Pastoral Care

The aim of our pastoral care programme, in accordance with our Mission Statement, is to gain knowledge of each student as an individual person. The potential of each individual is recognised and respected. The school's Christian values and highly developed caring ethos form the basis of our excellent pastoral care system.

All first years participate in a two-day orientation programme to help them make the adjustment from primary to secondary school.

Each student is assigned a Class Tutor who takes a special interest in monitoring progress in all areas, personal, academic and social. Students also have a Year Head who monitors the whole year group.

In St. Louis the Cairde are fourth year students who offer friendship and support to incoming first year students.

We encourage the development of leadership skills, producing leaders who will be willing to work with others for the benefit of all. To encourage leadership skills, the school has a successful prefect structure within the school through the Coiste and Class Prefects.

As a school community we also follow the Cool School Anti-Bullying Programme which was developed within the North Eastern Health Board's Child Psychiatry Service. Learning Support is provided by full time Learning Support Teachers. There is also a Resource Teacher and extra English is offered up to Junior Certificate in the place of an European language.

Chaplaincy: We are very fortunate in St. Louis to have two chaplains, Fr. Stephen Joyce and Louise Mulligan. Our chaplains work with the Religion Department in the school in the promotion of the faith formation of all our students.

Career Guidance: There is a comprehensive guidance and careers information programme available to each student. This includes both timetabled career-guidance classes and individual counselling.

Contact with Parents

We value contact and co-operation with parents. Each year group has a parent-teacher meeting once a year. There are regular information evenings on aspects of curriculum and school life. Reports are issued twice yearly for all students following in-house exams at Christmas and Summer. The school has a Parents' Association and parents are welcome to become involved in this and all the activities run by the association during the year. All students are notified in advance of all activities run by the Association. There are also two parent representatives on the Board of Management. Newsletters are sent to parents on a regular basis throughout the school year. We also publish a school magazine every year.

Code of Behaviour

Positive behaviour is an important aspect of school life and in the formation of a young person. Indeed, it is perhaps one of the hallmarks of a good school that there is a disciplinary system which helps the young person to reach an effective self discipline which will be necessary all through life. We believe that school discipline is a shared responsibility which can only be effectively discharged and maintained through the active co-operation of all those involved - teachers, students, parents, management and trustees. The school's Code of Behaviour helps to create and maintain a safe healthy atmosphere and environment which is conducive to learning.