Scoil Carmel due to close in 2016

Just spotted on Facebook that the parents were called for an emergency meeting tomorrow. Nothing on the news sites yet but someone mentioned it was on the radio earlier. Anyone anymore info on this? Awful shame if true

Bicycle

We heard this, this evening but I didn't want to post because we couldn't substantiate it.

Although the source was a friend of our daughter and this girl is in Scoil Carmel and we had no reason to doubt the veracity.

They say the reason it is closing is low numbers.

But with the closing of the Salesians, one wonders about the pressures being faced by parents who wish to send their daughters to single sex schools and the remaining girls only schools in the city. Am I right in thinking that the only girls only schools left in the city will be Laurel Hill English, Laurel Hill Colaiste, St. Mary's and Presentation?

juneg

Oh dear Jesus, I have a daughter coming up for secondary school in a few years.
More pressure for places as if it wasn't horrific enough out there.:eek:

Best of luck to people expecting secondary school places this week

whatdoicare

It's front page on the Limerick chronicle and cllr Tom Shortt (art teacher there) has it up on his facebook page.

Sad news for me as a past student but to be fair when the old principal Mrs Doyle retired the place went to ****.

She was the kind of principal that knew your name before you knew hers and she patrolled the grounds like an old school prison guard.

We were all hand picked students and she ruled with an iron fist, myself and one other girl got in from my primary, I had to pass her own personal exam and my parents were given the third degree.

Now, it wasn't a case of upper class areas only got in, we're from Garryowen but she wanted to be damn sure I was going to perform. She didn't have time for holding anyones hand through the five/six years.

No smoking, full uniform inside and outside school grounds (no half uniforms with jeans and trainers), no trainers, no make up, no mad or dyed hair. I remember her once dragging a girl into the bathroom and scrubbing her face!

There was no such thing as foundation level anything - pass was a low as it went. It was only in my very last year that foundation was brought in and that weird year with only projects.

If you weren't performing grades wise or you were causing too much trouble, the parents were quietly called in and told to get their daughter into a trade ie: there is no longer a place for your child here.

I used to be heart broken to see all those rules broken in recent times - girls with caked on make up standing outside smoking with only half their uniform on. My husband used to drive the buses that collected them and he quit when they destroyed his bus one time too many!

The school ended up with a terrible reputation when once it was as prestigious as Laurel Hill. It's a damn shame!

whatdoicare

whatdoicare wrote: »

The school ended up with a terrible reputation

what happened that it got a bad reputation

Midnight Shadow

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/sharp-rise-in-numbers-enrolling-for-primary-school-1.1506416

This August 2013 report states big increases in primary and secondary enrollments in Ireland....so closing Scoil Carmel and Salesians would appear to be moves that will put further stresses on students and parents.

Let's be honest, its not about education quality to Kenny, Quinn, etc.
Its just about the money cuts and keeping their EU friends happy...and to hell with us!

thesimpsons

with both Laurel Hills full to capacity each year, and Cresent Comp full too, its leaving kids on that side of town very short of secondary places. spending time on bus out to county limerick to Croom or Pallaskenry or trying to get across city at peak time to get to Nesans isn't a very good solution.

Midnight Shadow

Dont forget folks .... the May elections give us an opportunity to give this government a slap about how they treat us...the three things that I want from any government is protection (Garda), health, and education...all the other stuff is secondary (in my view)...and they are failing us badly

Two major schools are about to vanish in Limerick...a march should be organised to show the peoples opposition before May.

Btw...is there any truth in the rumour that Gaelscoil are moving to Salesians????

steveon

As always another joke spend millions building a bus lane into the area and then the school is set for closure there is no way there is low numbers there the traffic is always a joke in the area when the schools are out. And with salesians due to close as well I find it hard to believe there will be enough places for the kids as it is.

VikingG

Midnight Shadow wrote: »

Two major schools are about to vanish in Limerick...a march should be organised to show the peoples opposition before May.

