Leadership+ Issue 63 June 2011

ISSUE 63 ● JUNE 2011

+ Leadership THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF PRINCIPALS

Reclaim the Summer Bullying in the Workplace

There are Known Unknowns…

One wonders if Donald Rumsfeld was speaking about Irish primary education when he made the statement ‘There are known knowns, i.e. things we know we know. There are known unknowns, i.e. we know there are some things we don’t know.

But there are also unknown unknowns, i.e. the ones we don’t know we don’t know!’

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There are Known Unknowns…

by Seán Cottrell and Pat Goff One wonders if Donald Rumsfeld was speaking about Irish primary education when he made the statement ‘There are known knowns, i.e. things we know we know.There are known unknowns, i.e. we know there are some things we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns, i.e. the ones we don’t know we don’t know!’

entering into a new model of resource allocation? Will a different ratio or weighting apply to the different disabilities? What would be the likely timeframe if such models were to be developed and agreed? Or would we be looking at a crude model where a percentage is just taken off everyone’s allocation? Answers on a postcard to Minister for Unknown Unknowns...

THE KNOWN KNOWNS We know that we will have fewer resources to meet the needs of our pupils and especially those with special educational needs. We know that the cap on SNAs is set in stone for the coming year at 10,575. We know that the cap on Support Teachers (including Learning Support under the General Allocation Model, Resource Teachers and EAL) is set at 9,950. We know that our rural co-ordinators, resource teachers and visiting teachers for travellers are gone. We know the knock-on effect this will have on the supports for the most disadvantaged and the serious increase in workload for learning support teachers. We know that every permanent and temporary teaching vacancy in our schools must first be offered to teachers on the panels. We know that Principals have had the unpleasant task of telling our SNAs and those temporary teachers without panel rights that they don’t have a job next year. We know that Principals are meeting parents enrolling their children with special needs and are unable to tell them if their child will have adequate or indeed any extra support. We know the level of frustration and the incremental deterioration in our conditions and the service we are giving to our pupils.

THE UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS We are all familiar with the old joke of asking a Kerry man how to get to.....The reply was always ‘Well, I wouldn’t start from here anyway’. None of us, given a choice, would start from where we are now.We have no idea of the future in our schools. We don’t know what we don’t know. We are going to face tough choices.The key word for the Minister here is choice.

We know there is not any extra money available to the government. The new government reversed the cut in the minimum wage because it was a priority for them. They did this while keeping within the terms of reference of the bailout. The pupils who are most ‘needy’ in our schools deserve to be made a priority. The Minister and the government will be judged at the end of their term of office, not on bank bailouts, but how they prioritised the most vulnerable in our schools and our society. How we cater for the pupils in our schools should become a ‘known known’.

We know that Principals have had the unpleasant task of telling our SNAs and those temporary teachers without panel rights that they don’t have a job next year.

THE KNOWN UNKNOWNS It is unknown by any school what level of resources they will have in terms of SNAs or ‘Support Teachers’ for the school year 2011 -12. Many schools have an ongoing review in relation to their SNA provision.The final result will hopefully be made known to them in late June. Likewise, the closing date to apply for resource hours for pupils with special needs is mid-May with the outcome likely to be known in mid-June. So much for forward planning! There are a number of great unknowns here, especially for the NCSE and the DES. Firstly what level of resources will be needed to meet the needs of the existing SEN pupils and also the new applications for support? Secondly, as our school-going population is on the increase, it is likely there will be more applications than there are resources. Are we

Editor: Damian White editor@ippn.ie Assistant Editor: Brendan McCabe project@ippn.ie Articles to: Geraldine D’Arcy project@ippn.ie Advertising: Louise O’Brien adverts@ippn.ie Irish Primary Principals’ Network Glounthaune, Co Cork 1890 21 22 23| www.ippn.ie

The opinions expressed in Leadership+ do not necessarily reflect the official policy or views of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network ISSN: 1649 -5888 Design: Brosna Press 090 6454327 • info@brosnapress.ie PAG E 3

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Church of Ireland Patron’s Day in Dublin and Glendalough Diocese

by Joyce Perdue, Principal of Rathfarnham Parish NS, Dublin 14 Each year the Archbishop of Dublin hosts a meeting for Principals of schools under his patronage in the Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough. The title for the event, which was held on the 5th May in the Clarion Hotel, Liffey Valley, was ‘The Reflective School’ and was attended by approximately 75 Principals, Chairpersons and invited guests.

Welcoming everyone on behalf of the Archbishop, The Ven. Ricki Rountree spoke of the trying times facing schools in the current recession. In particular he referred to the debate on the transfer of patronage from Church of Ireland schools to secular patronage and the uncertainties facing small schools. He assured the attendees of the Archbishop’s support to schools in the Church of Ireland sector.

When looking at the report, he acknowledged that there has been a change in the Irish school-going population. However, he said that this in itself does not account for the decline in reading and maths standards.

Harold Hislop, Chief Inspector, DES, gave a detailed and thought-provoking presentation entitled ‘the Challenge to improve Literacy and Numeracy in Schools’. This topic was especially relevant in the context of the recent PISA report which found that standards in literacy and numeracy have dropped significantly since 2000. Harold defined literacy and numeracy and identified the areas where Irish children are under-performing according to the PISA report. The areas of concern that have been identified by the DES include standards in teacher training, the provision of suitable CPD for teachers, reports from incidental visits, concerns on reading outcomes for boys, lack of students taking maths and science at degree level and criticism from employers and third level about standards. He

then examined the PISA report statistics before moving on to looking at ways in which literacy and numeracy standards can be improved and the role of school self evaluation in the process.

When looking at the report, he acknowledged that there has been a change in the Irish schoolgoing population. However, he said that this in itself does not account for the decline in reading and maths standards. He said that assessment is under used in Irish schools. Assessment is not used to inform planning or learning, to report effectively to parents or to consider how effective practice is. In addition there is no national tracking of schools and standardised tests are only used to a limited extent.

