Albie bounces into his future at new Sacred Heart School

Thomas Lyons

In his new garda uniform Albie O’Neill bounces on the trampoline with his sister, Brodie, and cousin Lucy Lonergan. The children are at play in a new state-of-the-art playground. They are the very embodiment of youthful exuberance.

Albie is a special guest, getting a VIP tour of the school he will attend come September 1. The new Sacred Heart School will share a campus with the ever expanding St Finian’s College on the outskirts of Mullingar.

Ann-Marie Connolly, principal of St Mary’s Special School, along with her deputy principal, Sinead Gilligan, is overseeing the move from its home of 70 years at South Hill, Delvin to the new location.

Albie is an Honorary Garda and a Little Blue Hero. The Little Blue Heroes charity is a voluntarily organisation led by garda members, retired garda members and civic minded people.

They provide support to families of children with serious illnesses, as well as handing out the uniforms to the Honorary Gardaí.

Last week, Garda Martina Walsh and Garda Carmilla Corbett of the Community Policing Unit watch on as their honorary colleague play tested the facilities on the grounds of the freshly minted school

"Ann-Marie wanted to make a ceremony of the handing over to the uniform," Garda Walsh told the Examiner, "We are delighted to have him as the newest addition to the Little Blue Heroes."

The day is a fine example of how the Community Policing team engage with the public: "In Community Policing, the unit myself and Camilla are attached to, we try as much as possible to be involved in the schools and with kids. It’s about breaking down barriers, showing them we are there to help and that we are not to be feared.

"We’re a part of the community, we want them to know that if they ever need help we are there. We visit the schools, the estates and we are visible in the towns. It’s our way of linking in with communities."

In less than five months, Albie will return to the Sacred Heart School bringing life to the bright, airy building that will be alive with St Mary’s pupils. The students will be in the classrooms named after native Irish trees, hinting at the aim of the faculty to watch the children blossom and grow to realise their potential.

Catering for pupils with special educational needs the highly trained teachers, supported by a team of skilled special needs assistants, have seen an increase in demand for places. That need necessitated the move from Delvin to the Mullingar campus.

"We’re so grateful to Bishop Smith, who gifted us this site," Ann-Marie said. "We’re very appreciative of everything the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary, whose legacy we’re going to build on, have done over the years.

"They gave us a proud tradition through their supported, particularly Sr Ann and Sr Kathleen. We’ve been very happy in Delvin. It’s a place where our students have absolutely thrived."

The new school will be co-located on the grounds of St Finian’s College: "It’s a fresh start, a new opportunity for our students in a new purpose-built facility.

"We have occupational and behaviour therapy rooms, physical therapy facilities, and speech and language suites. We have beautiful classrooms designed with the individual needs of our students in mind."

The Sacred Heart School will cater for students aged between five and 18 years: "Our students have a range of general learning disabilities. We look after children with autism within that range. We also have children with complex medical needs and we’re fortunate to have two nurses granted to us under the NCSE pilot nursing scheme."

The move from Delvin gave the school an opportunity to update the level of service for students: "The new school will see us provide wraparound supports to our students. We’re really lucky here. Not only do we have a new school, we already have a whole suite of supports for our students.

"We have access to the local children’s disability network team in Springfield. We have behaviour therapists, speech and language, occupational therapists, physical therapists. They all working to help each child realise their actual potential. We’re so fortunate to have these wraparound supports, such as our wonderful CINO, Emily James.

"She helps us access resources, including SNAs to support the care needs of our students. We have a wonderful team of staff in our school," Ann-Marie said.

The latest incarnation of St Mary’s is a busy operation. The move to Mullingar will continue that level of industry: "In total, we have 62 staff here to support the needs of our students.

"At the moment we have 42 students on the roll in the school, but we’re growing all the time. On September 1, we will have 48 students. Over the last three years, our numbers have doubled. We’re constantly growing as a school community."

The new location will not alter the ethos of the educational facility: "We’re committed to helping every child realise and reach their potential, provided this is the most appropriate setting. We want our children to thrive and we believe our children can thrive in this environment.

"We have an incredible staff here, highly trained, constantly upskilling. They have kindness, compassion and empathy and build on the values of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary. This is a warm, positive, happy school, you know," the principal said.

Students from Counties Cavan, Meath, Longford, and Westmeath all avail of the educational opportunity provided by St Mary’s. Ann-Marie believes public goodwill is integral to the success of the school.

"We’re so grateful for the support we’ve received from the community," she said, "As we transition to Mullingar, we received a lot of assistance from all the local primary schools in the town. They have welcomed us with open arms to our new school community. The primary school principals in particular have been very helpful."

The wider school family give additional aid: "We have a wonderful parent body here in the school. They provide incredible support to us as a management team, but also incredible support for fundraising for all special extracurricular activities for our pupils, activities like horse riding, swimming, athletics, music therapy, sound bath therapy, and holistic supports."Bringing the vision of a student focused school to life has been a painstaking process: "We had a wonderful architectural team, MacCulloch Mulvin. Our contractors, ABM, have worked tirelessly with us here to make sure the building has been finished to an incredibly high standard. Derek, their representative on site, has been an invaluable support to us as we transition into the new build."

"Owen from Seamus Clarke Electricians went over and beyond to fit in all the extra items required for our two sensory rooms. He ensured we had the equipment to help all of our pupils."

Anne-Marie concluded by acknowledging the most crucial component of the new school: "We have the most important people coming in September, our children. We’re so proud of them every day. It’s such an uplifting experience to see and watch them grow. We’re just very privileged and honoured."