E-Scéal 113: Principals Caught in the Middle?
- Published: 19 November 2005
To date, most schools have not been informed of the detail of this planned withdrawal of teachers from Primary schools. Inevitably, Principals will be at the centre of this situation whether it involves reorganising the care and supervision of children, reorganising school transport or seeking the permission of the BoM to close the school early etc.
It has not been decided yet by the DES whether permission will be given to teachers to leave school for this protest and whether or not teachers will lose pay for the day if they are not at work for the full day.
As soon as information becomes available, IPPN will issue a further E-scéal offering professional guidance to you on the management of this issue. Meanwhile, please send your views on the topic to networking@ippn.ie
Is mise le meas,
Seán Cottrell
E-Scéal 112: SNA Substitution Records & RTE Programme
- Published: 18 November 2005
SNA Substitution Records
Quite a number of Principals have been in contact enquiring about the request from Padraig Maloney for information re SNAs who have substituted in your school since 2001. This has caused quite a bit of panic. I have spoken to Padraig and he has said that the critical issue is to send on details of any substitute SNAs in your school right now. If you do not have information about SNAs who subbed in your school in the past - just simply state that you do not have the information and that will suffice.
RTE's Seachtain Programme
Seachtain, is a bi-lingual regional news programme from RTÉ's Galway studios. Martina Williams, Principal, Dunamore NS, Carrick-on-Shannon was recently interviewed for the programme at her Leitrim school. It is hoped that the issue of One-Teacher Schools and the need of a second adult for these schools will be highlighted in the programme.
Seachtain will be broadcast on Sunday, November 27th at 5.30pm on RTE 1.
Is mise le meas
Seán Cottrell
E-Scéal 111: Substitute Payment Dates Over the Christmas Holiday Period
- Published: 17 November 2005
Substitute Payment Dates over the Christmas holiday period
The DES have requested IPPN to inform you with regard to arrangements for payments to substitute teachers over the Christmas holiday period.
Substitute claim forms submitted by:
Nov. 18th will be paid on Dec. 1st.
Nov. 30th will be paid on Dec. 15th.
Dec. 9th will be paid on Dec. 29th.
Dec. 30th will be paid on Jan. 12th, 2006.
To view DES Document please click here Substitute Teacher Payment Dates
Is mise le meas
Seán Cottrell
E-Scéal 110: Benchmarking - Building a Solid Case for Principals
- Published: 16 November 2005
The outcome of the benchmarking process in 2002 was a bitter disappointment for Primary Principals.
As you are aware IPPN is a professional association and consequently doesn't have a function in negotiating salaries and conditions of employment. However, our research shows that the absence of meaningful reward is one of the key reasons why fewer teachers are seeking promotion to Principalship. Given this evidence, it is imperative that IPPN constructively influences the case to be made by our Trade Union on behalf of 3,300 principals in the forthcoming benchmarking process.
In discussion with the General Secretary and President of the INTO, IPPN has offered to submit Principals' views re benchmarking to the Union. This offer has been graciously accepted and a submission will be forwarded before the end of November.
Your views are essential for this submission. In order to ensure that its contents accurately reflect the views of 3,300 principals, we want you to take five minutes of your valuable time to complete the 'fiche ceist' survey through the link below. If you have additional ideas to offer the INTO on how principalship could be better rewarded and made an attractive career option, please use the additional text boxes provided for your suggestions.
Benchmarking Survey
Is muidne le mór-mheas
Seán Cottrell, Tomás O Slatara
E-Scéal 109: Imperative to Establish Best Practice Procedures
- Published: 30 October 2005
Policy
Normally policy is the starting point for addressing most issues in schools, thankfully there is no requirement on individual schools to develop its own policy re child protection - this is laid down unambiguously by the Departments Health and Education. The Department of Health issued 'Children First' followed by the Department of Education's 'Child Protection Guidelines and Procedures'. The latter form a comprehensive policy for every school.
Good Practice
The Stay Safe programme should be taught systematically to every child from Senior Infants to Sixth Class in the context of the Social, Personal and Health Education subject. This programme is designed to be taught to each child four times within their Primary School years and must include the key theme of 'Inappropriate touch'. Every school should have consideration given to best practice re toileting, dressing rooms/changing for games, small group/individualised teaching for children with special needs. In addition clear guidance must be understood for Special Needs Assistants or anybody else who may be required to look after or accompany an individual child.
Procedures
Two key elements of procedure that must be clearly understood are 'What to do if there is an allegation made against a member of staff' and 'How to report knowledge of, or a disclosure of an incident of child abuse'. Both of these procedures are outlined clearly in the DES Guidelines on Child Protection. Every school must have an appointed Designated Liaison Person (DLP).
Training
The Child Abuse Prevention Programme (CAPP) producers of Stay Safe, offer a comprehensive free training programme for Principals, teachers, Boards of Management and parents. Patricia Shannon is the National Coordinator of the Stay Safe Programme and is contactable at: (01) 6206347 or staysafe@indigo.ie
Is mise le meas
Seán Cottrell
