Leadership+ Issue 49 March 2009

ISSUE 49 ● MARCH 2009

+ Leadership THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF PRINCIPALS

…Leadership in a Time of Crisis Recruiting Teachers Effectively with the Selection Interview Special Olympics Ireland…

Changing Lives

IPPN’s No Cost or Low Cost

10 POINT ACTION PLAN In keeping with IPPN’s tradition of identifying solutions that can make a real difference, we have put together a ten-point Action Plan for Minister O’Keeffe and the Department of Education and Science.

School Finances and Airgead Bunscoile School Governance Board of Management Managing Relationships

Meetings and Resources IPPN EVENTS /MEETINGS ON BEHALF OF PRINCIPALS January ● Jim Spinks, School Resourcing Project ● IPPN Annual Principals’ Conference, 29th – 31st January 2009, INEC Killarney February ● DCU – Leading Schools in an Intercultural Ireland ● Leadership Development for Schools meeting ● National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) meeting

● DES meeting ● National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) meeting ● Religion, Education and The Law – Dympna Glendenning ● Your School & The Law IPPN Seminar, Dublin March ● IPPN Executive Committee Meeting, Tullamore ● IPPN National Committee Meeting

● NAPD Symposium on The Role of Education in Ireland’s Future ● European School Heads Association meeting, Dublin 2009 Events/Dates for your Diaries ● Your School & The Law Seminars ■ Sligo Park Hotel, Sligo, 21st March ■ Green Isle Hotel, Dublin 28th March ● IPPN Annual Deputy Principals’ Conference, 12th May 2009, Glenroyal Hotel, Maynooth

DEPUTY PRINCIPALS’ CONFERENCE 2009 12th MAY 2009

WWW.IPPN.IE – RESOURCES

This year’s Deputy Principals’ Conference will take place on Tuesday 12th May at the Glenroyal Hotel, Maynooth.

In Issue 48 you will have seen a review of the most popular sections of the website including the Principal Advice, Resources, News &

The theme of the Conference is Special Education Needs – Implementing Best Practice. Among other speakers, professional briefings will be given by NEPS, SESS and NCSE. To book your place, please contact the IPPN Support Office on 1890 21 22 23 or email support@ippn.ie.

Views and the Notice Board.

Many additional items have been added to the website since the IPPN Conference in January, including all conference keynote speech texts and podcasts and the following workshop presentation slides and supporting materials: ● Classroom Management of In-Class Support ● Cultivating a high-quality induction programme for Newly Qualified Teachers ● Boards of Management: Managing Relationships ● Financial Management of your School - Good practice & Airgead Bunscoile ● Parents' Associations: Help or Hindrance? ● Emotional Intelligence and Leadership in the Schoolhouse ● Primary School Administration Systems & Managing the Paper Mountain ● Behaviour Matters: Developing a Sustainable Code of Behaviour in Schools ● Special Needs Assistants – Promoting Best Practice ● Preparation for and managing staff meetings ● Leading a school with multi-class classrooms ● Managing relationships with challenging adults in the school community ● Workplace Bullying ● Selecting Staff : Interview Strategies ● Effective In-School Management.

All Conference-related Press Releases are found in the News/Press Releases section and all E-scéals are available in the Resources/E-scéals section.

We would love to hear your feedback on IPPN’s websites and ideas for resources and features – please email project@ippn.ie. Send any useful templates and exemplars to us and we’ll make them available on the website, having removed any school-specific information.

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Reforming Primary Education IPPN’s No Cost or Low Cost 10 Point Action Plan

by Seán Cottrell, IPPN Director and Larry Fleming, IPPN President Leadership has been a constant feature in our national media recently with everyone calling for strong and effective leadership.

IPPN has emphasised for many years the enormous value that school leaders can bring to bear on Primary Education.

At our recent conference in Killarney, we outlined a vision for Primary Education rooted in current reality. This vision is built upon a number of key values: trusting Principals, giving Principals autonomy to make decisions and respecting the challenges facing Teaching Principals.

Government must seize the opportunity to bring about reforms that will enable the role of school leader make a real difference where it counts most.

3. Enable schools to cluster together a. Cluster small schools to provide reliable substitution for teaching Principals administration days. b. Enable smaller schools reap some of the benefits of larger schools without the need to amalgamate, through the provision of a rotating Administrative Principal for a cluster of 2 or more schools with a combined enrolment exceeding 178 pupils.

4. Reduce uncertified leave days from 31 to 5 per annum a. Provide sub-cover only for day one of uncertified leave b. Second and subsequent days require medical certificate

In keeping with IPPN’s tradition of identifying solutions that can make a real difference, we have put together a ten-point Action Plan for Minister O’Keeffe and the Department of Education and Science. This action plan has a firm focus on change for real improvement. It requires a radical shift away from traditional methods and moving towards professional, transparent and accountable systems and cultures. The action plan outlined below is by no means comprehensive but it offers a road map for essential changes in primary schools. Government must seize the opportunity to bring about reforms that will enable the role of school leader make a real difference where it counts most.

Larry Fleming

b. Enable schools to set their own priorities on spending c. Grant paid quarterly

5. Work with IPPN to reduce unnecessary paperwork a. Develop an on-line system to return school statistics b. Eliminate duplication of form filling by placing non-sensitive data on-line 6. Identify and discontinue ineffective ‘Quangos’ a. Query actual benefit to children b. Query increase in paperwork for schools 7.

Seán Cottrell

200 DAYS TO THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR - SEPTEMBER 2009 1. Re-define Principals’ Contract balancing autonomy with accountability a. Enable Principals to allocate and manage staff with required flexibility b. Enable Principals to delegate management responsibilities to teachers as school priorities require c. Enable Teaching Principals to undertake a Support Teaching role d. Enable principals to prioritise smaller classes for Junior/Senior Infants and classes of teaching principals. e. Streamline non-classroom teaching roles into a single support team.

2. Streamline current funding into a single operational grant a. Eliminate ring-fenced grants

Director: Seán Cottrell director@ippn.ie President: Larry Fleming president@ippn.ie Editor: Damian White editor@ippn.ie Assistant Editor: Brendan McCabe Assistant Director:Virginia O’Mahony Advertising: marketing@ippn.ie

a. Put professional fees for school construction projects to tender.

Use current market forces to negotiate a reduction from the current 12.5% of total project costs. b. Discontinue the Purchase/Rental Scheme for pre-fabricated classrooms. c. Introduce a Build-Lease Back scheme for school buildings where developers can avail of Section 23 tax breaks. d. Give schools full autonomy for minor builds with a mortgage option.

8. Modify the transport system for children with SEN. Instead of the high cost paying for taxis and employing escorts, give parents a reasonable mileage allowance to transport their own child to school where they can.

9. DES to make single payment for water charges to Dept of the Environment a. Currently DES funds sent to 3,400 schools making 3,400 payments to 30 local authorities 10. Designate all primary schools with charitable status a. Enable schools / parents to benefit from tax rebate on contributions..

Irish Primary Principals’ Network, Glounthaune, Co Cork T: 353 21 452 4925 F: 353 21 435 5648 The opinions expressed in Leadership + do not necessarily reflect the official policy or views of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network ISSN: 1649 -5888 Design and print: Brosna Press • 090 6454327 • info@brosnapress.ie PAG E 3

School Governance

by Seán Cottrell, IPPN Director and Larry Fleming, IPPN President In the context of the societal and cultural change that has taken place over the last decade, the role of religion in education has been a focus of considerable debate and discussion. With a view to formulating a policy on Governance and Religion in schools, IPPN conducted two research projects. The first project involved a survey of all the Principals and Deputy Principals in primary schools involving all denominations and patronage models. In addition, IPPN commissioned RedC to carry out an independent survey of public opinion. The results of both surveys were subsequently published and are available on www.ippn.ie.

Based on the findings of both surveys IPPN has now formulated a policy on Governance in schools, outlined below.

IPPN School Governance Policy School Governance is an over-arching concept encompassing two distinct issues: ● The ethos of the school as determined by the patron as it applies to religious education and faith formation ● The management and leadership capacity provided for the competent and sustainable functioning of the school on a day-to-day basis.

While both are determined by the School Patron, the challenges presented in relation to a school’s management capacity are different from the issues concerning religious instruction and faith formation.

IPPN represents the professional interests of over 6000 Principals and Deputy Principals. Reporting to Boards of Management, the Principal with the assistance of the Deputy Principal is responsible for the day-to-day management of all aspects of the school. IPPN’s membership is involved in leading schools with a variety of patronage models, including Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, Methodist, Muslim, Jewish, Educate Together, An Foras Patrúnachta, VEC and an increasing number of diverse models. IPPN holds no ideological position and respects the validity of all Patrons equally. IPPN also acknowledges the right of all denominations to the ownership and governance of schools based on their own particular ethos.

IPPN’s motto is based on the belief that quality leadership enables quality teaching and learning. ● IPPN believes that if schools are to fulfil their function in providing appropriate learning opportunities for the children in their communities, it is imperative that there is an appropriate, competent and sustainable management capacity in place. This management capacity applies equally to all Patronage models. ● IPPN believes that Principals – both administrative and teaching - have in effect become subsumed by administration and management to such an extent that their capacity to perform their function as ‘Principal Teacher’ or ‘Príomh Oide’ is being severely curtailed. ● IPPN wishes to contribute to the enhancement of school leadership so as to reverse the alarming reduction of applications for the post of Teaching Principal over the past decade conscious of the fact that such a trend, if allowed continue, will have unimaginable consequences for the quality of school leadership in the longer term.

IPPN believes that in order for the current Board of Management structure to be empowered to carry out a true Governance function, many managerial elements in relation to finance, legal, human resources, plant maintenance and construction should be carried out by appropriately qualified and competent professionals. This Governance function would attend to such matters as ethos, aims, general policy, strategic goals and direction while relating with the Principal/Deputy Principal and the In-School Management team.

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has stated that “The story of the evolution of ethos, management & governance of our schools is an open-ended book”….and that the Primary ethos of a school is an Educational one in both an academic and moral context.

IPPN is committed to working with all concerned to build on the past while meeting the challenges of the future.

