E-Scéal 146: Mobile+ available to Deputy Principals until March 2008
- Published: 20 February 2008
IPPN and O2's tariff is still available to your Deputy Principal until the end of March if you are already a customer.
If you are a customer, please tell your Deputy Principal. If not then why not subscribe together?
Here are some of the reasons why hundreds of Principals have already subscribed to the service:
1: Mobile+ generates a saving of at least 25% a month when compared to the *best value competitor offers on the market
2: Mobile+ offers shorter peak time hours 9am-4pm versus 8am-6pm on competitor networks leading to an even lower cost as fewer hours are rated at higher peak rates.
3: Mobile+ offers a fixed monthly rental of €8.47 compared to €29 for the nearest competitor. This will save you more money in months where your usage might be low.
4. Mobile+ includes a free handset (choice of Nokia 6230i and Nokia 7390 in pink).
5. Mobile+ allows you to keep your existing number if desired.
Chart based on the following assumptions reflecting an average user profile:
Average no. of voice mins p/m: 248 minutes & Average no of texts p/m: 174 texts.
This IPPN / O2 offer is open to Deputy Principals in schools where the Principal is availing of the tariff. Alternatively you can both subscribe together.
The tariff is facilitated by 3G so for queries or to subscribe contact the 3G service team on 1890 401 501 or call into any of the 23 nationwide 3G stores quoting IPPN and the Mobile+ tariff.
To subscribe you will need to fill in the Customer Application Form (highlighted fields only) CLICK HERE and provide a copy of the ID required listed on the attached form to any of the 23 nationwide 3G stores
* Offer available to Deputy Principals until the end of January 2008**1) Meteor Talk 300: Free weekend calls to any network
**2) Vodafone Perfect Choice 200: Free Vodafone to Vodafone Weekend Calls
**3) Three Talk 200 Anytime: no offer
E-scéal 145: Parents' Survey on Fundraising for Schools
- Published: 07 February 2008
A Chara,
You are aware that since 2007, IPPN is actively campaigning to achieve a significant increase in operational funding for Primary Schools.
In association with the National Parents' Council (NPC), we have designed a short 3 minute survey for parents. This survey is now accessible on both www.educationopinion.ie and www.npc.ie. The information arising from this survey will be crucial in strengthening our case for the proper resourcing of schools.
We would appreciate if you could encourage all the parents in your school to complete this survey. We have included below a link to a sample letter which you will hopefully copy and distribute to all parents.
We are aware that this request has workload implications for you. However, we ask that you support this initiative as it will provide us with significant leverage in our future negotiations with Government. If this campaign is successful, Parents, Children, Teachers and Principals will all benefit.
Is sinne le meas
Larry Fleming Seán Cottrell
Click here to download sample letter to parentsE-scéal 144: In-School Management Circular
- Published: 28 January 2008
In response to the high volume of queries from Principals concerning the status of the long-awaited Circular on In School Management, the following is our understanding of the present situation.
In 2005, IPPN was invited by the Department of Education & Science to join a Working Group to look at the related issues of:
- Principals' Workload
- In-School Management
Participating in that Working Group were the DES, the Management Bodies, IPPN and the INTO. Priority was given to the issue of In School Management as it was seen as an area which, if comprehensively reviewed, could significantly reduce the workload of the Principal. Much valuable work was done by the Working Group on reviewing the Circular on In-School Management. Issues then arose which caused it to be referred to Conciliation and Arbitration for agreement between the DES, Management Bodies and our union, where it has now been for more than a year. The DES is currently unable to tell IPPN when we can expect publication of this Circular.
Despite repeated attempts by IPPN to re-engage with the Working Group, to address issues other than those referred to Conciliation and Arbitration, no meetings of the Working Group have been held since 20th December 2006. We will continue to press for the publication of this Circular and for progress on Principals' issues through this Working Group and through ongoing discussion with DES officials.
Le meas,
Is mise le meas
Director - President
E-scéal 143: Pre Conference Survey 2008
- Published: 23 January 2008
Each year just before our annual conference, we invite you to answer a questionnaire on a number of current issues relevant to your leadership role and to your school.
This survey is important for three reasons:
1. It provides the IPPN Executive with an opportunity to listen to you as IPPN members.
2. It gathers the information required to refer to your views and to progress your issues with the Department of Education and Science and others.
