It Is with great pride and privilege that I welcome you to Blackrock ETSS, an exciting and vibrant new school which champions student individuality and expression as well as academic rigour and innovative curricular engagement.
Buttressed by the four pillars of the Educate Together charter – a school which is equality-based, co-educational, child-centred, and democratically run – Blackrock ETSS is proud to instil a love of life-long learning in our students, and to cater for the holistic development of the whole individual. We believe in an education rooted in the values of inclusion, respect, diversity, and democracy to nurture and foster students as part of a kind and caring community.
It is our aim here in Blackrock ETSS to develop students of character, to embed confidence and responsibility in our community members to be active in response to the challenges of the world. Students who attend our school are imbued with a sense of social awareness, forging links with the local communities of Booterstown, Blackrock, and Dún Laoghaire, and they are encouraged to collaborate with diverse groups to create an equal and just society. Students will develop their enthusiasm and resilience and learn to effectively communicate in an increasingly busy world. These key skills are nurtured to aid not only personal development, but to encourage all students to reach their own potential in the academic arena.
Our staff are on hand to educate and to innovate and to guide our students along a continuum of learning which sees them take increasing ownership of their academic pursuits. Our use of devices as everyday tools to access the curriculum ensures our students are equipped with the skills to address the needs of the modern day. In Blackrock ETSS, the classroom is but one avenue through which students can grow and evolve – our extra-curricular clubs, our co-curricular competitions and teams, and our use of educational trips and endeavours all contribute towards educating the whole individual, and to bringing learning to life.
It is our fervent desire to work closely with each and every student to ensure they attack their school day with energy and a sense of adventure. Is aoibhinn beatha an scoláire as the seanfhocal says, and at Blackrock ETSS, we aim to make our school day as rich, as rewarding, and as stimulating as possible to ensure our students enjoy learning each day.
Simon Rogers, Deputy Principal