Esceal 20 January 2022: Latest updates, Wellbeing for NQTs, Application Deadline
- Published: 20 January 2022
This week’s e-scéal includes information on the following:
- Planning Prompts
- Book of Condolences for Ashling Murphy
- Wellbeing Support for NQTs - Spectrum Life
- IPPN'S NEW FREEPHONE NUMBER
- Covid ar Scoil 2021/2022
- Allianz Hot Topic: Understanding your school's insurance renewal schedule
- DE Information Note: Working & Leave Arrangements
- Application Deadline Career Break, Job share & Temporary Reassignment
- Leadership+ Issue 121 - February 2022
- Draft Primary Curriculum Framework: Final Opportunity to have your say
- Immerse Research Project
- Additional Resources/Information
- Global Citizenship Consortium project
Planning Prompts
Shortly, decisions will need to be made regarding Career Breaks, Job Sharing and other forms of leave. The decisions made by the BoM regarding leave may not always be what a staff member wanted and can necessitate difficult conversations. Discuss with the Chairperson how best to communicate a Board’s decision. The Leadership Support Team in the Support Office is always available to tease out the best way to approach an upcoming difficult conversation.
Click here to view planning prompt
Book of Condolences for Ashling Murphy
There has been a palpable sense of solidarity and community demonstrated by the messages of sympathy shared on networking@ippn.ie in recent days. No one can truly understand the unimaginable heartbreak and loss suffered by Ashling Murphy’s family and her school community. We can only hope that the messages of condolence are of some comfort to them in the difficult days and weeks ahead.
Wellbeing Support for NQTs - Spectrum Life
This service is the employee assistance service for school staff and they provide a range of services which includes ‘in the moment’ clinical support, available 24/7. Information about this service is attached and copied below.
The free-phone number for school staff to contact is 1800 411057. Spectrum Life has been briefed about the incident and have been alerted that there may be some increased demand for support, particularly from this NQT cohort.
IPPN'S NEW FREEPHONE NUMBER
Due to a decision by Comreg last March, in January 2022, 1890 numbers will be withdrawn and only 1800 (free-phone) and 0818 will remain. IPPN's New Freephone Leadership Support Number is 1800 21 22 23, you can also reach us on 021 4824070 (standard rates apply)
Covid ar Scoil 2021/2022
Last Friday the Government changed the rules regarding self-isolation and movement restriction in relation to close contacts of COVID-19. The HSPC has published updated Quick Isolation Guides for children (Over 3 and Under 13) and for Adults (Over 13). These are available in Sections 5.17 and 5.18 of the Live Resource Bundle “Covid ar Scoil 21 – 22”. They provide 15 scenarios in each case, covering all of the possible questions likely to arise in the school setting
Click to access Covid ar Scoil Resource Bundle
Allianz Hot Topic: Understanding your school's insurance renewal schedule
February is around the corner and with it comes a spring renewal. Your school may also have its insurance renewal in February. A helpful blog to assist in understanding what is contained in the school’s insurance renewal schedule is featured here.
DE Information Note: Working & Leave Arrangements
This Information Note provides Covid 19-updated working and leave arrangements from January 2022 for Teachers and SNAs in recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools.
Click here to read information note
Career Break, Job share & Temporary Reassignment
The deadline for teachers to submit their applications to their Board of Management for consideration of leave applications relating to career break, job share and temporary reassignment is Tuesday, 1st February 2022. Further information is available in DE Circular 0054/2019
Click here to view DE Circular 0054/2019
Leadership+ Issue 121 - February 2022
The hardcopy of the February issue will be sent to you by the end of next week. In the meantime, hopefully you will enjoy the epublication version. In this issue the President’s Pen on page 10, Brian O’Doherty outlines the plans for in-depth research into the occupational health, safety and wellbeing of school leaders as part of the Sustainable Leadership Project, an update on which is presented on page 11.
School leaders share their perspectives on leadership and management in schools:
- Laura Woods on ‘a day in the life’ of a Teaching Principal in a hospital school
- David Carter on an approach to the management of emotional and behavioural issues in schools
Draft Primary Curriculum Framework: Final Opportunity to have your say
In November, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) held a number of online focus groups as part of the consultation on the Draft Primary Curriculum Framework. A number of school leaders attended these events to provide feedback on the proposals contained in the draft framework. NCCA is holding further online focus groups before the consultation closes at the end of February. The online focus groups for school leaders will run from 3.30pm to 4.45pm and take place on the following dates: i) January 25th: School leaders ii) February 3rd: School leaders iii) February 15th: School leaders
Register here to attend one of the School Leaders' focus groups
Register here to attend the School Leaders' / Teachers' focus group as Gaeilge
Immerse Research Project
IMMERSE– Integration Mapping of Refugee and Migrant Children – is a Horizon 2020 project funded by the European Commission involving research teams in 6 countries – Ireland, Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany and Belgium. A research team in University College Cork led by Dr Shirley Martin is conducting the research in Ireland and is in the process of conducting a national survey on integration in Irish primary and secondary schools.
Additional Resources/Information
1. Resources for Catholic Schools Week 2022
2. Fifth issue of the DE's newsletter on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) – Dec 7th
3. Meeting the Care Needs of Primary School Children with Type 1 Diabetes’
4. Wellbeing information for parents/guardians -
5. Teaching Council (Registration) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021
Global Citizenship Consortium project- 2 positions to be filled.
IPPN, INTO, Trócaire and Dublin City University (DCU) recently formed a consortium to deliver a new strategic partnership with Irish Aid on Global Citizenship Education at Primary school level. The pilot phase for this programme will run until June 2023. The objective of the programme is to achieve increased reach, quality, accessibility and effectiveness of Global Citizenship Education (GCE) in the Primary Education Sector in Ireland.
Two fixed-term, whole time positions, funded through the consortium by Irish Aid and hosted by Trócaire are currently being sought. Please see the links to the Project Manager and Project Officer posts for more information.
Project Manager
Project Officer
Closing date for applications is Thursday 20th January 2022.
