First head sought for St Ronan’s

Applications for the post are being accepted and interviews are due to take place in September.

The co-educational grammar school is expected to have an enrolment of 1,400 pupils and is scheduled to open in September 2015 or soon after.

Education minister John O’Dowd announced plans to amalgamate the three schools in Lurgan last March and the school aims to enrol students aged 11-18.

An interim Board of Governors under the leadership of Trustee Monsignor Aidan Hamill held a meeting in May, kick-starting the process to create the new school.

A £25m new school building is also planned 
depending on ministerial and financial considerations, according to the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools.

Currently all three schools are operating as normal and the newly appointed principal will work in tandem with the current schools during the transition period.

Currently there are 570 pupils at St Michael’s Grammar School, 380 at St Paul’s High School and 492 at St Mary’s Junior High School.

Although no site has been earmarked for the new build school, it is thought the St Michael’s Grammar School grounds are a likely location.

The name St Ronan has been taken from the saint associated with the Magheralin area and has been approved by Bishop of Dromore Dr John McAreavey.

It is said St Ronan built his first church at Magheralin sometime in the year 637.

According to the advertisement for the new principal of St Ronan’s ‘the successful candidate must clearly demonstrate at both application and interview stage a clear vision for the new College, and a strong Catholic ethos for the whole College community which will facilitate the creation of an atmosphere where all are valued and encouraged.

Interviews will take place on Friday, 19 September, 2014.