Meet Our Staff

Meet
Our Staff

Principal and Ancillary Staff

Our Principal leads with a vision of academic excellence and a commitment to fostering a nurturing, faith-based environment. Supported by our dedicated Ancillary Staff, who ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the school, we strive to create a welcoming and effective learning community for all.

Karen Jordan (Principal)

Karen has been Principal since 2017. She has worked in St. Catherine’s N.S. since 2003 and held the Special Duties B Post before becoming Deputy Principal and then Principal. A native of Carlow she studied for her B.Ed with CICE and Trinity College and graduated in 1997. After teaching for a number of years in Sutton she joined the team in St. Catherine’s NS in 2003. She completed a Postgrad in Leadership with Maynooth University in 2009 and most recently she has completed a diploma in coaching for Educational Leaders with Coaching Academy Plus in 2021. She enjoys running in her spare time!

Vera O'Rourke (Ancillary)

Vera joined St. Catherine’s as School Secretary in April 2021. Over the previous 34 years, she worked as Executive Assistant to the CEO and Chairman of ifac, a nationwide accountancy practice. She holds diplomas in payroll management (IPASS), graphic design and digital marketing. In her spare time, she loves travelling, spending time in the garden and on the golf course.

Special Needs Assistants

Our SNA staff members support students with additional needs, ensuring they receive the necessary assistance to participate fully in the educational environment. Their role is crucial in promoting inclusivity and providing tailored support to help each student reach their full potential.

Ellen (SNA)

Ellen works with 1st and 4th class this year. She loves walking and art. Ellen has been a member of the SNA team in St Catherine’s NS for 28 years.

Aleathea (SNA)

Aleathea joined St Catherines in September 2022. She has been a SNA for 3yrs and has a QQI level 5 SNA qualification. She is currently studying Level 6 Diploma in Inclusive School Support at UCD. She is fully trained in Lámh having just completed Lámh ULTCA QQI level 5 in Facilitating Communication through Lámh and Total Communication through Lámh. She believes in inclusion more than integration. She has a love of Lámh and is proud of the headway St Catherine’s has made in using Lámh in our school. Outside of school she passionately follows taekwondo as her daughters are both involved in it.

Lauren (SNA)

Lauren is an SNA who joined St.Catherine’s in August 2024. She has a QQI level 6 SNA qualification and is also learning Lámh. She is currently working with 2nd class. Lauren always dreamt of working with children with a variety of needs & tries each day to bring smiles to children’s faces and make each day a happier one.

Sylvia (SNA)

Silvia is a member of our SNA team. she joined St Catherine’s in 2020. She currently works with and supports children from 6th, 4th & 2nd class. She loves to work with children with a variety of needs and abilities. She believes in inclusivity and has a strong interest in special education.

Natalie (SNA)

Natalie has been an SNA in St. Catherine’s NS for over 20 years.

Barbara (SNA)

Barbara is a member of our SNA team. She graduated from The Progressive College of Education with two certificates in Understanding Special Needs and Assisting Children with Special Needs in June 2009.
She joined St.Catherine’s in September 2010 and has worked in every class along the way.
She is currently working with Sophie in Junior infants and has been based mainly in the junior end of the school over recent years. She is passionate about promoting communication and enjoys encouraging all children to reach their full potential.
She was part of the In School Therapy Program and has continued to complete courses with the help of St. Catherine’s , such as PECS and Carol Gray’s social stories, Helping Children with communication difficulties through Aistear and Autism -Visual Aids help everyone!

Dedicated Faculty

Meet our teachers and learn more about their backgrounds, expertise, and the unique contributions they bring to our vibrant school community. We are proud to have such a talented and devoted group of educators guiding our students on their journey of growth and learning.

Stephanie deBarra

Stephanie is originally from Galway but now calls Dublin 8 home. Stephanie has worked in St. Catherine’s since 2014 and was AP2 before becoming Deputy Principal in 2023. She has worked in SEN since 2019 and her interest in Special Education has lead her to complete further studies in this area. In her spare time she loves travelling and reading.

Geoff O’Connor

Geoff graduated from Dublin City University with a Bachelors of Education. In the 2022/2023 School year he was working as a shared SET in Kilternan COI NS, Rathgar NS and St. Josephs BNS. This is his first year in St. Catherine’s National School. He is from Kilkenny but has been living in Dublin since 2018. This year he is working mostly with Fourth Class, but he also works with Fifth and Sixth Class. Inclusive education is a big interest of his and a daily goal of his is to put a smile on everyone’s face.

