Information
Welcome, and thank you for visiting St. Michael’s school website.
Our school aims to
provide a happy, secure, respectful, friendly, creative learning
environment where
every student is encouraged to achieve their potential. A great deal ofthe
success of St. Michael’s N.S. is due to the partnership created between the
home, school, and
community, so we encourage you to visit the website often, and
we look forward to
staying in contact throughout the year.
Please take some time to explore our website, and to use it as a tool to help
you learn more about
our school, stay informed, and become an active participant
in the education of
your child.
Ms Maria Bourke
Principal
The school aims to provide a happy, secure, respectful, friendly, creative learning environment where children, pupils, parents, teacher, all the support staff and Board of Management work in partnership; where each individual is valued, encouraged and respected for her/his uniqueness and facilitated to develop to her/his full potential in a positive, supportive and Christian atmosphere.
School Ethos:
The staff, pupil and parents of St. Michael's aim to make the school a centre where young people feel accepted and their personal worth and dignity is affirmed; where the spiritual, intellectual and physical potential of each individual is recognised and respected; where special concern for the needs of all are encouraged and where staff, parents and pupils co-operate for the good of the whole school community.
They are committed to the development of the children as whole persons. They try to awaked the hearts and minds of our young people; to help them value and develop their heritage of faith and culture; to encourage them to use their talents positively.
The staff are open to on-going professional development, which is of vital importance. It enables the staff to present the children of St. Michael's with a wide variety of opportunities and experiences to enhance their live.
It is acknowledged that the parent/guardian is the first and foremost educator and the school welcome communication, participation and collaboration based on mutual trust and respect. The staff, pupils and parents value and affirm each other by sharing a common mission; but working in collaboration and exchanging inspiration, support and encouragement.
School History:
In the late 1940's the late Archbishop McQuaid of Dublin approached the Dominican Convent in Cabra and asked them to open a national school in the new suburb of Ballyfermot. They agreed and building began in March 1953. Three schools were built, namely St. Michael's, St. Raphael's and St. Gabriel's. For many years, junior boys were in St. Michael's before they went to the De La Salle after 1st class. The junior girls were in St. Gabriel's and the girls from 2nd to 6th were in St. Raphael's.
In 1979 there was a campus reorganisation that changed the schools from Junior Boys, Junior Girls and Senior Boys to three identical vertical schools with Junior Infants to 6th in each school. The school population in St. Michael's during the late 1980's was almost 500 pupil - today it has over 300.
Patronage:
Catholic Parish - Ballyfermot
The staff, pupils and parents of St. Michael's understand ourselves to be a Christian Community where Christian values are promoted at all times and where an atmosphere of care and concern prevails.
Socio-Economic Context:
Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion was launched in May 2005 and remains the Department of Education and Skills policy instrument to address educational disadvantage. The action plan focuses on addressing and prioritising the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities, from pre-school through second-level education (3-18 years). DEIS provided for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and an integrated School Support Programme (SSP).