Lecale Trinity Grammar School to open in September 2024
An exciting new chapter in Lasallian education in the District will commence on September 1st, 2024, with the opening of Lecale Trinity Grammar School in Downpatrick.
The new Lasallian, Catholic, co-educational 11-19, voluntary grammar school is an amalgamation of the current Lasallian schools in the town – St Patrick’s Grammar School and Downpatrick High School – along with St Mary’s High School.
The school will bring together the ethos off both Lasallian and Sisters of Mercy education as they serve to provide something truly life changing for all young people in the local community.
Dr Fionnuala Moore
In a significant step forward, the interim Board of Governors is delighted to announce that the challenge of guiding the new school will be taken on by Dr Fionnuala Moore after her appointment as Principal Designate.
Dr Moore has over 30 years’ experience in post-primary education as a Mathematics teacher, Head of Department, Vice Principal in two schools and is currently the Principal of St Patrick’s High School in Keady, a school steeped in the Lasallian tradition.
St Patrick’s High School is a successful, all-ability, co-educational 11-19, school that also has specialist provision for learning. Dr Moore’s outstanding leadership in Keady, over the last five years, has been characterised by positive, collaborative relationships with pupils, Governors, staff, parents, and a diverse range of stakeholders. She has actively built and sustained supportive relationships which have promoted quality learning and teaching and excellent pastoral care in a school grounded in a Lasallian value system.
Dr Moore is, in her own words, committed to the pursuit of excellence through the promotion of high quality learning and teaching in an inclusive climate, where learning is relevant and enjoyable. She also stressed that it will be her privilege to lead Lecale Trinity Grammar School as Principal, and to work in partnership with pupils, parents, staff and the wider community to ensure that every young person achieves their full potential and holistic development in a school with a strong, child-centred, Catholic value system.
Spirit of collaboration
The three schools have already displayed the spirit of co-operation and collaboration as pupils, parents and staff all had a vital role to play in the naming of the school.
The pupils’ creativity, commitment and strong sense of place and local context were inspirational in their choice of name encompassing both the geographical location of the new school (located on Lecale Peninsula) and the symbolism of the Trinity in terms of the three schools and strong connection of the town with St Patrick.
In the Autumn term the pupils’ ideas regarding crest, motto and uniform will be actively developed and, as before, pupil voice will be crucial in the decision-making process.
School values
One of the most important aspects of the amalgamation process was to create a new school anchored in the core values of Catholic social teaching, and the charism of the Lasallian Congregation and the Sisters of Mercy. The high degree of alignment between the three components resulted in agreement regarding our seven core values:
Faith in the presence of God
Social and ecological justice
The Common Good
Inclusivity
Excellence for all
Service
Respect
It was agreed that these core values will not only be the bedrock of the new school but also the guiding light in our deliberations and behaviours as an Interim Board of Governors.
Guest speaker
The District’s Director of Mission, Joe Gilson, has been deeply involved in the amalgamation process and his efforts in helping a smooth transition were recognised when he was guest speaker at the St Mary’s High School senior prizegiving event on Friday September 8th.
During his address, Joe called on the girls to make the most of the new opportunities that come in their future.
“So often in life it is our willingness to say yes to invitations, however challenging or scary or new that they may be, that makes all the difference. It is in our ‘yes’ that opportunities arise”, he said while advising the students not to let grades on their exams define them in the future.
Looking ahead to the opening of Lecale Trinity Grammar School, Joe added: “This building might soon change its name but the values and vision of St Mary’s High School will live on.”
