The principal in waiting

Ferbane man and Moate resident for the last nine years Tom Lowry is playing the part of principal-in-waiting for the month of February. On March 1, the 45-year-old will take over from Kevin Duffy as principal of the very successful Moate Community School, but until then it's all about preparation and looking forward to the new role for him. A career that took Tom to school could not have come as a surprise to anyone who knew him. The youngest of eleven children, school was "a good experience" for him. The subjects he particularly enjoyed as a student himself in St Joseph's and St Saran's Secondary School in Ferbane, were Maths and Economics and it was these subjects he went on to study at university level. A Higher Diploma followed a degree in National University of Ireland Maynooth, and Tom's career began proper with a year teaching in Palmerstown Community School in Dublin followed by three years in the all-girls St Leo's College in Carlow teaching Maths in the main along with Business. Maths is the subject Tom has been most passionate about in his career thus far. "I quickly realised that Maths was the area that I liked most and was probably best at," he says. Very quickly after qualifying as a teacher he found himself teaching Higher Level Maths to students of all ages. A move to Moate Community School in 1993 saw his weekly timetable filled up in a similar manner. "What I have found is that I've always loved teaching Maths," he say. "It's a subject I feel passionate about. I've always enjoyed doing Maths. I always found a great challenge in it." The great challenge that faced Tom as a Maths teacher, he says, was delivering the subject in the best and most accessible way possible in the face of students who were not necessarily immediate fans of the subject. This delivery, and teaching understanding rather than just answers, is something Tom feels strongly about across the board when it comes to teaching, not just teaching Maths. "You have to keep in mind the assessment, but you teach the students the skills they need so that when they come up against a question they mightn't have seen before they know how to solve it," he said. With this attitude, it's hardly surprising that Moate Community School volunteered to take part in a pilot Maths project with a similar aim. While Tom agrees it's hard for some students to accept that a question they might never have thought of might come up in an exam, he says the idea of teaching simply answers must be avoided. "The important thing is to understand what you're doing," he says. Though Tom admits the transition from one way of teaching to another is difficult, he says Moate Community School is lucky to have talented qualified Maths teachers to lead students through the process. Though passionate about the change, come next month Tom will no longer be one of the Maths teachers leading the transition at Moate Community School. On March 1 Tom takes over the non-teaching role of principal of the 1,250 student and 75 teacher school, a result of the upcoming retirement of current principal Kevin Duffy. "I'm very excited," Tom, who has been deputy principal at the school for the last five years, says. "It's a huge opportunity and I'm very honoured that the Board of Management and the trustees of the school have nominated me to take up this position." The prospect is a hugely challenging one too he says, particularly in the current climate that has seen lots of cost cutting measures put in place. However with the support he has been given by staff, the student body and the wider community, Tom says he can give his commitment to doing the best job he can going forward. Arguably making his job easier (though also meaning the bar has been set high) is the job done by outgoing principal Kevin Duffy. A whole school evaluation of Moate Community School last year looked at the centre of learning in a very positive light. The evaluation referred to current principal Kevin Duffy as an inspirational leader, and that phrase is what will inspire Tom in his role as principal. "If someone was to say I was an inspirational leader when I retire I'd be very happy," he says. Wishing the outgoing principal well in his retirement, Tom said he has also been an inspiration to him. "He has been totally dedicated and to follow in his footsteps is a huge honour," he said. While moving to the role of principal will mean withdrawing from teaching, Tom says the lines of communication with students is something he intends to keep open in his new role. Taking over as deputy principal five years ago he said his concerns were that he would miss being in the classroom with students every day. These concerns were unfounded however, as open door policies and communications with students in corridors and during breaks meant communications with students never broke down. "As a principal one of my key roles will be communication with students," he says. "My door was open to students as deputy principal and that'll continue as principal. I feel that's vital." Indeed the students at Moate Community School will continue to be central to everything that's done in the school and all decisions that are made, Tom says. Looking ahead he sees technology, school extensions to facilitate the growing school body and recreation facilities including the all-weather pitch currently being built in conjunction with the local GAA club as priorities. Outside of his job, his wife Helen and three young children Breda, Daragh and Muireann will keep him grounded he says. Golf will play no part in his relaxation time. He's a cousin of Offaly golfer Shane Lowry, but the sport plays no part in Tom's life. Instead, swimming and reading are Tom's hobbies of choice when time permits.