Welcome to St. Joseph’s Secondary School. We are a vibrant, co-educational post-primary school located right here in North County Dublin. Our bustling school community is home to 945 students, fully supported by a dedicated team of 73 teaching staff and 11 Special Needs Assistants. As a designated DEIS (Delivering Equality in Schools) school and a proud member of CEIST (Catholic Education an Irish Schools Trust), inclusivity and equal opportunity are the lifeblood of our community. We strive to create a warm, secure, and caring environment where respect and mutual support naturally flourish.

We fully embrace the power of modern technology as a proud 1:1 Apple iPad school. Every single one of our students uses an iPad to enhance their daily learning and bring their lessons to life in the classroom. Our vision is to build a dynamic, effective digital education ecosystem that transforms learners into competent, critically engaged, and active global citizens. By leveraging these intuitive tools, we support our students in reaching their full potential and participating fully in today's constantly evolving digital world.

Beyond academics, we want our students to genuinely enjoy the learning process. By focusing on effort and achievement, we help students develop vital self-esteem, personal responsibility, and strong self-management skills. We firmly believe that every single student deserves the opportunity to pursue further education. We pride ourselves on modeling "learning for life" behaviors, nurturing well-rounded individuals who graduate truly ready for the world, ready for work, and ready for life.

St Joseph’s Secondary School is very proud to announce that we have been officially designated as an Apple Distinguished School for 2026. This prestigious award is a significant milestone, extended only to schools that demonstrate a continuous history of innovation and a clear vision for how technology can transform the learning landscape. Being recognised as an Apple Distinguished School places St Joseph’s among an elite global network of leadership and educational excellence. It acknowledges our commitment to using Apple technology to spark creativity, encourage collaboration, and personalise the student experience. This accrediation enables us to showcase our school on both the national and international stage.

At our school, we believe that technology is more than just a tool: it is a catalyst for inspiration. That’s why we’ve embraced a 1:1 digital learning model, where every student has their own iPad. This isn't just about handing out devices, it’s about fundamentally changing how we learn and teach. By putting an iPad in every student's hands, we’ve opened up a world of interactive, personalised education. Whether a student thrives through drawing, coding, or creating videos, these devices allow them to take real ownership of their work and express their understanding in ways that a traditional textbook simply can't match.

From an operational standpoint, our school has successfully integrated a robust Apple ecosystem designed to bridge the gap between classroom instruction and administrative efficiency. With 945 student iPads currently deployed, we have established a one-to-one digital learning environment that empowers students with portable, versatile tools for creativity and research. This network of devices is supported by a sophisticated staff infrastructure, comprising 74 staff iPads, 30 high-performance MacBooks, and 5 Mac Minis utilised for specialised stationary administrative tasks.

To ensure this hardware translates into a secure and organized educational experience, we utilize Apple School Manager to oversee 100 managed staff Apple IDs. This centralised management allows for seamless app distribution and data security across our 100 managed teaching devices, ensuring that educators can focus on pedagogy rather than troubleshooting. By maintaining this level of oversight, the school guarantees that every device remains a safe, synchronised, and effective platform for 21st-century learning.

Maintaining a high-tech environment for over a thousand students and staff requires a robust professional partnership. As Ireland’s only dedicated Apple Authorised Education Specialist, SELECT supports our entire digital journey. They assist our Digital Learning Team with procurement, device management, and strategic financing, ensuring our hardware remains secure, updated, and classroom-ready every morning. Beyond the hardware, our partnership focuses on the people behind the technology. Through the Apple Leadership and Learning Academies, our staff and school leaders receive bespoke training. Teachers also access the Select Academy online platform for self-paced growth and direct coaching from Apple Professional Learning Specialists. This comprehensive support system ensures our educators stay ahead of the curve, confidently guiding students toward the critical thinking and digital fluency they need to thrive.

A supportive learning environment extends into the home, making parental digital competency vital. When parents understand our Apple tools, they can better engage with their child's education, guide responsible online behavior, and support digital projects, allowing families to navigate the digital world together.

Behind the scenes, we ensure security and efficiency using Jamf, the industry-standard Apple Device Management system. Jamf allows for "zero-touch" deployment; devices automatically configure themselves and download required apps the moment they are turned on. This ensures strict security and seamless app management without manual IT intervention.

