Lurgan Junior High launches new podcast

The last month has proven to be a time where pupils, parents and staff alike have had to be flexible in their approaches to learning and teaching.

As Lurgan Junior High School navigated its way through the initial unpredictably of the current situation, under the resolute leadership of Mr McCoy and the school’s Senior Leadership Team, behind the scenes, staff were refining various alternative means by which to stay connected with the school family.

One platform that was presented to Senior management was the idea of a School Podcast, and with a unanimous endorsement, plans commenced for an initial launch on Monday April 20.

The brainchild of Mr Lunn, a new episode of the podcast is set to be available for download every Monday morning on the school’s Facebook page, with the first episode, reaching nearly 700 downloads inside the first 48 hours of release.

Those who listened to the first 45-minute instalment were entertained with an introduction from a pupil, followed by a variety of gameshows and skits starring 13 talented members of staff. These segments ranged from a teabag version of the Million Pound Drop, a Friends episode of Mastermind, to a joke for the week and a game of Catchphrase to close.

Mr McCoy, Principal, said: “The pupils have been working hard with ‘Google Classroom’ tasks and assignments set on ‘Showmyhomework’, and when the idea of the podcast was first mentioned, the leadership team knew that it was a great idea. It is an excellent way to help pupils and their families have a little down time and to get the balance right between work and play. I believe firmly that pupils should be stretched and challenged in their learning, because this is the core business of any school, but the health and well-being of pupils is also very important to us. This is a fantastic way to ensure that our pupils are catered for in every way in these dark days of lockdown.”

Paying tribute to the expert staff at Lurgan Junior High School, who continue to provide high-quality learning experiences for all LJHS pupils, Mr McCoy continued: “I commend my staff for ensuring that the expert academic instruction and pastoral support that the children are so accustomed to at LJHS, is continuing even in the current situation and I encourage everyone whole-heartedly to listen to the podcast. There is something on it for everyone!”

The podcast can be accessed from the school’s Facebook page or Instragam @ljhs_podcast