School news from Holy Rosary College Mountbellew

FROM little acorns mighty oaks will grow, that is according to the adage, and the growth of Mountbellew's Holy Rosary College (HRC) from less than 50 students, when the school was founded in 1965, to over 550 students today, is just one example of its phenomenal success. Academically the award for the schools students just go on and on, so also does their success in sport, cultural and extra curricular activities. It's all a far cry from when the Sisters of the Christian Retreat took over a small girls' secondary school, housed in the dower house of the Grattan Bellew estate in Mountbellew in 1965. The Sisters of the Christian Retreat are still involved in the Board of Management and in chaplaincy in the school. 'The school was founded by wonderful people full of hope and devotion,' states Archbishop Michael Neary, a former teacher in Holy Rosary College. HRC is now one of 112 schools under the trusteeship of the Catholic Education and Irish Schools Trust (CEIST) which also includes Mercy, Presentation, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and the Daughters of Charity. Its Mission Statement governs the ethos and the day-to-day life in the school. Holy Rosary College is a voluntary, Catholic, co-educational secondary school where students, staff, management, parents, and the local community together aim to provide a holistic education in a safe and caring environment, and where the dignity and uniqueness of each person is valued and respected. Students can study for the Leaving Cert Established (LCE), Leaving Cert Applied (LCA), Leaving Cert Vocational Programme (LCVP) and Transition Year (TY) with 20 exam subjects to Leaving Cert and all at higher level. The school offers 17 exam subjects to Junior Cert and the variety of programmes enables the school to cater for students of all abilities. From the outset the school has emphasised the importance of sciences and built one of the first science labs in any school in the West of Ireland. HRC now offers Agricultural Science, Chemistry, Biology and Physics all to leaving cert higher level. 'HRC has a very strong academic tradition with over 90 per cent of the students continuing into further education. 'Our Junior Cert results are exceptional, with students of all abilities doing extremely well, and one of our students getting 12 As in the Junior Cert 2010 exam, one of only 11 in the country to achieve this,' says principal Maureen Walsh.  She took over at the helm from John Fahey who retired in January after serving 28 years as a teacher and nine years as principal at HRC. Last year Leaving Certificate students Joseph Conroy, Emer O'Reilly, Maria Conneely and Katherine Long were all awarded 3rd level scholarships, based on their Leaving Cert results. Many past pupils have been awarded gold medals in third level institutions. HRC has always been to the fore in its use of IT, being one of the first schools to have its own website.  This year every classroom has been equipped with data projectors and laptops enabling all students to be taught how to best use  IT.  The school also uses the â€ËœVirtual Learning Environment Moodle', which enables students to access learning and homework on line. HRC also operates e-portal, which gives up-to-date information on student attendance and performance. TY students take the ECDL course and it is planned to introduce Microsoft Certification next year for first years and TY's. TY has proved very successful with over 60 students taking the course this year. It gives students an opportunity to mature, experience different teaching methodologies, savour all Leaving Cert subjects and take part in extra curricular activities including the school musical. TY students are currently preparing for a history trip to Belgium from April 11 to 15. Students take part in national competitions including the BT Young Scientists Exhibition and HRC has a long history of success in this exhibition, winning many prizes including individual and group awards.  Earlier this year students Hannah Kielty and Maria Regan won second prize in the Intermediate section of this national competition. This year a module on Digital Photography was introduced and proved very successful. Apart from its academic success HRC also focuses on the practical subjects and the school offers Materials Technology Wood, Technical Graphics, Art, Music, Construction Studies and Design Communication graphics all at higher level. An increasing number of girls now opt for these subjects. The music club meets twice a week and many of these students took part in the recent St. Patrick's Day parade in Mountbellew and provided entertainment on the float and in the Square afterwards. The Student Council, which is an elected body, plays an active role in school life, including fund raising and liaising with class teachers and year heads while HRC also has a long tradition of electing senior prefects. These include Head Boy and Head Girl.  The prefects are drawn from the Leaving Cert students and operate the CARA system for incoming first years. The system ensures that all first years have a CARA  or friend who looks out for them, they organise treasure hunts, table quizzes, basketball tournaments for them years and helps them integrate into the life of the school In the field of languages HRC offers French and German to Leaving Cert higher level and Italian to LCA. A group of students spent last week in Straubing, Germany, and enjoyed a jam-packed programme of activities and excursions.  'This experience always proves invaluable for the development of student language skills, which is then evident in their Leaving Cert results. 'The school is investigating the possibility of introducing Chinese for transition year students from September,' says the principal. More and more parents are appreciating the importance of supervised study and it is available for students from 8 am to 9 am and from 4 to 6.30 after school. Study skills seminars are organised for all students and their parents during the year. The school canteen is operated by the Get Fresh organisation and it provides healthy breakfasts and lunches which are popular with students and staff. Earlier this month HRC organised its very successful Seachtain na Gaeilge with students taking part in Ceilí, Irish music sessions, quizzes and speed dating trí Gaeilge. The school has a long tradition of involvement with the parents' associations.  The parents' committee organises, on a regular basis, talks on issues relevant to young people. The principal says that parents are always available to provide help when needed in the school. HRC produces The Chronicle, an annual school magazine, which as its name suggests, provides a record of the many school events throughout the year.  It also provides the students with an opportunity to gain experience in writing, editing and publishing a magazine. Sport plays a big part in the lives of students in Holy Rosary College with the senior boys winning the Connacht schools football final and the senior ladies also winning their provincial title. Other sports played in Holy Rosary, hurling, camogie, basketball, rugby and athletics. But while sport plays a big part in the life of a lot of the students, those who are not interested in sport can take part in public speaking, table quizzes, the music club, jiving classes, photography, credit union and board games. The myriad activities at Holy Rosary College ensure that even as its numbers continue to grow and grow it still remains a happy, vibrant place for staff and students.