Religious education & faith formation ● IPPN supports the right of all parents to have their children educated in a school of their choice where their beliefs are catered for and respected. ● IPPN supports the teaching of religion in schools. ● IPPN supports and welcomes the involvement of parents and parish clergy with the teachers in both the teaching of religion and the preparation of children for sacraments and other liturgical events. This should be a shared responsibility that is parish based, community focused and school supported. In the case of Catholic schools, the ‘Do This in Memory of Me’ programme, that was developed in the Diocese of Ossary, is a model for three-way partnership giving parents a more meaningful role and involvement particularly towards sacramental preparation. ● IPPN recognises and supports the many denominational schools that have been inclusive and welcoming of diversity and particularly acknowledges the contribution of the Catholic Church in this regard.

Any new Governance model must continue to respect the needs and diversity of minority as well as majority groupings through ethical, values-based instruction.

Management Capacity: ● IPPN supports a governance model which will deliver effective management capacity to schools and will provide positive practical support for the Principal who is the day to day manager of the school.

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WORLD MAPS

“T OMORROW ’ S M APS T ODAY ” G

Laminated Wall Maps Political & Physical G Unique Encapsulation G Ideal for Education and Business Contact: V.E. Behan, Leinster Lodge, Athy, Co. Kildare Tel/Fax: 059 – 86 32166 Tel. Int.: 353 – 59 8631706 email: worldmaps@eircom.net web: www.wall-maps.net Mobile: 087 7912799 G

IPPN Conference 2009

…Leadership in a Time of Crisis

by Seán Cottrell, Friday, 30th January Every time you turn on the TV or radio these days, there's someone giving out about the public service and the need for radical reform.

There is no denying that the economic outlook is deeply concerning. Your role as Principal in the years ahead will be even more challenging as a direct result of the ongoing budgetary cuts.

So what do leaders do in a time of crisis? First and foremost leaders define reality. They distinguish the possible from the impossible.

They offer direction and above all, leaders offer hope.

Crises have a habit of producing creative thinking, surfacing new leaders with new ideas and new sources of support. But for this to happen you, the leader, must stay positive, keep an open mind and create conditions for others to lead. The influence of leadership is never greater than in a time of crisis. And for this reason, we have to be very aware of our own ‘leadership attitude’ as it has such an important bearing on how we are perceived by others.

Crises have a habit of producing creative thinking, surfacing new leaders with new ideas and new sources of support. But for this to happen you, the leader, must stay positive Perhaps an even greater challenge for school leaders will be to maintain staff morale, to reject cynicism and encourage teamwork.

Principals’ ability to build stronger partnerships locally will be increasingly important. And above all, the ability to negotiate and communicate will be critical.

Principals’ level of commitment, professionalism and integrity are second-tonone. However, a common view held by Principals is that the Department of Education 'does not trust us'. This is best demonstrated by the extent to which schools are micromanaged.

The Cromien Report in the early nineties recommended pulling back from micromanaging schools. Why does the Department still not allow schools determine their own priorities? If we are to progress the quality of primary education, we must give schools greater levels of autonomy and devolved decision-making. In progressive education systems elsewhere, Central Government plays a much-reduced role in schools, limiting itself to providing schools with Legislation, Policy, Curriculum, Staffing and funding.

Ironically Ireland’s economic downturn is the perfect opportunity to undertake radical system reform. It’s an opportunity to prioritise the strategies which are most likely to deliver improvements to children’s learning. This is so relevant given current circumstances.

The most important place to start is to recognise the pivotal role of Principal in determining school-wide success. The day has come to Trust Principals - to give us the autonomy and the authority to do our job.The most important thing Principals need is the flexibility to allocate teachers and SNAs based on the actual needs of children in the school.

For instance, one school may decide to prioritise a significant reduction in class size, thereby reducing their number of support teachers, while another school may opt for larger classes preferring to have a larger team of support teachers. Such autonomy would also enable a Teaching Principal to take on the role of Resource Teacher instead of class teaching.

Where autonomy would really make a difference and is most urgently needed is in the realm of in-school management. IPPN called for a review of ISM in 2003. 6 years later, the review process has yet to produce a circular and even when it does, we are told it will take three years before it can be fully implemented. Is it any wonder the public sector has such a bad image?

Another major reform that’s needed is to streamline and simplify the allocation of financial resources in schools. State funding for operational costs should be condensed into a single grant, based on a formula which reflects

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levels of Special Education Need, Social Disadvantage,Traveller Children and Language Support. It would make so much more sense that schools would be given general funding for operational costs and allow boards of management on the advice of the Principal to budget their priorities for the year.

As you reflect on what greater autonomy might mean for you and your school, I suspect some of you may be thinking that this will in fact mean an even greater workload. Based on the experience of Principals in other countries where schools are more self-managing and Principals experience greater autonomy, it is evident that the Principal is in far greater control of the school’s destiny.Their main focus is teaching and learning. They have a clearer understanding of their role as school leader and, most importantly, that understanding is shared by all members of the school community.They feel less isolated and have greater confidence in their role. Remember, hard work never killed anyone, but frustrating and stressful work can make even the strong weary!

The most important place to start is to recognise the pivotal role of Principal in determining school-wide success.

Our country’s finances are in turmoil.While all about us are losing their heads, we need the Minister to keep his; to look beyond cutbacks, to think laterally and use this crisis as an opportunity to radically reform primary education by releasing it from the constraints of micro-management. With this in mind, IPPN has produced a 10-point Action Plan for the Minister which identifies practical steps that can be taken that involve no additional cost and would have far-reaching, positive impact on the role of the Principal.

The complete text of Seán’s speech is available on www.ippn.ie.

Legal Diary

by David Ruddy, B.L.

Health Service Executive Must Disclose Confidential Information given by Teachers to Social Workers HSE V Information Commissioner (High Court) October 1st 2008 Mr Justice Bryan McMahon Facts The HSE received an anonymous phone call stating a suspicion that the girl at the centre of this case was being physically abused. The child’s mother gave permission to the HSE to contact her doctor and the school. A social worker from the HSE interviewed four teachers from the school. The HSE completed the inquiry and found that there were no grounds for concern and closed the inquiry. The mother then sought to discover the identity of the anonymous caller in order to institute proceedings. She sought all personal records from the HSE relating to herself and her daughter. The HSE granted some of these records but refused others. She appealed the refusal of those records to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner directed disclosure of some of the restricted records by the HSE.The HSE appealed this order of the Information Commissioner to the High Court on a point of law.

The HSE claimed that the information given was in confidence, and that a teacher’s telephone number was personal information. The teachers supported the HSE in its actions seeking to restrict the information being made available to the Mother.They felt that the restrictive approach adopted by the HSE respected the teachers’ entitlement to confidentiality.

of that information, it was argued, would be likely to prejudice the giving to it of future similar information by schools and would constitute a breach of confidence.

The judgement The Information Commissioner was correct in directing the HSE to hand over the files in dispute. What was being handed over was a record which was not made or prepared by the teachers but by the social worker of the interviews with the teachers.As to the suggestion that this would threaten the relationship between the teacher and the parent, the Judge said that this would not be to the detriment of the teacher. He also concluded that it was difficult to argue that an agreement of confidentiality existed between the teacher and the social worker in this case.

There was nothing in the documents to suggest there was such an agreement. However the judge did order that the mobile telephone numbers of the teachers should not be handed over.

They felt that the restrictive approach adopted by the HSE respected the teachers’ entitlement to confidentiality.

The Freedom of Information Acts 1997 & 2003 The Information Commissioner stated that the purpose of these Acts was to replace a culture of secrecy with one of openness. The Act was designed to open up the workings of Government and Administration to scrutiny. It lets light into the offices and filing cabinets of our rulers. It enables people to have a right of access to personal information relating to themselves in the possession of public bodies.

Observations of Judge McMahon “This case touches on the dilemma which sometimes faces teachers when they suspect that one of their pupils is being abused at home. If they report their suspicion, they will be putting in train an investigation by the relevant authorities which may be unwarranted and which may cause serious problems for the innocent parents.

Moreover, a complaint originating from the school may fracture the relationship of trust and confidence that should ideally exist between teacher and parent in the school context .The risk of ignoring the matter, however, may have very serious consequences for the child.

The HSE relied on a section of the Act which stated that information given to a public body i.e. the HSE was given in confidence and should be treated as confidential. Any disclosure by the HSE

Teachers and other professionals are frequently confronted with difficult decisions of this nature as they discharge their duties in what they hope will be an atmosphere of trust and respect.

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Professional life is full of such dilemmas and the law cannot guarantee that difficult decisions will never have to be made by professionals in these situations. It is this responsibility which distinguishes professional people from those who pursue non-professional lives.”

Conclusions The judgement was a major disappointment to the teachers and the HSE.The teachers were fully cooperating with the social worker in trying to assist the investigation. The teachers cooperated with the investigation on the understanding that their meeting and statements were for the benefit of the HSE alone. They understood this investigation was conducted on a strictly confidential basis. They had no idea that the file would be assessed by the mother of the child.

This judgement is a cautionary tale in relation to there being no guarantees in relation to presumed confidentiality in interviews with social workers.

It would always be prudent to request the social worker to mark the file “private and confidential”. This is not the outcome that the HSE would have hoped for either. However, Judge McMahon (son of the Master) demonstrated his understanding of the circumstances in which schools operate in his observations quoted above.

The view of the High Court in this decision is that teachers as professionals should always cooperate with the HSE in its work. The good of the pupil is of paramount importance even it has the potential to be to the detriment of the relationship between the parent and teacher, and even if records which were assumed to be confidential were in fact not.

