Incredible Years in Schools - an update by Breege Breheny (Incredible Years Schools Co-ordinator)
I took up the post of Incredible Years Schools Co-ordinator with youngballymun in association with Drumcondra Education Centre in September 2008. The role of the Schools Co-ordinator is to co-ordinate the delivery of the school based aspect of the Incredible Years Programme, to build whole school ownership of Incredible Years and to support the engagement of parents in the Incredible Years Basic Parenting Programme. I work closely with schools, with the Incredible Years Parent Group Leaders from CAFTA and with two School Completion Programmes: Ballymun Educational Support Team (BEST) and Whitehall School Completion Programme.
During 2008/2009 Virgin Mary Boys and Girls Schools, St. Joseph’s Junior School and Holy Spirit Boys School were very busy developing Incredible Years in their schools!; running Dina School Programmes for Junior and Senior Infant classes, giving information to parents, getting Incredible Years posters and displays up in the schools, attending training - not to mention the numerous planning and review meetings! Incredible Years will be even more to the fore in these schools in 2009/2010 with eight Dina School Programmes for Junior and Senior Infants being delivered across the four schools.
I want to take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to Gaelscoil Bhaile Munna and St. Joseph’s Senior School who joined Incredible Years in September 2009. Gaelscoil Bhaile Munna has gotten off to a flying start with a Dina School Programme running on Wednesday afternoons and in November a Junior Infant Teacher will travel to Wales for a three day Incredible Years training course. St. Joseph’s Senior School has also demonstrated their commitment to Incredible Years as two teachers completed a five day Incredible Years Training Programme during the summer holidays.
To date 37 school staff in Ballymun schools have trained in at least one aspect of Incredible Years and lists are being drawn up of those who will avail of training in 2009/2010.
Well done and best wishes to all the incredibly dedicated staff in the six Incredible Years Schools.
