Home School Liaison (HSCL)

My name is Ann Marie O’Brien and I am the Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Coordinator in Pobalscoil Iosolde.

The HSCL programme is in place across the country because it is recognised that parents and guardians are the most important people in their children's lives and they are the first people to educate them. It is the job of the HSCL Coordinator to connect the home, school and community and to support parents in the education of their children.

 My job includes:

•  Contacting parents / guardians to offer advice and support, for example, around school attendance, literacy and numeracy. Communication with parents / guardians is through home visits, email, text, phone calls, in-school meetings and the school website.

• Organising courses and activities for parents / guardians such as cooking, first aid and coffee mornings. All courses and events are free of charge.

• Sharing information between the school and home that could be helpful to parents / guardians.

• Supporting families through a Primary / Secondary School Transfer programme.

• Developing positive relationships with parents / guardians.

• Working with School Completion Programme Coordinators (SCP) and the Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) to help students to attend, participate and stay in the education system.

• Linking with community agencies and services such as St. Vincent de Paul, Family Resource Centres, Public Libraries and Jigsaw.

I look forward to working together with you, parents and guardians, to help your child achieve and succeed in Pobalscoil Iosolde.

You can contact me on 087 432 3646 or annmarie.obrien@palmerstowncs.ie