Board of Management Members September 2022

I was happy to be nominated as a candidate for the election to serve as a parent representative on the school’s Board of Management as I previously held this position for 4 years on my children’s primary school’s board. I enjoyed that experience and I believe the projects we undertook during that time were very beneficial to the school, and also to the locality on a whole.

I believe in the Ethos of St Louis and I have experienced that the BOM play an important role in assisting the principal with decisions which help to achieve those goals. Most importantly the contribution from the parent of children attending the school provides a platform for views and concerns which may not previously have been raised. My day to day job requires that I be open minded, and so I see myself as approachable and I would be happy and available to help in any way possible with raising concerns, at board level, that parents might bring to my attention.

I worked in this position for the last 14 years of my career, with responsibility for managing several service areas and teams of staff, managing development projects, recruitment of staff and negotiation with unions.
I am involved in a number of community and parish activities.

I am a leader with the local Girl Guiding units in Kilkerley for the last 7 years. This involves engaging girls from the age of 5 to 14 in the guiding programmes and activities specific to ladybirds, brownies and guides, giving them confidence as individuals and building relationships with others, learning basic life skills, STEM activities and activities relating to International Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This involves outdoor camping, weekends in the brownie cottage, fund raising activities for charity, and most recently hosting a district event for the Irish Girl Guides international camp ‘Octagon’. This was attended by 50 Brownies, Girl Guides and Senior Branch girls from Knockbridge, Kilkerley and Louth Village units.

I have been patron nominee on the local national school Board of Management for the last 8 years and am currently in my second term as chairperson. I have learned much about the management of schools in line with Department of Education and Skills regulations, guidance and circulars. I supported and worked with the principal and school staff in making the numerous changes to comply with Covid 19 national guidance.

I have been involved in parish voluntary work for a number of years, including the children’s liturgy group, parish baptism team and the parish pastoral council. Currently I am chair of the parish pastoral council which included coordination of Covid 19 compliance in the local churches.