Schools told: Cut holidays to make up for lost days [Independent.ie]
- Published: 21 December 2010
THE Department of Education yesterday asked schools to consider cutting their holidays short to make up for days lost because of the weather.
The department has suggested schools could look at the possibility of returning early after Christmas or shortening the February mid-term break or the Easter holidays.
At this stage, the department is seeking feedback from school managers on what they think might be possible.
Some schools have been closed for up to 12 to 15 days already and may be forced to remain shut until after Christmas because of the weather conditions.
Hundreds of schools did not open again yesterday and primary school principals said it could have been as high as 800, or one in four national schools. Worst affected are pupils living in rural areas, who have to travel on secondary and minor roads, which are not being gritted.
There were no school buses in Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, or Mayo, yesterday and in many other counties the service was cut.
As the Arctic weather continued into a fourth week, education authorities were becoming increasingly concerned about the impact on pupils, particularly leaving and junior certificate classes.
There is a requirement on schools to make all reasonable efforts to make up time lost due to unforeseen circumstances.
However, the extent of the closure in some areas makes it impossible for all days to be restored within the limits of the standardised school year.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Champagne and perfume - whatever happened to giving teacher an apple? [IrishTimes]
- Published: 21 December 2010
Many parents still buy very expensive presents for their children’s teachers, so schools have started to request children only give handmade cards
IN HARD times, wise heads invest in education. Does this extend to Christmas presents for teachers? Last week Debenhams department store issued a press release documenting a rise in the value of gifts bought for teachers this year, bucking the national taste for frugality. An online survey of 1,000 parents revealed that Debenhams shoppers in Dublin and Cork were spending an average of €75 per present per teacher. Branded perfumes, clothing and champagne were common purchases. One parent opted for a Calvin Klein watch (€227), while another thought their child’s teacher was worth the €287 price tag for a set of John Rocha Waterford Crystal wine glasses.Back in the real world, a growing number of schools have decided that enough is enough. The boom years saw the stakes rise to the point of absurdity, and according to Larry Fleming of the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN), some boards of management are taking a stand.
“There are definitely more schools around the country adopting a policy of no presents this year,” says Fleming. “Here at the IPPN we think the time has come to go back to basics. Last year, we had reports of teachers going home with expensive jewellery and very generous shopping vouchers – up to €200. That’s what prompted us to take an official position on the issue this year. Homemade cards say thank you with far more meaning than vouchers.”
At the Sacred Heart National School in Tallaght, Co Dublin the following note went home to parents this month: “As we approach Christmas, the staff of the school has asked me to write to you with the following suggestion. In the present economic situation, we would like to suggest that no presents are given to teachers this year. The teachers do not expect presents from pupils or their families. In fact, what teachers appreciate most is a handmade card. If you feel you would like to make a gesture of support or appreciation, we suggest that by buying some raffle tickets at the Christmas concert, you would actually be showing your support for the work of the school in a very practical way.”
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Rise in child poverty recorded [IrishTimes]
- Published: 21 December 2010
The numbers of children experiencing consistent poverty increased last year for the first time since 2006 according to the State of the Nation's Children report published today.
The report, which is published every two years by the Department of Health, is a compilation of various sources of information on children's lives.
It shows progress in several areas including a decline in child deaths and teen births, and an increase in immunisation. However it shows an increase in abuse, poverty, and numbers waiting for social housing.
The research has also found that Traveller children, immigrant children and children with a disability or chronic illness fare less well than the general population of children across a range of markers.
The number of children living in consistent poverty had fallen from 11 per cent in 2006 to 6.3 per cent in 2008. However in 2009 that figure increased to 8.7 per cent. Children living in the south east of the country were far more likely than any other children to experience poverty with 18.5 per cent living in consistent poverty compared with 4.1 per cent in the mid east.
Children in the midlands also had high levels of consistent poverty at 13.9 per cent. Children in the midlands region were also three times more likely to be at risk of poverty than children living in the Dublin region. State-wide 18.6 per cent of children were at risk of poverty.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
TEACHING matters [economist.com]
- Published: 20 December 2010
A teacher one standard deviation above the mean effectiveness annually generates marginal gains of over $400,000 in present value of student future earnings with a class size of 20 and proportionately higher with larger class sizes. Alternatively, replacing the bottom 5-8 percent of teachers with average teachers could move the U.S. near the top of international math and science rankings with a present value of $100 trillion.
Full Story: www.economist.com
Standardised School Year [into.ie]
- Published: 20 December 2010
The INTO has noted comments of the IPPN about the standardised school year. The union said the IPPN is not a party to any arrangements around the standardisation of the school year.
The INTO on behalf of teachers and principals agreed to standardise the school year as part of the Sustaining Progress national agreement in 2004. As a result the Department of Education and Skills, school management and the INTO negotiated standardised Christmas and Easter holidays and mid-term breaks.
The agreement emerged from a demand to give certainty to parents around school breaks to allow plans to be made for work arrangements, childminding and family holidays. It was widely welcomed at the time although the INTO pointed out that the agreement would have a negative impact on flexibility at local level.
The INTO said the extent of school closures due to weather had varied considerably with some schools reporting little or no disruption. It said as a result each Board would have consider the issue in relation to its own school. The union also pointed out that an attempt to manage the system centrally last year when all schools were ordered to close backfired badly and had to be rescinded.
The INTO described the IPPN’s comments as unhelpful coming at a time when teachers and parents are struggling to get to schools in the middle of the worst cold snap in decades. “It is not possible to say with any certainty what weather conditions will be like in early January. This makes talk of reopening schools on an earlier date in January, premature and speculative.”
Full Story: www.into.ie