In suggesting strategies to address the decline in literacy and numeracy, Harold referred to the following: ● changes in teacher education to a four year B.Ed course, with a higher entry level Maths requirement, and where all student teachers are equipped in literacy, numeracy and assessment ● the teaching of literacy, numeracy and assessment as part of teacher induction ● CPD for teachers as a requirement for maintaining registration with the Teaching Council ● revision of the primary curriculum in English and Maths ● revision of the curriculum at post primary level to link with primary curriculum changes ● using samples of children’s work to allow teachers to make ongoing assessments ● standardised testing at 2nd, 4th and 6th classes (systematic reporting to parents, summary reporting to Board of Management and DES) ● improvements in early childhood education ● continuing to target resources to children in greatest need ● involvement of parents ● specific CPD for Principals in leading and improving assessment in schools.

In conclusion, he suggested that schools should use self evaluation to examine standards, reflect on and share good practice, to focus on teaching and learning strategies and outcomes and to identify areas for further development.

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Anne McElduff of the INTO spoke to delegates on the topic of how Boards of Management can support under-performing teachers. In her presentation she led delegates through Section 24 (3) procedures in practice.

She looked at the procedures in detail, with particular reference to the key principles and the sense of fairness and offered practical advice with regard to implementation of the procedures. Boards may dismiss/suspend teachers under the areas professional competence and conduct/ work matters. Anne particularly focused on the area of professional competence as this is more difficult to identify and detailed the approach that should be taken.

She emphasised the importance of following the procedures in the correct order and that fair procedure be maintained at all times. Some Principals and Chairpersons in attendance raised the issues of the length of time it takes to follow the procedures from start to finish and queried the impact this can have on children who may be in a class where there is an issue with an underperforming teacher.

She looked at the key principles and the sense of fairness and offered practical advice with regard to implementation of the procedures.

Following lunch, there was a more relaxed presentation with William Micklem speaking to delegates on maintaining positivity in schools.

He suggested that Principals have the winning EDGE i.e. Enquiring, Demanding and Generous leads to Empowerment. Principals and students need to be ‘enquiring’ if they are to learn, use accumulated wisdom and find better ways; they need to be ‘demanding’ if they are to stretch themselves, get the details right and have high standards; and they need to be ‘generous’ if they are to grow spirit, confidence and a sense of team. Each of these qualities do not stand in isolation but need to work together to be powerful or to ‘empower’ others.

IPPN Web Services TextaSub While there is a surplus of teachers across the country, not all schools can access qualified teachers when they require them. As a consequence, some schools have to rely on appointing either retired teachers or partially qualified/unqualified personnel for substitute positions. Five years ago, IPPN developed a service called TextaSub, which is a component of the website EducationPosts.ie. The purpose of TextaSub is to create an online facility which matches a schools’ need for ‘subs’ with available unemployed teachers. All teachers registered with TextaSub are fully qualified and registered with the Teaching Council and, while the onus remains on individual Principals to verify the bona fides of anyone entering schools, TextaSub ensures that only qualified candidates contact the school in response to a substitute vacancy.

for TextaSub to access 5,608 substitute vacancies. In 2010, 2,759 schools used the IPPN TextaSub service to find a substitute teacher.

HOW DOES IT WORK? Teachers seeking substitute positions must confirm their availability on TextaSub every week. This ensures that only available teachers are sent alerts.

In the week beginning 2nd May 2011 alone, there were 750 substitute teachers registered for automatic TextaSub alerts. Even if your school has a hardcopy list of local ‘subs’, it is worth considering using TextaSub to ensure that you maximise your chances of finding a qualified substitute teacher quickly.

On discovering that you require a substitute, Principals log onto TextaSub either through EducationPosts.ie or by clicking on the TextaSub link on the homepage of www.ippn.ie. Once you have agreed to the terms and conditions, you proceed to upload your substitute vacancy alert by filling in the simple online form. It will ask you to: ● Type in the school name, roll number, location and vacancy details e.g. 4th class, resource teacher ● Specify the minimum number of days for which the sub is required and the preferred starting date e.g. tomorrow morning ● Provide your name, contact telephone number(s) and the hours during which you will accept calls.

The track record of TextaSub speaks for itself. Since December 2009, a total of 3,347 teachers registered

Once the details are complete, simply click ‘Send’.

A text message is then sent to all available substitute

teachers who are registered for your county. On receipt of the text message, teachers interested in the position call the contact number provided to follow up with the school. Depending on the urgency of filling the appointment, the Principal may offer the position to the first teacher who calls or may wait until a wider selection of responses is received.

TextaSub is a free service for both schools and teachers and is managed and operated by IPPN. It was designed by Principals and unemployed teachers for Principals and unemployed teachers.

Please let us know if you have any feedback or queries by emailing info@educationposts.ie or contacting the IPPN Support Office.

If you know qualified teachers that are seeking sub work remind them to register for TextaSub.

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EKt ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ƟŵĞ ƚŽ ĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌ ĚǀĂŶĐĞ͕ E t ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ƟŵĞ ƚŽ ĐŽ EK ŽŶ ŶƐŝĚĞƌ ĚǀǀĂŶ ĂŶĐĞ͕ ƚŚĞ ƐĐŚŽŽů ŵ Žů ŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶ Ğ ƚ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ŵ ƚŚĂƚ doe oess eeverything! verything! ƚŚĞ ƐĐŚŽŽů ŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ƚŚĂƚ does Ž ŽŽŬ Ă ĚĞŵŽ ƚŚŝƐ :ƵŶĞͲ ƵŐƵƐƚ͕ ĂŶĚ ďĞ ͚ůŝǀĞ͛ ĨŽƌ ^ĞƉƚĞŵďĞƌ͘​͘​͘ Ž ŽŽŬ Ă ĚĞŵŽ ƚŚŝƐ :ƵŶ ĞͲ ƵŐƵ ƚ͕ ĂŶ ĞͲ ƵŐƵƐ ŶĚ ďĞ ͚ůŝŝǀǀĞ͛ ĨŽƌ ^ĞƉƚĞŵďĞƌƌ͘​͘ ͘​͘​͘ ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ƵƐ ƚŽĚĂLJ ŽŶ ;ϬϭͿ ϴϵϳ ϯϭϭϲ Žƌ ĞŵĂŝů ƐĂůĞƐΛĞĚǀĂŶĐĞ͘ŝĞ ŽŶ ŶƚĂĐƚ ƵƐ ƚ Ă ŽĚĂLJ ŽŶ ;Ϭ ϬϭͿ ϴϵϳ ϯϭϭϲ ϲ Žƌ Ğŵ ŵĂĂŝů ƐĂĂůĞƐΛĞĚǀĂŶĐĞ͘ŝŝĞ PAG E 5