Those schools have suffered as parents have chosen not to send their children to them.... In an interview last night i heard a teacher saying that the school was closing due to parents sending their children to out-of-town schools like Croom. Which totally ignored the fact that a school 500 yards away is over subscribed every year. Also reminded me of a business closing and complaining it was due to people not willing to pay their high prices.

juneg

VikingG wrote: »

Those schools have suffered as parents have chosen not to send their children to them.... In an interview last night i heard a teacher saying that the school was closing due to parents sending their children to out-of-town schools like Croom. Which totally ignored the fact that a school 500 yards away is over subscribed every year. Also reminded me of a business closing and complaining it was due to people not willing to pay their high prices.

Plenty of people did not choose Croom,( and other schools to be fair ) but got them today regardless.

Many disappointed kids and parents out there tonight who got their 4th 5th and lower choices on the common application form if they were even given any school at all:(

suppermum

I am a mother who's child got his 5th choice in school. After telling him the school he got he has gotten quite on me and went to school today with very heavy feet fighting with his brothers. He loves school and is normally a happy chatty child. We would of been happy with our top 3. He is a sport mad child and has a school that is not sporty. I have no grounds to official appeal as there is no reason he is not able to get on the bus to go to the school. Children from the country are taking over places in our local school which is a 5 minute walk from our house and a second school is only 15 minutes walk. It really angers me that I have to spend money I don't have to bus my child 45 minutes to the school he got so children from areas that automatically can go to their local secondary school choose to take over in the city schools.
One of my sons friends has to go across town yet his sister is in a local girls school. System needs scrapping and work from peoples addresses not their sporting ability.

VikingG

yes just been through it as well and got the offer letter yesterday.....We got our 1st choice... however it was only put as our 1st choice as we had a right of entry to that school.... So put it as number 1... The school actually is not really our first choice but we had to take it as we could have ended up anywhere if we did not..
However it is interesting that you are complaining that children from county Limerick are coming into the city center schools and others are complaining that county schools are taking pupils from the city.... but remember some areas in the county do not have a secondary school so do not have an option.

It seems to me that if every school was given a catchment area (that could extend out into the county) within which the pupils were given a right of entry would help.

suppermum

Viking G, I understand. It is so hard on the children. They are turning into adults and they have to worry about school. I never liked my secondary school and had no choice as I had older siblings. This is why I worry so much for my own children. I changed in secondary school (kept to my self) and only since having children have I started to come out of my shell. There is a need for another secondary school in my area. If they were to open Scoil Carmel again but co- ed it it may make a difference.
The maths was not done for the amount of primary schools with children in 6th class and secondary schools.

Brennans Row

steveon wrote: »

As always another joke spend millions building a bus lane into the area and then the school is set for closure there is no way there is low numbers there the traffic is always a joke in the area when the schools are out. And with salesians due to close as well I find it hard to believe there will be enough places for the kids as it is.

Its some joke all right, as it seems we have extended the city bus lanes in the wrong direction! :rolleyes:

Teachers at Co Limerick school vote for strike action (RTE)

. . . . Coláiste Chiaráin (Croom) has grown dramatically in recent years, largely as a result of large numbers of students from Limerick city travelling out by bus to the rural school. . . .

Poxyshamrock

I don't understand why Croom and Pallas are included in the Limerick City schools.

juneg

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

I don't understand why Croom and Pallas are included in the Limerick City schools.

because all kids from adare inwards apply to the city schools.
pallaskenry filled all their places on number ones this year. very popular

Poxyshamrock

It makes sense for people to commute from rural areas to the city for schools though. This outward movement of students from the city and suburbs to the countryside is unusual.

There's obviously not a lack of schools in the city if two are about to close so why is there the need to include county schools in the application system. It's not helping the city. I just don't agree with it anyway.

1huge1

You'd be surprised how many city kids go to school in countryside schools actually. They are generally better performing and safer.

thesimpsons

how do you reckon they are better performing and safer !