Parents of Autistic Boy Fail to Maintain Home Tuition for Their Son McD (a minor) –v- Minister for Education and Science (High Court) July 29th 2008 Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’ Neill Facts A twelve year old boy who suffers from a developmental disorder within the autism spectrum was at the centre of this case. He

attended a mainstream national school with an autistic unit from the year 2000.The boy also had home tuition for two hours a day using the applied behaviour analysis (ABA) method, paid for by the Department of Education and Science (DES). The boy made good progress and was assessed as being able to join a mainstream class from September 2006, when the boy was ten years of age. However, a year previously in September 2005 the DES wrote to the boy’s parents informing them that it had carried out a review of the home tuition scheme which it considered to be only an interim measure. It stated that it had decided to discontinue home tuition for children with special education needs who were in full-time education. The provision would cease in December 2005.The pupil’s case was then to be referred to the Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO). The school was also requested to make contact with the SENO to ensure that the pupil’s needs would be met by the school. The HSE also stated that it was withdrawing from the speech and language therapy and the occupational therapy it had been providing on the basis that it was only a six month assessment service aimed at helping the pupil’s transition into the mainstream class.

The law The parents sought a judicial review in the High Court aimed at quashing the decision of the minister to discontinue the home tuition grant, and declarations that the Minister had failed to vindicate the applicant’s constitutional right to an education, and had failed in his duty under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004, and the Disability Act 2005.The barrister for the Pupil’s parents argued that the withdrawal of the home tuition grant, which focused on communication skills, social skills, and socialisation, would mean the child would be unable to function in a mainstream class and this would deny him his constitutional right to education.

The Minister argued that appropriate provision had been made for the pupil’s needs, that he had been referred to the local SENO, but that the parents had refused to engage with the SENO. The minister also argued that he had the power under the Act to exercise discretion with regard to the provision of support services.

The Judgement Judge O’ Neill stated “Special Educational

Needs Pupils were entitled to training in social skills. A child with a disability needs special training to acquire skills normally acquired in the home. I cannot see why that special training would not be described as education”. However, the evidence suggested that the parents had failed to respond to repeated requests by the SENO to establish contact. The decision to discontinue the home tuition scheme and focus on school-based education including for those with special needs, amounted to a policy decision. This was quite consistent with the EPSEN Act 2004. The DES was entitled to change its policy, but should have regard to the needs and circumstances of an individual. In this case the DES had directed a SENO to make contact with the parents concerned. This arrangement was met with a refusal by the applicant, through his parents, to avail of the new services.The application of the parents failed to succeed.

Observation This decision is one of the first to consider the EPSEN Act of 2004. The DES was vindicated in its decision to discontinue home based tuition in this case as a matter of policy. This policy change could be justified on the basis of the creation of the post of SENO under the EPSEN Act 2004.The new service was made available to the parents. However they declined to engage with the SENO and as a result failed to convince the Court that their son’s statutory and constitutional rights had been infringed.

LUCAN EDUCATE TOGETHER V DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION & SCIENCE & Albert O Ceallaigh & Michael Hayes & Tom Ashe (The Section 29 Appeal Committee) & J. Adefolate (Notice Party - mother of pupil refused admission to the school) (The High Court) December 2008 Judge O’ Keefe The Background Last month the High Court held a four day judicial review hearing in a challenge by the Board of Management of a primary school in Dublin against a directive from the Secretary General of the DES to compel it to accept an autistic child into the school. The school is a mainstream school with an autistic unit. The PAG E 7

school operated an enrolment policy which set down certain criteria for its unit, including the provision of a psychological report by parents indicating that the pupil was autistic and in the mild general learning category as opposed to the moderate and severe/profound category. The outreach service provider in counties Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow is Beechpark Services which is operated and managed by the Health Service Executive (HSE).A pupil needs to be in the mild category for a school and the pupil to avail of the services provided by Beechpark.

The Facts When the school principal considered the psychological report she was unable to recommend the pupil’s acceptance to the BOM on the grounds that the pupil was not in the mild category.The parents were advised to seek advice from Beechpark services. Ultimately the parents initiated a Section 29 Appeal.A number of different reports were considered including an interpretation of a report. The Section 29 Committee were of the view that the term “significant learning disability” used in one of the reports enabled the pupil to be eligible for enrolment in the school. The Committee also took the view that the policy was too restrictive and unlawful. The Committee allowed the appeal and the school were directed by the Minister to accept the pupil. The school took this Court action to challenge the Minister’s directive.

The Law Firstly, it is important to note that there is no legal precedent or decision handed down by the High Court.This will soon be remedied as there are a number of impending decisions due. In Judicial Review hearings of this nature all the evidence is presented by way of reading the sworn Affadavits of relevant witnesses. Counsel on either side make their presentations and tease out issues between each other. It was recognised that under the Education Act 1998, BOMS had to strike a balance between different and competing interests. It was argued that while the Education Act gave parents freedom of choice as to where they wanted to send their children to school, that this was not an absolute choice.

A BOM had to publish its Admission policy (section 15 of Education Act). It could only refuse an application for admission in accordance with the published policy. In relation to a BOM that would refuse to carry out the

directive of a Minister, it was argued that there were two possible remedies. Firstly under section 16 of the 1998 Act the Minister could request the Patron to dissolve the BOM. The nuclear option in the alternative would be to withdraw recognition from the school under Section 11 of the 1998 Act. Financial subventions from the DES would cease in such a scenario.

It is inevitable that decisions of Section 29 appeal Committees are the subject of judicial reviews by schools and parents who are disappointed with their decisions.

In relation to the Section 29 Appeal Committee the following observations were made: ● The committee had no right to come to the determination that the pupil was in the mild general learning category. ● This was a lay Committee in that none had expertise in autism/psychology. It ought to be acknowledged that all three members are highly experienced people in the field of education. ● The committee relied on reports/interpretation of reports that were not conducted in relation to the pupil’s placement in a mainstream school with an autistic unit. ● The reports that cast doubt over the pupil’s suitability for placement in the school were overlooked. ● The committee had jurisdiction to examine the school’s actions only in relation to their admissions policy. ● They had no right to tear up the school’s admission policy.A DES inspector does not have such a power. ● If the committee succeeds in this action they can do anything they like and get away with it. ● The committee has acted totally beyond its remit as contained in the Education Act. Judgement Mr Justice O Keefe reserved judgement in this case. I will update readers as soon as the judgement comes to hand.

Observations It is inevitable that decisions of Section 29 appeal Committees are the subject of judicial reviews by schools and parents who are disappointed with their decisions. This stems from the large number of cases that these committees process. By and large the Committees have done a good job. However from time to time as in this case there is a serious issue in relation to the jurisdiction of the Committee which needs to be clarified.

Everyone is a winner when the Courts clarify these types of issue. I am in awe at the level of

time and commitment that is required of Principals and Boards of Management to mount such challenges.

These recommendations were drawn up following consultations and a review of the legal position in Ireland.

Judge claims that pupils will not be allowed freedom at break time if parents continue to sue schools

They agreed that the current system, whereby schools decide their uniform policy at a local level, is reasonable, works and should be maintained.

Anne-Marie McNulty V The Board of Management of New Inn National School Glanmire, Co. Cork, 2008 The plaintiff in this case (the child’s mother) claimed the child was playing in the school yard during a break in November 2005 when due to the negligence and breech of duty of the school, a fellow pupil violently pushed her. The child fell and as a result she sustained severe personal injury. The girl was in junior infants’ class at the time of the alleged accident, and had been playing a game in the yard with friends. She claimed that a boy in her class had knocked her to the ground and she was helped to her feet by two other children.The child told the court that there were no teachers or helpers supervising the yard at the time. She was taken to hospital by her mother where she had to undergo a series of operations for a double fracture of her right arm.

She had not returned to the school since the incident.

The school principal Michael Desmond said there were always two members of staff walking up and down the back yard where the younger children played. Special needs assistant Angela O Callaghan told the Court that she was supervising the yard on the day in question with a teacher, Denis Crowley .She said the child in question was only a metre from her when she saw her trip over her own feet and fall to the ground. The special needs assistant brought the child immediately inside the school and administered first aid while a teacher contacted the child’s mother. She said the child was calm until the child’s mother arrived at the school shouting.

Decision of the Court Judge Kenny dismissed the case and awarded costs to the school saying that he accepted totally the evidence of the school witnesses and what had happened was a mishap in the school yard. He said children should be allowed to play more freely and that if the taking of actions over school yard mishaps continued, children would not be allowed freedom at breaktime anymore.

Schools to allow hijab but not burqa under new rules The hijab is in - but the burqa is out - under new policy rules for uniforms in schools. They were drawn up following controversy over the wearing of the hijab, a square of fabric, folded into a triangle, placed over the head and fastened under the chin.

At the start of the school year Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe and Integration Minister Conor Lenihan jointly issued recommendations.

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The agreed ministerial statement said that schools, when drawing up uniform policy, should consult widely in the school community.

"In this context, no school uniform policy should act in such a way that it, in effect, excludes students of a particular religious background from seeking enrolment or continuing their enrolment in a school.

However, this statement does not recommend the wearing of clothing in the classroom which obscures a facial view and creates an artificial barrier between pupil and teacher. Such clothing hinders proper communication."

Minister O'Keeffe said this meant the burqa could not be used as teachers could not see the full range of facial expressions of the students.

The burqa covers the entire body and has a grille over the face. He was not aware of any cases where students sought to wear the burqa in Irish schools.

The agreed ministerial statement said that schools, when drawing up uniform policy, should consult widely in the school community.

They should take note of the obligations placed on them by the Equal Status Acts before setting down a school uniform policy.

They should also be mindful of the Education Act, 1998 which obliges them to have "respect for the diversity of values, beliefs, traditions, languages and ways of life in society".

Teachers' unions welcomed the guidelines but the Irish Council for Civil Liberties said it was disappointed. "This would appear to be a policy not to have a policy" said council director Mark Kelly. "Thanks to the good sense of school principals, reason has prevailed and no child has been excluded from school on the basis of their religious dress. However, there is a responsibility on the State to ensure that decisions on such a sensitive issue are taken on a firm, lawful basis, and in a consistent way," he said.

"We need to bear in mind that our existing equality laws permit discrimination in order to maintain the religious "ethos" of a school. In the absence of a nationally-agreed and enforceable policy, there remains a danger that individual principals could interpret this to permit them to exclude a child for wearing religious dress, such as the hijab."

Source - John Walshe, Education Editor, Irish Independent

FAQs Principals’ Frequently Asked Questions Recruitment This column provides answers to questions that are asked frequently in Principals’ calls and emails to IPPN’s Support Office and the Principal Advice team.

