Governance and management

College of Teachers 

The College of Teachers is the group which takes responsibility for teaching and learning in the school. It consists of staff who commit to managing and developing the school’s programmes. It meets weekly in school during term time, and periodically during school holidays.

Current members:

• Alan Dickey
• Cormac Griffith
• Caroline Kelly
• Jo Kramers
• Larissa Manley
• Angela Welbourne

Management Group

The Management Group takes responsibility for financial and legal aspects of the school. It is made up of parents, staff, former parents, and friends of the school. These people commit to oversight of how our programmes are managed and costed, oversight of all regulatory matters, and a responsibility for the long-term stability and development of the school.

The group meets at least once per half-term, currently using Zoom.

Current members:

• Prof. Judi Pettigrew (Chair, Former Parent, Professor UL)
• Caroline Kelly(Chair College of Teachers)
• Alan Dickey (School Administration)    
• Nell Smyth (Former Teacher, Staff Mentor)   
• Tristan Lienhard (Parent Rep.)
• Conny Seidel (Parent Rep.)
• Helen Hayes (Director of Ard Aoibhinn Community Initiatives CLG)

Ard Aoibhinn Community Initiatives

Ard Aoibhinn Community Initiatives is a company limited by guarantee, with charitable status. established in 2003 as the legal arm of The ALFA Project, as the school was called then. It has since evolved as an umbrella organisation for other like-minded local social enterprises - Camphill Community Mountshannon, Fishbowl Youth, and most recently SWIM Teacher Training.

It takes responsibility for all regulatory requirements for the activities under its aegis, principally the Annual Returns (including audited accounts) to the Companies Registration Office and the Charities Regulator, and the formal compliance with the new Charities Governance Code.

Current directors are:

• Paul Murray (Chair)  
• Pearse O’Shiel  
• Helen Hayes    
• Ella Simons
• Colette Doris

One director of AACI represents the school at the Directors’ Meetings and is a member of the Management Group - currently Helen Hayes.

C.L.G Registration no. 352829        Charity no. 14535 

Alternative Education Assessment & Registration Service

The Alternative Education Assessment & Registration Service (AEARS) is a section of The Child and Family Agency (Tusla).

AEARS is the state agency which accepts our registered enrolments and periodically assesses the quality of our educational provision.