SESS Staff Profiles

About SESS [1]

	Joan Crowley O'Sullivan Director Joan Crowley O’Sullivan is seconded from Our Lady’s Abbey, Adare, Co. Limerick, where she was a shared learning support teacher amongst four schools. She was a trainer with the Primary Curriculum Support Programme and was subsequently appointed as Assistant National Co-Ordinator with specific responsibility for English and Learning Support. She has had continuous involvement in the design and delivery of professional development and support initiatives at regional and national level.
	Madeline Hickey Deputy Director Madeline is a Teacher of the Deaf and is currently on secondment from St. Mary’s School for Deaf Girls, Cabra. Madeline is a post-primary teacher in Mathematics and Science and has developed a keen interest in the possibilities of using ICT in Education. She joined the SESS as an associate in 2004. She was subsequently appointed an Assistant National Co-Ordinator in 2005 and a Deputy Director in 2008. Madeline is currently involved in the design and delivery of courses to teachers of deaf students at primary and post-primary level.
	Séan Ó Leary Deputy Director Sean is seconded from St. Caimin's Community School, Shannon, Co. Clare where he has taught mathematics, science and biology to mainstream classes, which included students with a wide range of learning disabilities. He is interested in the use of ICT to create differentiated lessons. Sean writes regularly on differentiation and has created a differentiated resource pack for science teachers, which includes PowerPoint presentations, worksheets, lesson plans and practical tips for differentiating lessons.
	Ann Marie Byrne Assistant National Co-Ordinator Ann Marie Byrne is on secondment from St. Brendan’s National School, Sligo where she worked as a resource teacher. She has been involved in special education since the start of her teaching career and has worked in a variety of special educational settings where she has taught students with a wide range of learning needs. Ann Marie joined the SESS in September 2004 as an Associate member of the Dyslexia team.
	Tom Daly Assistant National Co-Ordinator Prior to joining the SESS in 2006, Tom co-ordinated a range of initiatives in the areas of inclusion and ICTs and he has researched and published in these fields over a number of years. He is also interested in professional development and the leadership of change. He has conducted doctoral research on inclusion, school culture and the mediation of values-related change effort in Irish post-primary achools. Tom is on secondment from Boherbue Comprehensive School in Co. Cork.
	Mary Downey Assistant National Co-Ordinator Mary Downey joined the SESS in 2006 and originally worked on the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Team as Associate and Advisor. She is seconded from St. Columba’s Boys NS, Douglas, Cork, where she worked as a teacher in a unit for children with ASD, as part of the mainstream school. As well as working in a special class, Mary has also worked as a mainstream teacher in inner city Boston; in Long Island, New York; and in St. Columba’s Girls’ Primary School, Douglas, Cork, where she began her career as a teacher. Mary has been working in the area of ASD in Ireland since 2001.
	Ailbhe Dunne Assistant National Co-Ordinator Ailbhe is seconded from St. Bernadette’s Special School in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. She has taught in a variety of educational settings and has worked with children from 4-18 years of age. Before joining the SESS in 2008, Ailbhe worked in St. Angela’s College of Education in Sligo where she was involved in the design and delivery of the SEN programmes. Having taught children with a wide range of learning difficulties, Ailbhe has a particular interest in the area of communication and social skills to include, Challenging Behaviour, Specific Speech and Language Disorder and ASD.
	Siobhán Kingston Assistant National Co-Ordinator Siobhán is seconded from St Gabriel’s Special School, Bishopstown, Cork. She served as Deputy Principal in the school and taught pupils with Severe/ Profound General Learning Difficulties and Autistic Spectrum Disorder. During her teaching career, Siobhán has worked in a variety of educational settings and has been working in the area of ASD for the last ten years. She joined the SESS in September 2006 as an Associate and was appointed Assistant National Co-coordinator in 2008. In collaboration with the NCTE and the Education Centres, Siobhán has delivered courses relating to the use of ICT in Special Education based on her experience of both Classroom and Administrative applications of ICT in schools.
	Nora O' Connor Assistant National Co-Ordinator Nora is seconded from St. Mary’s Secondary School, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, where she enjoyed working as a mainstream home economics teacher, learning support teacher and co-ordinator of Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA). She then worked as a regional dev. officer for the LCA and Second Level Support Service (SLSS) and for the past three years has worked in Mary Immaculate College of Education as an assistant co-ordinator of the Post Graduate/Masters in Learning Support.
	Marie Boyle Advisor Marie is seconded from St. Patrick’s Senior National School, Skerries, Co. Dublin. She worked initially as a mainstream teacher before moving into the area of special education. She supported pupils both as a Leaning Support Teacher and a Resource Teacher. Marie was also the Special Education Support Co-ordinator in her school, prior to joining SESS as an Advisor. She has worked extensively with pupils with a range of special educational needs, including pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders. She has a keen interest in the area of literacy development and special education through her work with pupils with dyslexia.
	Michele Dunleavy Advisor Michele is on secondment from Scoil Muire agus Treasa, Swinford, Co. Mayo. Prior to joining the SESS as an Advisor, Michelle worked in both mainstream and special school settings. Her experience in a special class for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) has prompted her interest in students with ASDs and she continues to pursue this through her post-graduate studies in the field. Michelle had been actively involved in course design and presentation in special education at third-level.
	Helen Ginty Advisor Helen is seconded from Scoil Iosagain, Buncrana, Co. Donegal where she has taught students with a wide range of learning disabilities. Previously Helen worked in St. Angela’s College of Education, Sligo where she was involved in the design and delivery of courses such as the Higher Diploma in Special Educational Needs and the Certificate in Special Educational Needs for Special Needs Assistants. She is based in Letterkenny in Co. Donegal.
	Camilla Marks Advisor Camilla is on secondment from St. Josephs National School in Dundalk. Working with students with special educational needs both as a resource teacher and a mainstream class teacher, Camilla developed a particular interest in the area of behaviour. This interest motivated her to pursue formal studies in Applied Behaviour Analysis. Since joining SESS in 2008 Camilla is an SESS advisor (Behaviour). She is involved in the design and delivery of the SESS’ Contemporary Applied Behaviour Analysis course. In addition, she provides on-going support for teachers in the application of applied behaviour analysis as appropriate to their students needs.