In this issue, we focus on questions relating to Recruitment. These and many other ‘FAQs’ were compiled during the summer of 2008 by a panel comprising IPPN’s Executive Committee members and are also available on www.ippn.ie under the Principal Advice tab.

ADVERTISING Question: Should a Temporary post that is being upgraded to a Permanent post be advertised?

Answer: Yes, unless the teacher with the Fixed Term Contract has built up entitlement to a CID [Contract of Indefinite Duration] after 4 years of continuous service in the same school.

ALL posts of 26 weeks and over must be advertised.

Question: With regard to teachers on a Fixed Term Contract, does the Board of Management have to re-advertise and re-interview for these positions?

Answer: Normally, it would be good practice and re-interview but if it is the exact same post as the previous year, it can roll over. A new fixed term contact should be assigned.

Question: Can a deputy principal take up a Learning Support/ Resource post or a Shared Resource post?

Answer: A Deputy Principal can take up a Learning Support/Resource post.

However, a Deputy Principal cannot take up a shared Resource post unless they relinquish their Deputy Principal’s post for the duration of the shared arrangement.

CONTRACTS Question: Where there is no contract established for the Secretary, is she still entitled to paid sick leave?

Answer: All employees are entitled to a Contract of Employment. There is no statutory entitlement to paid sick leave.

This would have to be negotiated as part of a Contract of Employment.

Question: Do you need to sign a contract with a part-time resource teacher for 4 hours a week?

Answer: All employees are entitled to a Contract of Employment. All posts, whether temporary, permanent or substitute require a contract. This applies to part-time work also.

INTERVIEW Question: If someone asks for their interview marks, how much information are they entitled to?

Answer: They are entitled to see their own cumulative marks but not marks allotted by individual members of the Interview Board. They are not entitled to see the marks of other candidates.

In the event of an appeal all relevant notes taken by members of the Interview Board may be required to be disclosed.

Question: When interviewing for an SNA, what is the structure of the interview panel? Can one of the 3 members of the panel be the Deputy Principal as she is also on the BoM? Answer: The interview Board should consist of the Chairperson of the Board of Management, the Principal teacher and one other person nominated by the Patron - ‘an independent person’. The Interview Board must be constituted with gender balance.

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POSTS OF RESPONSIBILITY Question: How long does a post of responsibility need to be advertised for?

Answer: The advertisement should be placed on the school notice board for 10 school days. Teachers who are on any type of leave of absence must also be informed in writing by registered post.

SENIORITY Question: If two or more teachers were appointed on the same day, how is seniority determined?

Answer: Where two or more teachers are appointed on the same day, seniority is determined on the day the position is accepted. The marks given at interview and the order determined by the Interview Panel will determine seniority.

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Recruiting Teachers Effectively with the Selection Interview

by Clare Murray

The Selection Interview has been and is still the preferred method of selection amongst employers across Ireland and the UK in all work fields, outweighing other selection methods by a noteworthy 77%. It is also the main selection tool that’s used to staff our primary schools nationwide.

THE POPULARITY OF THE INTERVIEW There are numerous reasons as to why the interview is such a popular selection tool, not least its familiarity and acceptability to both employers and candidates.A properly conducted interview meets both the rigour of employment law and the demands of proper practice and procedure. Cost effectiveness and time efficiency are key reasons for its popularity. Additionally, the interview allows both the candidate and the employer to promote themselves equally. It is a medium which allows for two way communication. Ultimately there is no other selection instrument which allows such freedom and advantages and until such a method is discovered, the interview will remain the primary selection tool to be utilised.

There are numerous reasons as to why the interview is such a popular selection tool, not least its familiarity and acceptability LIMITATIONS OF THE INTERVIEW Employers must not allow the popularity of the interview to overshadow its evident limitations and potential pitfalls as a selection tool.

The old adage ‘all that glitters is not gold’ describes precisely one such limitation whereby candidates can use the forty minutes in an interview to portray themselves as something they are not. Candidates who are very good at doing interviews may not be as good when it comes to carrying out their job. A strong interview performance does not guarantee a good employee; they can talk the talk but can they walk the walk? Similarly the reverse of this situation can also prove problematic whereby a candidate may simply be poor at partaking in

interview but may be perfectly suited to the role and may succeed at their job.

Bias behaviour and basic errors generate more problems for the effectiveness of the interview.

Basic errors include inappropriate questioning i.e. regarding a candidate’s age, gender, race, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, disability. Lack of clarity as to what the interviewer is looking for can also lead to a highly ineffective interview.

The likeability factor can also create bias behaviour. When a candidate has similar characteristics to the interviewers such as interests, culture and background, it is only natural that they will prefer this candidate over another. However it is important to evaluate on skill and suitability for the role.

Where a candidate is placed in the schedule of interviews can also be difficult. It is possible that the interviewing board will be very attentive for the first candidate but by the sixth candidate they may be losing interest, may become inattentive and tired, thereby creating potential errors in the final decision.This is known as the ‘order of the interview effect’.

The validity and reliability of the interview as a selection tool is often questioned. It is reported that the interview cannot always be reliable for the simple reason that one is measuring human characteristics and no two interviewers will assess responses in the same way. Validity is also affected by the artificial and stressful situation which an interview situation creates.

MINIMISING THE LIMITATIONS It is possible to minimise such limitations.

Firstly the power of training cannot be underestimated in counteracting basic error and bias behaviour. An untrained interviewer has in fact been compared to a ‘loaded gun’ thus highlighting the importance of training.

Scheduling the candidates with care is of utmost importance in reducing the order of interview effect referred to above. The number of interviews for each board should be no more than six per day with adequate breaks in between. This will assist in reducing basic errors and help to maintain attention.

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The guidelines for interviewing should be circulated on a regular basis and highlighted to all boards at interview peak times. Similarly notifying interviewers of serious legal cases which have arisen within the sector is also strongly encouraged in order to emphasise just how easy it is for things to go wrong and thereby creating a ‘demonstration effect’ of what not to do.

It is reported that the interview cannot always be reliable for the simple reason that no two interviewers will assess responses in the same way.

It is imperative for interviewers to agree on assessment criteria for the position in preparation for the interview. However, if candidates were not presented with this criteria prior to their interview it could assist in reducing the likelihood for someone to ‘fake’ their performance and increase the interviewers’ chances of gaining more scope and insight into the individuals’ actual teaching capabilities and skills.

Ultimately the interview can be a very powerful tool if utilised in the correct manner.

Remember: ● Be well prepared for your interviews – Be fully aware of what you are looking for so that you can clearly assess the skills ● Listen actively ● Remain objective – make decisions based on real positive and negative evidence ● Take accurate notes – notes that you would be prepared for the candidate to see ● Do not ask questions unrelated to the criteria.

Clare Murray recently carried out research on appointment procedures in Irish schools as part of an MBS in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations at NUI Galway. She is a former graduate of DCU and currently works as a graduate recruitment analyst/HR assistant for Accenture. She can be contacted by emailing claremurray7@gmail.com.

IPPN Conference 2009

Primary Education: Who Pays?

by Larry Fleming, Thursday 29th January There is general agreement that our children will be the powerhouse of the economy as it is being rebuilt and revitalised in the coming years, so strategic investment in education is the key. However, Minister for Education, Batt O Keeffe gave no indication whatsoever that any such investment would be forthcoming.

So how do we protect and improve our children’s future in a time of scarce resources? As a nation, we have to decide new priorities for the money we have and make bold decisions. The present economic downturn offers both incentive and opportunity to do just that.

Finland encountered precisely the same problems in the early 90s. Today, Finland has an education system that is the envy the developed world.They did this by increasing investment in education and giving more autonomy to Principals and staffs.

We need to think along the same lines and be creative with what little we have to invest.

The recent National Competitiveness Council report called for the enhancement of professional development for Principals and teachers even in the current economic climate. Perhaps we have been overly fixated on class size as the only way to improve teaching and learning for children?

Teacher quality, as we all know, is also crucial to good learning outcomes. Ask any parent would they rather have their child in a class of 28 with one of the best teachers in the school or in a class of 23 or 24 with a less able teacher – we all know what the answer would be. In a time of scarce

resources, the Government must prioritise the 2 classes in a school where large numbers do significantly inhibit effective learning- the Junior Infant class and the class of the Teaching Principal.

A recent survey of Principals identified neglect as the single most serious threat to children’s welfare. The recent horrific revelations in Roscommon reinforce that worry. Many Principals were angry at the media reporting of the trial, where it was inferred that the school had not acted promptly. Often, teachers and Principals are the first professionals to notice there is a problem. Almost every school has at least one family where we have concerns about the welfare of the children. We know that, having raised our concerns, it can be very difficult to get a satisfactory response. Despite the complexities involved, Principals overwhelmingly favour the introduction, through legislation, of mandatory reporting.

Schools currently apply the Children First Guidelines through a Designated Liaison Person, who is normally the Principal. But every member of the school community must be crystal clear on procedures relating to the prevention of abuse and dealing with allegations that may arise. The reality is that every school must have a fully transparent Child Protection Policy in place.There is no excuse for any school to lag behind on such a crucial issue as there is far too much at stake.

A trusting and respectful relationship between school and home is very important in strengthening the whole school community.

Understanding and support is key to such a

relationship. The Irish Primary Principals’ Network is committed to working with parents through the National Parents’ Council Primary and both organisations are working on a se t of Guidelines for Good Practice in the relationship between schools and parents so as to cement genuine partnership where all stakeholders are listened to and respected.

IPPN develops policy based mainly on feedback from our membership of over 6,000 Principals and Deputy Principals.That feedback clearly tells us that there is a pressing need for every child who is in need of an assessment to have access to an Educational Psychologist.This must become a priority for Government. Similarly, with over 1,000 children disappearing between the cracks each year during the transition between Primary and Post Primary, a robust tracking report template, which IPPN has already developed, must be put in place.

The Education System in Ireland is in need of reform. The present economic downturn is an opportunity to implement those reforms. The Department must trust Principals more and stop micro-managing. Real reform, such as autonomy for Boards and Principals in relation to staffing and finance, the abolition of unnecessary paperwork and the funding of schools with one single weighted grant, is long overdue.

