There is a different way

The pattern of rapid growth of Riversdale Community College in Blanchardstown is common to many schools in the greater Dublin area. Founded in 1986 with around 300 pupils, it now has 680 with a teaching staff of 54. In a variety of ways, however, this school is different.

The distinctiveness becomes apparent on meeting Michael Stanley, the school's public relations officer. The first question that springs to mind is why does a community college need a PRO? He explains that marketing the school is an integral part of its ethos.

"Like any organisation nowadays, a school needs marketing, a structure and a vision," says Stanley. "We aren't being callous here, education is not a product, but at the end of the day we are responsible for the students and should grasp every opportunity we can on their behalf."

From headmaster Noel Gildea downwards, this dynamic view of the school influences it in every way. Stanley says it is, therefore, natural that the school should sell itself to the children, their parents and to other bodies in the community, especially business organisations.

The home/school liason (HSL) teacher, Austin Fennessy, plays a major part in this selling. Under the HSL scheme, a teacher is set aside from normal teaching duties specifically to act as a link between parents and school. Fennessy describes his task as making the school open to parents.

He holds coffee mornings along with classes ranging from cookery to drug awareness. Fennessy also makes home visits and organises social occasions.

The one area where he specifically does not get involved is discipline. "I'm meant to be portraying the school in a positive light," he explains, "and that won't happen if people associate me with bad news."

SOME parents visiting Fennessy were full of support for the liason scheme. "We have the scheme here because this is a disadvantaged area but I see it as more of an advantage," says Bernie McLoughlin, Leaving Cert Applied co-ordinator. "Every school should have a scheme like this." Sandra McCann, a parent, agreed: "The scheme provides a bridge between parents and the wider community."

For the school, a very important element of this wider community is the growing number of businesses in the area. Blanchardstown Industrial Park is only down the road and, although 38 per cent of pupils go on to third level, Riversdale also offers a range of vocational and Post Leaving Cert courses.

This has led to another distinctive move. The school recently held an open day for local businesses to demonstrate what it had to offer them. Various big names such as IBM, Yamanouchi and Thermo King, as well as the employers' confederation, IBEC, all attended.

According to Stanley, it was the first time some had been approached by a school in this proactive way and most asked if they could be involved in the school's work experience programme.

Thermo King were impressed enough to make a large on-the spot donation to help send the school concert band to Dallas, Texas, for St Patrick's Day next year. The band is currently the school's greatest extra curricular achievement - it was formed only two years ago with the help of a sizeable donation from an Irish-American music group and has already played in Dublin Castle and for President Robinson.

The success of the band is mostly due to the efforts of music teacher Paddy Scarlett. It was he who inadvertently secured the surprise donation from America. On a trip to Dallas, he marvelled at the musical resources of schools there. When 27 instruments arrived, he was able to borrow 10 more and match all 37 to pupils in the school.

Thanks to what he calls "a misspent youth in music," he managed to teach all of the instruments to the pupils. So good has his tuition been that 15 of his pupils have gained places in the DIT College of Music.

Scarlett insists that the school will help with the tuition of the children. "There are some tremendously talented kids here. If I don't give them the opportunity, nobody else will."

At first he found it difficult to persuade pupils to stay and practise when they would have preferred to be out playing football. But "there's a real buzz about the band here now. Of course, the whole Dallas thing means it isn't hard to find people to play, but it really is beginning to bite."

As well as using the school's new links with industry to gain sponsorship for the visit, the band hopes to produce a CD in March and there is talk of a performance in the National Concert Hall.

Riversdale offers a wide variety of sports. Last season the under-18 Gaelic footballers reached the final of their league and the under14 and under-16 soccer teams have also enjoyed considerable success. The final distinctive touch is the embryonic rugby side.

Principal Gildea sees sport as being vital. "It exemplifies the school's aim is to ensure in every way we can that all our pupils fulfil their potential."