Welcome Ballyhaunis: Our second Champion Secondary School in Co.Mayo
The monitoring team met in Ballyhaunis Community School on Wednesday March 12th. The team were given a truly warm welcome to the school by the Sanctuary Committee and offered a warm cup of tea to start the day. The monitoring team consisted of Sive O Connor ( SOS Coordinator), Keira Kennelley ( Champion Teacher Sancta Maria College Louisburg), Aidan Harte (University of Galway), Rachel Rose ( Mayo Integration Team), Alma Reddington (Mayo Integration Team)
Shortly after 11am, we all gathered in the school’s board room for a welcome and introduction meeting with school teachers and management. The team had a very informative and open conversation about all the various actions taking place in the school both inside and outside of the classroom and had some time for questions from the monitoring team. We met with Catriona Murphy( the lead SoS teacher), David McDonagh,( School Principal), Olive Lyons, (Home School Liaison Officer), Caroline Burns,( School Chaplain), Karen Moran,( EAL teacher), Jenny Murray (Intercultural event organiser)
We then met some representatives from the Schools of Sanctuary Committee to take us on a tour of the schools. The school reflects inclusion, celebration of culture and welcome at every turn and on every wall.
From their motto “Unity in Diversity” , inclusive places for prayer, their 17 year running Intercultural celebration day, This is Me wall, School of Sanctuary tree with pledges and the Remembrance garden to name a few, Sanctuary in woven into the fabric of Ballyhaunis Community School
The team were then brought to a room for presentations from the students of the schools. Some students from the Sanctuary Committee gave an impressive presentation of their own testimonies regarding their Sanctuary journey and the difference it has made to them and their school.
We heard from Aishat, Basmali, Mike, Amelia and Eva about their experience of being a student in BCS, special mention to Aishat’s amazing poem that she recited for us. Molly and Victoria took us through some important aspects of the school’s portfolio. We then heard some fantastic poetry from Schools of Sanctuary Creative Competition Poetry winners, Ava, Lauren and Holly. Megan and Sarah talked us through their project which focuses on raising awareness in the school of one of the Global Goals, currently they are focusing on Gender Equality. Then something very special, Aqueel led his group of ISL students in a beautiful and moving performance of Dermot Kennedy’s Better Days. Next, we were treated to some award winning Irish dancing from Champion dancers Molly and Megan. To finish up Hazel performed a beautiful and lamenting version of The Saw Doctors song N17.
We then had the pleasure of naming Ballyhaunis Community School as the second Champion Secondary School in Co. Mayo We want to thank all the students and staff of Ballyhaunis for an inspiring and uplifting day.
