Colaiste Iognaid
Ignation Identity Group

The distinguishing feature of the ‘Jes’ has always been our particular way of caring for students on their journey to adulthood based on our identity as a school in the Jesuit/Ignatian tradition. Following the Provincial's announcement in 2002 that the Jesuits will not be able to guarantee their presence in the schools into the future, the school community has begun to address the challenge of maintaining and developing this identity.

In response to this announcement the parents of the school met to discuss its implications and to explore the contribution parents could make as one of the stakeholders in this transition process. This led to the formation of the Parents' Ethos Group (PEG), which met regularly to explore the Jesuit ethos and how parents can contribute to preserving and developing it. This group organized presentations and lectures for all parents on Ignatius and on the Jesuit tradition of education, ran induction evenings for First Year parents, and initiated retreats for the parent body in general. They also drafted a document on the Jesuit identity of the school and made submissions on the design of the new school building.

In May 2004, the PEG organized the joint parent teacher workshop on the future of the "Jes without Jesuits" which was facilitated by Bruce Bradley, S.J., and which led to the formation of the present joint teacher-parent forum, the Ignatian Identity Group (IIG). This group met for the first time in October 2004. It has the support of the Board of Management and the Jesuits. In the near future it also hopes to include students past and present. The IIG mission statement is as follows:

 

IIG Mission Statement

To seek to preserve, foster and develop the Ignatian identity of the school community.

 

The IIG has set out a number of concrete proposals in the light of its mission. For example, the group has started to assist on the development of a school website and begun a review of the existing identity documents. In addition, initial contacts have been established with other Jesuits schools facing similar issues.

The IIG needs the involvement of teachers, parents and students. Please feel free to join us or you may just want to come along to a single meeting first to see if it would interest you. For information on the date for the next meeting or any other queries you might have, please contact the IIG coordinators whose contact details can be had from the school secretary.