Diarmuid Kenny, Gianni Fusciardi, Bailey Canavan and Noel Victory from TY.

Open days at St Joseph’s Secondary School, Rochfortbridge 

St Joseph’s Secondary School, Rochfortbridge was a hive of activity last weekend as they opened their doors to prospective students for the academic year 2023/24. The event was held over two days, a new departure for St Joseph’s, and a testament to how popular this co-educational facility has become.

The school reached a landmark number of more than 1000 students this year, but that number doesn’t take away from the family feel the place has, something that is clear when you walk in the front door.

St Joseph’s is a CEIST school, and has a strong tradition of academic excellence. It retains a leading place on the league tables for schools in Westmeath annually and places a strong emphasis on the holistic development of the student. There is a vibrant wellbeing programme and an extensive range of extra curricular activities.

Along with all of the regular sporting teams (camogie, football, soccer, basketball, athletics and hurling), the school offers a table tennis club, pitch and putt, enterprise, Junk Kouture, after school maths club and computer coding.

First years are welcomed with a month-long induction, ensuring their transition from primary school is seamless. There are team building activities, a strong focus on building friendships, workshops on classroom practices and assistance from their sixth year prefects – a unique buddy system that has been part of the St Joseph’s tradition for many years.

The open event was activity based and the fifth and sixth class visitors were able to experience what life is like in a progressive school through interactive science experiments, computer games, walking debates, practical activities and a range of sporting games.

Principal, Margaret Cole, spoke to the students and their parents about life in St Joseph’s and displayed designs of the upcoming new school, build which is in its final planning stages.

The school has a user friendly website and further information on enrolment is at mercyrochfortbridge.ie.

Aaron Hanley and Erin Hosey were the meeters and greeters on Friday. Photo by Thomas Gibbons
Jack Lacey and Kyle Daly in the games room. Photo by Thomas Gibbons
Rebecca O'Neill, Cara Fisher, Jayne Charles, Callum Dunne and Aoibhinn Hanley tried out some of the musical instruments. Photo by Thomas Gibbons
Lilibeth Donegan, Sandra Riggs and Lacie Ennis in the make-up room. Photo by Thomas Gibbons
Diarmuid Kenny, Gianni Fusciardi, Bailey Canavan and Noel Victory from TY. Photo by Thomas Gibbons
Joey Boyle and Eoghan Dunbar (engineering and technology teachers) at the open day. Photo by Thomas Gibbons
Bronagh Moran, Katie Doran, Sophie Collins and Naoise Byrne with Ms Bell in the science lab. Photo by Thomas Gibbons
Margaret Cole (principal), Darragh Glynn (deputy principal) and Niamh Sheridan (deputy principal) at St Joseph's in Rochfortbridge. Photo by Thomas Gibbons