{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Leading for Impact with IPPN","title":"The Reality No One Tells You About Opening Schools","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1619,"description":"Gemma Maher failed her Leaving Cert once but found her way to teaching through Colraine and Glasgow University. Now she's principal of Rathcoole Educate Together National School, which opened in September 2020 without having any building keys until the night before.\nGemma champions genuine inclusion through relationships, every staff member knows every child's name, story, and family. The autism class is integral to school life, not isolated in a separate wing. As a parent of an autistic son thriving in mainstream education, she understands how crucial skilled SNAs are, calling them the \"golden ticket\" to inclusion.\nTeachers will learn practical approaches to building inclusive school culture, supporting diverse needs through relationships rather than separation, and why Gemma advocates loudly that the teaching principal role for new schools is \"unsustainable, unmanageable, and unfair\".\nTHINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT\n Relationships and how staff knowing kids, families and each other enables inclusion\n Opening a school during COVID without keys night before\nHow September 30 numbers penalise growth unfairly\nSNAs are golden ticket to inclusion\n SIMS project is excellent but needs funding and training\nGUEST DETAILS\nGemma Maher is the founding principal of Rathcoole Educate Together National School in West Dublin, which opened in September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. \nAfter starting at Catherine McAuley dyslexia school, she spent 14 years at St. Catherine's working in specialist classes and becoming AP2 and Acting Deputy under principals April Cronan and Karen Jordan, where she participated in the SIMS (School Inclusion Model) project that influences her current practice. \nMORE INFORMATION\nIPPN is the officially-recognised, professional network for leaders of Irish primary schools. It is an independent, not-for-profit, voluntary association, with a local, regional and national presence.\nIt provides practical resources, professional learning, and peer support to...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/aJi42R4jdQBofPBLmW-b33-JKAUvRVBOY-VGg9-Wf_8/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9jZGUw/NjJmNjExYWFlODZm/OWNiYjQ0MzQyYjZi/OTE1ZC5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}