Buzzing with pioneer spirit

OUTSIDE, the stillness surrounding the low, white, pebble dashed school is unbroken. Inside, a swarm of bees has invaded. They are crawling up the walls corridors, over the backdrop in the PE hall, down the classroom doors.

The colourful cardboard bees, the streamers, balloons and cards are celebrating the making of three Young Scientists of the Year - Elsie O'Sullivan, Rowena Mooney and Patricia Lyne.

These enterprising students surveyed strains of bees in Ireland and found that they did not fit into the accepted classification already in existence. Undaunted, they proposed a new classification system. The work involved the removal and examination of a wing from each of 20,000 individual bees sent to them beekeepers around Ireland.

This was a huge undertaking but Elsie, Rowena and Patricia remain enthusiastic. All three proudly sport the badges of the British Isles' Bee Breeders' Association, of which they were made honorary members.

They pay tribute to the help they received from their science teacher, Alan Dunne, and John Donoghue, a local bee keeper. Finishing each other's sentences, they explain that they all have hives at home now and are looking forward to attending an advanced beekeeping course over the summer. Meanwhile, it's back to studying for the Junior Certificate.

Miriam O'Reilly, school principal, explains that the school was so thrilled at their win that it celebrated twice. On the day when the three girls were due back to school after their Christmas holidays she rang their homes to tell them to have a lie on and not to come in until the afternoon. Meanwhile, teachers and students were decorating the school, writing poetry, putting together a "What it says in the papers" slot and organising a celebration assembly.

There was a further official celebration on the January 24th, to which parents, various dignitaries and the local community were invited. Again, the 360 students rallied to the occasion, helping with the catering, cleaning, decoration and programme.

The school's involvement with the Young Scientist exhibition is not new - indeed, it has entered projects for the past 15 years.

O'Reilly has been school principal since last August and she says that she has come into a school which is "student centred as well as project oriented".

The school, with its well equipped library, PE hall, labs, home economics kitchen and sewing room, dates from 1983. The site was a gift from the Presentation sisters and the guiding force was Sr Goretti Cusack, now retired.

Almost all of the girls in the catchment area come to Scoil Mhuire for their second level education. First year students take all subjects and classes are not streamed for the Junior Certificate, but there is "setting" for English, Irish and maths.

After Junior Certificate, students can opt for the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme or the straight forward Leaving Cert. The school has an arrangement with the local Christian Brothers' School so senior cycle pupils may commute between the schools for various subjects, notably Leaving Cert science. There is a policy that 20 per cent of teaching time at senior cycle is devoted to non academic subjects such as PE, religion, careers, media, health and tutorials.

There are now 21 full time teachers in Scoil Mhuire (including the principal), three part time teachers and a Church of Ireland minister, a Methodist minister and a Roman Catholic chaplain. The school celebrated church unity week with an ecumenical service and the senior students had workshops with the three ministers.

There is an active pastoral care programme with tutors for each class. The school also runs the Rainbow bereavement programme which provides support for students who have lost a parent or sibling through bereavement or separation.

The school has a history of pioneering various educational initiatives. O'Reilly says that this "project culture" means that staff are not afraid to take a chance.

Scoil Mhuire was one of the first schools to pilot the Senior Certificate. From this September, the school will offer the new Leaving Certificate Applied in its place.

Ann Turley, vice principal and one of the longest serving members of staff, led the way to the prefab where this year's Senior Cert students were busy preparing lunch rolls as part of their two week minicompany enterprise. Chalked on the board was an order for 72 rolls - 25 ham and coleslaw and 46 salad (one without cucumber). Aisling Ruane, general manager, says that at £1.50 a roll, the company could look forward to profits.

KERRY POWER, sales manager, explains that the class is also selling popcorn at 25p a bag and it has plans to make and market candles, pot pourri jars, Valentine cards, fancy envelopes and boxes. The school is involved in piloting the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme. O'Reilly explains that this is not an alternative to the Leaving Certificate but is done in conjunction with it. The emphasis is on enterprise and business. The spin off of piloting the project is £17,000 funding from the European Union. Scoil Mhuire spent this money on computers and a professional, studio quality video editing suite. Students are doing various projects covering issues; such as meningitis, abortion and health awareness. They can make video advertisements and play them to students in the classroom.

As to the future of the LCVP O'Reilly says, categorically, that it is going to be a success in the school. The time was put into it and, like Senior Cert, it was given special consideration in the timetable and co ordinators are given time to co ordinate it," she adds.

A part time job opportunities scheme, run under the auspices of the Conference of Religious of Ireland (CORI), means that the school has additional help in the form of eight part time workers. They provide assistance in the library as well as teaching assistance. One of the workers is a qualified laboratory technician who helps out with science practicals. All of this additional help has been "fantastic" says O'Reilly.