our staff here at cookies early learning centre

Our Owner

Megan Cooke 

Megan Cooke is our Owner.

Megan oversees the day to day running of the services overall and is your first port of call for any families coming to Cookies and will always try to make you feel welcome and respected. She is also the Clane Branch Manager and is based there. Megan will also work in partnership with all of the head teachers in our Preschool. Megan has thought the senior ECCE year for the last 8 years in here previous employment while also managing Sticky Fingers' small preschool & childcare service chain in Kildare for the last 7 years.

Megan prides herself on having a passion for the early years and ensuring that it is recognised Nationwide for its importance for children in their learning and development. Megan loves her role and did in her previous employment, however she was missing her real love teaching. Coupled with the lack of childcare and preschool places in Dunshaughlin and surrounding areas, Megan has taken the next leap in her adventure in the early years to set up Cookies.

Megan has years of experience in the Early Childhood Sector in various fields. These experiences include working in both the community and private sector of Early Childhood. Megan has worked in Montessori schools and High Scope preschools along with Drug Response and Family Resource Centres and Preschools within National Schools. Before working with Sticky Fingers Naas where they catered for 150 children on a daily basis, Megan was the Head Teacher and then Manager of Sticky Fingers childcare centre in Clane, Co. Kildare in which they had over 100 children enrolled in the service. Managing Sticky Fingers Naas was here latest role prior to establishing Cookies.

Megan is originally from a small townland; Derrypatrick, ten minutes outside Dunshaughlin in Co. Meath and qualified locally with a BA Honours Degree in Early Childhood Care and Education from IT Blanchardstown in 2013.

Megan is qualified in:

  • Child Protection

  • Paediatric First Aid

  • Fire Safety

  • Healthy and Safety

  • HACCP

  • BA Honours (Level 8) in Early Childhood Education and Care

  • Outdoor Play Spaces

  • Indoor Environments for Children

  • Diversity and Inclusion in the Early Years

  • Training in Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plans and the use of Epipens

  • QQI Level 6 LINC – Leadership for Inclusion in the Early Years

  • Start Your Own Business Diploma


Our Manager of our Celbridge Branch 

Julieann Maher 


Julieann is our Manager and Peron in Charge for our service here in Cookies' Ardrath, Celbridge. 

Julieann oversees the day to day running of the service and is always on hand for any questions or queries you may have. Julieann will always ensure that your queries are met with understanding and patience and will always aim to make you and your child feel like our service is a second home and family for your child. Julieann is also our head ECCE teacher, teaching second year of preschool alongside another one of our team members. Julieann has been supervising and managing a preschool service in Co. Meath for the last 9 years while teaching an ECCE class and delivering a Montessori based programme there. 

Julieann has always known that she wanted to work with young children and families and made it her goal to develop the early years education to enhance childrens' first steps into their journey of learning and education and have a positive outlook on both. Julieann has a huge passion for a natural environment and real materials for children to fully explore in their early years experience.

Julieann is from Co. Meath originally but has made a huge effort to get to know Celbridge and the surrounding townlands to really support all children and families who come through our doors here in Ardrath. 

Julieann is qualified in: 

  • BA (Hons) Early Years and Childhood Studies
  • QQI Level 5 in Early Years Education / Childcare
  • QQI Leadership and Inclusion in the Early Years Diploma
  • Child Protection 
  • First Aid 
  • Fire Safety 
  • Health and Safety
  • Tiny Talk- Speech and Language Training
  • Children's First
  • National Siolta/Aistear Initiative
  • QQI Level 6 Training, Delivery and Evaluation in the Early Years
  • Manual Handling 
  • Life Matters
  • MCCC Mentoring Programme
  • GDPR for ECI Members
  • Tusla Always Children First
  • HACCP Level 2

Graduate Room Leader Dunshaughlin

Donna Cullen

Donna Cullen is a Graduate Room Leader in our Preschool and Full Day Care Service in Dunshaughlin. 

Donna has many years experience under her belt when it comes to the early years and education. Donna has managed both in the community and the private sector in childcare. 

I’ve been working in childcare for 14 years and my favourite part of my job is ensuring each child in my care becomes a confident capable learner. I enjoy seeing the transformation from September until the end of June and supporting children through their learning journey. I also find Physical Activities are important for their development. I like to implement lots of physical movement throughout the day for children and squeeze in some breathing exercises to help calm their minds.

There are many aspects to ensuring all children’s needs are covered and I’ve done many workshops. These include Aistear (The National Curriculum Framework) and Siolta (which is the national quality framework for children aged 0-6). These workshops help to ensure I’ve covered all areas of supporting the children’s needs.

Donna's Qualifications are as follows: 

2016-2017 Diploma in Anatomy and Physiology (ITEC Level 6)

2010-2014 BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies
(National University of Ireland Galway)
2010-2012 Diploma in Early Childhood Studies
2011 Train the Trainer, Fetac level 6 Distinction
2008-2009 Early Childhood Education and Care, Fetac level 6

Early Childhood Curriculum 
Child Development 

2006-2007 Early Childhood Education and Care, Fetac level 5

Child Development
Health and Safety 
Communication 
Early Childhood Education 
Work Experience 
Arts and Crafts 
Computer Applications 

Information Technology 

Graduate Early Years Educator 

Mary Howard

Mary Howard is a Graduate Early Years Educator in our Dunshaughlin branch. Mary has wrote a short piece about herself for you to get to know her better.

Hi I’m Mary,
I have worked in the childcare sector for 25 years. I started my career running an after school service in Colaiste Mhuire in Dublin. I have worked in numerous daycare centres over the years with children of varying ages. My hobbies are running, music, art, history and Irish language My biggest achievement, apart from having 4 children, is completing my BA in Early Years Learning and
Education in Maynooth University in 2022.. My belief is that children flourish when they are provided with a stimulating environment where they are allowed to express themselves through actions and words. Play is the principle means of learning in early childhood. In play children
construct their understanding of the world through direct experience with it. My role as an early years educator is to guide children in their play and interactions, opening up possibilities rather than
constraining them, helping children develop autonomy and self-discipline within a frame work where diversity and inclusion are respected and embraced.

My Qualifications are: 


QQI Level 5 Community After Schools Project in Early Childhood Care and Education.


QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate Supervision in Early Childhood Care and Education.

Special needs education level 5

Special needs education level 6

Leadership for Inclusion (LINC) (2019).

BA in Early Childhood Teaching and Learning Maynooth University 2022

The Froebel Gift Award for best practice in class (2022).

 

Dara Magee is an early years educator in our preschool and afterschool service in Dunshaughlin. Dara has many feathers to her cap, including a background in business management, admin, hospitality management and childcare. Dara has been working with Cookies' for the last number of years and has worked in both an AIM roles and preschool leader roles for our service. Dara has wrote a bit about herself for you all to get to know her better.

My name is Dara, and I am currently an early years practitioner in Cookies ELC Dunshaughlin. I currently hold QQI Level 5 in Early Childhood Care and Education including modules in Special needs assisting and Children with additional needs. I have also
completed Childrens First, manual handling, HACCP and Fire safety. Currently I am completing my QQI level 6 in Early Childhood Care and Education, including Montessori. I have over 20 years’ experience working with children from birth to teens and have experience as an AIM’s support. I enjoy watching and helping children learn and grow.

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