Mr Ian Moore Windmill Integrated Primary School Principal 1995-2011
I remember coming for my interview for one of the vacant teacher’s posts. The idea of integrated education seemed interesting – educating children together from both sides of the community. But basically I needed a job. When asked the question to do with education I replied that the most important aspect of school life was happiness.
When I became Principal in 1995 I had the opportunity to try, in as many ways as I possibly could, to make this the foundation on which the three pillars of Integration would hold firm. The pillars being; Child Centred education; Parental involvement and religious integration. And these pillars held firm and allowed for a more wonderful interior than anyone could ever imagine because the happiness permeated everything.
It was now far more than religious integration it was more to do with celebrating a shared tradition, a cultural heritage and having the freedom to introduce children to sports that in Northern Ireland had largely been exclusively for one part of the community. So the children played rugby and GAA Sports. Like-wise they explored the dance and music tradition of each part of the community. We brought Irish Dancing into the school; tutors in to teach the tin whistle; we brought in a Scottish bagpiper.
Happiness ushered in the joy of organising fancy dress days which staff and children both enjoyed in equal measure. And a happy staff encouraged children to be happy. We organised a staff residential in the Mournes - the craic was mighty.
The staff were dedicated in their task. They believed in trying to give all children the very best Nursery and Primary education they could. This encompassed joint classes with Sperrin View Special School a welcoming approach to children coming in to the school from mainland and Eastern Europe, seeing the challenges they brought but also appreciating the cultural traditions they brought with them developing a respect for their community by becoming Guardians of the Black Lough; developing a link with the residents of the local nursing home.
And in trying to give children the best education possible the staff embraced the opportunity to apply for Big Lottery Funding to build a Sports Centre, in the co-operation with Dungannon United Youth a local, junior football club. This was to be shared with the local community. In 2005 this was built allowing children from the school to participate in a variety of sports and develop their skills.
Another part of a child’s education seen as important was the learning of a foreign language so in 1997 each class was taught French by a French language tutor.
And children going to local churches from both traditions was seen as important. Children went to the Protestant Churches for Harvest festival and to the Catholic Church to celebrate the sacraments of their counterparts.
Then there’s been the Comenius Project giving staff the opportunity to visit their peers in educational settings throughout Europe and bring back helpful ideas to share best practice.
The new school was built in 2005.
The ideas of the Staff and Children were taken into account. It’s bright, it’s airy, it’s well- resourced. And with a stroke of ingenuity we managed (with the co-operation of the local firm) to include an all- weather pitch. The school also managed to incorporate into the design a library and a dedicated I.T suite. Again, all to do with wanting to provide children with the best possible learning environment.
Through the medium of happiness, the school has grown to be a respected and admired part of the educational landscape, not only of Dungannon but also throughout Ireland and Beyond.
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