This article is from page 40 of the 2007-07-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 40 JPG
ALMOST 60 students at Ennisty- mon’s Mol an Oige Steiner School will be going ‘to school through the falls’ from September following the eranting of planning permission for four prefabs at last weeks meeting of Clare County Council.
Parents, teachers and_ students were in council chambers for the announcement last week which re- ceived the unanimous support of all county councilors present.
The planning will allow the school to erect four prefab buildings on a site beside the Falls Hotel. It is an important step for the school which is involved in a long running battle to secure official state recognition from the Department of Education.
“We are delighted with the unani- mous cross party support received from Clare County Council in fa- vour of the temporary re-zoning of a site in Ennistymon for Mol an Oige school,” said Mary Fahy, secretary of Mol an Oige.
“This honoured a previous guar- antee made by the April ’06 council meeting when a unanimous motion was passed in support of Steiner multi-denominational schools in north Clare.
“We would like to sincerely thank the 25 county councillors present. Their lOO per cent support reflects the broad support in the local com- munity for diversity in education. Sincere thanks to the planning au- thorities for furthering our applica- tion for temporary planning.”
Hopes are now high that the schools new premises will help in the schools aim of getting official state recogni- tion. To date the school has received no support from the Department of Education and has survived through an ongoing series of fund raising events.
“Our understanding is that a posi- tive recommendation went from the New School’s Advisory Committee to the Department of Education,” she continued.
“With 56 pupils pre-enrolled in Mol an Oige for September ’07, we are confident that Minister Hanafin will respect the growing trend in multi-denominational education and respond to the need for choice in education in rural Ireland.
Steiner schools approach learning
in childhood through a process of imitation and example. For exam- ple, language development in Steiner Schools is addressed through songs, poems and movement games.
Extensive time is given for children to play freely, under the guidance of adult(s), in a home-like classroom environment that includes natural materials. The school emphasises the importance of children experiencing the rhythms of the year and seasons, including seasonal festivals drawn from a variety of traditions.