Our school has a Home School Community Liaison teacher, Mrs. Sandra Keating
The Home School Community Liaison Scheme operates in our school through the coordinating teacher, Mrs Sandra Keating. Her main role is to support the families and parents so that they can help their children to avail fully of their educational and personal opportunities. The scheme recognises the parents as the primary educators of their children and acknowledges that parents who actively encourage and are involved in their child's education raise confident adults who are able to take their place in society.
With this in mind, the Home School Community Scheme aims to:
- Foster positive links between home and school by encouraging parents to become more involved in their children's education
- Facilitate greater contact and interaction between parents, teachers and local, voluntary, statutory and community groups
- Encourage self development so that parents can improve their literacy and other skills and realise their own potential and how much they have to offer to their children, the school and the wider community.
Activities undertaken by the Home School Community Liaison teacher:
- Home Visits are made by the coordinating teacher, Mrs Keating, to get to know the parents, discuss their child's progress and support the parents in dealing with the school and education system.
- Various training and classes are promoted and provided. These can range from leisure activities, personal development, literacy to further education. Yoga, Cookery, Health and Beauty, Family Communication and Self-Esteem, and others as required, are available to parents through school and other local agencies.
- Meetings, collaboration and cooperation with the education and welfare providers, such as the School Completion programme and Education Welfare Board, to encourage students to complete their education.
- Cooperation with and input into school-based activities where parents can have a positive input.
- Maintains and advances the work of the Local Committee which is comprised of HSCL coordinators of local schools, parent representatives, community agencies, school principals, student representatives and other educational and welfare services. The Local Committee works on an educational issue relevant to the local community. Recent activities undertaken by the Local Committee have been : production of healthy eating leaflet and ‘One Book, One Community' literacy project.
Any parent/guardian of a student of Presentation Secondary School can become involved in these activities. If you would like to be involved or if you have suggestions for other classes or activities, please contact Mrs Keating at 086 7941610.
Overall, the focus of the Home, School, Community Liaison Scheme is on developing positive, enduring relationships with the parents/guardians of the students of Presentation Secondary School with the shared aim of supporting students in completing their education to Leaving Cert and beyond, and, also, encouraging parents to develop their own skills and be positive role models for their children.
Courses for Parents begin again in late September/early October -
Further details from Mrs. Sandra Keating, HSCL, 0867941610.