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.

Published: 07 December 2021

As the professional body for school leaders, IPPN provides supports and services that empower those school leaders to be as effective as they can be in their role, as we know the transformational impact that effective school leadership has on schools. Similarly, IPPN’s advocacy role is to ensure that the optimum environment is created within the system that will allow school leaders to maintain their focus on their core purpose of leading teaching and learning in the particular context of their school. To inform this work, we establish priorities that form the basis of our strategic plan.

As we progress from a period that required the development of new ways of working in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and, as new leadership challenges emerge, we map out in the IPPN Strategic Priorities 2021-2025 publication IPPN’s strategic priorities and how we will seek to proactively meet the needs of primary school leaders over the next five years. Chief among these priorities is to look

in detail at what is required for the leadership role to be sustainable in every type and size of primary school.

This strategy was developed in consultation with IPPN members, our Board, staff and key stakeholders across the education sector. We are indebted to everyone who contributed to the process and we look forward to engaging with school leaders and with stakeholders in delivering on this plan.

Click here to view the IPPN Strategic Priorities 2021-2025

CONSULTATION
IPPN has undertaken a process of engagement to define our strategic priorities for the five-year period 2021-2025. Our approach included consultation with:
■ IPPN members, through 318 responses to our online survey;
■ IPPN staff and Board members, through 28 one-to-one interviews;
■ External stakeholders in the education sector, through 24 one- to-one interviews.

During this process, IPPN also facilitated design thinking workshops with IPPN staff, advisory groups and Board members. IPPN would like to thank its members, staff, Board members, advisors, and those external education stakeholders who contributed to defining our ambitious 5-year strategic priorities.

STRATEGIC PRIORITY AREAS
Five primary strategic priority areas were identified for IPPN for 2021- 2025 during this process:
1. Sustainable Leadership
2. Professional Learning for Leadership
3. Member Engagement
4. Communications
5. Governance.

OBJECTIVES FOR EACH OF THE KEY PRIORITIES

1. Sustainable Leadership - to build
a shared understanding of the role of school leadership and to support accessible pathways that enable aspiring and existing leaders to succeed in these roles.

Professional Learning for Leadership - to strengthen our facilitation of training, learning and continuing professional development - ensuring this is inclusive, relevant, and valued by members and staff.

2. Member Engagement - to provide all our members with access
to the resources, guidance and network required to support them in their roles as school leaders and, through this engagement, to attain insights that will inform IPPN’s future plans and maximise our impact.

3. Communications - to embed effective communication in
all aspects of IPPN’s work and to continue to improve
communication with our members, our staff and the wider education sector

4. Governance - to strengthen IPPN’s governance structures to ensure efficiency, transparency and accountability at all levels within the organisation.

IMPLEMENTATION
For each of the key priority areas outlined above, we have identified between four and six strategic actions, as well as metrics which define what success looks like. Measurement of progress against the plan is crucial so baseline data as well as interim and end-of-plan metrics will form part of the progress tracking and review processes.

IPPN recognises the importance of continuing to adopt new technologies and of embedding innovation in our work to assist in effectively communicating with and supporting our members and stakeholders. Utilisation of technology and innovation will underpin IPPN’s delivery within each of the five strategic priority areas identified.

The implementation of our strategic priorities will be led by the IPPN Support Office team and will be overseen by IPPN’s Board.

Published: 05 July 2021

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Published: 31 May 2021

Mentoring is available to all newly appointed Principals in their first and second years of leadership.

CSL organises and oversees One-to-One Mentoring during year 1 of the Newly Appointed Principal’s career.

IPPN organises and oversees Group Mentoring for all Principals in their second year of leadership. This is a formal mentoring relationship which commences in September and continues until June of the following year. The focus of Group Mentoring is to provide participants with a support network of principals, at the same stage of leadership, under the direction of a trained Group Mentor. IPPN recruits and trains the Group Mentors, who are all experienced principals.

Each Group Mentor is assigned a group of 4 to 8 Mentees, depending on the number of Mentees in a particular locality. The Groups meet 5 times per year and provide a safe and confidential space for members to discuss issues of particular concern to them. Additionally, Group Members often form a network of contacts to support them between meetings. Each Group organises their meetings at a time and place to suit the members. Where it may be impractical to organise all meetings as face-to-face meetings, some meetings may be organised online.

On completion of Group Mentoring, principals are encouraged to join a Local Support Group to continue establishing networks of support throughout their leadership careers.

For further information on availing of a one to one or group mentoring please email jackie.oreilly@ippn.ie