Pupil Personal Insurance makes life easier for the Principal

By Pat Goff, Principal, Scoil Mhuire, Coolcotts, Wexford and IPPN President We are at that time of the year when the book bills for the coming year are being decided on.The usual questions arise about workbooks, how much for photocopying, art & craft.... Many schools also include the Pupil Personal Accident Insurance as a mandatory item as well.The reason why so many Principals and Boards of Management want the whole school population covered by the pupil personal accident insurance scheme is that it makes life a lot easier in the event of an accident where there is no liability on behalf of the school.

Indeed, Boards often use the extra money saved by using the online facility to include those who may not be in a position to pay.

It is important to highlight to parents the main reason why taking out pupil insurance, and preferably the 24-hour policy, is essential. If a child has an accident in school, their medical and dental expenses will only be covered by the ordinary school insurance policy if there is negligence on the part of the school. Thankfully, this is rare enough now as most schools have carried out risk

analysis, or in many cases just applied common sense. The manhole covers are fixed, the broken parts of the yard are resurfaced, protective padding is fitted around the basket ball posts, the moveable goalposts are as fixed as they can be....The School has done its best but accidents will still happen. In this case the parent will have to pay the expenses that arise where there is no negligence on the schools behalf.

However this is not the case if the school has invested in Pupil Personal Accident Insurance.

Life is certainly a lot easier for all when you can take out one of the PPAI forms, fill out the school section and give it to the parent. I usually give them a stamped addressed envelope. End of matter usually.The parent can claim the medical or dental expenses regardless of who is to blame. The vast majority of the parents will thank you and are happy that they will not be out of pocket because of the accident. I also find they are unlikely to take legal action against the school in these cases. We use the Allianz Pupil Personal Accident Insurance

Policy, not only because we found them very supportive over the years, but they don’t have time limits for the follow-on expenses that may occur because of an insured accident. This is crucial, especially if there is follow up dental work needed.

They also separate the medical and dental expenses which gives double the cover.

Schools do their best in providing a safe environment. We try to get the proper level of supervision suitable for our school and our pupils.

I haven’t seen it written down anywhere what this is officially.This is where the common sense comes in.There are times where the pupils could nearly supervise themselves, there would be so few problems, at other times God himself would have great difficulty if he was on supervision duty.

Accidents will happen – that is why we pay insurance.The Pupil Personal Accident Insurance is great value for money and makes life easier for the Principal. Put it on the book bill, or better still do as many schools do, and get the Parents’ Association to promote and operate the scheme.

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ICT Tips Online Security & Privacy – a wake up call for Principals

by Seaghan Moriarty, IPPN Technical Advisor Are you logged into Facebook while using online banking?

browser. This might be www.facebooklink.com instead of www.facebook.com for example.

Does Google read your emails to know which ads to show on your screen?

Facebook Tip #2: Use HTTPS. This setting (https and not ordinary http) is what is used for online banking, textaparent.ie, etc. to ensure that any communication between your PC and the internet is ‘encrypted’. So a hacker sitting in a car outside your house may be able to record data from your laptop – but this data will be useless as it is encrypted.

Did you recently get a call from Microsoft Technical support?

These days when so much is online, it’s crucial for Principals and school leaders to be fully aware; not only to lead learning in a modern context, but also for your own private/personal use.

FACEBOOK – TIPS REGARDING SECURITY: Computer viruses and Trojans can be spread via Facebook messages, chats, comments, wall posts etc. Because in many households, your partner or children may be using Facebook on the house PC, these may give you a nasty surprise when you login to your online bank. As well as logging out and closing down all other websites/browser tabs before doing your online banking, read the tips below:

Facebook Tip #1: Think twice before clicking on a link from a ‘friend’. The link might be from a friend’s infected Facebook.

Update and run your antivirus often. AVG free, Avast!, and Avira are good choices which are free and easy to install if/when your current AV runs out. For Trojans, you can get “Malwarebytes AntiMalware”. Alternatively, an all-in-one which has been getting excellent reviews is Microsoft Security Essentials. It’s free and easy to install and very user-friendly.

Facebook Tip #1: Think twice before clicking on a link from a ‘friend’. The link might be from a friend’s infected Facebook. When you hover over the link, note the ‘real’ web address which will be in the status bar (at the bottom) of your

How? Go to Account Settings and select Change under Account Security. Tick Secure browsing (https) and click Save.

Facebook Tip #3: Remote Logout. As people use multiple devices (phones, ipads, laptops etc.) to access Facebook, you can use this setting to logout any device using your account. For example, if you forgot to logout from school or cyber café – or if someone hacked your account and you wanted to kick them out.

How? To view any active sessions, go to Account Settings and select Change under Account Security.

Click the option end activity beside any active logins Facebook Tip #4: Settings. Go to http:// www.facebook.com/update_security_info.php to update other personal security settings (eg add mobile, add secondary email address, etc.)

GOOGLE AND PRIVACY. If you google for something, will your results vary from a colleague? The answer is yes. Google use all sorts of information to ‘weigh’ what it thinks your results should be. This is based on your location, the links you have previous clicked on, the options and settings on your browser etc.

