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Post by mevingal on Feb 11, 2013 10:31:38 GMT
It is beyond belief that in the current climate that St Pauls Secondary School would send children home with a letter about a school trip to Italy (send in deposit by the end of this month).......without having a meeting with the parents first....but they did!
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Post by sparks on Feb 14, 2013 23:44:31 GMT
I'm in 2 minds over this.
The current climate is here for the long haul, so whether trips like this should be be continued with or not is a real question. I am also not sure of the educational or cultural value, its really a bunch of youngsters having a good time. No harm in that I suppose, if it dos'nt put some parents under financial pressure, but it most likely will.
I am a parent of a pupil and will manage to pay it if the trip goes ahead but I could do without this extra outlay.
St Pauls is trying very hard to rebuild its reputation and is certainly getting there but it will have to listen to the wishes of the parents in regards to activities which may impose a burden on already stretched families, if parents are vocal about this and express their opinion.
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Post by joepublic on Feb 15, 2013 0:51:49 GMT
Was it brought up at a BOM meeting?
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Post by rightsoted on Feb 16, 2013 23:17:57 GMT
..yeah 'tis a quare one alright.....it's a few years since my two were in St Pauls....they did the European trips alright....(visiting Jim's grave in Paris was one of the highlights apparently...  ..... we usually knew of this the previous year...so plenty of time to save up for the trip etc...but that seems like very short notice indeed...when is the trip..?....... ...ps sparks........as a parent of former students of St Pauls i'm puzzled by your comment..."St Pauls is trying very hard to rebuild it's reputation"..... i'm out of the loop now...but have i missed something in those last few years...?? |
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Post by mevingal on Feb 18, 2013 11:27:37 GMT
Hi Joepublic......the first i heard of it was when my daughter came home with details of the trip!
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Post by joepublic on Feb 18, 2013 14:35:56 GMT
What I mean is if it was brought up at a BOM meeting then the representative parents knew about it and it was not a total surprise, otherwise it was a surprise.
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Post by sparks on Feb 19, 2013 23:34:44 GMT
...ps sparks........as a parent of former students of St Pauls i'm puzzled by your comment..."St Pauls is trying very hard to rebuild it's reputation"..... i'm out of the loop now...but have i missed something in those last few years...??[/quote]
I dont think its a major secret that the school went through a period where, in some classes, standards of dicipline and teaching were somewhat wanting . At the open day that we attended in the late 2000's, the principal himself admitted that this was a trend that was being addressed.
As a feeder school for 3rd level, St Pauls scored poorly compared to other schools in the county. While this is not the only marker by which a school should be judged, it does, sometimes unfairly, affect a school's reputation. I say unfairly as some of St Pauls past pupils are among the highest achievers in the country, whether or not they attended college.
The school, with a young principle and a very committed staff is working hard to turn this around. The encouragement and dedication of the present team is, to my mind, faultless and this is evident in the results from the latest exams as well as the excellent TY programme available.
Most parents that I am in contact with are very pleased with the progress of their kid(s).
I am very proud of the school, I send my kids there and believe it gives the students a very high quality and pleasent learning experience.
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Post by rightsoted on Feb 21, 2013 20:24:39 GMT
..wasn't aware of the drop in standards sparks,but as i said i've been out of the loop awhile now.....good to see things are on the up.......as my experience was that of your last paragraph......
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forester
Full Member
''yipee'' i'm through
Posts: 1,252
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Post by forester on Feb 22, 2013 18:05:53 GMT
i must admit, it came as quite a shock when my son approached me and very casually said, da' i need €550 to book a ticket to italy. being a joking father i replied, ok on condition you don't bring back a gondola for use on the canal. must say got quite a kick in the bxll's when he produced the letter looking for $150 deposit. now money doesn't grow on tree's, paper it's printed on does however i will have to scrimp and save and cut household cost's to let him go. now i agree with mevingal, a meeting should have been called to put forward the idea to parent's or parent first. school should look at it's method's and try and be a little more obliging. now c'mon and tear me apart, cos i know youse will. my bit said and rant over.
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Post by rightsoted on Feb 22, 2013 19:03:58 GMT
..ah jayses Forester sure we wouldn't do that,aren't we all friends on here... .....but i ask again..when is the trip..? ..if it's in the next six months (which i guess it is) that's far too short notice....as i said above when mine were at St Pauls we usually had twelve months notice if not more... |
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forester
Full Member
''yipee'' i'm through
Posts: 1,252
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Post by forester on Feb 22, 2013 20:10:49 GMT
it's easter of next year. but take into consideration the fact that i for one am unemployed as well as a fair few parents. two kids are going,but thank god my daughter said she will pay her own fee, she works part time in local super-market. now don't forget that spending money will be needed, probably some new clothe's and suchlike. 15 months seem's like plenty of time, but there is also other holidays to think about, ie christmas and suchlike.
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Post by rightsoted on Feb 23, 2013 22:54:53 GMT
..yeah i know where you're comin' from Forester... i was there before... and it ain't easy.....i presume it's TY or 5th year your son and daughter are in..?..is it possible that the school/students can organise fundraisers..quiz nights..novelty events..etc to offset maybe part of the cost of the trip...? or even ask local busineses to throw in a few quid...after all it is an educational trip....
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Post by sparks on Mar 2, 2013 14:27:47 GMT
Not strictly on topic but well done to the TY students on an excellent show last night.
Extremely impressive performance, ye are a credit to the school and the community.
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Post by rightsoted on Mar 2, 2013 23:46:05 GMT
...great to see the TY show continuing.....yeah... well done to all the students and teachers...
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forester
Full Member
''yipee'' i'm through
Posts: 1,252
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Post by forester on Mar 3, 2013 8:24:32 GMT
went friday night, and laughed all night. brilliant night. great show and coming out on dvd as well i heard. one for me cos you would watch it again.congrat's to students and their teacher's.
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..... we usually knew of this the previous year...so plenty of time to save up for the trip etc...but that seems like very short notice indeed...when is the trip..?.......
