Principal Eddie Collins’ Final Newsletter, October 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am writing to you today as my tenure as Principal of St. Farnan’s Post Primary School comes to an end. As you may be aware I am retiring from my position as Principal on Friday October 1st, a position I have held for over ten years. Prior to that, I was Deputy Principal of the school after teaching in County Dublin VEC for over 18 years prior to my appointment at St Farnan’s.

I started in St. Farnan’s in 2004 and I have witnessed St. Farnan’s Post Primary School continue to be the school ofchoice for many students and Parents /Guardians. St. Farnan’s is most definitely a school for the community providing a broad education for all our students.

We offer a wide range of programs for our students. These include, Junior Cycle, Junior Cert Schools Program, Traditional Leaving Cert, Leaving Cert Applied, Transition Year as well as Leaving Cert Vocational Program. I am very proud of the fact that we have our Moderate unit as well as our ASD Unit which have benefited a number of students throughout the years. We must also remember the other elements of school life including wellbeing, personal development, friendships etc. that are developed in St. Farnan’s which are also very important. I am proud to be associated with St. Farnan’s throughout my years there and value the links that I have made in the community.

The staff of St. Farnan’s deserve huge thanks and credit in making St. Farnan’s what it is today. They work tirelessly, making sure that your sons and daughters get the best education possible in a kind and friendly atmosphere.

Our students are exemplary, always representing themselves, the school and their families in such a positive light. They start with us as first year students coming as they do from a wide catchment area, and develop into young adults that are a credit to their parents, school and community. Many of our past students have gone on and continue to make their mark in college, in business, on the playing pitch and in our community. I am always very happy when past students come back to do teaching practice in our school while others securing fulltime teaching positions with us.

During the Covid Pandemic, our students blossomed. While it has been difficult for all of us, the students of St Farnan’s embraced the restrictions with vigour. They adapted to life in school during Covid 19 with a maturity that was refreshing. The memory of announcing the closure of school in March 2020 will always remain with me as we all ventured into the unknown together. A year and a half on and we are approaching near normality where Teaching and Learning continues to be front and centre of what we do at St. Farnan’s. Soon extracurricular and co-curricular activities will again be an integral part of our school, be it sport, debating, musicals, culinary awards to name but a few.

To our Parents and Guardians, I say thank you for entrusting you daughters and sons to us and always keeping the lines of communication open. I have always valued the Open Door policy that has developed in St. Farnan’s. While I may not have been as accessible during the pandemic, we still managed to keep the lines of communication open. I thank you for your engagement and I value the interactions that we have had over the years, both educational and otherwise, but always in a spirit of partnership.

To our Board of Management, thank you for the support you have given me and the school over my time here. The behind the scenes work and attendance at our regular Board meetings on behalf of St. Farnan’s is invaluable and much appreciated.

You might also be aware that our School Secretary, Mrs Sheila Walsh, is also retiring on Friday, 1st October. Sheila has worked in St. Farnan’s for 29 years in partnership with a number of Principals, starting with Mr. Ray O’Malley, Mr Tom Crehan, Ms Patricia O’Brien and finishing with myself. Her commitment to our school and her work ethic will be a hard act to follow. We all wish Sheila the very best as she embarks in the next stage of her life.

The new Principal of St. Farnan’s takes up the position from Monday 4th October. Mr Andrew Purcell comes with a vast knowledge and experience in education and school management and we wish him the very best. He has already been around the school a number of times meeting staff and students and preparing for his new position. He met the school Board of Management both at a Board meeting and socially thereafter and is preparing fully towards his new role.

In conclusion, I have had a wonderful, fulfilling seventeen years with you all in St. Farnan’s. Thank you all for your cooperation and help. I am looking forward to the next chapter and thankfully I go with a heart and head of pleasant and happy memories from my time at St. Farnan’s Post Primary School.

Slán libh, go n-éirí libh agus go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.

Kind regards,

Eddie Collins, Principal.