IPPN

'Union protests are too little, too late,' says principal [Independent.ie]

Published: 28 August 2009

THE principal of the country's biggest school says union protests are already too little, too late.

"There is no point in the unions causing disruption now. This should have been sorted out earlier," says Nicholas Sweetman.

Mr Sweetman, who retires shortly as principal of Gorey Community School in Co Wexford, believes the unions should have taken a much harder line before now.

His school, which has 1,600 pupils, is losing the equivalent of 7.7 full time posts this year out of its total of 130 because of the Government decision to increase the pupil-teacher ratio.

Full Story: http://www.independent.ie/

PPDS In-service training [PPDS.ie]

Published: 28 August 2009

This year Principals will be invited to attend a one-day training day on English as an Additional Language. In addition to this any Deputy Liaison Person (DLP) and/or Deputy DLP who did not receive training in 2008 or 2009 will be invited to attend a seminar on the Child Protection Guidelines and Procedures (DES, 2001)... more details to follow.

Full Story: http://ppds.ie/

Amid Hiring Freeze, Principals Leave Jobs Empty - International Perspective [NYTimes]

Published: 28 August 2009

Less than two weeks before the start of school, about 1,800 teaching jobs in New York City remain open as principals appear to be resisting orders to fill vacancies with teachers whose previous positions were eliminated.

Facing steep budget cuts, the Education Department enacted a hiring freeze in the spring, requiring principals with openings to hire teachers who are already on the city's payroll but who have no permanent position, often because their schools were closed for poor performance.

But many principals prefer new teachers. So in an act of quiet defiance, they are allowing jobs to sit vacant, leading to one of the most difficult hiring seasons in recent history despite the large number of vacancies and the thousands of candidates who could fill them.

Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/

Swine Flu - Update for Teachers [IPPN.ie]

Published: 27 August 2009

The Pandemic H1N1 2009 (Swine Flu) is now quite widespread. Children are susceptible to this virus, and schools can be sites of further spread. With this knowledge to hand, it is appropriate for schools be as prepared as it is possible to be in a constantly evolving and fluid situation. The IPPN Resource Bundle provides guidance for the re-opening of schools to minimise the impact of Swine Flu on the school community. For further information from IPPN, Click here

Full Story: http://www.ippn.ie/

Publishers on defensive over rip-off claims on textbooks [Independent.ie]

Published: 27 August 2009

SCHOOL-book publishers reacted angrily last night to claims they were ripping off parents with price rises of up to 7pc since last year.

But while some educational publishers have frozen or reduced prices, others have put them up. Increases fly in the face of a general fall in the cost of living, and a 2.7pc drop in book prices generally.

Fine Gael education spokesman Brian Hayes accused publishers of "money-making rackets" and said parents were being "ripped off".

However, leading publishers said he had got some of his figures wrong -- and one asked him to issue an amended press release. Mr Hayes rejected the call, saying: "I stand by my figures."

Full Story: http://www.independent.ie/