Our Teachers
Kindergarten –
Féileacáin – Tani Frache (teacher), Ivan Magnoni (volunteer)
Beech Class (class 1) – MaryBeth Weiss (teacher)
Hawthorn Class (class 3) – Liz Cooker (teacher)
Aspen Class (classes 4 & 5) – Neil Maclean (teacher), Sebastian Fiedler (volunteer)
Irish language – Diarmuid Laighean
Italian language – Claudio Foscarin
Handwork / Craft – Jana Zitzmann & Ulrike Farnleitner
Music – Cornelia Kudiabor
Eurythmy – Tony Whittle
Games – Etienne Roche
After School – Claudio Foscarin
School administrator – Bee Verheyden
Safeguarding DLP – Heike Stenzel
Safeguarding Deputy DLPs – Liz Cooker, Níamh Fenlon
Fire officer – Bee Verheyden
First Responder – Bee Verheyden
Parent Liaison – Ita Morrissey
Focus Group – Ward Smis, Bee Verheyden, Liz Cooker, Martin Henry
Finance – Mark Girling, John McDonald
Chairperson of the Board – Medb Lambert
School Organisation and Structure
Kilkenny Steiner School is an independent Steiner-Waldorf school and, as such, receives no funding from the Department of Education. It is both financed and managed by the collective will and efforts of the parents, under the guidance and leadership of the College of Teachers. It is self-regulating and legally represented by Ballyhall Kindergarten Limited, which has charitable status. Our sister kindergarten is Ballyhall Kindergarten, located just down the road, serving children aged 4 and younger.
We have a Board of Management which comprises of parents and non-parents. Our Board is responsible for governance, oversight and vision-keeping for the school.
The College of Teachers leads from the heart of our school – the children in the classrooms. The College meets weekly and is responsible for the development of pedagogy, curriculum and the delivery of education; to have an overview of the well-being and ongoing development of all the children in the school, to provide mutual support and supervision, and to oversee the day-to-day running of the school. Our school does not have a principal.
The work of the College is supported by a consultative management group, the Focus Group, comprising teachers, a parent and the administrator. The Focus Group in turn flows communication back to the parent body and other work groups. At our school, the other work groups are called Circles, for example Finance Circle, Maintenance Circle, Funding Circle etc. Parents and teachers work together in these circles to get the work of the running of the school done. We encourage active participation by all parents in the circles, which are run on a voluntary basis.
Kilkenny Steiner School is a founding member of the Irish Waldorf Education Association, the body that supports all Steiner-Waldorf schools on the island of Ireland.
Admissions Procedure
Following an enquiry (verbal or written) by a parent, the application form is sent out. Once this is returned, and any relevant questions about school contributions etc have been answered, the school administrator has a phone or video call with the prospective parent. This ensures that the application form is wholly completed.
The application is then presented to the College of Teachers, and the relevant teacher contacts the parent/s. The first meeting may be on video, depending on where the family is situated but, as soon as possible, an in-person meeting is arranged with the parents and the prospective child / children. The progress of the application is discussed at the weekly College meeting.
The child is then invited for a trial period of up to two weeks. This gives the child time to be herself and to get a feel for the class and classroom. When the College approves the application, this approval is on the basis of a 3-month probation period. At this point, the administration of the application takes over again. The family is assigned a Welcome Family from our school community and the parents are sent this handbook, Tusla registration forms, a photographic consent form, and any other relevant information. The new parents are offered an in-person induction by two or three members of our school community.
Both parents are included in the main school email list, as well as other relevant lists (such as class email lists), and on the two main Whatsapp groups. The school requires that at least one parent is on these lists and groups. Parents are also invited to have access to our school drive, for ease of reference and communication, and especially helpful when a parent joins a circle.
School Contribution / Fee
School contributions are set out in our Fees Policy, which is sent out to all parents upon enrolment. They are also updated on our school website. Please note that contributions are paid monthly, including during the summer break, for all twelve months in the year.
A two-month notice period is required should you withdraw your child from our school.
Children’s Safety
Féileacáin children must be formally handed over to the teacher on arrival.
All children are forbidden to leave the school grounds at any time unless accompanied by a teacher, school volunteer or other staff, or parent.
School Policies – General
Copies of our school’s policies can be found here, on our shared school drive and are also available in the office as hard copies.
School Policies – Child Protection
We are committed to the safeguarding and well-being of all the children at our school. Everyone working around and with the children in the school, including parents and volunteers, is required to complete Tusla’s “Children First” training, to be Garda vetted, and to provide references.
Safeguarding concerns are dealt with confidentially by our Designated Liaison Person (DLP) for Safeguarding, Rosie Theissen, or our Deputy Designated Liaison Person (DDLP), Liz Cooker.