If you google for ADHD, why are there ads along the right hand side telling you about hiking boots? Is it coincidental that yesterday you emailed a friend about hiking? No – no coincidence! Google store every word you view, every word you type into its search engine, every PAG E 7

word that you write and send - even in an MS Word document – and use this to build a profile.

And if you are using Gmail or Google Talk or an android phone, it uses all these also. In the same way as iPhone users found out in May 2011 that their phone was tracking and logging all your GPS locations to the Apple cloud, we are finding out that most if not all phones are doing similarly.

This seems to be a trade-off between “better”, more “personalised” services and your personal privacy.You need to be aware of these issues. The internet is showing us what “it thinks” we want to / we should see, not what just “is”. Nothing is plain fact – everything is filtered fact; you need to ask by whom, what is it based on (ad revenue, ethics/morality, something else) and, cui bono, who benefits?

This seems to be a tradeoff between “better”, more “personalised” services and your personal privacy.

You need to be aware of these issues.

CALLS FROM MICROSOFT SUPPORT*: I have heard of at least a dozen teachers who have received this dubious call over the past few months. It starts with “I’m calling for Microsoft.

We’ve had a report from your internet service provider of serious virus problems on your computer”. They then expertly blag you into installing some free antivirus program and thank you for your help.

However, you may have just installed a ‘keylogger’ which will record all keyboard presses and watch out for things like passwords and 16-digit numbers. What to do? Never reveal ANY personal information to anyone you are not 100% sure about. Defer and consult if needed. Even a confirmation of address might be dangerous.

So if this article has scared you a little, then that might be a good thing. In the immortal (for 40+ colleagues ;) words of Sgt. Phil Esterhaus “Let’s be careful out there”. (* or similar organisation)

Legal Diary

by David Ruddy, B.L.

Bullying in the Workplace “TEACHER AWARDED €88,000 IN DAMAGES AS A RESULT OF BEING BULLIED BY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL”

blunders which would cause a reasonable observer to conclude that he was determined that this teacher would not under any circumstance be awarded one of these “A” posts.

(4) Problems in securing funding for the costs of her degree course in counselling and psychotherapy which she claimed had previously been promised.

BRIDGET SWEENEY V BOARD OF MANAGEMENT OF BALLINTEER COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Firstly, he incorrectly advised the teacher that she should not appeal the decision. The teacher decided to appeal the decision but, in spite of this, the Principal sent a letter congratulating the successful candidates. The Principal then prevailed on a member of the teaching staff who had become a friend of the unsuccessful candidate to withdraw her appeal and to apply for a “B” post which he indicated she would be assured of getting. This offer was rejected.

Bridget Sweeney felt deeply hurt, disappointed, humiliated, and betrayed by the actions of the Principal. While her appeal was successful she was unsuccessful in the reselection process. The Principal reacted towards the teacher in a hostile and dismissive manner, and disparaged and marginalised her in the eyes of the other members of staff. Colleagues whose posts were jeopardised by the appeal also ostracised her.

An investigation by a barrister appointed under the provisions of the Code of Practice of March 2003 for dealing with “Complaints of Bullying and Harassment of staff in Community and Comprehensive schools” found that the teacher had not established that the actions of the Principal amounted to bullying or harassment of her. This finding was sustained by an Appeal Board duly constituted under and in accordance with the terms of the Code of Procedure, on foot of the teacher’s appeal in March 2010, from the decision of the investigating officer.

Evidence during the investigation demonstrated that she had told the Principal that, in the event of her not getting the promised funding for her degree course that, ‘she would do something drastic’. She stated that she ‘would go beyond, and outside him’.

HIGH COURT, MR JUSTICE HERBERT, 2011 BACKGROUND In the years between 2005 and 2008, Bridget Sweeney, a teacher at Ballinteer Community School, Dublin made a number of allegations against the school Principal Dr Austin Corcoran.

In 1980 Bridget Sweeney became a permanent member of the staff of Ballinteer Community School. In 1993, Dr Corcoran was appointed Principal of the school. In 1999 Bridget Sweeney became Home School Liaison Coordinator. The duties of the post were, amongst others, “to consult, liaise and collaborate with the Principal”. In 2002 this teacher was elected a member of the Board of Management (BoM).

In 2004 she commenced a four-year course in counselling and psychotherapy.Through evening courses, Ms Sweeney obtained diplomas in work-related skills such as drugs awareness and counselling. Up till 2005, Ms Sweeney was regarded by her colleagues and the Principal as a most dedicated and progressive teacher. She had done enormous work in extending the educational services provided by the school to deprived families and to children at risk.

Unfortunately all of this came to an end in October 2005, when the teacher was unsuccessful in her application for one of four “A” posts of responsibility. She attributed her lack of success to the malign influence of the Principal. The Principal did not take part in the decision-making process, and had no vote in the selection of the successful candidates. He was recording secretary of the appointments committee. It was accepted that he approved of the result. He then made a serious of calamitous

The teacher decided to appeal the decision but, in spite of this, the Principal sent a letter congratulating the successful candidates.

A number of events ensued that were highlighted by the teacher as evidence of bullying of her by the Principal: (1) Being summoned to the Principal’s office during an inspection by a Department of Education and Science Inspector (2) Unwarranted requests to attend at the secretary’s office (3) The forcing open of the door of her office and the removal to a different room of her effects during the summer holidays

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ABSENCE AND RETURN Between 2006 and 2007 the teacher concerned was absent from work at various times. She was certified by her GP as suffering from workrelated stress. The certificates were found by the school secretary under her office door and were not given or sent to the Deputy Principal, the person entitled to receive them. The school secretary stated that an unidentified man or woman would phone the school each Monday morning to state that the teacher would be absent from work that week. Ms Sweeney’s return to work was communicated by means of an email from her solicitors to the Chairperson of the BoM at his private address, informing him that she was returning to work the next day.The Principal was unaware of Ms Sweeney’s return to work until 30 minutes after she entered the school. The Principal, on seeing her, exclaimed ‘What’s this? What are you doing here? Who knows you are back? Did you inform the Board of Management?’. The teacher’s claim that this intervention by the Principal amounted to bullying was rejected by the Court, even though the Court accepted that he spoke loudly and even turned red in the face.The teacher told the

Principal she would not speak to him anymore unless someone else was present.

