State-of-the-art school brought into reality
A NEW state-of-the-art school, which was brought into reality by a €25m investment from the Department of Education for children with additional needs, has launched.
Stewarts School provides education and learning to students with moderate, severe, and profound general learning difficulties in Lucan and surrounding areas.
Through education, the school seeks to provide each student with opportunities and experience to reach their full potential and the new facility will help them strive towards this.
A specifically developed purpose-built facility, the school features some 28 classrooms, four sensory areas, four teaching support rooms and dedicated meetings rooms, a PE hall, library and outdoor play areas.
One of the largest special schools in the country, the new school has 134 pupils and employs 23 teachers, 63 special needs assistants, three nurses and a support team of three.
On Wednesday, Minister for Education, Norma Foley, and Mayor of South Dublin County, Emma Murphy, launched the €25m special school.
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome our pupils into their entirely new, state-of-the-art school here in Lucan,” says principal of Stewarts School, Mary Corrig.
“We can already see a difference in the way the children are engaging with the learning environment here.
“The school community is so happy with the feeling the new school gives.
“The sense of space is fantastic, and the acoustics are perfectly suited to creating a very calm environment that supports our teaching goals.”
“Our aim here in Stewarts School is to enable our students to reach their full potential.
“We endeavour to meet the individual needs of our students by using a variety of evidence-based teaching strategies across a broad and balanced spectrum.
“Our new school will greatly aid us to do just that.”
Stewarts School first opened in 1978 under the patronage of Stewarts Care with two teachers meeting the special educational needs of 12 children.
Stewarts Care was one of the State’s first organisations dedicated to providing education, training and care for children and adults with an intellectual disability.
