Karol Lynch has only been the principal of Scoil Cholmcille for four months, but he has firmly placed himself in the heart of the Greencastle community.
A Tyrone native, Mr Lynch took up his first principals role in September of this year, taking over the reigns from former principal Annie McCartney who retired last year. He started his teaching career in Essex, before moving to Dublin and teaching for eight years. After completing a post graduate qualification in educational leadership, Mr Lynch decided to make the move to Inishowen. “I have a young family, my wife is from this area so we decided this would be a good opportunity,” he said.
Scoil Cholmcille is a four teacher school, with a student population of 110. Mrs Kealy works with the infant classes, Mrs Doherty is first and second class teacher, Mr Lynch third and fourth and Miss Lynch fifth and sixth. The school also has a part time secretary, a full time resource teacher, a part time learning support teacher and two full time SNA’s.
The school was built in 1986 and was relocated from the site where the Greencastle Community Centre is, and was formerly known as Drumaweir National School.
Speaking about taking on his first job as principal, Mr Lynch said: “It has been a steep learning curve but everyone has been very patient and very supportive. The parents have been great, the staff have been very welcoming. They’ve been supportive in directing me in the way things should be done.
“I didn’t want to change too much in the first year, just keep everything going so I can get a good view of how the school is being run and then possibly make some changes as we go further down the line. I certainly think the school has great potential, the setting is wonderful. The kids are brilliant. I just think there’s great potential with the beaches and the businesses around here too, there’s great scope for extra curricular activities which is great.
“Mrs Doherty, the first and second class teacher, is also the deputy principal in the school. She has been a great support to me and we work very well together and she keeps me right in respect to filling me in on the daily running's of the school and what worked well and not so well in the previous years.”
Mr Lynch has nothing but praise for his teaching staff, who he described as “brilliant”.
“As a teaching principal there is the challenge of trying to do the paperwork element after school and you’re getting knocks on your door while you’re trying to teach.
“It’s just about getting the right balance. You have to put your teaching first and you have to make sure the quality of your teaching doesn’t suffer.
“As a principal you have to be leading the way in terms of teaching and learning in the school so you have to prioritise the children first and put time aside after school to get back to people, returning phone calls or emails or chasing up on things in the school.
“That is a challenge but that’s the job that you sign up for. In a lot of cases the teaching principal job isn't that attractive because it’s really two jobs combined into one.
“You do your best, It’s a challenging job but it’s definitely rewarding,” he said.
1st and 2nd class.
Parent’s Association
Scoil Cholmcille has a very proactive Parent’s Association, who only recently held a Christmas Craft Fair to raise funds for the school.
“I’m very much of the opinion to try and get the parents in as much as possible. They have lots of expertise that maybe the teachers don’t have!
“The parents been in the last few weeks with the Christmas craft fair. They’ve been in doing arts and crafts with the kids and they held a successful fair just past at the Fisheries School. They raised a lot of money which will hopefully go towards some sports resources for the kids.
“Anything you ask of them they’re more than willing to help out. They’re very supportive and there’s a great relationship there with them.
“We have around 70 families in the school, it’s a very close knit family connection with the school. It’s very much a community thing, and that’s something you have to be more aware of coming from Dublin, where they don’t have as much that community aspect.
“Everyone, even the teachers live in the area as well. Here the whole community vibe is very much evident,” said Mr Lynch.
School activities
The children of Scoil Cholmcille have a jam packed school calendar, participating in a number projects including Green Schools.
“Fifth and sixth class students are taking part in the junior entrepreneur programme. They create a product, a budget, manage the finances of the project and hopefully sell their product in a local shop. The kids absolutely love that sort of thing.
“It’s very practical and hands on, they absolutely love it. You bring in the maths, the english with the advertising aspect so its very cross curricular which is brilliant,” said Mr Lynch.
Meanwhile, Mr Lynch’s third and fourth class students will be taking part in the Something Fishy project in the new year. “Hopefully they’ll get to dissect a few fish and get really hands on. Some of them love it, some of them not so much but it’s something that is certainly very memorable. A lot of kids can very much relate to it too,” he said.
The school has also started a successful morning club, which allows parents to drop their children off early if they’re working. “Obviously it’s there for them and some parents use it and some don’t, but anything that makes life easier for the parents and it makes the school a more attractive place to be.
“In the new year the children will be taking part in spelling bee competitions and are currently researching hard for the battle of the books competition coming up,” added Mr Lynch.
Scoil Cholmcille NS (Greencastle) 3rd to 6th classes soccer teams who took part in the Inish League. (Photo - Tom Heaney, nwpresspics)
Sports
Mr Lynch said there is a “great tradition” of sports in Scoil Cholmcille, with the girls soccer team being crowned All Ireland champions.
“There’s a great involvement from Greencastle FC and Moville GAA. The coaching goes on every week in the schools as well.
“The boys football team competed in the Inishowen League, they were very good. We have some absolutely talented footballers.
“I was very impressed and with their attitude towards the opposition, sports man ship as well as their behaviour on the field as well as their skill and athleticism.
“It’s a credit to the work going on in the school before and to Greencastle FC as well that they have instilled those attributes in the children, They really did handle themselves very well, I see it in all the schools in the Inishowen League they’ve all been very good. It’s very impressive,” added Mr Lynch.
Christmas events
The children of Scoil Cholmcille have been working hard to prepare for their Christmas productions. Tomorrow, Thursday December 15 the third and fourth class pupils are performing Behind the Stable Door. Next Wednesday the fifth and sixth class pupils are going to perform Primary School Christmas Musical.
“At the minute the kids are in full swing for doing that.
“The local community have been very generous, they keep donating stuff, anything you ask for, all you have to do is ask. It’s something I’ve found, no one ever says no they can’t help.
“Everyone has been very accommodating. Especially with me in my role they have been very helpful,” said Mr Lynch.
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