'It's very rewarding': Schools celebrate first ever SNA Appreciation Day

Today marks the first Special Needs Assistant (SNA) Appreciation Day, with a number of schools in Cork taking part in the celebrations.

The initiative, launched nationwide by Fórsa’s education division, is aimed at recognising the work of SNAs across the Irish education system.

As part of the inaugural celebrations, Fórsa ran two competitions, which will see one school awarded €1,000 — to be spent internally — as well as one Fórsa-registered SNA to be awarded a €1,000 voucher to spend as they wish.

Speaking ahead of the day to The Echo, Terri O’Sullivan, who is an SNA at Douglas-Rochestown Educate Together National School, said: “It’s nice.

“It’s the first ever SNA appreciation day, and I hope it takes off as the years go by.

“It’s an important job, so it’s nice to highlight that.

“The job can be unrecognised, as a lot of the time SNAs are in the background, but really there are a lot of children who couldn’t go to school without one.

“An SNA’s job is to make a child feel comfortable and happy,” she added. “It’s very rewarding, [and] I love the interactions with them.”

“Our principal has organised a surprise for us, so I’m not sure what’s going to happen on the day, but it’s really nice that they’re marking it and everyone likes to be appreciated.

“I hope it will become an annual day, [because] I would like to see it recognised for the important job that it is.”

Three SNAs from North Presentation Primary School in Blackpool — Tracy Wallace, Jill Haydon, and Georgia O’Callaghan — said that highlighting the day made them feel “important and proud”.

“It’s brilliant. We know that the kids appreciate us, so its also great to be recognised on a broader spectrum,” said Ms Haydon.

“I love the kids and, emotionally, we are a huge support for them.

“There’s never a day that I’m driving to work thinking I don’t want to come in, I actually can’t wait to get to school and see them all.”

Ms O’Callaghan said: “Teachers have their appreciation day, so it’s nice to be recognised as SNAs. It’s nice to feel important.

“It’s a very rewarding job and, when you see how delighted the kids are to see us, you know you’re doing something right.”

Ms Wallace added: “It’s great to get the acknowledgment, [and] it would be great if it became an annual thing.”