Principal’s Message

Dearfamilies of Mercy Convent Primary,

It is my pleasure to openour yearbook and allow you all to look back overthelastschool year. I hope you enjoy the words and pictures that encapsulates another extremelymemorable year. So much happens in aschool year we couldneverrecord it all nor would we need to. This year, followingthe end of restrictions, saw areturn to better days and whole schoolevents. These positive changesassisted in creating an evenbetterschoolexperiencefor us all.This year alsosaw a huge investment by the Board of Management in interactive panels in every room which have made a huge benefit to teaching and learningacrosstheclasses. We sawthe end to our reconfigurationprocess whichwas another milestone for our school, and we await the final decision from our Patron in September. As I write this message, we have construction firm representatives walking the new schoolbuilding site as they complete their tender costings.The final approvals from theDepartment of Educationarecomplete and we look forward to thebeginning of the end, as the final legof our constructionmarathon is due to begin in September.Thefuture is bright.

As the goodweather shines down and we near the end of term, itis important to reflect on the peoplehere who worksotirelesslyfor our pupils. With our teaching staff, SNA’s, secretaries, andour caretakerJohn, we arefortunate to have averyspecial staff team. The positive atmosphere and warmwelcomeareevidenteach and every day. OurManagement Team of Trish Kelly, Sinéad Buckley, Brian Corkery,Kate Smyth, Marésé Deely, Aoife Clifford andEdel Wolfe put so much time, effort and passioninto creating thebestschoolexperience for our pupils,I would be lost without them. Theheart of any school is thepeople,pupils and staff, and I am veryfortunate and thankful to be a part of the great group we have here in theMercy.

An extremelydedicated and valued staff member and AssistantPrincipal, Alice Byrne, retired inearly October.Our team lost a great teacher and staff member, but she isliving her best life surrounded by family and friends. We aregrateful that shecontinues to work with us in a part time capacity in SpecialEducation.I would also like to wish DavnetMcDonnell and David O’Connor, two ofour teaching staff, avery happyand rewarding year aheadas theydepart on careerbreaks.

Sadly, each year we have to say goodbye to our 6th class girls and senior infant boys and they will mostcertainly be missed. On behalf of all the staff here I just want to say howproud we are of all our boys and girls as they leave our school. They arecredit to theirfamilies, and we hope they had a worthwhileschoolexperience here with us. We wish them everysuccess and happiness on the next part of their educational journey.

Thisyearbook is acredit to all our staff for taking the timein this busyschoolterm to createthepieces that makes this abeautifulsummary of our year. Oureditors Maria Keogh and Brian Corkeryhave, yet again, put in a huge amountof time to bring it all together and I think we can all agree, it was time well spent.Congratulations to our pupils who createdthefabulouspieces ofart that adornthecovers, they are extremely talented.

Finally,I would like to thank the Board of Management,Parent Teacher Association (PTA), and you theparents,forthe full support shown to us all here to doour workeffectively. Our Board and PTA give of their time so freely forevening meetings and schoolevents,without them we would not have theschool we have.Aspecialmention to Ann-Marie from the PTA who finishes up her time with usasher daughter isin 6th class. She was amassivesupport to us all. Our current Board of Management willalso come to anend in Octobersoa huge thank you to the members for thelast five years. We appreciate your support in purchasing this year bookand wish each and every oneof you alovelysummerbreak. See you all bright and early on August 30th

Le gach dea-ghuí,