Governance & Ethos

How The School Is Run

Patronage

Raheen Wood Community National School is established under the patronage of Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board and is funded by the Department of Education and Skills.

Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board recognises the ever-changing nature and needs of its local community.  It is committed to responding to these needs by continuously reviewing and adapting its policies and practices, and ensuring the delivery of quality learning programmes and support services.

Chief Executive: George O’ Callaghan
Click Here for more information regarding the Limerick and Clare Education & Training Board.

Board of Management

The school is managed by the Board of Management. This is made up of eight people drawn from the parent community, the greater community (local business or community organisations), the school principal and one other teacher. Where possible we have a female and male nominee from each of these bodies.

The Board members meet once a month and are responsible for dealing with all legal and statutory matters and those concerning the school’s relationship with official bodies such as the Department of Education and the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship (SWSF). If parents have questions, comments or requests for ‘the school’, this is where they should be directed.

The current Board of Management members are:

Pearse O’Shiel, Chairperson

Alan Tuohy, School Principal and Secretary to the Board

Brian Kenney, Teacher Nominee

Monica Hannaford, Lifeways Nominee

Tomas Blodau, Parent Nominee

Emer Watson, Parent Nominee

Jennifer Skillen, Community Nominee

Terry Twomey, Community Nominee

The College of Teachers

As well as having a Board of Management and a Principal; Steiner Schools have a very active ‘College of Teachers’ (CoT). The CoT is made up of staff members who have usually been at the school for more than a year and who are able to make a deeper commitment to, and take shared responsibility for, the day to day running of the school. The College of Teachers is also responsible for all pedagogical decisions and directions that the school takes.

Pedagogical Meetings

Kindergarten staff and School staff have meetings once a week after the College of Teachers meeting. The purpose of Pedagogical meetings is the ongoing development of our work with the children.

School Support Teams

Some of the work of running the school is delegated by the College to smaller groups and individuals, as needed, for example, fundraising, publicity & communications, craft, social and outreach, maintenance and premises. Each group is made up of parents and sometimes friends of the school. Where necessary, professionals are engaged, for example, accountants and solicitors, but otherwise, these tasks are unpaid.

The Parent Association

The Parent Association provides a structure through which the parents/guardians of children attending Raheen Wood Community National School can work together for the best possible education for their children. The parent association works with the school principal, College of Teachers, Board of Management and the Department of Education and Skills in order to achieve this aim.

The Parent Association also enables parents to play their part in ensuring the best possible education for their children through the programme of activities arranged by the association, such as; Health (e.g. head lice), Advent Fair, Class Representatives, Public Relations, Website (design and maintenance), New Parents and the Craft Group.