Our Identity Project
Before her arrival in St Louis, Acting Principal Michelle Dolan worked for fifteen years in Northern Ireland in a highly regarded Integrated school, New-Bridge Integrated College, based in Loughbrickland a village near Banbridge Co Down.The current Principal, Anne Anderson, recently approached St Louis with an opportunity to participate in a cross-border project exploring identity and diversity.The funding for the project was secured from the Department of Foreign Affairs after a successful visit by the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to the integrated school in 2018. A third school, St Colmcille’s CS Knocklyon, Dublin, was added to the group and a meeting of interested staff and principals was held in St Louis on Friday 15th February 2019 with representative from Corrymeela Peace and Reconciliation Centre and Glencree Centre for Peace & Reconciliation.
It was agreed that fifteen 2nd Yr students from each school would participate over the next few months, visiting the two reconciliation centres and each school to learn about the different identities, cultures, beliefs represented in a diverse new Ireland and work together through Art to explore issues and grow in understanding. Like St Louis, the ethos of New-Bridge is one of welcome and inclusion with a strong emphasis on the wellbeing of both staff and students. Art teacher Áine Mc Enaney is very excited to be involved in the venture: “We are always looking out for new projects for our students. The New Junior Cycle Art Specification lends itself well to collaboration with others
and we are thrilled to be part of such an exciting Cross Border project, especially at this very interesting time in EU politics.”
A recent Whole-School Inspection report on Management, Teaching & Learning in St Louis Dundalk found that “The quality of school leadership and management is exemplary; the members of the whole school community work together to ensure that each student’s individual needs are met in an inclusive environment.” This exciting cross-border project is another way to be as inclusive as possible, to enrich the lives of our students and develop 21st C key skills.
