One year of Special Community School in Monaghan
The lives of 18 children have been “significantly improved” following the official opening of Monaghan Community Special School last October.
“The quality of life has improved for every student in each of these households,” described Principal Belinda Walters.
Feedback from parents has been “exciting” and the work done in school means children are “flourishing”, which has brought a “huge change to family life”.
Monaghan Community Special School is “child-centred” and, as the principal and deputy principal, Majella Nugent, speaks with the Celt, one student is outside watering not only the flowers, but also the tarmac and the yard fence around him. A change of clothes is necessary afterwards too, but there are plenty of those. For this child, playing with water is relaxing and fun.
Students had a smooth transition into the school with teams going out to meet with families two weeks before the start date.
“Parents got to meet the staff and staff got to meet the parents and the child rather than a report,” Belinda said.
The school has three class rooms fully equipped with a built-in quiet space with padded walls and flooring and bean bags where children can relax. There is a central activities room, which includes a kitchen for home economics and touch screen television with which children can interact.
When the Celt visits this room, one boy is taking photos of his favourite cartoon characters with an iPad, which he later sits down to draw. Another is playing on an indoor swing, of which there are three in the entire school.
Another separate sensory room provides a quiet and relaxing environment with changeable lighting, padded walls and flooring with a bubble machine, bean bags and large soft shapes for students to play with. The school has two outdoor yards, one of which contains equipment including a basket swing and a trampoline.
“Everything we have is everything we need,” the principal said, praising the Department of Education for supporting them.
The school is split into three classes with two junior and one senior and caters for children with autism and complex needs. They cater for children aged 4-18 years and provide the primary school curriculum through a team of seven teachers and nine special needs assistants (SNAs).
The school will provide Leaving Cycle education when students reach that age. Students will receive exam results on the same day as all other children; the education is only different to that of mainstream school as it is “tailored to the needs of the children”.
Meanwhile, principal Walters also outlined some of the extra-curricular activities at the school such as clay making with an artist in residence; while they also link in with Castleblayney College for the Towards Inclusion programme, which involves music and horticulture.
Therapy service
The school is also involved in a new pilot “wraparound” therapy service for schools, which would mean that students’ therapies take place on-site, relieving pressure on parents who will not have to collect their child to attend an appointment. The HSE is currently at recruitment stage with this project.
A “huge team effort” went into repurposing the former school building and the opening was welcomed by the Castleblayney and wider Monaghan community.
Addressing concerns previously raised on the safety of the location, which is on the busy Dublin road entrance to the town, with Castleblayney Community College, the Enterprise Centre and a filling station, the principal assured the site is “safe and fully operational”.
“Protocols are in place for safety as there is in any school,” she assured.
“All vehicles come through the designated transport route, which is fully secure.”
A team of seven bus escorts ensures that children get to and from the school safely. Vehicles come through a gate with a lock to a secure yard which is locked after the bus enters, while children enter the school through another gate with the help of staff. When they are inside safely the bus leaves the yard.
“Our site is 100% secure.”
Asked on plans for extensions, the principal said there “will be another phase to the school” however: “No arrangements are in place as of yet.”
She described a permanent special school as the “ultimate goal” for the county.
“As soon as we have confirmation, that will be made available,” she stated.
There is a waiting list for school places in Castleblayney but the principal advised that this expires at the end of the school year. “Once admissions reopen everyone has an equal opportunity.”
DEMAND
She said there will “always be demand” for places in a special school, and said the NCSE are responsible for placing children. Monaghan Community Special School is run with an “open door” ethos; in that there are plenty of events to welcome parents and the community into the school throughout the year with summer events, open evenings, and summer provision for two weeks. However, open doors end with their ethos; areas throughout the school are accessed by codes only known by the staff.
Working with children with additional needs for the past 32 years, the Donegal native has a 1.5-hour journey to the school. For her, it is worth the journey!
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