IPPN

Published: 14 January 2020

1. Two new additions to the CSL team

CSL is delighted to announce the recent appointment of two co-ordinators to the team. We welcome Finbarr Hurley and Donal O'Reilly who will both take up their appointments on September 1st. We wish them well as they bring the current school year to a close in their schools, and we very much look forward to working with them both in the next academic year.

CSL Leadership Clusters
• There are 24 clusters in the current cohort, 12 facilitated by primary facilitators, and 12 by post-primary facilitators
• Of the 12 being led by primary facilitators, 6 are cross-sectoral and 6 are formed from primary schools only
• A further 2 clusters supported by post-primary facilitators are also cross sectoral 
In recent feedback, the clusters reported atmospheres of positivity, enthusiasm, energy, shared purpose and mission. Cluster Co-ordinators are reported as being very committed and working hard to progress the projects. There is significant support available from the 13 Education Centre Directors involved, and from JCT and PDST. CSL is particularly appreciative of the work of the CSL Facilitators with the clusters, the CSL presenters who assisted in February, and the support of the Leadership Clusters Advisory Group facilitated by the DES. 
Some Specific Highlights from the Feedback
• Dissipation of the initial fear of the project, especially from teaching principals concerned with workload
• Realistic plans with achievable goals
• Various methods of communication and sharing e.g. Google Drive, WhatsApp etc. 
• An awareness of inclusion, and the challenges of achieving it amongst a variety of contexts
• A real collaboration between facilitator, co-ordinator and education centre director
• Fruitful meetings with no hidden agendas
• A strong focus on leadership
• Positivity and camaraderie
• Support and assistance
• Significant business involvement
• The usefulness of project management expertise to the work of schools and the clusters

General Challenges for the Clusters
• Agreeing on dates for meetings
• Other school events demanding attention
• Specific urgency with certain projects e.g. the transition to post-primary schools
• Ensuring the cluster members document the learning so that it is captured for future projects

2. Endorsement 
The finalised guidelines for the revised Endorsement Process will be uploaded to the CSL website and sent to all stakeholders shortly. Stakeholders will be invited to an information forum in Athlone in October to outline the guidelines and to inform them of the proposed call from CSL in November for the submission of professional learning for Middle Leaders and Deputy Principals for endorsement. The team is currently planning the training of endorsement panels. It is planned to have a one-day training session for approximately 12 Panel members in November. These trained personnel will then be available to CSL to serve on endorsement panels when required. Any one panel will normally consist of 3 people. The digitised endorsement logo (see above) will be added to provision that has been endorsed on the shared calendar.

3. Shared Calendar 
Providers are currently in the process of uploading their professional learning for the 2019/2020 school year. It is anticipated that there will be a completed calendar in September outlining all professional learning provision planned for principals and deputy principals. At the stakeholder forum planned for October, stakeholders will be updated and consulted on the next stages planned for the calendar. This will include provision for all leadership stages, and making the calendar available to all school leaders in their schools. 

4. Evaluation of the CSL Bridging Phase 
An SRFT tender document is being progressed through the Office of Government Procedures. This evaluation will look at the PDSL, The Coaching service (both 1:1 and Team), the Leadership Clusters as well as the overall CSL Implementation Plan 2018-2020.

5. Coaching Update

One to One Coaching 
A total of 592 Principals are availing of the one to one coaching. 
o 191 males and 401 females
o 455 primary and 137 post-primary

The Coaching companies are willing to facilitate a presentation at various professional learning events to promote the coaching service which would be offered free of charge. IPPN is discussing various possibilities with them.

Team Coaching – School Profiles:
50 School Profiles have been submitted to CSL for Team Coaching. The companies indicated that they also have many more schools interested. Generally, there are between 4 and 6 people on each of the teams.

6. PDSL

• Applications remain open for the Post Graduate Diploma in School Leadership (PDSL) although some centres are over-subscribed. Waiting lists will be developed for these centres. There are 10 remaining places on the sraith Gaeilge in NUIG
• 283 applicants received offers of places on Tuesday, May 7th
• Cohort One’s graduation will take place in UL at the end of August

7. Other Events

The European Commission has sought a delegation from DCU, CSL and SCEL in Scotland, in relation to assisting the Lithuanian Government in building leadership capacity in their schools. CSL will present at workshops in Lithuania on June 4th and 5th.
The CSL Team are meeting with teams from NAEL (Wales) and SCEL/ Education Scotland in Cardiff on June 12th and 13th due to their tripartite collaboration with both bodies. 
CSL has been working with both the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, and the Northern Ireland School Development Service in Dungannon, in relation to collaboration in mentoring. 
Mentor Training for Cohort Four will take place on dates in October of this year and February 2020 in Tralee, Mayo and Navan Education Centres.