Minister for Education and Skills announces headquarter locations for merging Vocational Education Committees [education.ie]
- Published: 04 October 2011
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D.,today announced the headquarter locations where VECs are being merged as a result of the Government decision to reduce the number of VECs from 33 to 16.
Outlining the locations, Minister Quinn said, "Since announcing the revised merger of VECs in June, designation of the headquarter locations was a priority so we can drive implementation of the new structures."
"A number of factors have been taken into account in designating the headquarter locations where VECs are being merged. This includes the ability to redeploy staff to different locations. Where redeployment of all headquarter staff to one location is not possible I am providing for sub-offices in a number of locations," the Minister explained.
"The new VEC configuration allied to changes in the structures for delivery of further education and training comprises an overall blueprint for change that will bring about an exciting and dynamic future for the sector with an enhanced role in delivering both further education and training,” he said.
Full Story: www.education.ie
Fruit disguised as fries, carrots masquerading as crisps? Is the future of fast food for schoolchildren... healthy? [Independent.ie]
- Published: 04 October 2011
AT the beginning of September last year, pupils at Mason High School in Cincinnati found something unusual in their canteen.
Alongside the traditional vending machines that had been supplying them with chocolates, crisps and fizzy drinks for most of their formative years, was another machine – painted bright orange – selling nothing but carrots.
Exactly the same size and shape as a conventional snack machine, the fresh produce on its shelves was packaged in small, opaque, crinkly bags similar to the sort of bags crisps come in.
There were a number of different designs – one featured a weird orange alien creature on a green background, another had a black carrot-shaped object travelling through space – but inside all of the bags was the same thing: about three ounces of washed and peeled baby carrots, selling for 50 cents a bag.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
New Board of Management Election
- Published: 04 October 2011
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BoM 2011 - A Guide to Best practice
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Where Principals make it clear before the election process that being on a BoM involves real work and needs a specific skill set, there is a significant reduction in the Principal’s workload. The secret is in defining roles within your BoM for each member and presenting this to parents, teachers and community representatives before people agree to nominations. |
Minister Ruairi Quinn thanks Boards of Management volunteers [merrionstreet.ie]
- Published: 03 October 2011
Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn TD today thanked the thousands of volunteers who have served on Boards of Management of primary schools over the last four years and encouraged parents to stand for election for new Boards of Management in over 3,000 schools.
The Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn, T.D., is encouraging parents to stand for election for appointment to Boards of Management of primary schools.
Elections will be arranged by individual schools over the coming weeks for appointments to new Boards of Management that will take up office from 1 December 2011.
Membership of a Board of Management is designed to reflect all the different interests in the school community (patron, parents, teachers and wider community).
Full Story: www.merrionstreet.ie
‘We need to plan now to ensure success for our children’ [roscommonpeople.ie]
- Published: 03 October 2011
The fabulous new extension at Scoil Mhuire Primary School in Roscommon town was officially opened last week with Bishop Christopher Jones celebrating Mass and blessing the new facility.
During her address to guests the principal of Scoil Mhuire, Ms. Una Feeley spoke of her frustration and sadness at the fact that the health, housing and economic needs of some children are not being met.
Referring to the fact that Roscommon has become a multi-cultural society, Ms. Feeley said the school now has sixteen different nationalities.
“The vision for our school is that each person through positive learning experiences will be stimulated to achieve his/her full potential, face life confidently and find fulfilment in an every changing world. This is a challenge for all of us. If we need guidance we need look no further than the under 7s playing in the school playground. They are not concerned about where their friends come from, how much money their parents have, the colour of their skin or their peers standing in society. They just want to have a good time.”
Ms. Feeley said that the school was one of just over 100 schools nationwide wchih was recently invited to take part in an international assessment of literacy, science and mathematics.
“This is the first time since 1995 that Ireland participated in an international assessment of primary school children. Internationally, 64 countries participated. Seventy one per cent of the children in our school, Scoil Mhuire, scored ‘above average’, with 44% scoring in the High Average and well above average range, with some in this group having English as a second language. We look forward to finding out how our school is rated against other schools internationally, next year.
Full Story: www.roscommonpeople.ie
