October 23rd 2006
National Educational Welfare Board supports Farranree “Attendance Awareness Week”

Three Cork schools in the Farranree area, Scoil Iosagain, Scoil Aiseiri Chriost and North Presentation Secondary School, are this week (Monday 23rd  - Friday 27th October 2006) jointly involved in promoting a school “Attendance Awareness Week”.  

The purpose of the “Attendance Awareness Week”, which is supported by National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), the agency with responsibility for encouraging and supporting regular school attendance,  is to promote the importance of school attendance amongst pupils and their families. All three schools have devised their own strategies in relation to rewarding good attendance and acknowledging the efforts children make to come to school. These strategies will be in place for the Attendance Awareness Week and also for the duration of the school year. 

Earlier in week (Wednesday 25th October 2006), four outstanding students from North Presentation Secondary School were awarded Unbroken school attendance certificates and trophies by the NEWB in conjunction with Cork City Council.  They were: Amy Feeney (10 years unbroken attendance), Gillian O’Donovan (11 years unbroken attendance), Tracey O’Donovan (9 years) and Ereeke Hayes (9 years).

As part of the Farranree School Awareness Week, on Friday 27th of October, additional Unbroken Attendance Certificates will be awarded by the NEWB and Cork City Council, to the pupils in Scoil Iosagain, Scoil Aiseiri Chriost and North Presentation Secondary School.

The Farranree schools will also award the efforts made by students whom have made great improvements in their attendance.  For example, two boys in Scoil Iosagain who have reduced their absenteeism from school from 63 days absent in school year 2004/2005 to 8 days absence in school year 2005/2006, will both receive certificates.   

In an effort to promote School Attendance Week in Farranree, staff at all three schools have placed posters in local shop windows, encouraged local businesses to get involved and sent information on school attendance home to families. 

As part of the week’s activities, pupils and Staff in Scoil Aiseiri Chriost composed a song in relation to school Attendance. The song is called “Attendance Rap” and it will be performed by teachers and students at the award ceremony on this Friday.
Educational Welfare Officer, Marie O’ Driscoll also visited the students and spoke to them about the importance of attending school every day.

Commenting on school attendance week Marie O’Driscoll said: “ The NEWB’s motto is that Everyday Counts in a child’s education and research has shown  that children who attend school regularly are more likely to stay in school and so are more likely to be emotionally, financially and socially secure in later life.

For further information contact:

Elaine O’Mahoney

01 8738603/087 1308799