IPPN

Published: 25 January 2024

Eileen is Administrative Principal of Tullyallen NS, Drogheda. She has an MEd and a Higher Diploma (Education and Law). The following are excerpts from her nomination form:

IPPN membership has been pivotal to my growth and development towards becoming a school leader and mentor.

My investment in IPPN at local and National Council level is founded on the belief that school leaders are best placed to support each other daily. I am a true advocate of empowering others and developing leadership capacity. Relationships with my colleagues are ones of mutual respect and trust, highlighted by the high level of professionalism and staff engagement in school life.

My particular interests as a school leader are:

• Special Education
• Collaborative Leadership & Communities of Practice
• Sustainable School Leadership through Distributed & Transformative Models
• Creativity in Curriculum Development
• Promotion of Pupil Participation and Voice
• CPD

Published: 05 October 2023

The following are the provisions from IPPN Constitutiion which governs the way our City/County Networks & National Council operates: 

City/County Networks

All principals and deputy principals of primary schools (including acting Principals and acting Deputy Principals) shall be eligible to become full members of The Company and participate in the relevant City/County Network.

The membership of The Company shall be divided into Networks, based on the boundaries of the thirty-one City, County and City and County Councils, and each member will belong to the Network determined by the City/County in which the school, where the member is employed, is situated.

Each City/County Network (CN) shall facilitate the formation of Local Support Groups (LSGs) in co-operation with other relevant bodies, to support the members within their City/County Network.

Each City/County Network shall elect three nominees to the National Council to serve for a three-year term. A Council Member may serve for a maximum of two, three-year terms in their lifetime. Each nominee will be elected to one of the Committees of the Council.

Each Network may elect a City/County Network Committee (CNC), to fulfil the aims and functions of The Company, in their respective City/County Network. CNCs shall operate within the Byelaws set by the Board from time to time.

Voting for National Council nominees and any positions on a City/County Network Committee shall be in accordance with IPPN’s Electoral Bye-laws.

An Annual Meeting of each City/County Network will be held during the first school term in each year, no later than by October 22nd, at which only full members, who have paid their annual subscription, shall be eligible and entitled to attend and vote. The Board and/or the Support Office will be represented at every annual meeting. Where a CNC has been elected, it will report to the Annual Meeting.

Vacancies among the nominees to National Council or on a City/County Network Committee occurring during the course of any term shall be filled by candidates in the reverse order in which they were eliminated during the original election. Where there were no other, or insufficient candidates, the position(s) will remain unfilled until the next Annual Meeting.

National Council

The National Council (NC) shall consist of three elected nominees from each City/County Network.

The responsibilities of each National Council member shall be to:

1. ensure effective two-way communication between the National Council and the City/County Networks and Local Support Groups
2. represent the key professional issues, concerns and needs of the member’s City/County Network to the Board, National Council and its Committees and Working Groups
3. assist the Board of Directors and National Council in developing The Company policy by active participation in the Committee to which they were elected and any Working Groups which might be established.
4. attend the Annual General Meeting of the Company

The National Council shall meet at least once during each school term to a schedule agreed by the Board in advance of each calendar year. Proposals for the agenda of any meeting shall be forwarded to a nominee of The Chief Executive Officer, not less than two weeks prior to such meeting. Seven days written notice of the agenda of each National Council meeting will be sent to each member.

Additional meetings of the National Council may be called at any time by the President, the Board or by 25% of members of the National Council. Where a meeting is called by the President or the Board, at least seven days’ notice of the agenda for any such meeting will be given to each member. Where the meeting is requested by at least 25% of the members the CEO in consultation with the Board shall set a date for the meeting no later than 28 days after receipt of the written request and at least seven days’ notice of the agenda for any such meeting will be given to each member.

Each City/County Network nominee shall have a vote at a National Council meeting in accordance with IPPN Electoral Bye-Laws

A quorum of 50% of Council members plus one shall apply to meetings of National Council and its Committees and Working Group meetings.

All decisions requiring Council ratification, as determined by the Board of Directors, except elections, shall be decided by a simple majority of Council representatives present and eligible to vote. Elections shall be in accordance with IPPN’s Electoral Bye-Laws.

A member of the National Council who is absent without valid reason for two consecutive meetings of the National Council or of any committee or working group of which they are a member will forfeit his/her membership of National Council or the committee or working group.

