European Award for Co. Laois VEC Co
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Coiste Ghairmoideachais Chontae Laoise COUNTY LAOIS VOCATIONAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE NEWSLETTER A PROVIDER OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES DECEMBER 2010 EuropEan award for Co. Laois VEC Co. Laois VEC adult Learning Centre has received the European Language Label award. The project, entitled “Getting to Grips with the English Language”, supports learners from various ethnic backgrounds to break down language and communication barriers and give them the necessary English language skills to integrate more effectively into irish society. The Language Label is a European-wide award that recognises creative and innovative ways of teaching and learning languages. The jury for the award commented that…“positive participation and positive feedback from the project have encouraged Professor Tom Collins (President, NUI Maynooth) presents the European Language Label Award to learners to continue with their language Sandra Doyle (Project Co-ordinator, Co. Laois VEC) and Kamila Rozkrut (ESOL Learner) at a studies and progress into further or ceremony in NUI Maynooth higher education”. Co. Laois VEC hosts IVEA Congress 2010 The irish Vocational Education groups. On Wednesday 16th and the conference concluded with a association (iVEa) is the national September, the Tánaiste and Minister Banquet Dinner which was enjoyed by representative body for VECs. Each for Education and Skills, Mary all. Co. Laois VEC was very proud to year the iVEa holds a two-day Coughlan, TD, addressed the host this conference, which was national conference. This year the conference. Mr Noel O’Connor was attended by representatives of VECs Conference was hosted by Co. Laois elected as the new IVEA Chairperson from all over the country. VEC on the 15th and 16th of september at the Heritage Golf & spa resort, Killenard, Co. Laois. Hosting such an event involved significant fundraising and sponsorship was sought and received from a number of local and national businesses that supply goods and services to Co. Laois VEC. On the evening of Tuesday 15th, Co. Laois VEC held a Welcome Reception and Dinner where entertainment was provided by musicians from Laois School of Music, the Portlaoise College Choir and members of Camross Comhaltas. The guests thoroughly enjoyed the local entertainment and Cllr. Mary Sweeney (Chairperson, Co. Laois VEC), Tánaiste Mary Coughlan, TD, had many compliments for the various Anne O’Keeffe (CEO, Co. Laois VEC) at the conference PAGE 1 NEWSLETTER WINTER • 2010 nEw CarEEr GuidanCE fanCY drEss TEaCHEr in CLonasLEE Ms aisling roche is the new Career Guidance teacher in Clonaslee Vocational school. Ms roche has taken Leaving Certificate students to the university of Limerick open day and has also organised speakers from Carlow and athlone institutes of Technology and from fÁs. Ms roche is now assisting students with their Cao choices and uCas applications. Eimear Lynam and Niamh O’Riordain as Jedward at the Fancy Dress Day, organised UCAS applicants Michael Hyland, Erin Leonard and Lefa Leonard with Ms Aisling Roche by the Clonaslee Students’ Council nEw The Transition Year Bank rooMs The Clonaslee school Bank was officially opened in november 2010. The bank was opened in conjunction Clonaslee Vocational with the aiB Build A Bank Challenge. school has extended This competition aims to give students a chance to its buildings to participate in the world of banking. The bank management include four new is composed of Transition Year students. The Bank classrooms, a careers Manager is Niamh O’Donovan, the Sales Manager is Laura office, and deputy Maher, the Auditor is Aileen Hartnett, and the two Tellers are Afra Dillon and Susan O’Neill. The bank will be opened principal’s office. all for twenty minutes every Thursday. It will allow students Junior Certificate Honours Irish of these new rooms students Cliona Stephenson and to set up accounts and to lodge money into their accounts. are equipped with This is a great facility for students. Alison Kelly in the new Irish wifi internet access. classroom Transition Year Students Afra Dillon, Niamh O’Donovan and seated Students in the new Art Room Nora Whyte, (AIB Official) and Susan O’Neill PAGE 2 NEWSLETTER WINTER • 2010 FROM THE CEO’S DESK It gives me great pleasure, once again, to welcomeentities you to become to another edition of our Newsletter. That we areoperable, living and much work and working in very challenging times hardly needsneeds to be done in the stating. Low exchequer receipts resulting in severeintervening period. cutbacks in all areas of expenditure, reductionHowever, of while it is resources, moratorium on public sector recruitment,business as usual in our rising unemployment and bailouts of financial Schools, Centres and Head institutions, are all part of the current economicOffice, and it is understandable educational landscape. However, it is incumbentthat on theus restructuring is a to explore ways of getting ourselves through thiscause crisis for concern. and be