THE WELLSCHOOLS NETWORK

Our Mission

The WellSchools Network is committed to empowering schools to promote well-being and academic achievement through our Systems and Trauma Informed Model of Positive Education.

Our mission is to collaborate with schools and local and national agencies to provide training to schools, organisations and professionals that supports student well-being and collective teacher efficacy in facilitating behaviour for learning. We strive to provide intensive training, coaching, and resources to schools, while facilitating ongoing communities of practice that promote continuous learning and development.

FOUNDER

David Cashman

David Cashman is the founder of The WellSchools Network. With 16 years of experience in education, David has built a solid foundation of knowledge and expertise in educational disadvantage and trauma, having worked as a teacher, deputy principal, and principal at Sundays Well BNS, a DEIS Band 1 school.
 

David’s passion for creating inclusive environments in schools that prioritize both academic achievement and well-being led him to become founding principal at South Lee ETNS, where he developed a trauma-informed school that has incorporated many trauma-informed principles into daily curriculum delivery.

Research

In 2020, he was awarded an Employment Based PhD Scholarship at University College Cork to develop the idea further as part of his dissertation titled “Reconceptualising Wellbeing: The Design,
Implementation and Evaluation of a Systems Informed model of Positive Education for Developing Schools in Ireland”.

David’s work and research in the field of school well-being and trauma-informed practice have earned him numerous speaking engagements, including presenting multiple papers at the EERA European Conference on Education Research, The Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) Conference, and the Trauma-Informed Practice Conference.

David’s vision for The WellSchools Network is to enable schools to provide nurturing environments where pupils from all backgrounds feel included and are able to take part in an enriching learning experiences.