A new era of hope.
Three years had gone by and it was time to move into the school's permanent location in Ayete, so, in late August 1979, despite considerable delays, the School Board decided the time had finally arrived. Once more everyone was asked to come and help in what turned out to be an eventful and memorable day.
While everyone did their best, the efforts of one person in particular stood out. Since joining the staff that summer of 1979, José Ivars had earned a reputation as the "the go-to fix-it man."
While the move represented a future full of promise, it was also marked by difficulties. The school entrance, and some of the interiors of the building and facilities still needed work.
Despite the precarity of the situation, which, by then, St Patrick’s had become accustomed to, there was a new optimism now that the school was almost ready.
When the builders moved out, there were only two members on the cleaning staff to clean up the mess. So, a group of parents volunteered to come in at the weekend and help.
Hedges and shrubs were planted along the footpaths and, in January, families brought in their Christmas trees which were planted in the school grounds. Nowadays, there's a small forest in the lower part of the school, which helps to create a sound barrier, blocking out the noise from the nearby motorway.
St. Patrick’s finally had its own facilities.
This building was designed to be big enough to offer education at all levels, right up to pre-university, with two streams.
Since the eighties, or renovation work has been carried out in the summer, minimising the impact on everyday school life, giving us the building we have today.