In the classroom, we’ve created wireless, untethered environments. Teachers can cast directly to Apple TVs or use a "single-wire" USB-C backup for instant projector/monitor connectivity, ensuring a frustration-free experience. Finally, our student-led tech support team empowers learners to solve real-world problems and support their peers with in class advice. These students develop leadership skills and digital confidence while fostering a unique culture of peer support.

Our Digital Learning Team is the heartbeat of our tech journey, leading the charge on the Department of Education’s 2027 strategy. Made up of teachers who are intrinsically interested in digital potential, they’re the ones crafting our Digital Learning Plan and making sure tech isn't just an "extra," but a natural part of every lesson. They’re constantly collaborating with staff to boost professional skills, designing interesting digital content, and keeping everyone abreast of the latest e-learning tools. It’s all about creating an atmosphere where innovation is the norm and every student feels confident navigating the digital world. Ultimately, we’re on a mission to break down barriers and democratise knowledge. By fostering critical thinking and practical skills, we’re helping our learners unlock their full potential and preparing them to thrive as global citizens. At St Joseph’s, we’re building a future where learning truly knows no boundaries.

Our classroom technology strategy is guided by the SAMR model, aiming to move beyond basic substitution to completely redefine learning experiences. We drive this cultural shift by investing in peer-to-peer professional development for staff and competency-based training for students.

Central to our approach is the belief that technology must adapt to the user. Guided by the principles of Universal Design for Learning, we teach every student how to customize their iPad's accessibility features—such as dictation tools and display filters—to suit their unique learning profile. This empowers students to take ownership of their education while fostering a more equitable environment for everyone.

This commitment to inclusivity spans our entire community. We provide ongoing assistive technology training for our teachers and Special Needs Assistants to guarantee expert, empathetic care. Additionally, we host voluntary workshops for parents to bridge the gap between school and home. This collaborative effort ensures that every student is backed by a consistent, informed network, making truly personalized education a reality.

We’ve designed an 11-week taught course called ‘Managing Myself.’ This isn’t a typical tech tutorial on which buttons to press; it’s a full roadmap for thriving in a digital world. We’ve moved away from the old-school lecture style, choosing instead to focus on a mix of app mastery, teamwork, and online ethics. By working in small groups with rotating roles like 'Project Manager' or 'Checker,' students learn that collaboration is the engine of success, not just a suggestion.

The first five weeks are all about fluency—making the iPad feel like a natural extension of their own thinking. We start by turning the device into a personalised powerhouse. Students dive into accessibility hacks like Split View/Windowed Apps for multitasking and Spoken Content to assist with reading. We also get creative right away, using tools like Freeform and Clips to show them that their iPad is a canvas for expression, not just a screen for consuming content.

Organisation is where we get serious. We treat the digital space like a tidy desk, enforcing strict naming conventions and professional filing habits within the Files app and iCloud. There are no more 'Untitled' documents here; by learning to manage their digital audit trail, students build the kind of professional discipline that carries them through college and into their careers.

As we move into the second half of the course, the focus shifts to Critical Digital Thinking. We tackle the big questions, like how to use AI ethically as a supportive tutor for brainstorming rather than a shortcut for plagiarism. Students analyse their 'Online Footprint' and learn to manage the 'Digital Stress' that comes with being constantly connected. We even train them as 'digital detectives,' using visual analysis and reverse-image tools to spot deepfakes and misinformation.

The secret to this module is that we distribute the ownership. By managing their own media portfolios and digital storytelling, students drive the narrative. It takes the pressure off the teacher and puts the power in the hands of the learners, who process difficult topics together in their teams. Ultimately, we’re helping them find their digital voice, ensuring they leave the course as adaptable, confident, and responsible global citizens.

St Joseph's Secondary School is a Digital Schools Award Winner and a Mentor School since 2023, and we are incredibly proud to have been honoured in every single category. This fantastic achievement is a true testament to the dedication of our entire staff. It signifies that we are leading the way in digital education, seamlessly integrating our 1:1 iPad program and MacBooks to provide our students with the most engaging, effective, and modern learning experiences possible.

A major part of this journey has been our focus on the Digital Wellbeing Award. We are especially proud that in January 2025, St Joseph’s became the very first school in Ireland to achieve this prestigious recognition. Developed as part of the broader Digital Schools Awards initiative, this program is all about fostering a whole-school approach to digital wellness. It helps us ensure that while our students are constantly creating, exploring, and collaborating on their Apple devices, they are also building crucial cyber resilience, practicing safe internet use, and developing healthy online behaviors.