The opportunities are there…now is the time to act.

The complete text of Larry’s speech is available on www.ippn.ie.

Leadership Recovery – Principals in need of personal or professional help Would you like to get help with a particular problem that is affecting your role as Principal? In recent years we have noticed an increase in the number of Principals who are reporting personal and professional difficulties which prevent them from being able to carry out their role to their satisfaction. The issues range from on-going conflict, stress, burnout, anxiety, loss of professional confidence, alcohol / drug addiction, being targeted by a bully among many others. A common feature among Principals with one or more of these

issues is the inability to look for help and not knowing about the support that is available.

Over the last 3 years IPPN has been developing a service known as Leadership Recovery with the specific objective of providing a confidential one-to-one support service for any individual Principal that looks for help. We are building a small team of recently retired Principals who have a background in counselling-type skills who are available to speak with and visit a Principal in need of personal support.

Leadership Recovery also offers information on

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other professional services that are available to address specific issues. In many cases the Principal seeking support is able to successfully overcome challenges with the aid of specific coaching and professional guidance over a particular period of time. Leadership Recovery is a free, confidential service and is available throughout the country. If you wish to avail of this support, you are welcome to contact either of us at the IPPN Support Office by telephone on 1890 21 22 23.

Virginia O’Mahony and Seán Cottrell

Special Olympics Ireland…

Changing Lives

by Clare Tallon, Fundraising Manager, Special Olympics Ireland Special Olympics Ireland is embarking on an All Ireland Fundraising campaign in 2009. The campaign, sponsored by eircom, which runs from 5th January to 1st May 2009 is asking the people of Ireland to donate or get involved in any fundraising event to support Special Olympics in their own community.

Money raised will change lives and make a real difference in their local community. There are 35,000 people with an intellectual disability in Ireland but only 10,699 of them are athletes in Special Olympics Ireland. Money raised will go towards providing sports training and competition for those athletes and to reach out to those 24,301 people in Ireland not already involved. It will also be used to recruit volunteers and to develop new clubs.

Research has proven that the younger a person can get involved in sport the better.

Not only do their motor skills improve significantly but their social skills are also radically enhanced.

Special Olympics changes lives in so many different ways. Through sport, athletes develop both physically and emotionally, they make new friends, realise their dreams, and know they can fit in – Special Olympics enables them to achieve and win not only in sport but in life too. To deliver on the promise of continued change, Special Olympics Ireland needs to raise €5 million in 2009 to fund the activities over the next two years.

Every person in Ireland has been touched by Special Olympics Ireland at some point, whether they know an athlete or their family, perhaps they are a volunteer or maybe they live in one of the 177 Host towns that welcomed countries from around the world to the 2003 World Games. People know that being involved in Special Olympics changes lives, and we are asking them to support us in our work in delivering the promise of continued change.

Low activity levels among people with intellectual disabilities pose significant mental health problems in addition to rising levels of obesity-related illnesses. The Bamford Review found they have more sedentary and lonely lifestyles, with 58% of young people having no friends of their own. The need for social and leisure opportunities is also felt strongly by parents and families, who require support and a much-needed break.

Research has proven that the younger a person can get involved in sport the better. Not only do their motor skills improve significantly but their social skills are also radically enhanced.

The benefits that young people gain from participating in Special Olympics Ireland are immeasurable.They have friends, feel a sense of belonging, are fit and healthy and feel important in their family and community.

Through Special Olympics, people with an intellectual disability are allowed to reach their potential. Special Olympics Ireland is open to anyone with an intellectual disability from the age of six and they are eligible to compete from the age of 8.

Rebecca lives in Clontarf with her parents Willie and Ailish and her older sister Kate. In her spare time she loves playing on her Wii and has a particular talent for singing ABBA songs on Singstar!

Low activity levels among people with intellectual disabilities pose significant mental health problems in addition to rising levels of obesity-related illnesses.

Fundraising projects, large and small are already planned and taking place, including the search for the 2009 Granny of the Year and an All Ireland Collection Day which is scheduled to take place on 24th April 2009.

To find out more about the campaign or request a fundraising pack text CHANGE and your name to 51444 or alternatively Lo-1850 555 222 email fundraising@specialolympics.ie.

The 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games took place in Boise, Idaho in February. Team Ireland consisted of 8 athletes that competed in Alpine skiing. The youngest member of the Team is 11 year old Rebecca McGonagle from Clontarf.

Rebecca attends Howth Road National School in Dublin and has been participating in Special Olympics since she was 6 years old. As well as alpine skiing, Rebecca takes part in Equestrian with Festina Lente Special Olympics Club in Bray, Aquatics with The Jets Special Olympics Club in Rebecca McGonagle, who achieved brilliant Donaghmede and Basketball results at this year’s Alpine Novice Events: with Killester Basketball Club.

• Giant Slalom- 2nd (Silver medal) • Alpine Novice Super G- 3rd (bronze medal) • Alpine Novice Slalom- 2nd (silver medal) PAG E 1 2

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The Blarney Golf Resort & Spa, Co. Cork is offering IPPN members exclusive rates on breaks and the opportunity to win a two night break in every edition of Leadership+ this year.

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COMPETITION: To be in with a chance to win a fabulous 2 Night break for two people (including one evening meal) simply answer the following question: Q. Which of the following people addressed IPPN’s Annual Conference in Killarney in January?

Answer A. David McWilliams B. Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy C. Aine Lynch D. All of the above Answers by e-mail to adverts@ippn.ie. Please include your answer (A. B. or C.), your name, contact details and roll number. Competition deadline 30th March 2009. Winners will be notified by phone and announced in the next issue.

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Conference Workshop

School Finances and Airgead Bunscoile

by Seán Ó Láimhín, Principal, Foxford NS, Co. Mayo

As school principals, it would be great if we could leave all financial matters to the Board of Management while we got on with the ‘leading and learning’. However, the principal in his/her role as day-to-day manager of the school’s finances is required to monitor income and expenditure, liaise with the treasurer and ensure that files and records are kept.

The secret to keeping accounts is to have an efficient and simple filing system.

Records of receipts and payments can be filed by the secretary and made available to the Treasurer.

The Treasurer, elected from among the Board members, is charged with keeping the school accounts. If it is possible for the Board to appoint a

treasurer who has some knowledge and experience in keeping accounts this will be a huge support to the principal.

School bank accounts must be in the name of the school, and the number of accounts being operated should be limited. The Board of Management should always authorise the opening or closing of an account and the chairperson must be one of the signatories on each account. There should be three signatories (approved by the Board) on current accounts, with two signatures required for transactions. The signatories should be from three different constituencies on the Board. The chairperson should sign all cheques, but in his/her absence, one of the other signatories can be authorised by the Board to act for him/her.

The secret to keeping accounts is to have an efficient and simple filing system. Records of receipts and payments can be filed by the secretary and made available to the Treasurer. There should be files or folders for Unpaid Invoices, Paid Invoices, Monies Received, and Bank Statements. These records enable the Treasurer to analyse the income and expenses and provide a report for each Board meeting. The annual accounts must be certified by an accountant and their report presented to the Board.

There was much interest in these issues at the School Finances workshop at Conference. The discussions resulted in a very useful sharing of expertise.

Other points discussed were budgeting, operating an overdraft (with the permission of the patron) and the necessity for Parents’ Associations to have the authority and approval of the Board of Management to raise funds or operate a Bank account.

School bank accounts must be in the name of the school, and the number of accounts being operated should be limited.

There was considerable interest also in the demonstration of Airgead Bunscoile at the workshop. This is the software financial package which I have been developing for IPPN. It is an Excel Spreadsheet which aims to: ● Automate the calculation and recording of income and expenses. ● Provide up-to-date printed reports for BOM meetings.

With good accounting practices, safeguards and procedures in place, the principal can confidently avail of the cooperation of the Board, the treasurer and the school secretary to assist him/her in the organisation and monitoring of the school finances.

Further information in relation to school finances is to be found in the ‘CPSMA Handbook 2007’ and in the Department of Education & Science publications ‘Information Manual for Primary Boards of Management’ and ‘Boards of Management of National Schools - The Constitution of Boards and Rules of Procedure’. The ‘Primary Education Management Manual’ published by Thompson Round-Hall also has comprehensive guidelines.

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Ceol – A New Approach to Teaching Music

by Damien White Of all the subjects covered by PCSP in their In-service Training Programme, Music arguably had the greatest effect.

For teachers with years of experience, it offered them a chance to look at the key components of the subject – listening and responding, performing and composition – with fresh enthusiasm, fuelled by new approaches, ideas and material.

and 2007, Ceol began to offer Music Education to primary schools from Junior Infants, bringing on board a team of experts to create new and innovative methods for teaching. The innovations gave rise to the Giusti approach to Music Education which focused on the development of musical fluency, teaching children to listen, speak, read and write the language of music.

For many reluctant teachers of what until now had been seen as a 'specialist' subject, it gave them a new confidence to approach the subject again, knowing that they would successfully manage at least some strands. For those with a passion for music, it gave them a framework upon which to build exciting new programmes. For Carmel Dunne, it oiled the wheels of her exciting and award winning project – Ceol.

Today Ceol Ireland is working with over 160 teachers across the 4 provinces helping teachers to teach music integrated with maths, languages and science.

Carmel's vision was to reawaken the dormant musical heritage of her home area in West Dublin. Following research and piloting in 2006

many of whom were fearful of the subject, are delighted with the Ceol lesson plans and materials and regular professional development sessions. Ceol recently won the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Award for Leinster. Today Ceol Ireland is working with over 160 teachers across the 4 provinces helping teachers to teach music integrated with maths, languages and science. 'Ceol has enabled the teachers to take the music curriculum books and transform them into a dynamic, used curriculum' is the view of Ena Morley, St Ultans, Cherry Orchard, Dublin.

More information on the Ceol Support Programme can be gained by calling the support team on (01) 6207179/(087) 9036139, emailing carmel@ceolireland.ie, or logging onto the website www.ceolireland.ie. Ceol Ireland can see your school reach new heights of musical achievement and excellence for €15 per child per annum.