Elizabeth O’Donaghue

Elizabeth joined St. Catherine’s National School in 2022. She has been dedicated to fostering a positive, inclusive learning environment. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys drawing, playing board games, and gardening. She incorporates these hobbies into her teaching to inspire creativity and curiosity in students. Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and a Master of Letters (Distinction) from University College Dublin. Most recently, she has completed a Certificate in Art Therapy from Munster Technology University, which has greatly enriched her approach to supporting student well-being and creativity in the classroom.

Sarah Northcutt

Sarah Northcutt has been teaching in St Catherine’s since 2022. She was born and raised in Dublin, where she still lives with her family.
She received a B.Ed from CICE/Trinity, and values the continuation of her own learning. She also has a certificate in Applied Theology. She has a particular interest in early education and special education, believing that early support lays a strong foundation in children reaching their potential. Her favourite subjects to teach are English and Music, and her favourite subject to learn is Maths.
When she’s not in the classroom, Sarah loves to cook and spend time with her friends and family. She enjoys music and playing the piano. Her favourite food is pizza and she loves taking trips to the zoo with her children.

Dáire Fitzharris

Dáire graduated from Dublin City University in 2013 and qualified as a personal trainer in 2020. With teaching experience in London, the UAE, Thailand, and Ireland, he combines his educational expertise with a passion for health and fitness, inspiring active lifestyles among both children and adults.

Máire

Originally from Kerry and now living in Dublin for over 12 years, Máire has always been passionate about learning and the arts. With an undergraduate degree in Business Marketing, her career prior to teaching has largely been centered around books, art, and all things literature. This deepened her love for creativity and learning. A career change led her to qualify as a Special Needs Assistant (SNA), where she worked for two years in a local Dublin school. Wanting to play a more active role in children’s educational journeys, she began a Master’s in Primary Education and is now in her final year. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in an active learning approach, making St. Catherine’s School a natural fit. Having previously worked in a SET role, she is excited to contribute to the school and continue learning while teaching. In addition to her love for education, Máire is quite sporty and enjoys running, basketball, and camogie—anything that gets the heart pumping!  She’s thrilled to be part of the wonderful staff and students at St. Catherines.

David Minnock

David, originally from Westmeath, currently teaches 3rd Class here at St. Catherine’s NS. Having qualified from Marino Institute of Education, his career to date has been diverse as David has worked in several Irish schools as well as in international schools in the UAE and Vietnam. Passionate about education, David has also studied a Masters in Educational Leadership and Management and has a keen interest in co-teaching, STEM learning and the Arts. David enjoys playing the drums and guitar in his free time and is excited to get creative as a member of our St. Catherine’s community!

Hazel O’Connell

Hazel O’Connell, a graduate with a B.Ed Honours from CICE and Trinity College in 2009, joined St. Catherine’s NS in 2016. Hazel was initially a shared resource with St. Vincent’s NS in 2016/17, and Griffith Barracks Multi-Denominational in 2017/18, before becoming class teacher of Senior Infants from 2018 to 2021. Hazel joined the ISM team as AP2 in 2020 and is now part of our SET team for the 2021/22 year.

Sophie Smyth

Sophie has been a staff member in St Catherine’s since 2018 and initially was on the Special Education team for 2 years. She is currently teaching Junior Infants. Sophie is the Active School Flag co-ordinator along with Claire O’Malley, the 1st class teacher. Originally from Cork, Sophie studied in CICE and received her B.Ed degree in 2016.

Elisa Hatton

Elisa has recently returned from teaching and living in Abu Dhabi for the last 8 years. She gained invaluable experience and enjoyed mostly working with junior and senior infants. She has also taught in London and Dublin. She graduated with a degree in food science from UCD in 2011 and completed her postgraduate studies in education in 2018 from the University of Nottingham. In her free time, Elisa loves to be outdoors, travelling and cooking. She comes from a dairy farming background in Co. Meath. 

Róisín O’Reilly

Róisín has been with us in St Catherine’s since 2017. She is currently teaching 5th class. She is also a member of the school leadership team as Assistant Principal II.

Erica Byrne

Erica graduated with a B.Ed Honours from DCU in 2022. She has been working full time in St. Catherine’s Since 2022, but has been subbing in the school since 2020 and has always loved the school. She has taught 4th class for the past 2 years and has been really enjoying getting to know the children in the school over the last number of years.

Eve Campbell

Eve is currently teaching first class and this is her first year in St Catherine’s. Before joining us she taught in a school in Lucan and has been teaching since 2020. Eve studied Education Studies in Marino before going on to do a masters with Hibernia. She loves doing art and maths with her class and is really enjoying getting to know all the kids in the school!