<h2 class="p" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
	Little Jenna Dooley is helping Kilkenny hurling boss Brian Cody to make history of a different kind this September.</h2>
<div>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		The smiling four-year-old is the first girl to enrol in De&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 1em;">La Sal</span><span style="font-size: 1em;">le</span>&nbsp;boys primary school at Cootes Lane in Kilkenny, where the Cats manager is principal.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		But it is not only Jenna who has cause to celebrate a break with tradition at the 125-year-old school, which has 308 boys on its books.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		She is one of six junior infants who are starting in a new special unit for children with&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 1em;">a</span><span style="font-size: 1em;">utism</span>, which the school is opening this week.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		It was a happy coincidence of events that has Jenna donning her uniform and joining her bothers, Callum and Corey, in De La Salle.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		Like parents of all children on the autism disorder spectrum, Lorraine and Brian Dooley worried about schooling for Jenna, who has already completed a very successful year at Montessori.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		&quot;She came on in leaps and bounds while she was there. It did her the world of good,&quot; said Lorraine.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		Meanwhile, the local&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 1em;">special</span><span style="font-size: 1em;"> education</span>&nbsp;needs organiser had approached Brian Cody asking him about setting up a unit for children with autism in the school.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		&quot;She told us there was a serious need for a unit in the area. There was great enthusiasm among staff, their response was very positive,&quot; he said.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		While the full state-of-the-art, two-classroom unit won&#39;t be built until next September, they have refurbished a room to cater for one class this year.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		Lorraine Dooley didn&#39;t have to think twice about where she wanted her daughter to go.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		&quot;Jenna&#39;s two brothers were already attending the school. It made sense for her to be with them,&quot; she said.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		&quot;I approached Brian Cody, and he had no problem. Jenna knows the school already and she knows Mr Cody. It all fell into place.&quot;</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		Brian Cody said there was real excitement about the unit in the school.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		The record-breaking All-Ireland hurling manager said the opening of the new classroom had kept him busier than usual at a time when he often has other things on his mind. However, the Cats won&#39;t be togging out for this year&#39;s All-Ireland final in Croke Park.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		<a href="http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/education/cats-boss-makes-school-history-with-autism-unit-29538482.html">http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/education/cats-boss-makes-school-history-with-autism-unit-29538482.html</a></p>
</div>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