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland challenged Ceol to roll their model out across the Country. The pilot programme was highly successful and teachers,

Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA)

by Breda Cotter, NEPS Regional Director/SCPA Manager As you know, the DES/NEPS carried out a thorough review of the SCPA last year with a view to improving the service for all stakeholders. I wish to thank everybody who provided us with advice and assistance as part of that review.

The new ‘Guidelines for Schools – 2009’ have been designed to reflect Principals’ concerns and to facilitate a more transparent and equitable process generally.

The review has resulted in some significant changes to the scheme. The new ‘Guidelines for

Schools – 2009’ have been designed to reflect Principals’ concerns and to facilitate a more transparent and equitable process generally. It may be instructive to read them in conjunction with the ‘Guidelines for SCPA Psychologists – 2009’ which all current panellists have agreed to implement.

I hope you have also found the new suite of forms useful. These forms have been developed to take account of the changed procedures, to assist with quality control and to enable planning for special educational needs. Of particular importance in this regard is the need for written consent from parents/guardians (see Form 1) to have a copy of the psychologist’s report submitted to NEPS in tandem with the Certificate of Completion of Assessment Form (Form 3).

As the payment process cannot be concluded

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until we are satisfied that the terms and conditions of the scheme are being complied with, it would be greatly appreciated if a copy of the psychologist’s report could be sent to NEPS with Form 3 (pages 1 & 2).

You will have received the complete set of guidelines and forms by email via the IPPN on 7th January last. They are also available in the NEPS section of the DES website – www.education.ie. This website is regularly updated and includes the 2009 panel of approved psychologists, which is being augmented on an on-going basis.

Should you have any queries in respect of the new arrangements, please email same to scpa@neps.gov.ie. Every effort will be made to respond to your concerns as soon as possible.

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IPPN ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2009 IPPN would like to thank the following companies for their wonderful support during our 2009 Annual Conference:

SPONSORS

CarambolaKidz – the healthy school lunch expert and sponsors of this year's Conference Gala Dinner.

IPPN Platinum sponsor Prim-Ed Publishing, the leading teacher resource supplier in Ireland and sponsors of this year’s conference packs.

Musgrave SuperValu kind sponsors of the President’s Reception and the wine for the Conference.

We would also like to thank the following companies for their kind contributions:

Chocolate for the conference packs.

Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin’s CD entitled Áilleacht for the conference packs.

Selection of Jameson Reserves whiskey as prizes for the Gala Dinner table quiz.

Lifeline - for the conference packs.

IPPN CONFERENCE PASSPORT GIVEAWAY We would like to thank the following contributing companies for the amazing prizes they provided for our Passport Prize Giveaway this year details of which are outlined below:

Bernadette O’Grady (left), Scoil Chaitriona Senior, Renmore, Galway and Mary Conroy (right) from St. Mary's NS, Rochestown being presented with their prize of a Toshiba Laptop each by Ed Murphy (far left) & David Sheill (far right) of ScoilTel. Judy Curley (centre) from Allenwood BNS, Naas, Co. Kildare being presented with her prize of a luxury weekend and spa package for the Spa Absolute Hotel in Limerick city by Rachel Mescall and Colm O’Brien of Carambola Kidz.

Stephen Cahill (left) from St. Nessan’s National School in Limerick city receiving his prize of a 37” Flatscreen TV from Marc Evans of Cornmarket Group Financial Services.

Judy Curley from Allenwood BNS, Naas, Co. Kildare who who also won the grand Passport Giveaway prize of a Promethean Collaborative Classroomworth over €10,000 is pictured being presented with her prize by Seamus McGuinness of Prim-Ed Publishing. The prize includes a Promethean Activboard+2v2 integrated system along with projector, installation, training, supporting software and upgrades, Activpens, Activslate, Activwand and Activote (learner response system).

Additional prize winners (not pictured) included: ● Dan O’Connor from St. Patrick’s NS in Rathvilly, Co. Carlow who won the second of two 37” Flatscreen TV’s compliments of Cornmarket Group Financial Services. ● Richard Codd, St. Columba's NS, Tullow, Co. Carlow won a Promethean Bronze Package, the ideal package to get your school started with interactive technology, compliments of Prim-Ed Publishing. ● Joe Mulligan from Scoil Naisiunta Muire na nGael, Dundalk, Co. Louth won a set of Promethean Activ Expression, the world’s first learner response device with full sentence and character texting, again compliments of Prim-Ed Publishing.

Finally IPPN would like to thank our Conference Trade Expo exhibitors this year for their support in helping deliver our annual conference and contributing to its success.

Conference Workshop

Board of Management Managing Relationships

By Eileen Flynn, General Secretary CPSMA The aims of this workshop were (1) To explore the nature of relationships between members of the Board and between the Board and the wider school community (2) To understand the roles and functions of members (3) To understand the operation of the Board as a corporate entity.

While various members come to serve on the Board through an election or a nomination process, the Board must function as one, for the good of the whole school community and not in a way that “represents” diverse interest groups.

Varying ‘styles’ of operation of Boards and the effectiveness of each were discussed by the groups in the workshops. An effective board of management, however, is one that has a shared sense of purpose and of commitment to the school for which it has collective responsibility.

The position of the Board in relation to the role of the patron, the trustees and the minister was discussed. The Principal and all teaching staff are employees and the Board has the statutory responsibility to manage the school on behalf of the patron.

The Board must also be accountable for all its actions - managerial, administrative and financial.

It must seek to provide or cause to be provided an appropriate education for all students. The focus of the Board, in all its deliberations, should be the

educational progress and the welfare of the students, while valuing the teachers as the single most valuable asset of the school.

Boards are run on a voluntary basis involving almost 20,000 people at primary level. The contributions of all members should be valued time, commitment, view points and support.

Board members should work as a team of learners.

Regular meetings are a must, if understandings are to be fostered and a meaningful contribution is to be made to the school community. Tasks should be delegated to various members and the Board should form a prioritised plan for its work in the context of each school.

An effective board of management, however, is one that has a shared sense of purpose and of commitment Board members should have access to relevant information – handbooks, newsletters, circulars, legislation and guidelines – and should be consulted in regard to formation and review of aspects of the school plan.

An agreed report should follow each meeting of the Board and there should be absolute clarity as to what is to be communicated to whom, by whom and how. The Chairperson is the correspondent on behalf of the Board, unless he/she delegates aspects of this function to another.

Procedures for dealing with problem situations should be in place. A number are outlined in the CPSMA Board of Management Handbook, 2007 edition. In addition, disciplinary procedures for teaching staff will be in place for the next school year.

Boards could consider the possibility of issuing a newsletter to members of the school community on a regular basis as a means of sharing information with them.

Training for Board members should be sought regularly. A national programme of training, funded by the Department of Education and Science, is currently underway. Local Diocesan Secretaries are the convenors on behalf of all patrons. The programme addresses the following topics: Board as Corporate Entity; Appointment Procedures; Managing School Finance; Legal Issues, Policies & Procedures; Child Protection.

Lively debate arose from a case study and a reflective set of statements presented to those who attended the workshops.

info@ncca moves online info@ncca, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s tri-annual publication for teachers, will be published on 24th April in electronic format only.

The very high number of emails received from schools and individual teachers requesting extra copies of the publication, and stressing the need for each teacher to have their own copy, has led the NCCA to rethink their production policy.

Producing a print copy of info@ncca for each teacher would be prohibitively expensive, especially given the current climate, so it was

decided to concentrate on the digital version.

The upside of the new production policy is that every teacher will have access to a copy of info@ncca, as opposed to sharing the copies previously received by each school. And, there will be an online survey in the April issue so that readers can record their response to both content and format.

In order to receive a copy of the next issue and all following issues, the NCCA is asking teachers to go to www.ncca.ie and subscribe by clicking on the ‘Subscribe to Newsletter’ PAG E 1 8

banner. This will ensure that an email will be sent to each subscriber on publication.

According to the NCCA, the response to info@ncca has been overwhelmingly positive.

Teachers, they say, have engaged with the ‘teaching and learning in the classroom’ approach and appreciate being informed on developments in curriculum and assessment.

For further information, email newsletter@ncca.ie

Conference Workshop

Classroom Management of In-class Support

by Fiona King This workshop had a natural follow on from last year’s workshop, which looked at in-class support versus withdrawal for pupils with special educational needs (SEN). Having established a need for inclass support and withdrawal as models of support that are available to meet the needs of pupils with SEN, this workshop explored the role of the support teacher as an inclusion support teacher.

This role involves a support teacher working effectively as a collaborator with the class teacher in support of students’ participation in the general education class. Both teachers collaborate on designing, implementing and evaluating programmes to cater for pupils’ individuals needs.

The challenges of in-class support were outlined with particular emphasis placed on noise levels in the classroom when two teachers are team-teaching. An awareness of speaking softly and not using our ‘teacher voice’ when working in small groups was discussed. Roles and responsibilities of each teacher with regard to designing programmes, implementing them

and evaluating them need to be outlined in detail. In order to work on these areas it is necessary to have time to collaborate.

When teachers decide that in-class support is the model to be used in a classroom then they need to decide on the focus of instruction Having looked at pupils’ needs and deciding whether in-class support or withdrawal is suitable for a period of time, teachers co-plan work for the pupils. The expertise of both teachers as learning strategist and content specialist leads to a greater understanding of all pupils and greater access to the curriculum.

When teachers decide that in-class support is the model to be used in a classroom then they need to decide on the focus of instruction i.e. the content, and the model of instruction to be used i.e. peer tutoring, cooperative learning etc.

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It is important to remember that TextaSub.ie is just another means of advertising shortterm teacher vacancies. Whether a Principal / Deputy Principal sources a substitute teacher through a newspaper advert, Education Centre or a website, the responsibility to verify the qualifications and suitability of the individual candidate is the same.

IPPN’s advice is that no matter how you find a substitute teacher (or indeed any staff member), prior to their commencing work you should request: ● a copy of their teaching qualifications ● a passport or driving licence ● details of previous school employment.

It is reasonable to ask a substitute teacher for details of recent employment so that an oral reference can be sought from those schools.

The Board of Management, through the Principal, is responsible for recruitment regardless of the means by which it is carried out. A clear disclaimer to this effect can be seen on www.TextaSub.ie.

