On Thursday last, the staff of KTCS took a moment to catch their breath and spend some quality time together before the beginning of yet another busy year. We are very privileged to have such a committed staff. Day in, day out, they go above and beyond for the students of Kildare. Many of the staff give extra classes, train teams and organise trips to facilitate and enlighten the learning experiences of students. As a thank you, Mr Hayes and his management team, Ms Behan, Ms Hackett and Ms O’Halloran organised a wellbeing event for staff on behalf of the Board of Management.
At 12.30, two school busses pulled up outside the school. It was surreal to see the teachers pile into the back of the school busses and laugh and giggle all the way to the Kildangan stud. It was lovely for the staff to reconnect with the heritage of Kildare and to see all the fabulous employment opportunities offered by the Godolphin’s operation in Ireland and around the world.
Basking in the beautiful grounds of Kildangan stud, all 100 staff received an awe inspiring history of how the impressive 1,500 acre stud was formed. Purchased by his Highness Sheikh Mohammed in 1986, the stud has been part of Ireland’s thoroughbred history for over a century and has produced many champions. We were lucky to meet two such champions and their foals.
Following this delightful tour, the staff returned to the busses to be chauffeured to another Kildare landmark, the Japanese Gardens. Here they were treated to lunch and spent the remainder of the day strolling around the gardens and relaxing in the beauty of the grounds. To the utter delight of the staff, they were greeted by the friendly faces of present and past students who worked in the Japanese Gardens. It was wonderful to hear of all the exciting courses the students are engaged in.
In the three days prior, the teaching staff had worked onerously to develop their subject plans, there was a workshop delivered by the Professional Development Service for Teachers on Assessment for Learning. All staff will work at developing their teaching and learning strategies this year and are committed to improving the experience of students in KTCS. The office staff has been organising timetables, journals and lockers for all 940 students, while the SNA’s have been supporting students with additional needs acclimatize and adjust to the school building.
The first week is always a stressful time for both teachers and students as they adapt and prepare for the new academic year. The Board of Management were delighted to offer this time of reflection and the opportunity for the staff to make connections with the community they have dedicated their careers to serve.