Children's clubs 'good for encouraging kids' activities' [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 06 April 2011
Children's clubs have been praised for being an excellent way to develop kids' activities for primary and secondary school pupils.
Writing for the Irish Times, Edel Morgan looked at how good kids' clubs are on holiday and asked whether they are more for adults who want a break than for children themselves.
She said while she thought handing her youngsters over to the group for nine hours each day was a little too much, "kids love to hang out with other kids".
Ms Morgan noted that as her children wanted to go to the club without being forced to, they were able to have a good time while she and her husband could enjoy "some guilt-free time relaxing".
Adrienne Curran from Dublin told the news provider that her five-year-old was "dead keen to go and loved going off with the other kids".
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
More Pupils Are Learning Online, Fueling Debate on Quality [NYTimes.com]
- Published: 06 April 2011
Advocates of such courses say they allow schools to offer not only makeup courses, the fastest growing area, but also a richer menu of electives and Advanced Placement classes when there are not enough students to fill a classroom.
But critics say online education is really driven by a desire to spend less on teachers and buildings, especially as state and local budget crises force deep cuts to education. They note that there is no sound research showing that online courses at the K-12 level are comparable to face-to-face learning.
Minister Quinn welcomes position paper from Catholic Schools Partnership [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 06 April 2011
Mr Quinn said that the paper was a very positive contribution to what is shaping up to be a very engaging discussion and he looked forward to developing this important debate in the weeks and months ahead.
“The Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the primary sector which I have established, will be formally launched later this month,” he said.
"It will allow the education stakeholders involved and the general public to have their say on which direction they would like to see policy evolve in this important area.
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
School transfers 'cannot be rushed' [IrishTimes]
- Published: 06 April 2011
The process of transferring some Catholic schools to other patrons cannot be rushed - and must not be imposed on parents and school communities, church representatives insisted today.
In a new position paper, the Catholic Schools Partnership (CSP) says a change in patronage can only be considered in response to clear public demand.
The CSP – an umbrella group providing support for all partners in the Republic’s Catholic schools – signalled its concerns at plans by Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn to transfer 50 per cent of its 3,000 primary school to other patrons from January.
Instead, Catholic schools favour a lengthy process where transfers could only be considered after a lengthy period of consultation.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
I have 23 pupils, but closing my school would be wasteful . . . [Independent.ie]
- Published: 06 April 2011
A school like Querrin National School in Co Clare could cease to exist in its present form if Colm McCarthy's An Bord Snip report is implemented.
The two-teacher primary in a remote rural area has just 23 pupils, making it a likely candidate for amalgamation.
Its future may be under a cloud, but Principal Geraldine Keating is determined to convince education authorities that the survival of the school is crucial.