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The following models of in-class support were explored and explained: ● ● ● ●

Parallel teaching Station teaching One teacher, one support teacher Jigsaw activity – cooperative learning activity ● Peer tutoring.

Examples were given of how to use each model in areas such as literacy and maths. Feedback and comments from principals was very positive with the emphasis on training in models of inclass support to be provided to teachers.

Some important points were highlighted: ● Meeting the needs of all pupils in-class may not be possible ● Formative assessment is essential to ensure pupils’ needs are being met ● No one best method of support ● Providing a continuum of support through withdrawal and in-class support ● Decisions on support to be made based on pupils’ needs on a case-by-case basis.

Making the Decision to Retire

by Jim Hayes

Retirement is a life-changing experience.

How people first contemplate retirement can vary greatly. One’s understanding of retirement may well influence how one approaches this new upcoming phase in life.

So too does one’s personality type – if you are a careful planner, there is a high probability that you will approach this issue in a methodical way.

In general, it is recommended that serious thought is given to the decision to retire well in advance. I have met people who can predict five years in advance that they will be retiring, for instance, when the present junior infants reach second class although they may not wish to make people aware of this at the time, of course. There are those who give the concept some thought in the last year or two before they either have to or decide to retire. Practice varies.

Your conscious preparation for retirement may well entail reading about the topic, attending courses/workshops or talking with retirees.Your decision may well be influenced on a personal level by varying factors. The number of years of service will dictate the amount of your future pension. The financial situation in your family will be uppermost in your mind – can you afford to retire at this time and how will that impact on your domestic financial situation? The state of your health will be a crucial factor and very often is the deciding factor. Your appetite for returning to school in September and for attending a plethora of meetings may not be what it was. Your energy levels may be decreasing and you may, in general terms, have less enthusiasm for the job. You may still have other work ambitions in life and may intend to continue to work in another capacity, after retiring.

Of course, it is possible that you may have been subconsciously preparing for retirement for some time.You may have taken up a new hobby in the last year or so thereby placing greater emphasis on your leisure time. Without fully realising it, your rhythm of life may have been gradually changing over recent years. Many retirees have told me that when your time arrives, you can

read the signs that the end of your service in your school is nigh.

One way or another, you ultimately arrive at a decision. Like all major decisions in life, there is a great sense of relief when one eventually arrives at a definitive decision to retire – a burden has been lifted as it were.

I have met people who can predict five years in advance that they will be retiring, for instance, when the present junior infants reach second class although they may not wish to make people aware of this at the time, of course.

Having made the big decision, the question arises: At what stage of the school year will I formally retire?

TIMING OF ANNOUNCEMENT Succession can be a big issue for schools and so it is only right to give some thought to what is best for one’s school at a time of change. What leader is not proud of his/her school? What principal does not wish to pass on the torch in a manner that will best help the school? A smooth transfer of leadership is always desirable and whether the school be large or small one always wants what is best for the pupils and the other members of the school community. One of the issues that affects how your retirement impacts on the school is the time of the year that you select to retire.

With regard to the actual timing of your announcement, it is becoming more common practice to give longer than the three months notice.The thinking behind this is to endeavour to take into consideration the various needs of the key members of the school community –the board of management, the staff, the pupils, as well as the larger community and one’s own particular circumstances. The implications of a Principal retiring at the end of the summer vacation or the end of December are very different. I know of Principals retiring at the end

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of August who made their announcement on the previous January. Others have done so anytime between January and April at the latest. Some Principals who retired at other times of the year – depending on when their careers began – also gave more than the statutory notice. Many who retired at the end of December announced their impending retirement early in the month of September. It is also important to recognise that there are circumstances where some Principals wish to give the notice at the latest available opportunity due to personal or local factors.

Relationships within the school community and the local community can often colour these decisions.

FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS What follows the announcement, whenever it is made, is more often than not a demanding period, not alone for the prospective retiree but also for their spouses, other family members and friends. For some, the period of time between the announcement of the retirement and the final departure from the position can resemble an emotional rollercoaster. For others it may be just an uncomfortable time. A minority take it all in their stride. Once the announcement is made, one’s relationship with every other member of the school community changes to a greater or lesser extent. Surprise or maybe even shock – depending on circumstances - will give way to regret and disappointment eventually leading to an acceptance of the fact and an examination of how the impending change will impact on everyone’s future.The duration of this process will vary very much from person to person and as outgoing principal one may find oneself uneasy about the minutiae of everyday life in the school during that final period.

Because people genuinely want to show their appreciation for all that you have done for the school and for themselves over the years as their leader, you will inadvertently notice that plans are being stitched together in a hush-hush manner as if you weren’t there. Just close your ears and pretend that you didn’t notice – just go with the flow – believe me it’s easier!

In the next issue, I hope to deal with step-bystep procedures for managing the impact of a Principal’s retirement on a school.

Conference Workshop

Workplace Bullying Dr Brendan Byrne The purpose of the workshop was to examine the nature of bullying and the effects of bullying on the individual and the organisation. It also considered the role of the Principal in providing all employees with an environment that is free from any form of workplace bullying and harassment. A final, but major, part of the workshop investigated how Principals may be bullied and what they can do.

Three scenarios provided much material for discussion, both in small groups and then in a general discussion. The main issues to emerge were: ● The extent to which someone who is being bullied feels isolated ● The difficulty in proving some aspects of bullying behaviour e.g. intimidation through tone of voice, invasion of space, facial expression

● The importance of keeping an account of incidents –when, where, who, what ● In the workplace environment there can be conflicts and interpersonal difficulties. Many of these are legitimate industrial relations difficulties, which should be dealt with through the appropriate industrial relations channels. Only aggressive behaviour, which is systematic and ongoing, should be regarded as bullying. Accordingly, the exercise of legitimate management functions, in a reasonable and fair manner, does not constitute bullying. ● A positive and caring atmosphere in a school is a major deterrent to bullying behaviour ● Most bullying is based on an abuse of power ● The document ‘Working Together’ recommends a definite staged approach for dealing with bullying and harassment in the workplace. ● INTO and management recommend that each board of management/ school adopt a

policy and procedure on bullying, sexual harassment or other harassment on specified discriminatory grounds, which would include a clear statement that any such behaviour is not acceptable within the school.Where a complaint is upheld disciplinary action may result.Where a complaint is not upheld, no action shall be taken against the complainant provided the allegation was made in good faith. However, if the complaint was brought maliciously, it should be treated as misconduct and the disciplinary procedure invoked. ● Finally, it was concluded that any member of the school community may be bullied.

Principals and Deputy Principals are not immune to bullying. A Dignity at Work Policy is a key part of ensuring the health and safety of all members of the school community.The worst part of bullying is the loneliness.

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Sharing my teaching experience in Uganda

by Eileen Byrne, Retired Principal of St. Joseph’s NS, Glenealy, Co. Wicklow I spent most of my teaching career in a 4teacher school and enjoyed every minute of it. I was Principal for almost 19 years. Even though I found it hard to imagine life without school, surprisingly I took to retirement like a duck to water – loving the liberty it affords and the opportunities to realise ambitions and to make dreams come true.

One of those dreams was to help in the developing world. Somehow I heard of an organisation called Link Community Development which was looking for primary teachers to help in Uganda’s school in areas such as: ● School performance reviews ● School development ● Coaching and mentoring ● Literacy and numeracy workshops ● School management and administration And I thought ‘yes, I can do that’, remembering all the inservice and planning development days I had attended in recent years. It would be wonderful to be able to pass on the skills I had learned and the benefit of my teaching experience.

anybody who remembers him. The world is just a global village after all!

Next day, our group of six primary teachers and Global Teacher Leader Emer boarded a rickety minibus and began our gruelling eight hour journey on murram (dirt) roads through a surprisingly lush and fertile landscape of banana plantations and blue gum groves. Villages comprised of bizarre rows of cubicle-type shops which sold anything and everything from rolls of cloth to rolls of barbed wires. Strings of endless narrow passages wound their way between dishevelled rows of plantain-roofed mud huts.

Eventually we arrived at our destination which was the remote tranquil village of Kamwenge in the south west of Uganda, 4,000 feet high and just 0.2 degrees north of the equator. After the initial shock of our impoverished surroundings – barefoot, ragged children, men and women digging in the fields and plantations all day, I realised, that here at least there was not that heartbreaking divide that you encounter in other third world countries where the poor are forced to beg for the crumbs that the rich discard. Here, all were poor and getting on with life as best they could, just like some of our own forefathers did in Ireland less than a century ago.

My school placement was in a relatively small school (considering some classes in Uganda can have over 100 pupils) outside the village which had no electricity or running water.

My school placement was in a relatively small school (considering some classes in Uganda can have over 100 pupils) outside the village which had no electricity or running water. Arrival at the school caused a stir as I was the first white person most of the locals had met. The children in particular were fearful of the muzungu (white people) and especially so in my case, where my freckles were always a huge source of curiosity.

Amid some apprehension about what lay ahead and some doubts about the wisdom of volunteering to work for five weeks with Link’s Global Teachers’ Programme in a strange tropical land, we left Dublin on a dull damp day in early July. Our first appointment after arriving in the capital Kampala, was a reception at the Irish Embassy.

Imagine my surprise when I recognised that friendly face of a former teaching colleague and member of staff of Glenealy NS – now His Excellency Kevin Kelly, Irish Ambassador to Uganda. Kevin began his career as a Learning Support Teacher in Ashford/Glenealy and sends his regards to

My brief was towork with the head teacher, inspectors and school management to help to draw up a School Development Plan from priorities they had already identified. Since Universal Primary Education was introduced in Uganda only 11 years ago, inevitably strains and challenges are evident in the system as a whole, and as a result, one frequently sees poor learning environments, shortages of teachers and very large classes. The school year is 240 days, with classes beginning each day at 8am and ending at 5pm for the pupils while teachers then have to write out 8 lesson plans for the next day. They certainly do a job that would defeat most of us

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(speaking for myself of course). I found there was a very strong emphasis on academic performance in primary schools with mid term and end of term examinations set for each class.