Published: 09 December 2021

Catríona is a native of Killeevan in Co Monaghan. She attended the local primary school Killeevan NS where her mother taught and was Principal of. She was educated at St Louis Secondary School Monaghan and from there went to The University of Liverpool to do her B.Ed. degree and become a primary teacher. Her mother also attended this College to train as a teacher.

Her first job when she started off her career was in Granshá NS in Co Monaghan, the school her father went to as a young boy. After various short term subbing she got a permanent teaching position in St Fiach’s NS Ballinacree, Co Meath, a school she would remain in for nearly 18years, being deputy principal for 15 of those years. Catríona excelled at Sports, Music and Drama with the pupils of Ballinacree providing numerous School football Cumann Na mBunscol titles in boys and girls football. She was also the producer of many wonderful school Plays and Concerts over the years as well as establishing a strong school choir for the many school sacramental occasions and parish Masses.

Catríóna fostered this love of Drama and theatre by completing her Master’s Degree in Drama and Education from Queens University Belfast in 2006.

Catríona became Principal of St Michael’s NS, Clifferna Co Cavan in 2013. Clifferna is a small rural school nestling in the rolling green hills of Co Cavan. It is a small rural school where school and parish communities’ work together to benefit all involved. Catríona loves being a teaching Principal and although there are many difficulties and balancing acts to maintaining the two jobs, Catríona still loves teaching and seeing the pupils her in classes and school grow into mature, well-educated young adults with a strong work ethic and a strong sense of community spirit, coming from an area that they are proud of. The staff of the school work collectively to ensure that there is a high level of education and teaching and learning in their school. They always report that it is lovely to meet past pupils of the school who will always stand and have a chat, and everyone who is a visitor to the school comments on the strong sense of togetherness of the staff group, who all work extremely well and hard together.

Catríona is also Chairperson of the Cavan Cumann Na mBunscol and a member of the Cavan County Board. Her love of Monaghan football has never dwindled but she is very committed to schools football and youth development in Co Cavan. Her husband Noel is an avid Cavan football fan, and so when both Monaghan and Cavan meet Catríona and Noel prefer to sit in separate stands with their respective county allegiances. Catríona and Noel have two children, Dara agus Muireann who attend secondary school in Breifne College Cavan. Both are huge Cavan fans. Dara plays his club football with Killygarry GAA and Muireann swopped the football for a tennis ball and is a keen player with Cavan Lawn Tennis Club.

Catríona is a mentor with CSL for newly appointed Principals, and is also training with CSL/IPPN to become a facilitator for Principal Support Networks. She has been the Cavan representative for the National Committee for IPPN since 2015, a role she enjoys immensely, and has been voted onto the Board of Directors for IPPN.

Published: 09 December 2021

Linda is from Rathcoole in North County Cork. Linda is the Administrative Principal of Scoil Íosagáin Infant NS in Mallow - one of only 12 such schools in Ireland.

Following her graduation from Mary Immaculate College Linda spent 6 years in Sacred Heart NS, Dublin 22. In 2012 she returned to Cork and was appointed as Teaching Principal of Hollymount NS, Rathmore. In 2017 she was appointed to her current position in Scoil Íosagáin Infant NS. She has overseen the application for, and opening of special classes, and the building projects they require. Helping the school community navigate these changes to culture and encouraging staff in their professional development, enhanced her own leadership and management skills.

Linda holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Management, a Masters in School Leadership and a Postgraduate Diploma in Special Education (ASD). She is currently studying towards a PhD in Education with UCC on the topic of ‘Inclusionary Leadership: A Qualitative Study of Principals’ Experiences, Practices and Perceptions of Leading Autism classes in Irish Primary Schools'. She has worked with both NIPT and PDST. She is a Tutor on the PDSL course and an adjunct Tutor with Hibernia College

Linda has been an active member of IPPN since taking up the role of Principal. She is currently coordinator of her local principal support group. Linda has assisted in the set-up of the first local Deputy Principal support group and is a member of Cork county committee. Linda is a trained and active CSL mentor. She is a management committee member of Cork Education Support Centre.

Linda has been campaigning to bring DEIS status to Mallow. She is very interested in equality access to education which leads to her interests in DEIS, Autism, Female Leadership and Sustainable long-term senior leadership.

Linda credits her experienced Deputy Principal, professional ISM team and staff with sharing her vision and making the growth of the school a success.