HAVING missed out on the appointment of an additional teacher by just one pupil last year, management at Clonmoney National School are hoping that an increase in enrolment for the coming year will result in the extra teaching post being approved.
In a letter to Education Minister Norma Foley, Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey said that last September, the school had 196 children enrolled when the number needed to qualify for an additional mainstream teacher was 197.
“The school now has 210 pupils confirmed for enrolment in the new school year and it will be extremely challenging to accommodate all these children safely unless an eighth mainstream class teacher is sanctioned,” Deputy Carey explained.
“A major extension of the school building was approved by the Department of Education last week to accommodate a mainstream classroom and two Special Eduction Needs (SEN) classrooms.
“This clearly demonstrates that Clonmoney is a growing school with a progressive ethos and it’s important that the Department would recognise the need for additional staffing by providing the necessary resources to appoint an additional mainstream teaching post this year.
“The school has made representations to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board and I have now asked Minister Foley to support the appeal with her department officials,” Deputy Carey added.
