DonabatePortrane.net

Anyone any the wiser on what's happening in DCC?

Apparently, Mr Creevey won't be back this year - some say sabbatical, others that he's left.
Seemingly Ms Flynn will be Acting Head for this academic year.

The rumour mill is rife with discussions, just wondering if anyone here is in the know...

I believe he is gone to the Middle East for one year and will definitely be back.

I wish Mr Creevey the best in his new position, however, I do hope he will stay longer at it than he stayed as Principal of Donabate Secondary School . He promised us so much as parents and now he is gone after one year. Very strange!!!!

I wonder why the departure of the principal is not up on the school website? I would have thought his departure, however temporary, is a newsworthy item and should have appeared in the latest news section.

Looks like this is not the first time Anthony Creevey has taken a year out :

http://www.kildare-nationalist.ie/2013/ ... ry-school/

Regardless of who seems to be in charge, DCC has an abymsal record in communications.

No booklists/letters for 1st years* or TYs. Similarly the students moving from 3rd to 5th weren't contacted with any information.

Its a good school and I don't mean to be DCC-bashing but their communication policy is non-non-existant!

* yes I know they got e-books but that's not likely to be all that's required.

Why is he leaving after one year? This very unusual by anyone standards and not to the benefit of the students.

Sydney, where did you hear this? I don't think anyone has been notified.
Thanks.

I think that's the point. No one's been notified. Some people in the parish know Ms Flynn outside of school and mentioned it to me thinking that I'd know all about it, having a child in DCC.

It was the first I'd heard of it but when I asked around, it seemed to be fairly public knowledge that he wouldn't be around for 2014/15. From there the info splits into whether he's gone as in left or gone for a year.

I think it is a disgrace if any person in a position of Principal is allowed to take up a position and walk out on the students after one year. We had such high hopes for the new school what happened?

Surely, there is a board of management or parents' association? If not, why not?

The Principal has posted a letter on the website, he is off to the Middle East on a junket and to hell with the students of Donabate. one year! next thing we will be told he is solving the Iraq crisis.

TAKEN FROM DONABATECC WEBSITE ...

Message from Mr. Creevey
August 18, 2014

Dear Parents and Guardians,
I hope you all had a restful summer. I would like to take to opportunity to inform you that I will be taking a year away from Donabate Community College to take a position working as an Education/Training specialist in the Middle East. During my absence Ms Marian Flynn will be appointed as the Acting Principal. Having worked with Ms Flynn for the last year I can assure you that our school is in very capable hands. The wellbeing and education of our students was at the forefront of every decision made by us as a management team and Ms Flynn will continue this ethos.
I would like to thank the staff, Board of Management and Parent’s Council for all their support in the last year. The hard work of everyone involved with our school has brought us to the point where we can offer the highest quality education in a sustainable model. I wish our first Leaving Certificate students the very best as they move to a new stage in their lives. I hope that our students have a safe, fun and rewarding 2014/2015 academic year. One again thank you for all your support.

Best Regards,
Anthony Creevey

The perks of the public sector. Take another job and your own will be there when you get back. In fairness, it would probably be a good thing for teachers to move around a bit more. Gives them a broader horizon. But probably should be planned and communicated better.

This is unbelievable. I work in the public sector and i think it is a complete farce and an insult to all students in the school that a new principal could be allowed take a year off after one year in the job. What an absolute joke! Who okayed this? The interest of the students was the last thing on anyone's minds here- that letter is an insult to our intelligence.

Maybe his decision was for the best interests of the students of Donabate. He has shown that he has no interest in their welfare by this decision. As a parent I would have to say that standards in the school dropped during the last year. little or no interest in discipline and no interest in promoting learning by management.

This seems as good a time as any to point out that DCC is of course a VEC school. As a result, the Board of Management has much fewer powers than would be the case in the other categories of secondary school. People sometimes think the issue of patronage is overblown: sure aren't all schools the same, don't they all do the same subjects, aren't they all inspected the same way...? I'd venture to suggest that were DCC a voluntary secondary school or even a community school, the Board of Management might well have vetoed this. However, in the case of DCC, the employer is the VEC and it's much more about crunching the numbers and moving the chess pieces. Oh but sure isn't it a wonderful building and aren't they all progressive and everything?:)

"The wellbeing and education of our students was at the forefront of every decision made by us as a management team".

I really don't see how the above statement is compatible with taking a year off to go to the Middle East. If the wellbeing and education is at the forefront of every decision, how does going off for a year do anything for wellbeing and education of the DCC students?

I can see how it will look great on Creevey's CV, however. It should impress the next board of management that interviews him when he decides to permanently jump ship at DCC.

I like the way he hopes we've had a restful summer.

The rest of us have been working or minding kids my friend.

I must say I agree with al above , discipline slipped this last year. I spoke to management and they told me to "talk to the teachers".

As a new parent of a student only starting next week, I was very disappointed to hear the our "new" principal has taken time away already. Any parents out there know if that is a good thing or bad? Would Mrs Flynn make a better Principal?
As for the Communication in the school, we received post from the school today including Mr Creevys letter and information regarding Friday. No information with regards to the first year students actually starting next week, the dates or times they're in school next week or books etc they need . Hopefully this will change with a new principal??

Parent10,

If it helps, I know when the 1st years are back in.

My friend's neighbour has a daughter going into 5th year so she received a report in June. That letter mentioned when each of the years were going back to school.

First years are in on Monday 09h50 to 12h40, They're not in Tuesday and are in full time from Wednesday 08h30.

It's mad that this is how we're supposed to find out the info. It appeared on the website for a while late July but it's not there now.

Communications = No Grade!!!

I don't have children in the secondary school but I think it's ridiculous that the principle is allowed to take a full year off having only served 1 year. It shows that he has no commitment to the students by jumping ship.
What benefit is it to the students? What benefit is it to the school?
This is very bad form on his behalf. It shows his lack of loyalty, dedication and interest in our secondary school. How was this move allowed.
Can the parents make an official complaint to the department of education?

I believe he has a history in politics. So it surprises me that he would, as a teacher, in this country, take a break away from his bread and butter profession, keeping someone dedicated out of a permanent job. Oh hang on a minute ...

Yeah digger, I think he's the wishey washey Aodhan O'Riordain type who uses teaching as a vehicle for his own ambitions.

Better off in the Middle East I think. Probably got the job through political contacts. Looks like a socialist left winger. I'll have to check out the VEC board and their politics.