An overview of the work of the Parent Leadership Team - February 2021
Since being established, the Parent Leadership Team’s (PLT) with our main focus being on the temporary and permanent accommodation for GCC. As PLT we have met monthly to bring about a proactive and effective approach to assist in resolving GCC accommodation issues. After making contact with local Ministers, TDs and Cllrs we joined forces in a bid to alleviate the crisis surrounding the lack of post-primary places that face the local community.
Since November we have also met monthly with this powerful group and we are pleased to report that a number of positive milestones have been reached.
- In December, a planning application was submitted for a 6 classroom temporary structure at Greystones Rugby Club
- In January, a planning application was submitted for a 16 classroom temporary structure on the Eire Óg site
- In January, agreement in principle was reached between the Department of Education & Skills (DES) and the land owner for the purchase of the permanent site for the school in Charlesland.
The GCC PLT have also:
- been a sounding board for school management in the heroic task of moving the entire school community online.
- assisted with Policy reviews
- participated in discussions around the purchasing of individual student devices
- set up a communications link with the wider GCC parents/guardians’ community
From here the PLT will:
- continue with monthly meetings with local Ministers, TDs and Cllrs to keep the pressure on DES to resolve the accommodation issues as quickly as possible, pushing for the Plan A to be the Eire Óg Site.
- continue to work with the principal, staff, the BoM and the GCC parent/guardian community to build effective partnership between home and school supporting the provision of excellent education for all the students.
Since its inception the school has faced unbelievable challenges relating to its lack of appropriate accommodation and the global pandemic. The PLT would like to thank Ruairi and his staff for demonstrating great strength and determination during these difficult times and for their continued provision of excellent education for the students.
Orla Guiry - Member of the Parent Leadership Team and Board of Management, Greystones Community College