THE INVASION After this incident, the teacher entered a business class to talk to a colleague. She asked him to watch her walking down the corridor as she was stressed. The class teacher was uneasy that she entered his class, and that she was almost in tears.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door by the Principal who beckoned the class teacher to the door.The Principal said ‘You cannot have people invading your room, you’d want to look after yourself ’.The Court held that a subsequent note by the Principal to staff that teachers should not allow their classrooms to be ‘invaded’ by a teaching colleague to be a destructive and a malicious targeting of the teacher (Ms Sweeney) and amounted to bullying within the definition of the Code of Practice for Employers, and Employees on the Prevention and Resolution of Bullying at Work or even within the ordinary dictionary definition of the word.

When she emerged from the ladies’ toilet she claimed the Principal was outside the door and that he followed her to her office.

THE TOILET INCIDENT Ms Sweeney left the classroom and went to the toilet. When she emerged from the ladies’ toilet she claimed the Principal was outside the door and that he followed her to her office. She immediately phoned two other teachers to come to her assistance. The Court rejected her assertion that this was a deliberate act of the Principal and that it amounted to bullying.

Matters did not end here as the teacher claimed the Principal went out to the yard and looked at her through a Perspex side window into her office. This window was clouded, yellowed and discoloured. The Court dismissed the notion that the Principal was peeping into her window.

THE PARENT INCIDENT In November 2007, a further confrontation

occurred.The parent of a pupil in the school was loudly abusing another teacher for disciplining her son, (he had told the teacher to “shut up”).

The Principal heard the commotion and came into the classroom and tried to mediate between the teacher and the parent. Ms Sweeney then arrived at the scene. The Principal invited the parent to come to his office. Ms Sweeney advised the parent against this unless she accompanied the parent to the Principal’s office.

The Principal then asked Ms Sweeney to return to her room. He successfully resolved the situation with the parent, who apologised to the teacher he had verbally abused. The Court rejected any allegation of bullying against the Principal. The judge stated that Ms Sweeney’s advice to the parent was grossly irregular, offensive to the Principal, and a challenge to his authority.

THE COMPUTER ROOM STAND OFF A week later another incident unfolded in relation to the computer room. A leaving certificate class which was scheduled by reference to the school timetable and prepared by the Deputy Principal, was unable to enter the room as it was locked. A teacher and fifteen pupils were outside the door. A caretaker sought the help of the Deputy Principal in accessing the computer room as it was occupied by Ms Sweeney. Ms Sweeney had three parents present in the room to whom she was giving instruction on IT skills. The caretaker had warned Ms Sweeney that the room was double-booked.The Deputy Principal told the Principal that he would sort out the problem but the Principal followed him to the computer room. When the caretaker unlocked the room door, the Principal and the Deputy Principal entered. Ms Sweeney exclaimed ‘Here’s the Principal and the Deputy Principal coming to bully me’. The Deputy Principal asked the parents to leave the room as there had been a double-booking. When the parents hesitated to leave the room, the Deputy Principal said ‘come on, come on, out you go, out you go’. Ms Sweeney pointed to a timetable she had posted on the back of the door which was unapproved by the school. The Principal then said to the parents ‘turn off your computers or I will call the Gardaí’. Eventually, the parents left the room. The Court found the behaviour of the Principal to constitute bullying. However extremely provocative Ms Sweeney’s behaviour PAG E 9

may have been and however much her actions may have been interfering with the smooth running of the college, she should not have been publicly disgraced and humiliated in front of the parents. Her countermanding his direction to the parents to leave the computer room may properly be regarded as amounting to scandalous in subordination. In the event the Principal had treated the teacher and parents as trespassers and trouble-makers.

In January 2008 Ms. Sweeney and the Principal were invited to meet the BoM to explain their respective difficulties. Ms Sweeney refused to do so without her solicitor being present.

From that point onwards nobody in authority in the school knew where Ms Sweeney was or what she was doing during her working day. In January 2008 Ms Sweeney and the Principal were invited to meet the BoM to explain their respective difficulties. Ms Sweeney refused to do so without her solicitor being present. This proposal was unacceptable to the BoM, and no further action was taken.

PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR In January 2008 the Principal hired a private investigator for four days to carry out a covert surveillance on Ms Sweeney during school hours. The teacher almost immediately recognised that she was being followed, and reported the matter to the Gardaí. She subsequently applied for and was granted a High Court Injunction preventing such surveillance.

The Principal did not seek the prior sanction of the BoM in relation to the hire of a private investigator. However the BoM approved of this course of action and deemed that the Principal was acting within the scope of his employment in engaging the services of the private investigator, and in paying for their services out of school funds.

In October 2008 the BoM wrote to Ms Sweeney and sought details of her plans and records, the identity of families visited and other matters. Shortly after this Ms Sweeney sought and was granted early retirement.

JUDGEMENT The Court found that, on the balance of probabilities, Ms Sweeney had established through her medical reports that she did suffer from a psychiatric illness, in the form of clinical depression, and that a direct connection existed between that injury and the continuous bullying and harassment of her by the Principal. She had been marginalised and treated by him with unrelenting hostility and contempt. This “freezing out” caused her anxiety and stress.

She found particularly hurtful and damaging the fact that when addressing others in her company the Principal totally ignored her.

Mr Justice Herbert went on to state: “She found particularly hurtful and damaging the fact that when addressing others in her company the Principal totally ignored her as if she was not there at all. For anybody, but especially a woman and a senior teacher in the school, this was a particularly savage form of bullying, targeting her and clearly designed to break her will to disagree with any future decisions of his. In all his dealings with the teacher after the 28th March 2007, I find that the Principal behaved like an offended tyrant, and not as a fellow teacher and long time colleague of the plaintiff.

