Killian Boland (class of 1990) is the Deputy Principal of a small city centre, Deis (Band 1) Primary School. There are 130 young children who, mostly, come from the surrounding areas in Dublin 2 and Dublin 8 where many of them and their families have little or no access to technology or accessing online resources, outside the use of a phone. The community he works with are not benefiting from the government's proposed methods of educational delivery, as compared with the students in more privileged schools. As a result of the lack of access to and confidence with technology, the delivery of remote teaching to is extremely difficult and he only accessing a fraction of the students and with scant regularity.
Killian is not looking for donations but is asking if you have any laptops, tablets or ipads which have been upgraded or simply lying on a shelf at home, no longer used, that you might donate them to his school. Or if anyone from the Gonzaga Community has access to the release of company/corporate devices that may have been replaced by newer equipment. The only requirement is that they are able to receive wifi/access the internet, no matter how old. It would be a bonus if they have Microsoft Office Suite on the desktops and that all the devices are cleared of all data. If it is not possible to clear the data, Killian is in contact with an outside agency that could facilitate this service.
We can arrange for the delivery or collection of these devices. Please email union@gonzaga.ie if you can help.
Kind regards
Will Sparks, President
Conor Gahan, Vice President