As we go into our second full week since the government took the unprecedented decision to close all schools, colleges and child care facilities, DDLETB would like to say thank you to all of our wonderful staff for continuing their work.
All of our teachers, trainers and instructors are working hard, along with our students and learners to maintain teaching and learning.
In Head Office, the ICT department has been working tirelessly to ensure as many people as possible can work from home. Corporate Services are keeping communications open, HR and Finance are ensuring all financial commitments are running smoothly. All of our departments are doing a wonderful job keeping everything going during this difficult time.
Thank you to all our staff working in our Training Centres, Schools, Youthreach, Further Education Colleges, Adult Education and sports complexes.
Thank you to all our students and learners for continuing with their course work, for getting online each day and for engaging with your teachers and instructors. This is an unusual and difficult time we are living through.
Keep washing your hands. Stay at home. Stay safe!
Staying In Contact
Following Government advice concerning COVID-19 and guidance on Working from Home where possible, we are implementing remote working arrangements to ensure continuation of services as far as possible. We request that all communications are therefore sent to us electronically to info@ddletb.ie so that we will be in a position to receive and respond to same more promptly, as hardcopy post-processing may be impacted during this time. Thank you for your co-operation.
New Further Education & Training Strategy Launched
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyThe new ‘Future FET: Transforming Learning’ strategy launched by SOLAS today sets out an ambitious vision for the expansion of Further Education & Training in Ireland.
Download the new strategy here – Solas Future FET: Transforming Learning Strategy
We’ll see a greater share of school-leavers choosing FET or apprenticeships as a first destination & more people in employment upskilling through FET.
Learners will be able to develop new skills & explore exciting new vocations or careers either in the classroom or through a digitally transformed system that offers a wide variety of flexible, online & blended learning opportunities.
Minister For Education Simon Harris launches the new FET Strategy.
Wherever you want to go, you’ll find the right pathway through FET.
Lucan CC Students of German Are Runners-Up In Trinity College Language Competition
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyIt was announced today in Times that Lucan Community College students of German are runners up in an inaugural Trinity College TY language competition.
“Language competence is one of the biggest skills gaps in the Irish labour market and language graduates are highly sought after in a variety of sectors,” Dr Hoare told The Irish Times.
“The aim of this competition was to encourage creative and critical thinking amongst TY students about why they would like to become fluent in a particular language as well as why they would like to learn about the culture and literature associated with the language.”
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/trinity-names-winners-of-inaugural-transition-year-language-competition-1.4264249
Well done to the students and the staff who supported them to enter the competition.
More than 100 transition year groups around the country entered the competition which called on students to answer why they would love to be fluent in a certain language. Students were asked to use their “creative and critical thinking” to design a poster and record a short 3-5 minute podcast explaining their passion for a foreign language.
Hopefully, other DDLETB schools will be involved next year now that the way has been so well paved!
A reminder that next year 2020/21 marks the start of 4 new curricular languages being introduced to 5th year: Polish, Portuguese, Lithuanian and Chinese. In 2022, students will be examined in reading, writing, speaking and listening in those 4 languages – not only reading and writing which is currently the case with other non-curricular languages.
DDLETB’s Teacher Leadership Programme
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleySeptember 2019 saw the exciting launch of a brand new initiative for the teachers of DDL. The Teacher Leadership Programme or TLP, followed on from the footprints of the TL21 project which successfully ran for 6 years within the scheme. The development team began work on TLP began many months before it launched and we had no idea just how well it would be received. However, we were delighted to register over 130 participants and 29 fantastic facilitators all of whom were equally as excited by the potential this project had for schools and colleges and for DDL as an organization. The volume of interest in a program like this, testifies to the quality of teachers the scheme has.
The aims of the TLP programme are to explore the world of educational leadership and develop the leadership capacity of each of the participating teachers. With these two aims in mind the program was designed with two working parts.
Firstly, there are the General Learning Sessions which explore different aspects of educational leadership. These were led by a host of facilitators experienced in the area of educational leadership The second element is that of the development work or TLP Projects which was led by the appointed school facilitators and their TLP teams. These carefully planned projects offered innovative and exciting developments for schools and colleges and were run with the support of school management. School facilitators were also provided with training sessions to support their work as team leaders.