Apart from being vicariously liable for the actions of the Principal, the BoM of Ballinteer Community School owed the teacher a direct duty of care, as her employer, both at common law and by virtue of the provisions of the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, to take reasonable care to prevent her suffering mental injury in the workplace as a result of being harassed or bullied by other employees if they knew or ought to have known such was occurring.

I am satisfied that in the post 28th March 2007 period, the BoM of Ballinteer Community School ought to have known, from correspondence from Ms Sweeney’s solicitors, correspondence from the parents of pupils in the college and from the personal knowledge of several members of the Board involved in the day to day business of the school, that the plaintiff was continuing to claim that she was being victimised, bullied and harassed by the Principal.

Despite this, the BoM of Ballinteer Community School took no reasonable or proper steps as the teacher’s employer to address the situation.’

The Court found the BoM negligent and awarded the sum of €88,000 in damages to the teacher Ms Sweeney.

OBSERVATION This case illustrates the very challenging environment that can exist in some schools. A teacher has a clearly-defined and relatively protected role. The teacher is guided by the Principal.The Principal becomes the public face of the school, and is tasked with being colleague, advisor, and disciplinarian to teachers.

Unfortunately, two long-standing and highly respected professionals, who gave of themselves to the education sector and to a very good school, found themselves in this sorry situation.

PREVENTION and RESOLUTION of BULLYING at WORK The best method of avoiding unfortunate cases such as this one is for schools to have a policy on the ‘Prevention and Resolution of Bullying at Work’. A Code of Practice has been developed by the Health & Safety Authority which came into effect in 2007. The Code of Practice gives practical guidance to Boards of Management on identifying and preventing bullying at work as regards managing and conducting work activities in such a way as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, any improper conduct or behaviour likely to put the safety, health and welfare at work of his or her employees at risk.

Unfortunately, two longstanding and highly respected professionals, who gave of themselves to the education sector and to a very good school, found themselves in this sorry situation.

BULLYING v HARASSMENT Harassment is closely related to bullying and, whilst it is illegal and should not be tolerated, it does not fit the definition. To assist in differentiating the two it is worth considering that harassment is governed by Equality Legislation and is predicated on the person being a member of one of nine categories specified within the Anti Harassment Legislation. Bullying is legally distinct from harassment. Bullying behaviour is not predicated on membership of any distinct group.

Bullying at work does not include reasonable and essential discipline arising from good management of the performance of a member of staff or actions taken which can be justified as regards the safety, health and welfare of pupils and other staff.

For example, an employee whose performance is continually signalled at a level below required targets may feel threatened and insecure in their work but this in itself does not indicate bullying.

The Code of Practice: (1) outlines some of more common behaviours associated with bullying at work

Indications of possible bullying at work could be as a result of unacceptable conduct or behaviour being observed. Other indicators could be if sick leave is above the norm, particularly with certified work-related stress. A Bullying Prevention Policy should include, amongst other points, that the Board of Management is committed to an atmosphere of respect, safety, and collaboration and that

(2) identifies situations where commonly occurs at work

bullying

(1) all staff have a right to be treated with dignity and respect at work

(3) describes how to prepare a Bullying Prevention Policy and

(2) the risk of bullying has been assessed and preventative measures included, where necessary in the safety statement

(4) sets out procedures for resolving bullying complaints at work.

Bullying at work has been defined as ‘repeated inappropriate behaviour, direct or indirect, whether verbal, physical or otherwise, conducted by one or more persons against another or others, at the place of work and/or in the course of employment, which could reasonably be regarded as undermining the individual’s right to dignity at work’.

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(3) complaints by staff of being bullied at work will be treated with fairness, sensitivity, respect, and confidentiality (4) a person or persons alleged to have bullied will be afforded natural justice (5) staff who make complaints will not be victimised.

2011 ONLINE SUMMER COURSES Ciall Ceannaithe Ciall Ceannaithe – IPPN online Summer Course – has been developed to provide a greater understanding of the innovative solutions to challenges facing Principals.

A highly practical step-by-step course built on the collective wisdom and experience of seasoned Principals.

The course is designed to professionally support Newly Appointed Principals through the first day, first week, first month and first year of their principalship. It is also a very suitable refresher course for experienced Principals who wish to reflect on current practice.

Ciall Ceannaithe will run for the month of July 2011 at a cost of €95.

EPV days only available on successful completion of course (subject to DES Terms & Conditions)

Modules include:

Course includes:

Registration:

• Accessing professional supports & key resources • Getting started in your role • What to do… what not to do!

• Schedule priorities • Good practice & timetabling for Teaching Principals

• 10 modules (20 hours of study) • Fully interactive online lessons with audio/visual • Discussion forum with expert moderators & facilitators • Online reflective learning log • Innovative technology-enhanced learning

• To enrol, www.ippn.ie • Course Fee is €95 – early booking advised • Access to broadband is necessary • Course can be completed in a four week period (1st to 31st July) • Last date for course commencement is 25th July

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A Boon and a Bane

By Dan Daly, Principal, Robinstown National School, Navan, Co. Meath

We installed an electronic bell in the school recently. The staff felt it would be a good idea.

That was until its weepy wail roused us from our tea break at a shocking seven minutes past eleven on its first morning. The old school bell now sits in the trophy cabinet, redundant and resting. It had been in use since at least 1863 and despite its age and cracks, it still rattled off a lusty peal right to the end that would put the smoothie on the wall to shame.

Those bells symbolize one of the biggest changes I have seen in my thirty five years teaching - the advent and development of technology. When I first came to Robinstown School, the only bit of technology, if you could call it that, was an old ink copier. Preparing the Christmas turkey for the oven was nothing compared to readying that bird for action. I inked it, twirled it, warmed it up, prepared and fixed the stencil and turned the handle. It then spurted a shot of ink onto my trousers with the venom of a cornered octopus.

