Since December of 2018, Ms. Bolger has been a wonderful principal at Presentation Secondary School Waterford, but she is so much more than that.
Before being our principal, she was a maths and P.E. teacher, no doubt charming all her students with her cheerful personality and her positive attitude. Spending 22 years teaching must have come with its fair share of challenges, but Ms. Bolger took it upon herself to become the LCA Coordinator in 2001, staying in that position until becoming principal.
A former P.E. teacher and an avid Kilkenny hurling and camogie fan, Ms. Bolger is incredibly supportive of sports. She shows this through the congratulations she gives students who play sports after important events happen, which makes them feel seen and lifts their spirits if they lose.
Not only was she the LCA coordinator, but in 2007 Ms. Bolger became the program coordinator of the school, in charge of the TY and JCSP programs. This shows how devoted she has been to the school for an incredibly long time, not only teaching the core subjects of maths and P.E. but also becoming a core member of the teaching staff, ensuring that all TY and JCSP students had the best experiences they could.
Even after she became principal, her devotion to making our school life the finest never wavered; her interest in our learning lives was clear as she supported us through our troubles, offering her insight to lead us on the right path. Even when COVID made the future of our education uncertain, it was Ms. Bolger who helped us adapt to those strange times, helping us use technology we weren’t accustomed to and guiding us through our home learning like a beacon in the dark.
On Ms. Bolger’s last full day at Pres on Thursday, the 24th of October, all students gathered in lines to cheer and celebrate all the incredible contributions and work she has put in as both teacher and principal over the years. It was clear how much of an effect she had on every student as we stood clapping and chanting her name.
During our Thanksgiving Mass on Friday the 25th of October, Ms. Bolger, her family, and other school friends and relations had all arrived to celebrate her retirement. We, as students, had been helping to buy gifts and had written up messages to make a book for our dear principal. Students had also been at work preparing for the Mass, lining up to say thank you in their native languages. It was during that time of the Mass where we could truly express how grateful we were to have had such an extraordinary principal. Ms. Bolger then stood for her speech, and everyone soon started to tear up hearing her words of pure admiration, gratitude, and love for all.
Although she is not our principal anymore, Ms. Bolger will always be someone the Pres girls will look up to and keep all her words, deeds, and memories to heart. She, as our principal, has helped shape the way we, as Pres girls, are today and helped and guided us through our school life.
On the 25th of October, staff and students bade farewell to another much-loved teacher, Ms. Hart. Both Ms. Bolger and Ms. Hart began teaching in the Presentation some 28 years ago. As a teacher of history and French, Ms. Hart entertained and instilled a love of the past and language learning in all her students. We will miss Ms. Bolger and Ms. Hart dearly, as they had a significant impact on the learning lives of all Pres girls.
Written by Alessandra Gherca