Our Mission
We celebrate the uniqueness of each child as expressed in each child’s personality, intelligence and potential for development. We aim to nurture each pupil in all dimensions of their life - spiritual, moral, cognitive, emotional, imaginative, aesthetic, social and physical. We strive to cherish and challenge our students in a safe, secure and attractive learning environment.
As a Christian community we aim to be a warm and welcoming place respectful and accommodating of diversity in race, culture, religion, gender and ability. We aim to promote equality and support pupils with special educational needs and where pupils will be given opportunities to develop as lifelong learners.
Parents are their children’s primary educators and we strive to empower and utilise parents to be actively involved in their child’s education and the life of our school. We value our relationship with our local community and actively promote our pupils’ and their families’ involvement in their community.
The Board of Management, Principal, teachers and staff strive to provide a nurturing, positive, holistic learning experience for every pupil and commit our resources to challenging and empowering each other.
School Vision
St. Tola’s N.S. aims to provide a full and enriching education and learning environment where pupils, teachers, staff and parents feel valued as a community and work towards enabling the full and harmonious development of each child. The school aims develop each child’s potential to the full, encourage a love of learning and to help children develop skills they will use all their lives.
St. Tola's is a Catholic School and aims to promote the development of all aspects of the person; intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual including a living relationship with God and with other people. The school acknowledges and is respectful of all persons of other faiths and beliefs.
Our School
St. Tola’s N.S is a mainstream, co-educational primary school, with an enrollment of 219 pupils, located in Killulagh, Delvin, Co. Westmeath.
There are 9 Mainstream Teachers, 2 ASD Unit Teachers, 3 Special Educational Needs Teachers, 6 SNAs along with our administrative principal and our school secretary, caretaker and cleaners.
School begins at 9.00 am and finishes at 1.40 pm for Junior & Senior Infants, and 2.40 pm for the rest of the school.
Break is at 10.30 am until 10.40 am.
Lunch is at 12.00 pm until 12.30 pm.
St. Tola’s has developed from a small 4 classroom school which opened in 1969, to a modern building consisting of:
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8 Classrooms
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3 Prefabs
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2 ASD Classrooms
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1 SEN room
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Sensory Room
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Gymnasium with Kitchenette & Store Room
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Outdoor Classroom, Sensory Area & Polytunnel
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Tennis Court
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Walking Track
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Playing Field
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Outdoor Mud Kitchen & Play Area
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Chicken Coop & School Hens
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Outdoor Healing Garden
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School Library
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Principal’s Office
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Secretary’s Office
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Staff Room
Plans are currently ongoing for the extension of our school with the building of a 2 classroom ASD Unit and an additional mainstream classroom.
The Board of Management
The board is made up of eight members – two parents’ representatives, two community representatives, two members of our teaching staff (one being the principal), a treasurer and a Patron nominee. Each B.O.M. runs for a four year term. The present board’s term began in December 2019. The board presently exists as follows:
Patron’s Nominee: Fr. Seamus Heaney
Teaching Representatives: Eileen Smyth & Kieran Stenson
Parent Representatives: Martha Coyne & Paul Gill
Community Representatives: Bernie Fox & Fergus Sheerin
Officers on the Board
Chairperson: Fr. Seamus Heaney
Secretary: Eileen Smyth
Treasurer: Claire Fox
Designated Liaison Person for Child Protection: Eileen Smyth
Deputy Liaison Person for Child Protection: Anne Stenson