Keena hopes new ACC unit will be open by Halloween
Chairperson of the Board of Management at Athlone Community College Cllr Frankie Keena said it is his hope that the new special needs unit at the school will be open by late autumn.
Cllr Keena said: "I welcome that it's happening. It's something that's long been looked for. I'm glad to say Athlone Community College has stepped up to the plate.”
Cllr Keena emphasised that the additional six places for students at the local school are not available yet but said he would be personally very disappointed if the unit was not open by Halloween. He said the school was working with the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to proceed with the project.
“We recently had a board meeting and signed off on enrolment online," he said, pointing out that it was planned to put in place facilities according to the needs of each student.
The closing date for enrolment was last Wednesday and Cllr Keena said the needs of the children would then be assessed and appropriate resources and facilities put in place.
Cllr Keena added: “I'm hoping further units will be provided. We need to be inclusive for all students. I hope other schools will also accommodate students with autism."
The Athlone councillor concluded by highlighting his belief that other schools should follow suit and open a special needs unit to give students and parents a choice of schools.
One of the parents whose plight was highlighted earlier in the year has said she remains in the same situation. Michelle Lynch from Baylough says she is still waiting to get her son into a school. "There's been no real change," she said, although stating that special education staff and psychologists are getting back to her more quickly.
Michelle's son Gareth (12) has autism and should be entering his first year of secondary school but Michelle has been unable to find a place for him in a suitable school. He previously attended Summerhill primary school.
The creation of the new special class at Athlone Community College was announced in a statement from the Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board.
The statement outlined that the additional needs unit "paves the way for further increased special class provision in Athlone Community College in the near future."