As a community school TCS has a designated school chaplain whose role as a faith presence is to animate the school ethos whilst serving the needs of students, parents and staff members.
The Chaplain works closely with the leadership team of the school along with the families, communities and parishes of the students. They aim to know all the students within the school and over the course of the school year will meet students individually as necessary. The school chaplain works with all staff to establish and maintain a well-balanced school community. In all their work the chaplain aims to be available to everyone in the school community (students, staff, parents) and through their work develop open and trusting relationships.
The role of the School Chaplain is wide and varied, and can involve teaching religious education, meeting students on an individual basis, organising liturgies and prayers, facilitating fundraising, providing retreats for year groups and participating in activities that relate to the well-being and development of the school community. The chaplain also undertakes to visit students and their families when situations such as illness or bereavement arise.
They aim to create an awareness of spirituality within the school and provide opportunities for students to express ad explore their spiritual identity through retreats, wellbeing days, liturgies and other religious and non-religious occasions.
The School Chaplain contributes to formal school occasions, such as assemblies, information evenings, parent teacher meetings, graduation and school liturgies.
The chaplain works as a member of the student support team and offers extra support or assistance to students when needed. This important work is a combined effort with the Principal, Deputy Principals, Guidance Counsellor, Year Heads, Home School Community Liason teacher, School Completion Programme coordinator, Behaviour for Learning teacher and our Special Educational Needs department. The Student Support Team meets on a weekly basis to raise and discuss students deemed to be in need/at risk. Student support helps students in crisis by exploring and developing a range of coping strategies and interventions, in a thoughtful and caring way, deemed appropriate to the student’s individual needs.
The chaplain has an office on the 1st corridor of the school, a space that is open to all members of the school community to come and visit if needed. There is also a prayer room in TCS that provides a quiet, reflective space for all members of the school community. Everything done by the chaplain in TCS is mindful of the many traditions that exist in our school and aims to highlight the rich diversity present in our community.
As a student you will meet the chaplain in the classroom, at school assemblies, at whole school events such as the carol service, individually if needed, taking part in school activities and as a presence in the school on a daily basis.
As a parent you will meet the chaplain at information nights, parent teacher meetings, coffee mornings, facilitating the parents plus programme and at events in your community.
The current chaplain in TCS is Kevin Mullally.
You can contact him at kevin.mullally@tallaghtcs.ie