This article is from page 12 of the 2011-05-10 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
SCHOOLS days are about to become dramatically different for the pupils of Barefield National School as they prepare to open a new 16classroom school later this month.
Construction work at the school has now finished and the final touches are being put on a large eight-classroom extension, six special education teaching rooms, a general purpose and sports hall and the refurbishment of six classrooms built in 1995.
According to the school principal, John Burns, the new extension will be of great benefit not just to the pupils and staff of the school, but also to the wider community in Barefield.
“Ultimately, this is a gift to the children in our care and so we are absolutely delighted with this news, both for the current and future generations of pupils,” he said.
“The parents, teachers and children deserve this opportunity as they have always shown the enthusiasm and goodwill to respond positively regardless of circumstances.
“Crucially they and the whole local community had already shown their commitment and foresight in having the local contribution for this project at the ready when the time arrived.”
The Chairperson of the Board of Management, Ronan Connolly, said the new extension was the culmination of a committed campaign to provide the best possible facilities at the school and he expressed his appreciation of everyone who had been involved in bringing the project to fruition over the years, including the Parents Association, the Board Of Management, parents and teachers.
The school-going population has grown rapidly in the area in recent years and the new classrooms will help meet the needs of the growing area into the future.
The school has grown from a fourteacher school in 1984 to today where it employs a total staff of 40.
The extension and refurbishment work was completed by local contractor Martin Fitzgibbon and Company along with architects Simon J Kelly and Partners.
The new school will be officially opened at 2pm on Sunday, May 29. A full programme of events are planned for the opening starting with a mass, celebrated by Bishop Kieran O’Reilly.