Scoil Bhríde Kilcullen, Co. Kildare

Ar aghaidh linn le chéile 

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SCOIL BHRÍDE


In 1979 Kilcullen Boys National School and Cross and Passion Girls National School were amalgamated. As a larger space was required, a new building was constructed and in 1980 sixteen teachers and over 500 pupils moved into Scoil Bhríde, where it still stands today. The original schools were located in the grounds of the church and what is now the library. The site for the school was donated by the Sisters of the Cross and Passion congregation who also donated the land for the surrounding sports facilities. 


Student numbers decreased during the 1980's but began to grow again with the building boom in the early years of the new millennium. From 2003 to 2014, we gained at least one class/prefab per year as the numbers in the school grew at a rapid rate. In 2014, construction work began on our extension which includes 10 classroom, a very large hall, a specifically designed autistic spectrum unit and extra learning support and resource rooms. During this time, the original building was updated with new electrics, flooring, roofing and a new office area was constructed. The new building was formally opened by the Archbishop of Dublin, Eamonn Walsh in February 2015. We are continually improving our school and it's grounds. We have a beautiful new indoor exercise trail in the link corridor and our running track that was constructed in 2019 is of huge benefit to the entire school community. We also moved the outdoor classroom to a much sunnier spot and is enjoyed by students, especially during warmer weather. Our garden continues to bloom and we recently added a bug hotel. In the school year 2022-2023, our enrollment is 650 pupils.

OUR MANAGEMENT, STAFF AND PARENTS ASSOCIATION

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Principal
  Anne Flanagan
Vice Principal
  Mary Tomlinson
Secretary
  Adrienne Byrne
Caretaker
  Joe Kennedy

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT 

Board of Management
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Chairperson

Howard Berney
Secretary
Mary Tomlinson
Treasurer
Ger Breen
Principal
Anne Flanagan
Teacher's Representative
 Mary Tomlinson
Community Representatives
Martin Murphy
Siobhán Tutty Bardon
Parents
Carol Griffith
Terry Donnelly

CLASS TEACHERS

Class Teachers
 
 
 
Junior Infants
Louise Cronin
Shelley O' Brien
Clóda Kelly
 
 Senior Infants
Seamus Hanafin
John Molloy
Olwyn O' Connor
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 First Class
Louise Kearns
Eimear Humphreys
Colin Malone
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 Second Class
Eric Neville
Lorna Walsh
Shane Power
 
 Third Class
Tadgh O Sullivan
Denis Reilly
Carmel Collins
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 Fourth Class
Ronan Elliffe
Odhrán Lloyd
Eimear Meagher
Roisín Merrigan
 Fifth Class
Deirdre Hoctor
Muiris O' Raoghaill
Seamus McEnhill
  Sadhbh Fennessy
 Sixth Class
Mark Murphy
Audrey Burke
Robert Corish
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 Sonas
Clodagh McGrath
Katherine Carroll
Luisne McMahon
 

SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS

Special Education Teachers
 
 
 Miriam Nolan
 Marguerite Power
Eileen Curtin
Gary Kenny
Elaine Carney
 Robert O' Neill
Diarmuid O' Connor
 Feile Morris
 Niamh Barker
Chloe Campbell
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SPECIAL NEEDS ASSISTANTS

Special Needs Assistants
 
 
 
 
 Caitriona Ross
Deirdre Power
Timothy Morgan
  Jane Anne Geoff
Alicja Olejniczak
Aisling O' Connor
Lorraine Reid
Jo McCarthy
 Orla McDonald
 Caroline Purcell
Sinead McGrath
Fiona Taylor
Susan Coyne
 Sarah Baars
  Lorna Phelan
 Síofra Sweeney
 
 
 
 

PARENTS ASSOCIATION

Parents Association
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Chairperson
Joan O' Byrne
Vice Chairperson
Hazel Galvin

Secretary

Eithne Bennett
Assistant Secretary    
Ciara Morgan
Treasurer
Carol O' Beirne
Assistant Treasurer
Rachel Lysaght
Board of Management Representatives  
Tanya Flanagan, Jay Lambert Mills
Teacher Representative
Mark Murphy

FACILITIES

CLASSROOMS

There are 26 mainstream classrooms and 10 Special Education rooms. All of these rooms are bright, airy and well ventilated. All classrooms are equipped with a wide variety of teaching and learning resources, including a Promethean Interactive Whiteboard and Visualizer in each mainstream classroom. There is also a bank of computers available for student use in each classroom in the new building. In the summer of 2016, new carpets were laid throughout the school and the electrics and heating systems were upgraded.

SONAS
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Unit

Our ASD unit was renamed Sonas (meaning "Well Being" in Irish) in 2015 following the construction of our new state of the art facilities which we are truly proud of. There are three classes, catering for students from Junior Infants to Sixth class in surroundings especially designed for their needs. The large classrooms are physically structured in accordance with the TEACCH Model, with specific areas for individual learning, group work, play and lunch. Our facilities include an outdoor sensory garden with rubber tarmac, playground equipment, a ball pool, cooking facilities and a multi-sensory room with fibre-optic lights, bubble tube, projector, mirrors, a variety of textiles and mood music. There is also a large Sensory Integration Room that contains a variety of equipment to develop fine and gross motor skills.

Halls
One extra large hall that can be divided using a partition in the new building as well as two smaller halls in the original building. (Note: The large hall in the ASD unit is also available during school events such as Active Schools Week, Sports Day etc)


We are very lucky to have three halls that undoubtedly enhance our teaching and learning in Scoil Bhríde. They provide us with large indoor spaces for P.E, games, concerts, rehearsals, and fairs. Our largest hall is equipped with sound proofing and also contains two large storage rooms enabling us to store a wide variety of equipment for the many sports that we play in this school. We also have a projector installed in the Senior hall in the old building for class and presentation use. Many classes use the small halls for movement breaks instead of moving furniture within the classrooms.

Outdoor Play Areas
Three large tarmacadam areas; large playing field, Running Track

There are three very large play areas on tarmacadam so the children have lots of space to play on throughout the year. The classes are divided according to class groupings and there are many yard markings that help to make play time more enjoyable. During finer weather, there is ample space on our playing field for children to spend their yard time on the grass.In 2019, we also installed a running track with a rubberized surface. This circulates the playing field and children regularly use this track to run the daily mile. Children are also timetabled to use the track during lunch.

Computer Room
Equipped with newly purchased computers

There are 30 computers in our computer room, one for every child. We have many software programmes specifically suited to all class groupings. The teacher is able to monitor the activity of each child on the teacher's computer and as we are on the schools broadband service, you can rest assured that all students are only permitted to view age appropriate content. Internet sites and programmes that are unsuitable for primary school children are blocked using the NCTE filters. 

Wheelchair Facilities
All areas wheelchair accessible; elevator; ramps and toilet/shower facilities

Since our renovation, we can say with confidence that our entire school is wheelchair accessible. There are designated parking spaces in the car park, accessible toilet/shower facilities and an elevator to classrooms upstairs.

Outdoor Classroom
Benches for the finer weather

Our outdoor classroom was moved in 2019 to a much sunnier location near the link corridor. Here classes have the opportunity to read a book and complete fun activities such as drama, music, SPHE etc on our new benches.