Access to Secondary School depends on grades achieved in Primary Certificate which must be taken by all Grade 7 pupils but the families of many children who achieve the required grades cannot afford the cost of books, footwear, uniforms or lunches. Since tuition fees were abolished last year the cost to keep a pupil in school is only about €65 a year but still many pupils, whose whole dream is to be educated, must drop out to face a life of menial work because they cannot afford €65 per child. (A teacher’s monthly salary is about €64, a Principal’s about €150) Children are so eager to learn – there is no such thing as discipline problems! I can tell you of 3 -4 staff meetings when teachers left classes unsupervised for at least one hour – not a sound from the classrooms!

The school year is 240 days, with classes beginning each day at 8am and ending at 5pm for the pupils while teachers then have to write out 8 lesson plans for the next day.

Having dealt with aspects of the Ugandan Curriculum during my training with Link Community Development I did a number of workshops and demonstrations of a variety of teaching methods which could be adapted to the Ugandan system. Because of the lack of time and money for materials, teachers must rely on chalk and talk as their most common teaching aid. As I moved on to make some basic teaching equipment with the teachers I found we had nowhere to work except on a mud floor and soon realised this school had even more urgent and basic needs like a table, chairs, some storage space and shelving. Replacing four classroom mud floors also became imperative especially when I discovered that to keep the red equatorial dust down, these floors had to be smeared with a mixture of cow dung and water

every week. This I saw being done by hand by the teacher and pupils of one of the classes.

Beyond belief but a necessity.

Thanks to donations from family and friends, and to the Lions Club Wicklow, I was able to get a local carpenter to make the furniture and library shelving and to buy the necessary sand and cement to replace the mud floors. This work has been contracted to be done within the next month. The project will be monitored by Link Community Development. To generate money for childrens’ lunches and to address the many needs of the school, I was grateful to have the wherewithal to start a beehive project consisting of three starter hives. This project will be piloted by two teachers who have already been trained.

Pupils from senior classes study Agricultural Science as a subject and will be trained and encouraged to start a hive a home to help to provide money for their basic needs. Kamwenge is an area very rich in flora and has a warm balmy climate with an average of 25 degrees all the year round, which means up to 15kg of honey can be harvested from each hive twice a year and sold in a local market in Fort Portal.

Replacing four classroom mud floors also became imperative especially when I discovered that to keep the red equatorial dust down, these floors had to be smeared with a mixture of cow dung and water every week.

The Global Teachers’ Programme was an enormously rewarding experience and not only for the glorious and exotic summer weather we had enjoyed there. Through living with local host families, we were given a grass roots insight

into the development challenges that the country faces. I really enjoyed being immersed in many aspects of local life and culture not normally experienced by visitors or tourists.

Despite the poverty of the pupils and teachers, every lunchtime I was laden down with the most delicious fruit I have ever tasted – pineapples, mangoes, guavas, paw-paws, bananas and avocados and very often some Irish potatoes which grow very well in Ugandan soil. The people have simply nothing yet they welcome you into their houses with a wonderful céad mile fáilte. It is amazing how optimistic and cheerful they are as they get on with their lives, working in subsistence patches of land and plantations from dawn to dusk. It was a profound personal experience and indeed a very humbling one. I discovered too that we are capable of more than

we think. I felt privileged to be instrumental in effecting a small but sustainable change in the lives of the teachers and pupils of Kamwenge Primary School.

However, it was not all work for the group. We were re-united at the weekends when we had the opportunity to travel by jeep to various parts of the country like the Rift Valley, the Ruwenzori Mountains (or the Mountains of the Moon) on the border of Congo and the crater lake of Nkruba. We even spent a day chimp tracking in Kibale National Park before returning home to a monsoon drenched Ireland on August 16th. The teachers have now returned to their Irish teaching posts with a new appreciation of what they have and a willingness to share it with those who have not.

It anybody is interested in volunteering for five weeks next summer or would like to know more about the Global Teachers’ Programme please email Link Community Development on info@lcd.ie, ring (01) 2841414 or call into their office at 23 Crofton Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

If you would like to make a donation to the Kamwenge District School Improvement Programme please contact Emer at the above address.

Mike Rosc ope

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For the Teacher - A classroom planner is produced for teachers each week.

- This briefly describes what the next issue will be about.

- It gives information about what resources and materials will be needed for the activities.

‘World Young Reader Prize’ 2005 WINNER - The World Association of Newspapers (WAN)

What is Eureka?

• Eureka is a science magazine exclusively for primary schools, published by The Irish Independent and written and produced by Helena Jeffrey, Paula Kilfeather, Cliona Murphy and Janet Varley from The Centre for Science No 16 Pollution Environmental Awareness and Care Describes the different types of pollution that can occur and how pollution can damage our environment. The emphasis was on water and air pollution but other types of pollution that children might not think about, such as light, heat and noise pollution were also discussed.

Activities included making and cleaning up an oil slick, tests for air quality and rain pollution and ideas for carrying out a pollution survey.

Education, based at St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin.

• Eureka only costs 25c per copy and includes a compact copy of the Irish Independent.

No 19 It’s Electric - Energy and Forces

Included information about how electricity is generated in Ireland and invited children to think about what it would be like if there was no electricity. Activities on how to build electrical circuits and switches were suggested and design and make activities about building a lighthouse and a torch were included. Children were encouraged to think of ways of saving electricity and safety was emphasised throughout.

• Eureka supports the teaching of science in primary schools and encourages pupils to learn about science through exploration and discovery within the classroom and at home.

No 22. Going to the Zoo Living things Described the role that modern zoos play in our lives. Children were encouraged to think about food chains and the way animals are sorted into different groups. Activities included how to set up a home for a snail and how to design and make zoo animals with moving jaws using lever. Some weird and wonderful facts about animals were also included.

No 9 Living in a material World Materials The different jobs involved in building were described.

Glass as a material was discussed and how concrete is made was also described.

Activities on how to investigate materials for a damp course and also a bathroom window were suggested. Information about some amazing buildings was included.

For further details, contact Debbie Brennan Ph: 01 705 5131 or email eureka@independent.ie

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Leading & Learning

Buying for Schools 4 Cleaning

by John Curran

After energy and insurance, cleaning is possibly the single biggest cost in your annual budget.

How do you get the best value and lowest costs for this important item?

There are many different arrangements in place in schools for cleaning. Some schools engage contract cleaners, some employ cleaners directly and others have what might be termed a “loose” arrangement with parents or others in the community to undertake this work.

When negotiating a cleaning contract, it is essential to document and specify exactly what is to be included on a daily, weekly, monthly, termly and annual basis.

CONTRACT CLEANING COMPANY Many schools choose contract cleaning companies as this avoids the difficulties of direct employment, including the need for the Principal to be directly involved in supervision.

A typical contract will involve the company taking responsibility for cleaners, provision and maintenance of cleaning equipment as well as the provision of cleaning supplies.

When negotiating – or re-negotiating – a cleaning contract, it is essential to document and specify exactly what is to be included on a daily, weekly, monthly, termly and annual basis. This should be done in exact terms and specific outcomes rather than actions. For example, there is a difference between “Wipe down ledge of blackboard” and “Wipe down ledge of blackboard with damp cloth so that no chalk dust residue remains”. It may seem pedantic to specify everything in detail but it is absolutely essential. The basis on which you compare prices and the basis on which you monitor performance must be detailed and consistent.

For example, if you simply say that classrooms must be vacuumed and corridors mopped, then there may be many different interpretations of what this means.

Make sure that the contract includes equipment and consumables for cleaning – but check these prices regularly. This makes the contractor conscious of the usage and cost of these items. If you are supplying equipment and take responsibility for repairs, then the contractor may not take as much care of these items as they should.

Similarly, if you are supplying consumables, then the contractor may not be careful about levels of use. It may seem that cleaning activities are costing less yet you may be charged a much higher price for cleaning products.

DIRECT EMPLOYMENT Some schools choose to employ cleaners directly. This usually involves the school providing all cleaning equipment and supplies as well as managing payroll, tax deductions, PRSI etc.

There may be advantages in doing this in that you may have an excellent local cleaner who does a fantastic job at a low cost. The additional cost of directing, supervising, managing payroll, equipment and supplies may be worth it for the result you get but do not forget to include this additional work when you compare the various options.

You should also consider what happens when this cleaner is sick or unable to work. Are there backup arrangements in place? And what about redundancy should that arise? As an employer, there are many HR, employment law, sectoral practices and other administrative and legal obligations that you need to be aware of when employing someone directly.

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR Another variation that schools might like to consider is where you know of someone locally who can do the job well but you do not wish to employ them directly. The individual might like to become established as a sole trader or an independent contractor and undertake the work in this capacity rather than being employed directly. The individual is responsible for their own tax affairs, VAT returns etc. The school draws up a specification for cleaning and the individual takes this on as an independent contract. You might make the cleaner

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responsible for ordering supplies and maintaining equipment. The costs of these might be borne by the school or by the contractor – depending on what is agreed.

Some schools have switched from direct employment of cleaners to a contract with a group of local parents. The school agreed to give existing equipment to the group initially, provided that they took responsibility for repair and eventual replacement when needed.

Some schools choose to employ cleaners directly.

This usually involves the school providing all cleaning equipment and supplies as well as managing payroll, tax deductions, PRSI etc.

CHILDREN PLAY THEIR PART It is appropriate that children take responsibility for the quality of the environment in which they work. Making it part of the end-of-day classroom routine that all rubbish and debris is cleared from the floor, that bins are placed outside the door and that the floor area is clear and unobstructed for vacuuming or mopping is reasonable and will save time and cost on cleaning. Some schools go further and regularly have a ‘spring-clean’ where desks are scrubbed, rooms tidied and deepcleaned by the children in each classroom.

CONCLUSION No matter who undertakes cleaning in your school, you should do the following to ensure best service and lowest cost: ● Specify everything: Daily, weekly, monthly, termly, annually ● Compare costs on the basis of the same specification ● Be aware of the implications for equipment and consumables – who pays, monitors and at what prices ● Have a backup plan in case of sickness or other absences ● Review or renogotiate regularly and discuss prices of consumables, charges and levels of usage.

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