IPPN

Published: 01 October 2007

Since the beginning of September, IPPN's Support Office has received an unprecedented number of telephone calls and emails from Principals frustrated at the degree to which their summer holidays have been eroded due to the ever-increasing demands of school-related work.

In recent years, there has been a steady increase in the amount of time Principals have been required to work during official school holidays. There is no need to tell you the reasons why this is so. Boards of Management have become more dependent on the Principal for much of its work due to Board members being unable, unavailable or unwilling to carry out their prescribed roles. The net result is that for schools to function properly, Principals end up carrying responsibilities and workload which rightfully belong to the Board of Management.

This can only be described as a gradual and real deterioration of working conditions. It's remarkable that while there is so much emphasis on having 'water-tight' contracts and detailed job descriptions for In-School Management roles, there is no such requirement for the role of Principal. As a professional body, IPPN does not have a role in industrial relations issues or matters pertaining to conditions of service. These affairs are clearly the responsibility of our Trade Union, the INTO.

In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the volume of calls and correspondence from Principals expressing anger and frustration about the deterioration in their working conditions. Principals say that they have no satisfactory means of having their voice heard elsewhere. However, until such time as matters that are the responsibility of the Trade Union are consistently addressed to the Trade Union, improvements to Principals' working conditions will not happen. On numerous occasions, when IPPN have met with the INTO to highlight Principals' concerns, our arguments have been dismissed with the claim that '... this is not what we [INTO] are hearing from Principals'.

Nevertheless, given that you have addressed your concerns through IPPN in great numbers, we have responded by conducting an on-line survey of Principals on the current burning issue, Reclaiming the Summer- The Erosion of Principals' Holidays. To date, more than 1,100 Principals have completed this survey. When the data has been collated and analysed, it will be published and sent to you. IPPN will also submit it to the INTO providing clear, irrefutable evidence of what Principals are actually saying on this issue. Meanwhile, a letter has been sent to Mr. John Carr, General Secretary of the INTO, reflecting the main issues which you have already brought to IPPN's attention. Please click on the link below for a copy of this letter.

Is sinne le meas,

Larry Fleming, Seán Cottrell

Letter to John Carr 25/09/07

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Published: 25 September 2007

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you well in your leadership role at the beginning of this new school year. Despite the many school-related impositions on your time during the summer, I hope you had a relaxing holiday.

IPPN as a professional body supporting school leaders continues to grow, due in no small measure to the support and commitment of members like yourself. Because of your strong support, the professional and business services IPPN offers to you and your school are constantly being improved and expanded. The more your school increasingly avails of IPPN's recommended services, the more you strengthen IPPN as your professional body and its capacity to support you professionally.

The membership Fee for 2007/2008 has been set on the basis of school size as follows:

o Smaller schools with Teaching Principals: €220
o Larger schools with Administrative Principals: €250

Please note that membership of IPPN is an appropriate expense payable by your Board of Management (Circular 14/02). In real terms, when your Board of Management pays your IPPN membership fee, the actual savings to your school are many times greater than the fee itself.

Membership renewal forms will arrive to your school this week or can be downloaded from IPPN Membership Form 2007/08

Completed forms and a cheque for the relevant fee should reach the IPPN Support Office by Friday 5th October 2007.

Go n-eirí leat i rith na scoil bliana,

Is mise le meas,

Seán Cottrell
Director

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Published: 19 September 2007

Principals are dismayed and disillusioned with the increasing erosion of their summer holidays. Now that schools have reopened, Principals find that they have not had an adequate break from the responsibilities of school-related work and have returned feeling unrefreshed and tired. The holiday months of July and August have been seriously eroded due to responsibility reverting to Principals for the following important issues:

• Staff Recruitment
• Temporary Accommodation
• SEN
• Summer Works Schemes
• Furniture o Repairs, Maintenance & Cleaning
• School Building
• Enrolment / Section 29
• Ever-increasing Administration

This is an obvious worsening of Principals' working conditions. This is not a new phenomenon and indeed has grown incrementally over many years. This would not be tolerated in any other profession. This unacceptable situation must become an immediate priority for our union. It is not the first time IPPN has raised this issue with our union but to no avail. Progress can be made on several other issues concerning working conditions. Why not this issue? Does the standardised school year only apply to certain members of staff?

