ST Maria Goretti Nursery School, located in the heart of the Whiterock community, celebrated its 40th anniversary this week.
Established in 1983, the nursery school has been providing exceptional early years education in the parish of St John’s. The school currently have 54 children attending aged between three and four-years-old.
The nursery school had a special celebratory event on Friday for its 40th anniversary.
“It is lovely to celebrate the achievements of the school, the children and the community over the past 40 years,” said Principal Seaneen Heaney.
“We started the morning with our prayer followed by the children’s performance with some lovely singing from our talented students. We had a certificate presentation to mark the milestone.
Principal Seaneen Heaney of St. Maria Goretti Nursery School
“We had Fitness Freddie here, High Rise Diversity storytelling, Gemma from Jump, Jingle and Jive, as well as face painters and ice cream vans.
“I was appointed as a nursery teacher almost eight years ago and stepped into an acting principal role in September. I’m not from the area and I was welcomed with open arms by the staff, the families, and the wider community here – it is such a wonderful community.”
Nursery Assistant Deirdre Nuttall has been working at St Maria Goretti Nursery School for almost 29 years.
“It is the most rewarding job ever. I have seen so many kids grow up and now they’re adults bringing their own kids to the school. It has been absolutely amazing," she said.
“The children are the best part of my job. The joy that you get teaching them and seeing them grow from they come in that door in September and when they walk out in June, they’re a different child and ready for Primary One. No two days are the same and I wouldn’t want to do anything else.”
