Scoth na Scoile March 6, 2020 Belfast Met, E3 Campus, Belfast Proudly Sponsored By: Welcome to the 2020 Blackboard Awards t’s so appropriate that we are here tonight at the e3 campus special event in this wonderful venue. Please take the time to with our venue Partner Belfast Met on what used to be a so- have a read of our brochure, which will give you a real sense Icalled peaceline, but which is now a beacon of education of the depth and scope of the work being done in our and a truly shared space. education sector by our 40 honorees. The twin themes of The work being done here is exactly what our city needs as dedication and hard work run through their stories like the we move slowly, sometimes painfully, but surely towards a writing on a stick of rock, so let me invite them to kick back for brighter future. the night and relax while accepting the richly-deserved thanks A very special thanks to our Lead Partner, Danske Bank, with of us and of the communities they serve for the unbelievable whom we have enjoyed a very positive and constructive things they are achieving day and daily, both inside and partnership over the years. Their contribution to the outside the classroom. Blackboard Awards is a real exemplar of the Business in Community ethos. Christina Sloan, I’m delighted to announce that for the first time we will Head of Partnerships, tonight be presenting a special ‘VIP Award’ to an honoree who Belfast Media Group has gone the extra mile. The award is generously sponsored by www.belfastmediagroup.com Movie House. Good luck with that award to all the educators here tonight, but regardless of the outcome, you’ll be receiving a ticket for two for the cinema courtesy of Movie House. So all that remains for me is to welcome everyone – guests, honorees and their proud family and friends – to this very anske Bank is delighted to support the Blackboard also passionate about. Our employees can regularly be found Awards for the sixth year running. The awards are a in local schools supporting careers lessons and events; talking Dgreat reflection of the quality and talent of the about Danske Futures, our apprenticeship programme, and principals, teachers and classroom assistants in our local delivering employability workshops, helping students develop schools and it has been fantastic to see them go from strength interview techniques and CV writing skills. to strength over the years. Outside the classroom, we have a long history of For us, the Blackboard Awards are an important event in supporting local sporting talent and are proud to be the the calendar. They provide us with an opportunity to recognise biggest supporter of youth sport in Northern Ireland through the outstanding contribution that schools and individuals our partnerships with Ulster Schools’ Cup rugby, Ulster make in educating and inspiring our young people. Schools GAA and the Northern Ireland Schools’ Football As a leading financial services provider, we believe we too Association. These partnerships allow us to play our part, have an important role to play in educating children and alongside teachers and coaches, in nurturing and developing young people; helping them develop a good understanding of sporting talent. money and budgeting to prepare them for later life. On behalf of everyone at Danske Bank, I would like to We do this through SMART, our financial education congratulate all those nominated this evening and wish you all programme in schools. Delivered face-to-face in primary and the very best. post-primary classrooms by Danske employees, the content is tailored for different age groups and helps build financial Katherine Morrow, confidence through engaging, interactive activities. Regional Manager, Being able to make informed choices about finances Danske Bank prepares young people for the world of work, an area we are @DanskeBank_UK Congratulations To all the 2020 Blackboard Award Nominees 2 THE 2020 BLACKBOARD AWARDS ThinkThink Súile a Máthar Irish-MediumIrish-Medium Education Education Her Mother’s eyes andand give give your your child child a a head head startstart Béal a hAthar withwith 2languages2languages Her Father’s mouth ATeangaféin Her own language For more information and to locate your nearest Irish-medium School, contact; Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta www.comhairle.org Phone - 02890 321475 - @comhairle2014 - Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta THE 2020 BLACKBOARD AWARDS 3 Corinne Latham Seaneen Heaney Deirdre Brennan Seaview Primary School St Maria Goretti Nursery School Gaelscoil anna É School website: www.seaviewps.org.uk School website: www.stmariagorettinursery.co.uk School website: [email protected] Subject : Primary School Education. Subject : Nursery. Subject : Classroom assistant (primary). Your place of birth: Belfast. Your place of birth: Belfast. Your place of birth: Belfast. Studied at: Stranmillis University College, then Queen’s Studied at: Assumption Grammar School, Ballynahinch; St Studied at: St Dominic's Grammar School and Belfast University Belfast. Mary's University College, Belfast; Stranmillis College, Metropolitan College. First job: First teaching job was Glenwood Primary School... Belfast. First job: Retail Assistant in Internacionale. First job at university was in Monsoon, Belfast. First job: Marks and Spencer in Forestside (aged 16). What it taught me: The value of money and how to be What it taught me: My first job was in retail in Monsoon, What it taught me: That a good work ethic will be independent. It also helped build a strong work ethic, something Belfast. It was an excellent company to work for and provided rewarded and that the value of any job is in the I am eager to pass on to my own children. amazing training. It highlighted the importance of working relationships you make. Family/status : Married with two children. within a team and working with the general public. It also Family/status : Engaged with two wonderful children, Ollie Best advice anyone ever gave you: Treat everybody how you made me realise the importance of working hard for agreed and Cuinn. would like to be treated yourself and also respect everyone goals. I learned many things in Glenwood Primary School and I Best advice anyone ever gave you: "If you have a choice equally. was very blessed to work with some amazing teachers. I loved between being right and being kind, choose kind." Best advice you could give someone thinking of a teaching working alongside experienced staff who taught me so much Best advice you could give someone thinking of a career: Definitely be organised! It's not the type of job that you about being a child's best advocate. teaching career: To always listen to children. Remember can do without forward planning. In saying that, being able to Family/status: Married with three kids. the reason why you wanted to get into teaching in the first think on your feet is a must also as some days, no matter what Best advice anyone ever gave you: A gentleman who was a place. Find out their dog's name, their birthday party you have planned, children can be unpredictable - meaning the retired Principal from Newcastle Co Down, Mr John Colgan, theme, what their third favourite dinosaur is – anything plans go out the window. was a facilitator at a Leadership course I attended. I got to they have decided is important to tell you. Take time daily know him well over many months and his mantra is something to value their humour, abilities, confidence and (abundant) have been involved with the Irish language sector of education that I have adopted... no matter what decision you make, make honesty because that is what will motivate you to be a since I was four years old when I started Bunscoil Phobal it for the betterment of the children. better teacher and better person. IFeirste. From there I went on to St Dominic's Grammar School Best advice you could give someone thinking of a teaching where I completed my A-Levels. My main strength at school was career: Teaching is one of the best jobs in the world. It may graduated from St Mary's University College in 2010 with always Mathematics, which led to me gaining a Diploma in not make you a millionaire but you will be rich in so many a six-month-old son and a degree in Early Years Accountancy and also having my first child in 2006. Even though other ways, mainly through all the lives you impact. Only a IEducation before taking up my first teaching post. I was good with numbers, it didn't really give me any job teacher can retire and look back to consider all the pupils they Originally, I worked in Christ the King Primary School in satisfaction, probably because I have always wanted to work have impacted over their career and know that they had a Drumaness before moving to St Aloysius’ Primary School with children. Thankfully, I got my wish when I was offered my hand in shaping them as people. and Nursery unit in Lisburn, then St Maria Goretti Nursery current position at Gaelscoil Éanna. School Belfast in 2016. In 2018 I completed a Masters When I first started the school we only had two classes and orinne started her teaching career in Glenwood Primary degree in Special Educational Needs and gave birth to my now we have approximately 190 pupils. Personally, it has been a School, before moving on to work in the Primary School daughter. Over the past decade I have been incredibly great privilege to watch and also be a part of the school growing CImprovement Team in the North Eastern Education and fortunate to work with colleagues who have inspired me, as well as the Irish language sector in general.