It is patently obvious that most of the above-mentioned areas are rightly the responsibility of the Patron and the Board of Management. The various Patron Bodies have significant rights and influence as owners and managers of schools. Such rights carry consequent responsibilities and it cannot be assumed that the Principal will automatically 'step into the breach' and carry out tasks that rightfully belong to others.

The VECs and Third level institutions have access to the services of Project Managers and Buildings Officers for all building construction and maintenance. Why not primary schools? The rhetoric 'Principals as leaders of learning' rings hollow as long as the DES and Patrons rely on us to do the work of architects, building officers, surveyors, and engineers on a no fee basis.

We still have the old chestnut of staff recruitment, a process which amazingly takes place in July and August just as everyone else is on holidays! Does this happen in any other profession? The integrity of the selection process is severely compromised due to the lack of availability of external assessors, referees and BoM members during the holiday period.

The concept of In-School Management delivering Distributed Leadership is still but a pipe dream in the absence of a willingness to 'grasp the nettle' of ISM reform. Meanwhile our teaching colleagues are becoming increasingly reluctant to take on the role of Principal Teacher as they see the impact of burgeoning holiday-time responsibilities on the Principal and their families.

Have we played a part in bringing this upon ourselves through our over-compliance? Do we carry sole responsibility for the work of the BoM? Are we entitled to a summer holiday? Maybe the solution lies partly in our own hands. In order to progress this issue, please give us your views in our short on-line survey. Click here for 3 minute Survey

Is sinne le meas

Larry Fleming | Virginia O' Mahony | Seán Cottrell

President | Assistant Director | Director

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Published: 12 September 2007

Vacant Principal Posts

In recent years some schools have experienced difficulty in appointing a principal. This problem has been most common in smaller schools where there is a Teaching Principal and also in schools in areas of social disadvantage. We are currently trying to establish the number of schools that failed to appoint a principal on the 1st round of advertising. If you are aware of any schools that had difficulty appointing a principal in 2007, please contact the support office at the details below.

Acting Principals

The role of Acting Principal is becoming more common with increasing numbers of Principals on secondment, career break and other forms of leave. In many respects Acting Principals carry all of the responsibilities of a permanent Principal and face the additional challenges that often come with lack of certainty and permanency in their role. Many Acting Principals are unaware of the supports and services offered to Newly Appointed Principals by IPPN. If you are an Acting Principal or you know someone who is, please make sure to contact IPPN on 1890 21 22 23 in order to avail of the resources and services available:

• Ciall Ceannaithe - Sound Advice & Borrowed Wisdom for Newly Appointed Principals
• Principal's Information Management System (PIMS), a custom designed desk diary
• Mentor - avail of an experienced principal as a mentor for your first year as principal
• 2007principals@ippn.ie - on-line advice and support for Newly Appointed Principals
• Principal Advice - confidential advice from experienced principals when needed

Leadership Plus - a dedicated twice-termly publication which brings together news, opinions and professional guidance relevant to principals and their deputies

• County Network Meetings - Professional Development, in each county, each term
• Annual Principals' Conference - Killarney, January 31st to February 2nd, 2008
• Networking@ippn.ie - a group mailing list where school leaders network on-line
• www.textaparent.ie - send short messages to all parents by text instead of notes
• www.textasub.ie - the fastest way to finding a substitute teacher at short notice
• www.ippn.ie - Main membership website, resources, publications and dialogue

Is sinne le meas

Larry Fleming | Virginia O'Mahony | Seán Cottrell
President | Assistant Director | Director

Read more ...