Revolutionary new school model on cards for Johnstown [meathchronicle.ie]
- Published: 18 March 2010
A new model of education which would see children of all religious faiths and none educated in one 'community national school' in Navan under the patronage of Meath VEC should pose no threat to the future of existing schools in the town, the VEC's chief executive officer said this week.
As plans for the new school - to be named Ard Rí - were revealed, it emerged that the VEC official, Peter Kierans, met with six primary school principals and chairpersons of boards of management from outlying areas of Navan this week to discuss the future of education in the area.
Full Story: www.meathchronicle.ie
Navan principals to meet VEC on new community national school [meathchronicle.ie]
- Published: 18 March 2010
The administrator of St Mary's Parish in Navan has denied that there was any snub intended when the principals and boards of management chairpersons of 10 local schools failed to turn up for a meeting this week at which plans for a new model of primary education - a community national school - were to be unveiled by the Meath VEC.
The meeting went ahead with principals of six schools from outside the town.
Full Story: www.meathchronicle.ie
Schools may be allowed fill management posts by Easter [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 18 March 2010
SCHOOLS could be allowed fill some management vacancies by Easter to reduce what they call the crippling effect of a Government promotion ban, according to Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe.
Second-level teacher unions stepped up industrial action on the issue last week, banning members from carrying out the duties of jobs left vacant by a middle management promotion ban in place since last April.
A survey published last month by second-level principals showed that some schools had lost almost all their posts of responsibility due mostly to retirements, whereas others had lost relatively few.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
More than half of promised new schools stuck in planning limbo [Independent.ie]
- Published: 18 March 2010
MORE than half of the school projects promised by the Government last year have not seen a sod turned or a brick laid.
Forty-two of the schools are stuck in planning limbo -- with 30 projects currently at tender, while 12 have not reached the tender stage yet.
Just 11 of the promised 78 school building projects have been completed, while another 25 are still under construction, new figures released by Fine Gael claim.
One school which was recently given the go-ahead to build an extension, Croinchoill NS in Birr, Co Offaly, first applied for funding in 1999.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Facebook partners with anti-bullying orgs for web safety [siliconrepublic.com]
- Published: 18 March 2010
Following a meeting with the UK Home Secretary Alan Johnson Facebook says that it plans to add an extra layer to its reporting function in order to better protect younger users against cyberbullying and sexual predators.
The new layer of functionality will include links to support services i.e. BeatBullying and CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) at the end of Facebook reporting function as well more support and advice as part of Facebook's Safety Centre.
