Special needs assistants conference for Kilkenny [advertiser.ie]
- Published: 06 May 2011
SNAs working in primary and secondary schools all over Ireland will gather in Kilkenny on May 14, for the annual conference of the special needs assistants group. The conference will take place in Hotel Kilkenny and the theme of this year’s conference is “Creative Learning in Special Education”.
The line up of speakers and topics is dazzling and is expected to be of great interest to SNAs, teachers, and parents of children with special educational needs and ASD. Of particular interest is the appearance of world renowned expert on multi sensory education, Flo Longhorn.
Longhorn presentation is entitled “Whizz, Bang, Glow, the Wow Factor in engaging any child!” Flo Longhorn has worked in the area of special and multisensory education for more than 40 years and brings a wealth of experience, resources, and common sense to her master classes.
Also included in the line-up is Hannah McDonnell. As a professional actor McDonnell is the artistic director of Seesaw Theatre Company and she designs and facilitates specialised drama workshops for artists with a range of physical and learning disabilities.
Full Story: www.advertiser.ie
Phoebe bullies 'not mean girls' [Independent.ie]
- Published: 06 May 2011
THREE American teenage girls admitted yesterday they participated in the bullying of a 15-year-old girl from Ireland who later committed suicide, with one of the girl's lawyers complaining they had been unfairly demonised as "mean girls".
Sharon Chanon Velazquez (17), Flannery Mullins (18), and Ashley Longe (18), were sentenced to various terms of probation after they admitted to charges in the bullying of Phoebe Prince, a freshman at South Hadley High School in Massachusetts who hanged herself in January 2010.
Prosecutors said Phoebe, who had recently emigrated from Ireland, was hounded by five teens after she briefly dated two boys.
Under a plea deal approved by Phoebe's family, prosecutors agreed to dismiss more serious charges against them.
Velazquez admitted to sufficient facts on a criminal harassment charge, Mullins admitted to a civil rights violation of Phoebe and disturbing a school assembly, while Longe admitted a misdemeanour of criminal harassment and will be on probation until her 19th birthday.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Third-level principals asked to give opinions on education reforms [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 05 May 2011
Third-level principals have been asked to give their views on reforms of the education system in Ireland.
The Irish Times has reported that college heads have been asked to come forward with proposals on changes to the Central Applications Office system by the beginning of September 2011.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has revealed that he plans to make a series of changes in secondary schools, such as reforming the Leaving Certificate system and altering college admission rules.
Last month, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment rejected proposals to change the Leaving Certificate examinations, saying they are too out of date having waited six years for the Department of Education to implement them.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
New CEO for NEWB [educationmatters.ie]
- Published: 05 May 2011
Other positions held by her include:
- National Coordinator of the Early School Leaver Initiative and Assistant National Coordinator of the Leadership Development Service (LDS) with responsibility for social inclusion;
- Principal at St. Leo’s College, Carlow;
- Associate with Leadership Development Service (LDS) both in facilitating in-service for newly appointed Principals and Deputy Principals, and lecturing and tutoring on the Post-Graduate Diploma in Educational Leadership with NUI Maynooth/LDS.
“Clare is committed to educational disadvantage and has a thorough knowledge of current service initiatives. She holds the view that enduring change can only be created through meaningful and respectful collaboration with school communities, families and with the child," NEWB Chairperson Cathal Flynn said.
Full Story: www.educationmatters.ie
Hope of school transport reprieve [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 05 May 2011
FAMILIES who fear their children will not be eligible for transport to the same primary school as their older siblings from next year could be offered a reprieve as the effects of the rule change are being reviewed.
Bus Éireann is analysing the numbers of schools and families likely to be affected by the planned restriction on school bus eligibility, Minister of State for Research and Innovation Sean Sherlock said.
The changes to the closed school rule (CSR) are due to take effect in September 2012 for children starting at dozens of schools which were formed by the amalgamation of hundreds of rural primary schools which closed in the 1960s and 1970s.
They will only be entitled to travel on the school bus to these schools, where brothers and sisters may already be attending, if it is their nearest school and they live at least 3.2 kilometres away.
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