Those bells symbolize one of the biggest changes I have seen in my thirty five years teaching - the advent and development of technology.

That sort of behavior hastened its departure. It was time to embrace the cutting edge of copying technology. We purchased a spirit duplicator in the early 80’s. The black-backed stencils still turn up in the school from time to time and whenever I find one I have an urge to contact Dr. Pat Wallace in the National Museum. A telephone was installed at about the same time. Prior to that, I had to make my way to the village phone box with a pocketful of coins to contact someone in case of emergency. The bill for the spirit copier had caused enough angst among the school authorities but it was nothing compared to the fear that the improper use of the phone could haemorrhage already stretched board finances and bankrupt us. Sure what did we need a phone for at all? A regime was put in place for handling the phone that would put the

protocol for dealing with the nuclear reactor in Sellafield to shame.

A new cool clean hero soon appeared in school hallways. The photocopier salesmen had arrived. I stood in a daze listening to accounts of electrostatically charged cylindrical drums, photoconductive coatings, integrated scanners, toners and developers. How would I sell this to the Board? We eventually took possession of a compact little machine, half of which had to be disposed of after so many copies. The revolution was upon us.

The next phase of the technological revolution had a decidedly green hue - the Amstrad computer. Floppy discs on history and geography and other subjects were surely the Everest of our achievements. A hard drive was added to the computer.While still living in our green-tinged world, news reached us of the wonderful things happening in other schools with the next generation of computers. We stuck with what we knew.

Sometime around 1995, a big cardboard box was delivered to the school. It turned out to be one of the most modern computers of the time and had been donated to the school by NEC computers in Ballivor, a company now sadly no longer with us. I put it in the strong- room and there it remained untouched. I occasionally opened the box. The computer was white and big and appeared to have as much wiring as an Apollo missile. I quickly closed the box in case I did any damage.

Darby, scorer of the winning goal against Kerry in the 1982 All Ireland final. I should add that he was chairman of the Offaly county board at the time. He arranged for the computer to be assembled, connected and fired up and away we went.

However there was only so far we could go with the limited knowledge we had. I was about to embark on a decade of IT courses along with my colleagues.

The NEC computer went the way of the Amstrad with the IT initiative of the late nineties.

Today the younger teachers use laptops the way I use wire-top jotters. It’s all perfectly normal to them.

We got new Gateway computers. Some more IT grants followed and I was able to install computers and a printer at the back of my classroom. It enabled a group to work on the computers while I taught another group at the front.

“Now what is the value of the five in that number?”

“That’s right, very good Monica.”

“What’s the value of the…?”

Sometime around 1995, a big cardboard box was delivered to the school. It turned out to be one of the most modern computers of the time and had been donated to the school by NEC computers in Ballivor, Our new Board of Management chairman, Fr. Sean Heaney, was embracing computers with as much enthusiasm as he had hugged Seamus PAG E 1 2

Before I could finish the question a crunching sound could be heard from the back of the room.

“Sir, the printer’s stuck again.”

Please note the use of the word again. My thoughts at such moments, and there were many of them and still are, don’t bear thinking about never mind repeating. Yes it’s been a boon and a bane, a joy and a pain.

But the advances in technology had lighter moments as well. One day while on yard duty, I noticed a group gathered around Henry. He was showing them his new teeth braces. He

opened his mouth and they gazed in in wonderment. He then took them out.

dinner with that yoke in your mouth?”

There followed a silence as if Superman had crashed lifelessly onto the ground.

“It’s made of titanium,” he told them.

“Is that the Superman stuff?” inquired Peter.

“No that’s kryptonite, but it’s a bit like it”.

“What are those wires, Henry?”

“They are nickel-titanium archwires and when I put in the brace, the heat in my mouth causes the wires to tighten and they keep the brace in place.”

They would all have taken braces there and then if they could. Various questions followed, all centred on the brace’s magical and scientific qualities. Jim stood in the background, apparently enthralled by the presentation.

“Hi Henry,” says he, “How can you ate your

Today the younger teachers use laptops the way I use wire-top jotters. It’s all perfectly normal to them. All our classrooms now have interactive whiteboards, overhead projectors, laptops, desktop computers, visualisers and printers.

eight years now. And someday soon when the electricity supply is unexpectedly interrupted, I will make my way to the trophy cabinet, take it out and ring it once again. Just for old IT time’s sake!

It has been a massive change and all for the better. Even the boiler starts on time every morning. God be with the days when I spent at least one morning a week, sometimes two, hammering, kicking and cajoling that recalcitrant lump of pig iron. The Amstrad is long gone, so is the Gateway, the NEC computer and many more.

But the old school bell is still there. It offers a certain reassurance. It has communicated its own unique message for one hundred and forty

In 2010, 2,759 schools used IPPN’s TextaSub service to find a substitute teacher.

Nationally, there are over 750 substitute teachers currently registered for text alerts.

Simply visit www.ippn.ie and click on the homepage to take you directly to the service.

button on the right hand side of the

Fill out your sub vacancy requirement and TextaSub will instantly text qualified teachers available for work in your county who in turn will contact you.

TextaSub is a free service to IPPN members.

PAG E 1 3

Catch it, Ban it, (Over-)regulate it

by Damian White, Principal, Scoil Shinchill, Killeigh, Co. Offaly and Editor, Leadership+ I can’t remember a ban on anything when attending school as a child except for the wearing of hobnail boots – by the pupils.

I’m sure the teachers could have worn them, but neither lady was particularly partial. Before anyone thinks I attended Kilnascully NS in the 1930’s, I should explain.