3. If you cannot attend Conference 2008, it gives you an opportunity to voice your opinion and be heard on a range of issues.
The 2008 On-Line-Survey has just been posted on the website. It can be accessed by clicking http://www.EducationOpinion.ie/
The entire survey will take no more that 15 minutes to complete so please take time to complete it as soon as possible.
Cuidigh linn cuidi libh le bhúr dtoil. Bí cinnte go bhfreagraíonn tú an suirbhís speisiúil seo. Is cuid thábhachtach den obair a bhíonn ar bun againne ar bhúr son.
Cliceáil anois ar http://www.EducationOpinion.ie/
Le meas,
Seán Cottrell, Larry Fleming & Virginia O'Mahony
E-scéal 142: Benchmarking - Implications for Principals and Deputy Principals
- Published: 14 January 2008
The manner in which the Public Service Benchmarking Body (PSBB) dealt with Principals and Deputy Principals has evoked mixed reactions. The IPPN Executive has considered the report and has categorised the views as follows:
Positives
1. Since 2000, IPPN has worked relentlessly to ensure that Principals' issues were to the fore and that a professionally-researched, coherent submission was made on behalf of Primary Principals to the PSBB. Obviously, the goal of a separate salary scale for Principals must wait for another day, but some progress has been made.
2. The persistent highlighting by IPPN of the recruitment and retention crisis in Principalship proved to be a critical factor as it was the key criterion used by the PSBB in prioritising awards.
3. Primary Principals were one of only two grades to receive any increase in the entire education sector. It is quite remarkable that, for the first time ever, the Primary Principal has been singled out for special attention. Only a few Public Service grades received increases of any description and 30% of the total value of the increases recommended to Public Servants will go to Primary Principals and Deputies.
4. Great credit goes to all Principals who assisted with the research for IPPN's Investing in School Leadership (2006) and to everyone who made personal submissions to the PSBB on behalf of Primary Principals. Other research, such as Quality Leadership Quality Learning, New Horizons for Teaching Principals & Smaller Schools and the HayGroup Report on the Role of the Primary Principal, were also considered by the PSBB.
Negatives
1. Regrettably the PSBB report did not place Principal Teachers on a separate salary scale as per IPPN's research document - Investing in School Leadership. In the absence of a separate salary scale, increases to Principals' allowances can only have minimum impact on one's overall salary.
2. The practice of Principals being paid as teachers with an allowance for Principalship cannot effectively establish a sufficient differential between Principal, Deputy Principal, Assistant Principal, Special Duties Teacher and Teacher. Without such differentials in pay, teachers will be disincentivised from applying for Principalship.
3. This failure to place Principal Teachers on a separate scale, like every other managerial grade in the Public Service, will prolong the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis. Deputy Principals of larger schools continue to be paid more than Teaching Principals - this is both profoundly unjust and one of the main reasons why there is a severe shortage of applicants for Principalship.
4.Rewarding Principals with a Teacher's salary plus a Principal's allowance will always penalise Teaching Principals as their 'Principal Pay' is linked to school staff size and therefore a small allowance. If Principals of smaller schools were paid a Principal's salary with an additional allowance for their teaching role, the complexity and challenge that Teaching Principals encounter daily, would be meaningfully reflected in their salary.
5. Parity with Second Level Principals has not been established by the PSBB report. Primary Principals require a greater number of teachers than Second-level Principals in order to receive the same allowance.
6. The PSBB report stated that "The outcome of the job evaluation exercise did not support parity between Primary and Post-Primary Principals as the jobs of Principals of Post-Primary schools were found to be more demanding than those at Primary level." This is a most objectionable comment for very obvious reasons.
7. The PSBB report failed to take account of the significant numbers of non-teaching staff managed by Principals.
8. Principals of large primary schools have been unfairly discriminated against when compared to their Second-level counterparts. Second-level schools have allowance bands to cater for up to 60+ teachers whereas the maximum allowance band at primary level is 36+.
The Bottom Line
The table below shows the current salary reward for Principals and the recommended increases as per the report of the PSBB. The table cannot show every individual scenario but is based on the highest point on the common basic scale with an Honours Degree (Principals may hold a pass degree, honours degree, masters degree or a doctorate). The last column demonstrates the actual percentage increase in terms of overall salary.
Is sinne le meas,
Larry Fleming Virginia O'Mahony Seán Cottrell
