
Onward march for Educate Together
By Mary Dennehy
THE red ribbon was officially cut to open the new wing of Citywest Educate Together, which has grown from 21 pupils to more than 200 since opening in 2012.
Children, parents and staff gathered recently to celebrate the opening of the school’s new wing, which includes a shared learning space, new, bright, classrooms, and a spacious PE hall and storage.
The new wing is also complemented by the opening of a special class for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
After a five-year campaign, Citywest Educate Together National School (Citywest ETNS) opened in 2012 with 21 pupils – and, within that time, has grown considerably to over 200 pupils.
Principal Caitriona Hand believes that the school’s inclusive ethos is the key to its success, she said: “Our aim at Citywest ETNS is to prepare our pupils to become caring and active members of a culturally diverse society.
“We strive to provide a broad variety of educational experiences, both within the classroom and outside of it, so that our children gain a real understanding of the world and our community.”
She added: “At Citywest ETNS, we also take pride in our community initiatives.
“We are building strong relationships with the local GAA club, TLC nursing home, as well as the many amenities available to us within South Dublin County like the Civic Theatre, Rua Red and Tallaght Library.
“In 2015 we took part in the Saggart/Rathcoole St Patrick’s Day parade for the first time and we look forward to reaching out into the community even more so now, with the addition of a Parents’ Room in the new wing, where we have plans to host language classes, craftwork circles, parenting seminars and more.”
Citywest ETNS is currently pre-enrolling children for all classes in September 2016, with prospective parents being given an opportunity to visit the school and meet staff at an open evening on January 20.
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