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Welcome

Introduction to Castletroy College

Castletroy College was established in 2000.

Castletroy College is a designated community college, where the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB) is the patron, with the Roman Catholic diocese of Limerick as a trustee partner. It is co-educational and has a defined geographical catchment serving the local suburban and rural community on the eastern side of Limerick City.

Our mission in Castletroy College is the holistic education of the individual, enabling students to become responsible, caring members of society as well as encouraging them to reach their full potential.

In our daily lives we value the principles of justice and mutual respect embracing all denominations and cultures. We endeavour to nurture and maintain a school community, which involves the partnership of staff, students, parents, trustees, and the local community.

In the pursuit of this ideal we provide a broad and balanced range of curricular and extra- curricular experiences for all students.

In the pursuit of this ideal, the College will provide a broadly based curriculum for all pupils of the Community, allowing each pupil to attain the highest level of academic and skill-based attainment consonant with their interests, abilities, and talents.

This ideal can only be realised by the College by building on foundations which have already been laid in the home and being assisted at all times by the parents/guardians of the pupil.

Our vision is that education is a joint effort between school, home, and community. The aim of the College is:

to be a centre of academic and educational excellence
to provide a broadly based education for pupils of the community
to provide conditions which will foster the fullest development of each pupil as an individual and as a member of society
to teach moral values, attitudes and behaviour patterns and thus engender an attitude of respect towards oneself, others, and the environment
to enable pupils to learn, preserve and respect their own religious beliefs and worship within their faith tradition
to engender a spirit of ecumenism and dialogue, encouraging pupils to grow in their understanding of religious traditions other than their own
to help pupils to embrace change, search for truth and develop a critical faculty
to engender in each pupil a sense of self-esteem and an appreciation of their own dignity
to encourage in pupils a respect for the rights and opinions of others, irrespective of their race, sex, social background, or religious beliefs
to facilitate pupils to have an understanding of Irish heritage and culture and Ireland’s role within the European and world community
to impress upon pupils the need to respect personal, school and community property
to promote a spirit of self-discipline and integrity
to encourage an awareness of equality and a spirit of care and toleration
to encourage pupils, parents, and staff, to make a positive contribution to the shaping of the College, its image, and its role in the community

The philosophy of Castletroy College is based on the education of the whole person. This co- educational College fosters the intellectual, spiritual, social, personal, artistic, physical, and vocational development of all its students. The confidence and self-esteem of our students is promoted through a range of curricular and extracurricular activities.

Brian O Donoghue

Principal

A Letter from the Principal

Dear First Year,

Welcome to Castletroy College. All of us are excited to have you join the school.

You’re probably feeling a bit ‘weird’ at the moment… so I’ve written down a few things that you can take away with you and read later if you like.

Secondary School – What Can You Expect?

Probably the biggest difference is that when you were in primary school you were at the top of the school and probably felt very valued and important – you may even have been given special jobs, but in your first year at secondary school it all changes. All of a sudden you have become one of the youngest at the school. Some of the older students may even tease you about this – or at least let you know that you are the youngest. Remember this is all about getting to know each other and getting along. I can promise you that these older students know how you feel and are happy to help you out.

Also you probably had only one teacher most of the time (except maybe for sport or music) and only one classroom. At secondary school you will have different classrooms and different teachers, it may be difficult at first to remember them all (and for your new teachers to remember you) and it may be hard remembering to go to other classrooms and where they all are! This means having to take on new responsibilities that you may not be used to, like getting to places on time.

There Will Be New Issues

Although all of these new challenges can be exciting and a lot of fun, you may feel a little stressed at times. Here are some of the issues you may be able to relate to:

Feeling lost and confused until you are familiar with the new school.
Sad that you are not with your old friends anymore and miss hanging out with them.
Lonely and unhappy, waiting to make new friends.
Anxious or afraid that you will not be able to cope with the new lessons and stuff you are learning
Worried that you will not fit into any group or have someone to hang around with.
Concerned that your parents will have expectations that you can’t meet.
A bit tired and worn out from all the energy involved with starting a new school

You Will Be Able To Manage!

Don’t worry! Remember that you are not the only person who is starting secondary school and that every student in your class is feeling like you (even if they don’t act like it!). Here are some ideas that may help to ease the stress:

Stay in contact with your “old” school friends, especially while you still have to make close friends here.
Give it time. Everyone starts off with no friends but soon you will have a new group of friends that you hang around with and have fun with.
Introduce yourself to someone you don’t know - they will probably appreciate it and then you will know someone!
Ask, your Year Head to help you if you are struggling with school in any way. Maybe you can’t manage the homework to start with or can’t find your way around. Help will be there if you ask.
Get involved in school activities / teams (music, sport, chess, etc) then you will meet a new group of people who like the same things as you.
Look at the positives of being here. New school facilities, more independence, more variety in classes, some choice in what you want to study and so on.
If you feel you are being picked on by anyone here, go and speak to someone that you trust and talk about it.

Finally remember that your new class will be like your family for the next three years. We are all in this together – and we will always try to help each other out!

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