre-enrol now
Anyone who wants their child to attend the second-level Educate Together school should fill this out the pre-enrolment form attached to this newsletter and hand it in to the office or place it in the “second-level” post box by Miss Keane’s classroom. Pre-enrolment numbers are already high, so hand in your form as soon as possible. (You do not need to fill in this form if you have already pre-enrolled your child.)

Second-level school website to be launched soon. Watch for news of the second-level Educate Together school website, due to be launched in the coming weeks!

3rd April 2008
Educate Together Second Level Newsletter Vol 1, Issue 3
» Educate Together website

8th March 2008
Workshop to plan parents needs in a second level school

This is a facilitated workshop with the following objectives:
To find out and document what parents want from an Educate Together 2nd Level School in Waterford.
For example,
1. What do you want as a parent for your child at 2nd level?
2. What type of 2nd level school do you want e.g. ethos?

The workshop was advertised to committee, monthly group and keep in contact group.
The workshop was postponed to a later date. NEW Date is 18th May, see news on 21st April for details.

4th March 2008
Educate Together Second Level Newsletter Vol 1, Issue 2
Includes an article by Orla Shanaghy, PR for Waterford Committee
» Educate Together website

1st February 2008
Educate Together Second Level Newsletter Vol 1, Issue 1
» Educate Together website

31st January 2008
Meeting held with monthly volunteers

A meeting was held with for everyone who volunteered to assist on a monthly basis. An update of progress to date was given.

26th January 2008
Educate Together Second Level General Members meeting in Dublin

The first General Members' Meeting devoted specifically to the issue of second-level Educate Together education was held on Saturday, 26th Jan, in the Mont Clare Hotel in Dublin. Over one hundred people attended, including parents, teachers, pupils and past-pupils as well as representatives from some second-level education partners. There was a great atmosphere on the day, and a real sense of what an exciting opportunity this project provides.

In the morning session Emer Nowlan, second-level project manager, presented an outline of the second-level project. Dr Aidan Seery and Dr Andrew Loxley, from the School of Education in Trinity College Dublin, then gave a summary of some of the findings from a feasibility study which was carried out by Trinity on the opening of a second-level school by Educate Together. These presentations were followed by four lively workshops, facilitated by national office staff and Directors. In the afternoon, some specific questions were discussed by an impressive invited panel and by participants. Prof Áine Hyland, Dr Emer Smyth, Dr Aidan Seery and Micheal Johnston offered some valuable advice on how best to go forward with the second-level project. In his closing address, Paul Rowe drew parallels with the process which led to the setting up of the first Educate Together school in the 1970s, emphasising what an exciting opportunity this project provides for people to get involved and make a difference. The day was chaired by Noreen Byrne, Chairperson of Educate Together.

Gertjan VanDerVeen and Caroline Mooney attended the meeting on behalf of the committee and presented their reports back to the committee. Joanne Galvin and Noeleen Dooley attended on behalf of the Waterford Educate Together N.S.

Read more about this meeting and the findings on the Educate Together website. » Educate Together website

15th November 2007
Committee formed to set-up Second Level School

On the 15th November 2007, a group of interested parents came together and formed the committee to establish a Second Level Educate Together School in Waterford.

6th November 2007
First Public Meeting held

Waterford is set to see a second level Educate Together school open in September 2009. A capacity crowd turned out for the first public meeting held at the Ramada Hotel, on Tuesday evening 6th November 2007, to establish an Educate Together Second Level School for the Waterford area. Addressing the packed room, Emer Nowlan, the newly appointed National Educate Together Project Manager for Second Level schools stated “The Educate Together model of ethical education was recently recognised as a system of best practice by the European union.” Over 100 children were pre-enrolled on the night and signing up is ongoing. Quoting recent findings which state “the more parents can be involved in their childrens education the better it is for the child”, Maria Cahill, Spokesperson of the new school committee outlined that a “real need had been identified in Waterford”. Parents want real choice and the Educate Together model offers both a complementary and alternative model of second level education based on its four principles of multi-denominational, co-educational, child centred and democratically run. The success of the network of Educate Together National Schools and in particular the local Waterford Educate Together National School based in the heart of the city ensures a dynamic approach.

Left: Some of the parents who signed up their children on the night, from left: Sophie le coz Kennedy, Jacques Briel, Susan Smith, Annemarie Fitzgerald and Aileen Pickering. (CCImages)

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