29.03.2012
Powerscourt Children Take Giant Leap into the Future
The children of Powerscourt National School in Enniskerry will take one giant leap into the future on Friday morning (March 30). The arrival of the Easter holidays means the last day in their 194–year–old school building. Next term they will take up residence in their new, state of the art passive school.
The children themselves will begin the move at 9.30 am on Friday morning by carrying items of significance, such as the school bell and the roll book from the old school in the centre of the village to the new one on the outskirts of Enniskerry.
The original schoolhouse which, along with two pre–fabs, currently accommodates the 64 pupils was built in 1818. It is the oldest continuously used national school building in the Republic of Ireland and is a landmark in Enniskerry.
Inside the school there will be panels mounted on the wall which show how much energy is being used in each of the classrooms. In the classrooms, storage is hidden behind sliding walls which can themselves be used as pinboards and whiteboards. All classrooms, as well as the hall and multi–purpose room, are fitted with interactive whiteboards and computer stations. Each classroom has access to an outdoor seating area so that in good weather some lessons can take place outside.
The passive design of the school means that windows open by themselves when classrooms reach a certain temperature, lights turn off automatically if there is no activity in a room and water used to flush the toilets is harvested rainwater.
“The two school buildings couldn’t be more different,” comments school principal, Ms Anna Ovington. “We will be moving from a very old building on a site which was not very accessible to an ultra modern school which has as little impact on the environment as possible. It is so exciting and the new school will provide a wonderful, stimulating environment for the children to learn in.”
“It is quite exciting to be part of a development which marks a significant historical transition from the oldest continuously used National School to one of two of the most up to date National School’s in Ireland,” adds the Rector of Powerscourt, Archdeacon Ricky Rountree. “The new Powerscourt NS will be one of the two first ‘passive haus’ schools in the state and will be both a very exciting teaching and learning environment as well as a research development for the Department of Education & Skills. After 15 years of effort on behalf of many people it is wonderful to see this come to completion.”
Currently there are three class teachers at Powerscourt National School with part time learning support and resource teachers. The new school is built for four teachers as numbers are on the rise with 74 pupils expected next year. And while the school is looking to the future, it is very firmly rooted in the community of Enniskerry with five children on the roll who are the third generation of their families to attend.
Pictured outside the new Powerscourt National School are Archdeacon Ricky Rountree, rector of Powerscourt, with school principal, Anna Ovington.