Second-level

1
Educate Together

• Second-level
• General Members Meeting
• 26th January 2008
• Mont Clare Hotel, Dublin
• Learn Together to Live Together. No Child an
  Outsider

2
Outlineof theSecond-level Project

• Emer Nowlan - Second-level Project Manager

3
The Second-level Story so Far

• Local level
• Meetings, campaigns
• Correspondence with Ministers/Department of
  Education and Science.
• Arrangements with local VECs
• National level
• Brainstorming sessions, workshops
• Tentative discussions with possible partners
• Feasibility Study
• Second-level Project Manager

4
An Opportunity. We want

• To promote a future where multi-denominational
  education will be as freely available to parents
  as any other option they might choose
  (Educate Together charter - 3.4)
• To build on the success of the 44 Educate
  Together primary schools
• To allow children successfully learning in ET
  primary schools to continue their education with
  the same ethos of equality and respect, giving
  children the opportunity to further develop
  themselves not only academically but socially in
  preparation for becoming active members of
  society in 21st century Ireland (ET business
  plan, priority option 14)
• To extend ETs positive contribution to the
  development of education in Ireland

5
A Challenge. We dont want

• To detract from the success of the 44 Educate
  Together primary schools
• To further fragment the educational landscape
• To settle for a model which does not reflect
  Educate Togethers core principles

6
Core Principles

• Any Educate Together school (primary or
  second-level) must be
• actively Multi-denominational
• Co-educational - challenging gender inequalities
• Child or Learner-centred
• Democratically run - meaningful participation of
  all members of the school community

7
Project update

• Project Manager in place since October
• Get feasibility study completed
• Contact parent groups
• Participate in establishment of two Co Dublin VEC
  Community Colleges
• Contact various education partners
• Establish options as to school types
• Contact Minister for Education - letter sent in
  December
• Hold general members meeting

8
Todays objectives

• To learn from the feasibility study
• To bring together parent groups from around the
  country so we can learn from each others
  experiences
• To discuss some questions which have arisen so
  far in a focussed manner
• To identify questions which need further
  exploration
• To establish a network of people working towards
  the same goal

9
What happens next?

• Press for confirmation of status as second-level
  patron.
• Continue to negotiate and liaise with
  second-level partners (IVEA/JMB/NPCPP/ASTI/TUI).
• Establish specific working groups.
• Publicise Trinity research and continue to gather
  evidence to support and inform the project.
• Support local campaigns.
• Seek sustainable funding to support this work.
• Lobbying and campaigning.
• Blueprint in place by Summer 2008.

10
What you can do

• Participate fully
• Continue to discuss the issues identify and
  articulate students needs.
• Gather evidence to support the project.
• Contribute to working groups.
• Keep in touch with other groups on ongoing basis.
  through www.educatetogetherforum.ie
• Lobby local and national representatives.