prepared for better and more prosperous Despitetimes all of the above, I ahead. take great pride in the work It is very interesting to note that of a staff ethiccomplement displayed by so many of more than five hundred currently employed inof Co. our staff, and I Laois VEC, approximately sixty per cent of congratulate you on your commitment to the services appointments were made in the last twenty years,we provide.and Since our last Newsletter there have been many of us, including myself, were appointed tosome our new projects including the commencement of current positions in the last ten years. The our five year Education Plan 2011-2015. Consultation significance of this is that most of us are experiencingwith all the relevant stakeholders has been completed, for the first time, what it is like to work in identifyinga recession. goals, objectives, and actions for the There is a further dimension to this, in that, lifetimenow we of the Plan and beyond. I look forward to these find that we are required to perform additionalbeing duties, implemented with your co-operation. Like every with serious reductions in both the level of resourcesliving organism we must continue to develop and to available to us, and the level of remuneration grow,received and I am confident that you, our most valued by us. Challenging times indeed! staff, share that view with me. An additional challenge for us all is the proposedMay Iplan take this opportunity to wish everybody to restructure the whole Vocational Education system.associated with Co. Laois VEC, a particularly happy, As the Minister has outlined, Co. Laois VEC is warmto be and safe Christmas — and let?s look forward amalgamated with Counties Offaly and Westmeath.together As to the opportunities and challenges of 2011. of now there is no stated timeframe for the new Anne O? Keeffe TransiTion YEar HisTorY Trip To dErrY The Transition Year class of Clonaslee Vocational school Students and teachers then enjoyed a trip around the shops went on a two-day trip to derry on wednesday 20th and to the cinema to watch the film “Social Network”. On the october. seventeen students were accompanied by second day of the tour, students had a guided walking tour of teachers Ms Helen dunne and Ms Mary Higgins. The the walls of Derry and the Apprentice Boys’ Museum and also students had a guided tour of the Tower Museum on experienced the Nationalist area with a tour of the Bogside arrival and this was followed by a tour of The Guildhall. Artists’ Murals and the Free Derry Museum. Transition Year students in Derry with teachers Ms Mary Higgins and Ms Helen Dunne PAGE 3 NEWSLETTER WINTER • 2010 rETirEMEnT funCTion new students’ Council in Clonaslee Vocational school Mr Edmund dunne recently retired from teaching in Clonaslee Vocational school. Edmund taught in Clonaslee for many years and had previously taught in abbeyleix Vocational school until its closure in 1989. Edmund taught agricultural science, Biology and Maths to Leaving Certificate and had a major involvement in promoting sport in the school. He was also in charge of the book rental scheme. The staff of Clonaslee joined Edmund at a function in Portlaoise to mark his retirement, where good wishes were extended to him by all members of staff. Students’ Council with Deputy Principal Ms Noreen Sweeney a new students’ Council was elected in september for the 2010-2011 school year. The officers for the coming year are: adam wynne, Chairperson; Bob Tysall, secretary; niall Hogan, Treasurer; and Ger reilly, stand-in-officer. All members of the Students’ Council attended Comhairle na nÓg in Portlaoise College. The students discussed a number of issues including drug awareness and sex Edmund Dunne, Tom Moore and Eamon Whelan education. durrow Gets arty Transition Year Mini Company Transition Year students are the new entrepreneurs of Clonaslee and are hoping to give people new ideas for presents this year. They have taken inspiration from their computer classes and have set up a photo software business. The production team will use special effects on personal photographs and customers will have a choice of settings and frames. The management team for this business is Aileen Hartnett, Niamh O’Donovan, Laura Maher, Adam Wynne and Marie Murphy. The students carried out extensive market research and aim to create a quality product. A ceramics course was recently held in the Community Hall, Durrow. Our picture shows all the wonderful pieces completed by the talented Back Row: Marie Murphy, Adam Wynne, Ciaran Hyland, Gavin Burke. group of ladies under the direction of their tutor Annie Holland Front Row: Laura Maher, Niamh O’Donovan, Aileen Hartnett PAGE 4 NEWSLETTER SUMMER • 2010 porTLaoisE CoLLEGE HosTs poETrY aLoud for the first time in its long history, the national Library of ireland held heats for the national poetry aloud competition here in Laois. on wednesday 3rd november, over 100 Laois students represented their schools: portlaoise College, Heywood Community school, st Mary’s CBs, Mountrath Community school, Colaiste iosagain, scoil Chrióst rí and Clonaslee Vocational school.