Staff

Whitecross NS Staff 2025 – 2026

The Whitecross N.S. Staff Team is a professional and motivated team of teachers, special needs assistants and ancillary staff, which includes our secretary, caretaker, bus escorts and afterschool staff.

As a team, we are committed to providing a nurturing environment, and stimulating and challenging learning experiences for our pupils.  We are also committed to continually learning and improving our professional practice.

  • Principal: Patrick Doran
  • Acting Deputy Principal: Sarah Jane Kirwan
  • Junior Infants: Ms. Smyth & Ms. McDonnell
  • Senior Infants: Ms. Lynch & Ms. B. Duffy
  • First Class: Mrs. Finnegan & Ms. Oates
  • Second Class: Ms. Dobson & Ms. Melia
  • Third Class: Mr. Morrissey & Ms. Moore
  • Fourth Class: Ms. Magee & Mrs. Ffrench
  • Fifth Class: Mr. O’Reilly & Mr. Hennelly
  • Sixth Class: Ms. Reynolds & Ms. Hamill
  • Rang Aisling: Ms. Murphy
  • Rang Sonas: Mrs. Bell
  • Rang Draíocht: Mr. Monaghan

SEN Team

The SEN Team comprises of a group of special education teachers who work in a variety of roles including Reading Recovery and teaching English as an Additional Language. Special education teachers provide additional teaching to children with special educational needs in a number of different ways including: assessing and recording the child’s needs and progress, and setting specific, time-related targets for each child and agreeing these with the class teacher and principal. They either teach children with the class (in-class support) or in a separate room (this can be individual support or as part of a group).  Parental permission is sought in advance of a special education teacher providing support.

  • Ms. Chambers
  • Mr. Roche
  • Ms. Kirwan
  • Ms. Stretton
  • Ms. Duffy
  • Ms. Crosse/Mr. Tobin

Special Needs Assistants (SNAs)

Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are school-based additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs such as assistance with feeding, toileting or medication. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills. SNAs are provided to schools on the basis of the overall profile of need.  Each SNA is assigned to work with multiple children.

  • Marita Durnin
  • Fiona McDonald
  • Christeen McCabe
  • Nicola Bull 
  • Olivia Lenehan
  • Louise Kelly
  • Paula Holland
  • Cathy Hennessey
  • John Conlon
  • Carlie O’Brien
  • Edel McCann

Secretary

  • Orla Tiernan

Caretaker

  • Maurice Heavey

Bus Escorts

  • Ellen Martin
  • Gianina Julieta Cirjovetta
  • Sinead Hale

In-School Leadership & Management Team

The In-School Leadership & Management Team comprises of a group of Assistant Principals who work in collaboration with the Principal & Deputy Principal, sharing responsibility for a range of roles integral to the leadership, administration and management of the school including; teaching and learning, leading school development (including curriculum development), pupil support, wellbeing, special education, IT, sports and planning for inclusion.  Each post-holder is assigned key areas of responsibility that are reviewed annually.

  • Patrick Doran
  • Sarah Jane Kirwan
  • Maeve Chambers
  • Tara Ffrench
  • Jenny Bell
  • Jack Roche
  • Nicola Finnegan
  • Ruairi Morrissey
  • Margaret Duffy

Infant After School Club

  • Michelle Calvey
  • Ava Smith