This article is from page 36 of the 2007-05-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 36 JPG
ST JOSEPH’S Community College in Kilkee played host to 16 teach- ers from Norway, Spain, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Scotland to mark the end of a three year edu- cational project designed to create links with schools abroad.
The Comenius 1.3 Project con- cluded on April 27 with the launch of www.theinclusiveschool.com – a website to allow partner schools to keep in contact.
School Vice Principal, Sister Mary O’Connell, said that the initiative had been a great success and many of the school’s teachers had benefited from
interaction with colleagues abroad.
At a reception in The Kilkee Bay Hotel to celebrate the success of the project, Hilda McHugh, Assistant Chief Inspector in the Department of Education and Science, also empha- sised the importance of making con- tact and forging relationships with fellow educators.
She reiterated the importance of teachers sharing ideas on best prac- tise in the classroom for the benefit of the whole school community.
Labour Affairs Minister Tony Kil- leen attended the event along with representatives from the education department and Léeargas and mem- bers of the parents’ council and
board of management.
Students entertained the visitors with music, song and dance as did the north Clare Group 2 & A Half Irish.
Several Kilkee teachers travelled and participated in each of the conferences in rotation. These in- cluded Ann Healy, Jean Lorigan, Clodagh Healy-Murphy, Theresa O’Donnellan, Geraldine O’Brien, Syl Barrett, Carmel Deloughery, Theresa McGrath.
St Joseph’s hosted the first meet- ing of the partner schools in October 2004. Each of the partner schools has hosted a three to four day meet- ing since the project began in 2004.
The penultimate meeting was in Ab- erdeen, Scotland in November 2006.
The school has been involved in European Studies projects since 1990 with the emphasis on language, industry and trade.