IPPN

Published: 15 September 2016

This week's e-scéal contains useful information on the following:

• Planning Prompts
• Annual Principals’ Conference 2017
• Membership 2016/2017
• Professional Briefing Day – Presentations
• IPPN Autumn Meetings
• IPPN On-line content
• Action Plan for Education
• Mentor Training
• Financial Services Support Unit (FSSU)
• NCSE deadline

Date for your Diary – Annual Principals’ Conference 2017
Preparation is well under way for the 2017 Annual Principals’ Conference.
Conference will be taking place in Citywest Convention Centre on January 26th & 27th 2017. Online booking will be available after the October mid-term break.

Membership 2016/2017 – Renewal
We have now received well over 1,500 renewal forms, if you have not yet returned your IPPN Membership for the 2016/2017 school year, please note closing date is Friday, September 30th.
If you are unable to locate your membership form - Click here for online version

2016 Professional Briefing Day - Presentations now online
This year's Professional Briefing Day took place on Tuesday, 6th September in Citywest Hotel, Dublin. This is one of IPPN’s most popular events with over 450 school leaders attending. This event brings together speakers from key agencies/organisations with up-to-date information for the coming year. Click here to view the presentations from the day

IPPN Autumn Meetings
Our Autumn meetings are now under way with a member of our Board of Directors presenting on topical issues that are relevant to your school leadership role.
Click here to view full schedule of all the Autumn meetings – please attend a meeting venue that is convenient for you

IPPN On-line content
Some schools have been experiencing problems viewing content and updates at dashboard. ippn.ie We have been informed that schools experiencing this difficulty should contact Broadband for Schools on 1800 33 44 66 to have their Broadband filter adjusted. We will also engage with PDST in an attempt to have the filter adjusted nationally, but for now, each situation will be dealt with individually

Action Plan for Education
The Government today (Thursday) launched the first Action Plan for Education, led by Minister Richard Bruton, aimed at making the Irish education and training service the best in Europe by 2026. - This plan, which incorporates the Department of Education’s Strategy Statement as well as the Action Plan for Education, outlines hundreds of actions and sub-actions to be implemented across 2016-2019, with timelines and lead responsibility assigned. - See more at: http://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Press-Releases/2016-Press-Releases/PR2016-09-15.html

Mentor Training
The Centre for School Leadership (CSL), is rolling out the Mentor Training Programme countrywide this year. The training will take place in Monaghan, Portlaoise, Kilkenny and Ennis and the dates and application forms are available on the CSL website at www.cslireland.ie Please go to the “Apply to be a Mentor” section on the home page. You must have five years’ experience as a school principal to apply or to be retired for less than two years. Principals from all school contexts are encouraged to participate in the training, and substitution cover is available. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis as some areas of the country are expected to be over-subscribed. Although the greater Leinster area was targeted for training in the last school year, principals from anywhere in Leinster who did not partake are very welcome to apply this year. Your school should receive an email in relation to this initiative. The application process opened last Monday, Sept. 12th and will close on Monday, October 3rd.

Financial Services Support Unit (FSSU) service at primary level
In the Governance Manual for Primary Schools 2015-2019 that was published last autumn the Department indicated that it was planning to put in place arrangements to strengthen and support the existing financial governance arrangements at primary level. The strengthening of the existing financial governance arrangements is long recognised as a key issue to be addressed.
Read more

The NCSE deadline for round 1 Appeals is 29 September 2016.
Schools have continued to submit applications for resource teaching hours for students with low incidence special educational needs, where the necessary supporting documentation was not available for the 29th February deadline.
The NCSE expects that decisions in relation to the remaining applications, including applications under the Interim Scheme for allocation of Resource Hours to schools for students with Down Syndrome, received by 20 September 2016 will issue to schools in mid-October.
Schools are reminded that they must return the Student Attendance Confirmation Form to their SENO as soon as possible but no later than 29 September 2016. www.ncse.ie

Is sinne le meas

Sean Cottrell & Maria Doyle