Caroline Quinn
Caroline Quinn has been in the teaching profession for 41 years and is a recently retired Principal at Our Lady of Good Counsel GNS in Johnstown, Killiney 2006-2022. This mainstream school has 450 pupils and three classes for ASD pupils since 2011.

Caroline served on the national Primary Curriculum Support Team 1999-2003 providing in-service training to schools on several aspects of the Primary Curriculum. She served as Lecturer in Education in the Marino Institute of Education in the areas of Literacy and Drama Education from 2003-2006, and is currently working there part-time. Caroline has delivered in-service in Austria and Luxembourg, through her work as Co-Ordinator at local and national level with the “Write-a-Book” Project.

Caroline has been a member of the IPPN National Council and is currently serving on the IPPN Leadership Support Team, with a particular interest in inclusive and special education in primary schools.
Caroline is a member of the Executive Committee of the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education since 2015 and served as Chairperson 2020-2021.

Kathryn Corbett
Kathryn is principal of Bishop Galvin NS, a large senior primary school in Templeogue, Dublin. Originally from Timahoe, Co. Laois, she graduated from St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra in 1999, beginning her teaching career in Bishop Galvin NS.

Whilst seconded to the National Induction Programme for Teachers as a Regional Development Officer, Kathryn was part of a small team that oversaw a small-scale pilot project, transform into a national programme, supporting over 2,000 NQTs each year. She visited and worked with hundreds of schools to train and support principals and mentors, to induct new teachers into both the profession, and into their school.

In 2014, Kathryn was appointed as Professional Learning Officer in the Teaching Council. As a member of the senior management team, this role mainly involved working in the process of policy development across the continuum of teacher education (initial teacher education, induction and continuing professional development).

Kathryn completed her M.Ed with Maynooth Univesity, with research focusing on mentoring and induction. In 2020, she was awarded a PhD from Limerick University, with her research on teachers’ learning. She also has a Diploma in Counselling Skills, which has been invaluable in supporting colleagues, and developing leadership capacity in others. She has designed and facilitated workshops (face to face and online) on a range of topics for many organisations, including Teaching Council, IPPN, St. Nicholas Montessori, Rahoo.ie and Froebel College.

Catherine Carragher
To be provided 

Exhibitor_info

David is a former school principal and recent past president of IPPN. He has written the ‘Legal Diary’ for Leadership+ for the last 20 years.

David works with the Education Team of Mason Hayes & Curran LLP (MHC) as an adviser and training consultant for schools. David offers individual schools training in areas such as Behaviours of Concern, Codes of Behaviour, Anti Bullying and Data Protection. He also reviews compliance policies.

David will be joined by the MHC Education Team, to include Catherine Kelly, Liam Riordan, Lorcan Maule and Fiona Shiel. We will discuss the latest up to date case law and will give you useful pointers to help you navigate your way through challenging scenarios.

The MHC Education Team has amassed a wealth of knowledge over many years advising school leaders and Board of Managements. They have represented schools in most of the high-profile cases in the Workplace Relations Commission, Circuit and High Courts. The Team is renowned for offering practical solution-based advice. Above all the Team understands the demands and pressures that school leaders encounter on a regular basis.

DOWNLOAD New IPPN Events App today

As part of our commitment to becoming a more sustainable organisation and to increase efficiency and management of Conference and Expo, IPPN is excited to announce the development of our Events App which will be used for all future events. This app can be downloaded from your AppStore.

Details included in the app will replace previously printed material such as individual schedules, maps, exhibitor guide etc. Additionally it includes a ‘Social Wall’ section which will enable you to contact other attendees. We encourage all members to download the app now and familiarise yourself with the content.

Dr Katriona O’Sullivan is Lecture of Digital Skills in the ALL (Assisting Living & Learning) Institute, Department of Psychology, Maynooth University. She holds research grants from the Irish Research Council and Science Foundation Ireland to examine issues relating to digital equality and equity education.

Katriona was research fellow in Trinity College Dublin and with Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford where she developed the programme of research which informed the development of the first foundation year in Oxford University. She has been invited speaker at the World Education Forum and the European Gender Action Workshop on Women and Digitalization.

Katriona has worked closely with Irish policy makers to develop policies around education and inclusion. She has published research on equality, gender, education, inclusion and STEM. She is a research lead with Microsoft Ireland.

Sponsored by 

Seminar Synopsis

As a busy school Principal, you manage a wide range of areas in your school. While ICT and technical support are important areas, they are still just one of the many priorities under your responsibility. Given the range of ICT options from different companies, and the wide range of views from ‘experts’, it can be difficult to determine how to select, procure, deploy and maintain ICT to support teaching and learning in your school. The whole process can be demanding, time-consuming and stressful.

This seminar will focus on practical ways of assisting you as a school principal to review the areas of ICT infrastructure and technical support, provide clarity and advice in a number of key areas, and hopefully reduce the amount of time and stress involved in managing these areas in your school.

Seminar attendees will also have an opportunity to take our 'ICT Infrastructure Stress Test'.

About Deirdre 
Deirdre is Project Officer for ICT Infrastructure with PDST Technology in Education, where she provides information and advice on how fit-for-purpose ICT’s can improve schools’ ICT infrastructure / whole-school planning to support teaching and learning. This includes a wide range of technologies such as computing devices, presentation technologies, networking solutions - including Wi-Fi, servers, cloud-based applications, printing, technical support advice and other technologies relevant to schools. Deirdre worked for many years in a number of multi-national organisations, providing technical support and in IS administration roles. She subsequently worked in both primary and post-primary schools as an ICT co-ordinator as well as working as an ICT Advisor for the Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools.

About Tom  
Tom is National Coordinator for Technology Integration in PDST Technology in Education, www.pdsttechnologyineducation.ie, and previously in the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE). Tom has worked in a number of technical roles in Ireland, Canada, and the UK. He provides advice and support to schools on ICT infrastructure and technical support to help achieve improved learning outcomes. He also works on the Schools Broadband Programme in collaboration with the DES and HEAnet.

Seminar Synopsis 

The aim of this presentation is help schools compile a student support plan (SSP) for a pupil with HFA. It will include information on assessments, social skills development; learning style; NEPS problem solving process to include of a pupil with HFA in the mainstream class, and much more.

About Dr. Dunleavy

Dr Michele Dunleavy BA, PGCE (UK), PGD (Trinity), PGD (UK), M.St (SEN), D.Ed. (SEN)

Michele has a number of years’ experience teaching in a primary, special class and special school setting. Michele was seconded as an Advisor to the special education support service (SESS) .Michele also worked as a part-time and Guest lecturer in a number of College including NUIG, UCC, and Trinity College Dublin.
Michele now works as a Lecturer in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick where she lectures on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Additionally, she supervises undergraduate dissertations and Masters and Doctoral Theses.

Michele has a particular interest in autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and inclusion. She completed her Masters and Doctoral research in these areas. Michele has presented at many International ad National conferences on the topic of ASD and inclusion and continues to conduct research in the area of special education.
Michele is also a member of the National Executive Committee of the Irish Learning Support Association (ILSA) holding many positions including that of Chairperson.

Principals' Conference 2023 

Leading with Purpose 

INEC Arena Killarney 

DRAFT Schedule 

(please note this is subject to change)

Registration & Further Assistance