IPPN

E-Scéal 156: IBS - IPPN Preferred Supplier

Published: 08 April 2008

IPPN is delighted to introduce IBS as its preferred supplier for printing, copying and fax facilities and acknowledge their support of IPPN as a Gold Sponsor.

IBS is the Sole Distributor in Ireland for the Konica Minolta range of products which includes printer, fax and photocopying machines and multi-functioning devices which incorporate all three products into one machine. Konica Minolta holds the number one position in the Multi-functioning device market in Ireland and their products have been voted the most reliable colour and multi-functional products in the world. IBS is an ISO 9001:2000 Quality Assured Company with offices in Cork, Dublin, Belfast, Derry, Galway, Sligo, Portlaoise and Limerick.

IBS is a company whose excellence of product and service is matched by a reputation for a friendly, attentive and extremely professional approach to every customer need. They are a service and sales organisation that prides themselves on having a very high level of customer satisfaction throughout the country. All service and repairs are carried out by their 65 fully-qualified Engineers who are strategically located throughout the country to ensure that wherever you are, IBS is only 30 minutes away.

As a Gold Partner and preferred supplier of IPPN, we would ask you to include IBS in the tendering process when you are considering your next purchase.

Is sinne le meas

Seán Cottrell & Larry Fleming

E-Scéal 155: Summer Works Scheme Survey

Published: 08 April 2008

The DES are currently carrying out a value-for-money and policy review of the Summer Works Scheme in operation over the past number of years. In order to evaluate all aspects, they need to take into account the views of the management authorities and Principals in schools.

The Department has asked IPPN to assist them in gathering this information from Principals so that learning and lessons can be included in the review. To this end, we have made a survey available here on www.educationopinion.ie with links available through www.ippn.ie.

IPPN is hopeful that the benefits of the Summer Works Scheme to schools will be obvious to the DES and that the Scheme would be reinstated as soon as possible.

To access the survey, please click on www.educationopinion.ie and then click on the survey titled 'Summer Works Scheme', which should take no more than 6-8 minutes to complete.

Is sinne le meas

Seán Cottrell & Larry Fleming

E-Scéal 154: DES consults Principals on Curriculum and SEN

Published: 02 April 2008

The DES has invited IPPN to take part in a consultation process on two key issues. Because of IPPN's determination to accurately reflect the experience and opinions of school leaders, we invite you to submit your own views on these two topics.

Special Education Needs - A review of the general allocation model
Based on your school's experience in recent years please outline in simple bullet points the aspects of the GAM which you value and wish to continue and also the changes you would like to see in a revised version. Please refer to the DES letter which is available as a link below.

Putting the Primary Curriculum on a legislative basis
Up to now the curriculum in Primary Schools has been regulated by DES Circulars which advise on content, methodologies, time tables etc. The practice has been one which has given schools a lot of autonomy and freedom to adjust and balance the curriculum for the school context. The Education Act (Section 30) allows the Minister to place the curriculum within a legal framework which would have the effect of making it far more prescriptive and less flexible for schools. There may be advantages and disadvantages in both cases. There are particular implications for Gaelscoileanna and policy re. the timing of introducing the teaching of English. Equally so, it would have consequences for the teaching of other 'modern' languages which continue to be 'piloted' in some schools.

Important
Both of these issues will have direct long-term implications not just for Principals but for everyone engaged in primary education. Please bring these issues to the attention of your teaching staff and, where possible, involve them in formulating your feedback to IPPN.

Feedback
Please email your views and recommendations to info@ippn.ie Place the word 'CURRICULUM or 'SEN - GAM' in the subject line of your e-mail. It would be appreciated if you can keep your feedback as succinct as possible in bullet point format in order to facilitate the members of the IPPN Executive who will be collating your feedback.

Deadline
Unfortunately, the Department have given us very short time-frames for submissions. Please prioritise the SEN - GAM feedback to be received Wednesday 9th April. Feedback on the Curriculum to be received by Wednesday 25th April. (Ed - please note the deadline date for Curriculum feedback was subsequntly extended to May 23rd)

SEN - Review of the General Allocation Model

Curriculum - Regulations to Prescribe the Primary Curriculum

E-Scéal 153: IPPN Press Release: Autism Provision - not so special

Published: 31 March 2008

Please see below IPPN's press release issued today on the findings of our recent survey on educational provision for children with ASD.

Le meas,

Seán Cottrell and Larry Fleming

Click here for the full text of the Press Release

E-Scéal 152: Dail to Debate the crisis of Primary School Funding

Published: 10 March 2008

Principals, teachers, parents and everyone involved in primary education will have a huge interest in the education debate in the Dáil this week.

The Labour Party's Private Members' Motion will be debated in the Dáil on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the opening speech to be made by the party's leader Eamon Gilmore.

The motion reads: 'That Dail Eireann notes with grave concern the serious financial crisis facing many primary schools and calls for the doubling of the capitation grant with effect from the school year 2008/2009.'

IPPN are pleased that the campaign to highlight the serious problem of funding in our schools has received the national and media attention it deserves and is to be discussed in the Dail. This campaign will continue until principals are satisfied that they can concentrate on the teaching and learning aspects of their role rather than worrying about fund-raising and paying the bills.

It is open to any member of the public to attend the debate in the Dáil. You might like to attend yourself or suggest to your Parent's Association, Board of Management, staff - or, indeed, parents and children - to attend. The debates will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at about 7.30 p.m.

Arrangements for admission to the public gallery must be made in advance either through your local T.D. or by contacting the following:
Cathy Flanagan, Campaigns Officer, Labour Party, Ph: 01.6784715, E: cathy.flanagan@labour.ie

A large attendance in the public gallery in the Dail will send a strong message on the importance of this issue for principals. Please encourage as many as possible to attend.

Is sinne le meas
Seán Cottrell & Larry Fleming