Research tells us that effective professional development needs to be embedded. TLP aims to embed best practice, quality leadership skills and a strong sense of identity as participants discover the leader within, as an individual but also collaboratively with their colleagues.
Despite the abrupt ending to TLP with the closure of schools in March, the programme proved to be a positive learning experience for all learners and we are excited to see where this initiative will go in the future.
Happy Europe Day!
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyEurope Day held on 9 May every year celebrates peace and unity in Europe. The date marks the anniversary of the historic ‘Schuman declaration‘. At a speech in Paris in 1950, Robert Schuman, the then French foreign minister, set out his idea for a new form of political cooperation in Europe, which would make war between Europe’s nations unthinkable.
His vision was to create a European institution that would pool and manage coal and steel production. A treaty creating such a body was signed just under a year later. Schuman’s proposal is considered to be the beginning of what is now the European Union.
To demonstrate solidarity with those most affected by the current crisis and to honour Europe Day, the European Parliament calls upon all citizens to put the EU flag at their window this Saturday, 9 May.
Join a special Facebook live session on https://www.facebook.com/events/236198284319637.
The Parliament will also hold an on-line event all day on Saturday (10:00 to 18:00), with EP live in 8 languages, EBS and a Facebook live.
Broadmeadow Community National School Now Taking Applications
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyApply Now For Youth Club Grant 2020
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyUse the application below to apply now for the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme.
Youth Club Grant Scheme Application Form 2020
LYCGS Guidance Information 2020
The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme (LYCGS) supports volunteer-led youth club/group activities at a local level. Funding for the Scheme is provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) and is administered locally by Education and Training Boards (ETBs) on behalf of DCYA. The ETB is considered to be a co-grantor for this Scheme.
The Scheme supports voluntary youth club/group activities for young people; with priority given to clubs/groups catering for young people aged 10–21. The primary focus of the Scheme is to assist local, volunteer-led youth clubs/groups that provide a programme of youth work activities for young people. In addition, other clubs/groups that work with young people, but are not specifically providing youth work, are also entitled to apply for funding under the Scheme.
Photo created by freepik – www.freepik.com
Covid 19 Translated Resources
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyYou can find a large set of translated resources to help share the messaging about coronavirus (COVID-19) in various languages.
These posters and booklets are available from the HSE website for download and printing.
https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/newsfeatures/covid19-updates/partner-resources/covid-19-translated-resources/
Teaching & Learning Continues At DDLETB
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyStaying In Contact
Following Government advice concerning COVID-19 and guidance on Working from Home where possible, we are implementing remote working arrangements to ensure continuation of services as far as possible. We request that all communications are therefore sent to us electronically to info@ddletb.ie so that we will be in a position to receive and respond to same more promptly, as hardcopy post-processing may be impacted during this time. Thank you for your co-operation.
DDLETB Head Office Closed To Public
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyIn light of the most recent Government advice regarding COVID-19 the Head Offices of DDLETB will be closed to the general public until further notice.
Ensuring the health and safety of our staff and minimising the risk of spread of infection is our utmost priority.
This is a precautionary measure in the interest of safeguarding public health and we apologise for any inconvenience.
DDLETB Head Office can be contacted by phone on 01-4529600 or by email at info@ddletb.ie
Autism Awareness Workshops
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyAutism Awareness Day is 2nd April 2020. It is estimated that over 1 in 100 people in Ireland currently have a diagnosis of autism. There are many individuals who do not have a formal diagnosis and for the most part, their autism does not impact hugely on their daily lives. There are some life experiences that cause more stress and anxiety than others. The autism spectrum is broad, with people affected in a variety of ways, to varying degrees. No two people on the spectrum are affected the same way. However, the areas of difficulty for those on the spectrum can largely be summed up under 4 headings:
• Social Communication
• Social Imagination
• Social Interaction
• Sensory Processing
To mark World Autism Day, DDLETB Youth & Sport Development Service are hosting two workshops with ASIAM on Autism Awareness
These workshops will be held on April 1st in DDLETB Head Office. The first is on from 3.30-5.30pm and the second is on from 6.30 to 8.30 pm.
The workshops will look at understanding the condition and simple ways you can make your environment more autism-friendly for the children & young people you work within your school, youth club, scout hall, sports club etc.
Click here to register for these free workshops.
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