Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) is delighted to announce the appointment of Ms. Katie Callaghan, as Principal at Cara Community Special School, Enfield, Co. Meath.

Cara Community Special School, Enfield, Co. Meath is a Community Special School which will open in the 2024/2025 academic year under the patronage of LMETB. Cara Community Special School will provide an appropriate education for students, aged 4 to 18 years old, who have a diagnosis of Autism and complex learning needs, with a professional recommendation for a Special School placement.

Katie holds a Bachelor of Education Degree from Mary Immaculate College Limerick and a Masters in Autism from Queens University Belfast. She joins Cara Community Special School from Scoil an Linbh Iosa, Ballycane, Naas, Co. Kildare where she has worked as a Mainstream Class Teacher, a Special Education Teacher and led the development and opening of the first Special Class for students with autism at the school.

From 2019 to 2023 Katie has worked at a National Level as an Autism Advisor for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). As part of her responsibilities with the NCSE, Katie has worked with management teams and staff across the country and has been responsible for facilitating training on innovative approaches to supporting students with Autism in teaching, learning and assessment.

Katie has also facilitated delivery of training for school leadership teams and teachers on the Department of Education Autism Good Practice Guidance for Schools which has been developed by the Department of Education as a resource for schools and others to help support the wellbeing, learning and participation of young people with autism in education.

Bringing a wealth of experience to the post, Katie recognises the great importance of working with all staff, parents, pupils/students and various agencies in planning, delivering and reviewing supports for all pupils and students to access curricular, co-curricular and extra–curricular activities. Katie has enjoyed very positive relations with her colleagues in the Department of Education, NCSE, the National Educational Psychological Service of the Department of Education (NEPS), TESS TUSLA, the HSE and the Middleton Centre forAutism in Armagh to name but a few and Katie looks forward to ongoing communication and engagement with all in her new role.

At present Katie is working closely with LMETB’s Director of Schools, Fiona Kindlon in planning for the start – up of the new school. The main focus of planning at present is centred around engagement with parents/guardians of the students enrolled in Cara Community Special School for the 2024/2025 academic year, engagement with the NCSE, recruitment and induction of school staff, transfer and transition programme for pupils/students to their new school, school buildings and facilities development and policy formulation.

As a Principal within the LMETB Schools Directorate, Katie will also have the collegial support of the Senior Management teams in LMETB’s four Community National Schools, eighteen Post Primary schools, three PLC colleges and the Centre for European Schooling in Dunshaughlin.

LMETB schools receive considerable support, guidance and direction from the Director of Schools, Ms. Fiona Kindlon and within the Organisation, Support and Development Directorate, LMETB Schools and Colleges avail of a range of supports including Human Resources, Buildings, ICT, Finance and Corporate and Education Services. This network of support at Head Office level supports the work of the LMETB Board in ensuring that all LMETB schools/colleges/centres are compliant in the areas of Corporate Governance. Katie looks forward to engaging with personnel in these sections of LMETB over the coming weeks as she plans for transition to her new leadership role within LMETB.

Further information on Cara Community Special School, Enfield, Co. Meath is available by emailing schoolsdirectorate@lmetb.ie

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