The award framework itself is built around nine key areas, including ethical digital citizenship and critical thinking about online content. To earn it, we used the European Commission’s SELFIE tool to assess our strengths and gathered concrete evidence directly from our iPad-based lesson plans, student activities, and staff training. The initiative, which was launched in partnership with Webwise.ie and supported by the Irish Department of Education, alongside industry partners like HP and AMD, provides formal validation of our commitment to a positive and safe digital culture. It reinforces our daily efforts to help our students become confident, ethical, and resilient digital citizens.

Our focus on digital wellbeing and developing an intentional relationship with technology has established us as a national leader in this space. Beyond our own community, this program aims to elevate educational practices across Europe by providing rich resources and professional development. We strive to become an international leader, and have already shared our journey with hundreds of schools across Ireland and the UK. Because we hold Mentor School status, we have the unique and wonderful opportunity to share our Apple technology expertise and support other schools on their own digital learning journeys. This collaborative role brings massive benefits back to our own community, unlocking exclusive professional development for our teachers, enhancing 21st-century skill development for our students, and boosting overall motivation across the board.

Our roadmap for all this innovation is our Digital Learning Plan. Think of it as the core operating system for how we integrate technology at St. Joseph's. Developed alongside the national Digital Strategy for Schools, the DLP is where we lay out our vision, identify where we shine, and set measurable targets using the Digital Learning Framework. It is a living document—complete with clear actions and timelines—that ensures every time a student opens their iPad or MacBook, the technology is being used purposefully and inclusively to build creative, critically engaged digital citizens.

This purposeful approach is evident in our STEM education. We are dedicated to being a national leader by fostering amazing cross-collaboration between our Science, Computer Science, and Mathematics departments. With an iPad or MacBook in hand, our students don't just read about theoretical science; they connect it to their everyday lives and conduct groundbreaking research. Our teachers heavily incorporate inquiry-based learning, using their digital tools to spark that intrinsic motivation to explore, question, and discover.

The results of this hands-on, tech-driven approach speak for themselves. In just a five-year span, we went from having our first-ever project qualify for the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE) in 2018 to winning the NAPD Best School in Ireland Award in 2023! Whether they are tackling real-world issues at BTYSTE or presenting at SciFest—Ireland’s second-largest STEM competition—our students rely on their Apple devices for complex data analysis, scientific methodology, and dynamic presentations. These platforms perfectly celebrate the passion, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills we cultivate every day.

As a DEIS school, school self-evaluation is all about taking true ownership of our own growth. It empowers us to celebrate the fantastic practices already happening in our classrooms, while also boldly identifying and tackling the areas where we can improve. To keep us focused, our specific DEIS plan is anchored in eight key categories: Literacy, Numeracy, Attendance, Retention, Transitions, Attainment, Links with Parents, and Links with the Community.

So, how do our iPads and MacBooks fit into this bigger picture? That is exactly where our Digital Learning Team steps in. Their mission is to seamlessly weave our Digital Learning Plan directly into our active DEIS strategy. To do this effectively, we rely heavily on the SELFIE evaluation tool, a brilliant initiative by the European Commission. SELFIE helps us take a hard, data-driven look at how well we are actually integrating technology across the school.

By actively gauging the real-world impact of our Apple ecosystem, the SELFIE tool allows us to foster deep digital literacy and tailor our professional development to exactly what our teachers need. It takes the guesswork out of resource allocation. Whether we are using interactive iPad apps to boost student engagement in Literacy and Numeracy, or leveraging MacBooks to strengthen our communication links with parents and the wider community, SELFIE ensures our technology use perfectly aligns with our core educational goals. It promotes transparency, accountability, and proves our ongoing commitment to evolving our teaching practices for the digital age.

All of these reflections, data points, and digital strategies feed directly into our overarching DEIS Plan, a constant work in progress that adapts as our students and technologies grow. It serves as our strategic roadmap, bringing all our stakeholders together to efficiently allocate resources and set highly specific goals for student success. Ultimately, this indispensable tool allows us to constantly monitor our progress, adapt our methods, and drive a culture of continuous, sustainable development across every single classroom.