This was the 1970s and tips on the heel of your shoe were all the rage. For some reason everyone wanted to sound like John Wayne in a Dodge City saloon as they sauntered around in clicking brogues. The local village general merchants carried a wide range of stock at the time, including some ‘older issue’ footwear. It wasn’t a big seller until one young soldier purchased a pair for £1 and wore them to school. The hobnails ensured that he sounded like an infantry platoon as he walked around the school yard or along the hard tiles in the corridor. It only takes one to start a fashion and within a week, the shop was sold out of hobnail boots. The corridor between the ‘big’ and the ‘little’ room was long, just long enough to build up a head of steam for a runner in hobnail boots before he slammed on the brakes at the senior door and proceeded to paraglide for several metres into the classroom (when the teacher was elsewhere!), leaving a trail of deep grooves behind him on the Marley floor. It really was such fun until it became off limits after the teacher twigged what was going on.

As Principal, in spite of a ‘laissez faire’ attitude to many things children get up to, I still find myself ‘banning’ all sorts of stuff.

I can’t say I was that sorry really – a kick from a hobnail boot while playing football in the yard wasn’t particularly nice. Our teacher didn’t like banning anything outright – I believe she had her own little pop at censorship laws of the time by having a poster advertising ‘The Tailor and Antsy’ hanging in the classroom for many years – but the boots simply had to go. I’m sure cigarettes were banned too.

However, a clutch of bikes by the farmer’s field at 3.15pm were a sure sign that a pope could be elected at any minute from behind the hedge.

As Principal, in spite of a ‘laissez faire’ attitude to many things children get up to, I still find myself ‘banning’ all sorts of stuff. Sweets, fizzy drinks and crisps got the chop in favour of healthy lunches. Climbing trees, swearing at school matches (children, parents and teachers), bringing food wrappers to the yard, internet access without supervision, running on the corridor (with or without hobnail boots) and swapping trading cards have all felt the wrath of my power over time. Uniforms must be worn, rubbish must be separated into different bins and skidding during the frost is not allowed.

Strange hairstyles are discouraged. Jewellery, especially for boys, is frowned upon. Dismount from your bike when entering the yard or else!

Nobody is allowed to play hurling unsupervised or without a helmet. Homework must be signed. Tippex and mobile phones are banned.

While many rules and regulations are for the safety and welfare of children in a changing world, I fear we may be sanitising the school environment to such an extent that what is experienced by children outside the school gate is unreflective what is within. After all, we are preparing the children for the good and bad of what is modern society. It is ironic that censorship, which evokes caustic memories of a dark and less enlightened era, is no more, while at school, freedoms are curtailed at every turn.

Finland experienced the trauma of financial collapse after the breakup of its large neighbour, the Soviet Union. The Finns struggle with a culture of excessive drinking.

The weather isn’t always the best. Finland recently elected some strange MPs to its parliament.

Sound familiar?

Finland has the world’s highest performing education system as reflected in PISA results for literacy and numeracy.

Yet the pupil/teacher contact time is shorter than anywhere else within the OECD, exams are a

PAG E 1 4

rarity and teachers, chosen from the highest cohort of school achievers after a rigorous process, are left to do their job without the looming cloud of overly zealous inspection. A heavy emphasis is placed on children partaking in organisations like scouts, sports clubs, drama clubs and other civic-minded groups.

Finnish education improvement activist Dr Pasi Sahlberg recently addressed both the IPPN Principals and Deputy Principals Conferences.

His thoughts are much sought after by governments around the world, including our own. Both coalition parties made constant references to the Finnish model in the run up to and since the general election in education discussions. They could indeed be called ‘True Finns’ in the educational sense, if not in the IMF/EU bailout context.

Finland has the world’s highest performing education system as reflected in PISA results for literacy and numeracy.

Yet the pupil/teacher contact time is shorter than anywhere else within the OECD Perhaps, in the light of the Finnish experience, it is time to deregulate (oops! – a dangerous word) education a little, make time allocations to subjects less prescriptive, and allow time for the myriad of incidental learning opportunities which might prove far more valuable in the long run to our students.

Perhaps it is time to dismantle the cage we’ve allowed to be created around primary education, the walls of which are an amalgam of an over-extended curriculum, forensic inspection and the kind of rules and regulations that would help Matthew Elderfield sleep.

Now where did I put those hobnail boots?

Professional Development for Teaching Principals IPPN Pilot Programme

by Virginia O’Mahony, Assistant Director, IPPN From its inception IPPN has always been very aware of the many challenges inherent in the role of the Teaching Principal. In addition to being the day-to-day manager of the school, the Teaching Principal has full teaching responsibility, often for a multi-grade class. To be effective in such a role requires additional support and training specific to the role.

In order to provide professional development

opportunities specifically for Teaching Principals, IPPN is currently developing a series of appropriate training modules which will be suitable for delivery to groups of Principals around the country in the coming year. In April the first session of a pilot programme was delivered to 35 local Principals in the IPPN Support Office in Glounthaune.The afternoon session was facilitated by three serving Teaching Principals under the direction of an experienced Course Director.

Evaluations were extremely positive and more pilot sessions are planned before the end of this school year.

A programme is now being planned to take place during the coming school year in various venues around the country. Improving the professional lives of Teaching Principals always has been, and will continue to be, a priority for IPPN.

Latest News ● IPPN’s ICT Strategy Project is well underway. We have collated all the suggestions submitted by Principals and Deputies, IPPN Executive members, Support Office staff and our expert advisory team. We are in the process of reviewing and prioritising the ideas and, once that process is completed, we will develop a budget, a timeplan and resource schedule to implement them. We will keep members informed as individual ICT projects are signed off. ● Online Summer Course – Ciall Ceannaithe has been updated with new content. It was designed for newlyappointed Principals, aspiring Principals and experienced Principals who wish to refresh

their practice. ● Beidh leagan Gaeilge d’EducationPosts.ie ag fáil go luatha. ● Ippn.ie –a major revamp is underway, with many improvements based on member feedback. It will include several new features, resources and easier navigation.

MEETINGS ATTENDED BY IPPN ON BEHALF OF PRINCIPALS ● IPPN recently held meetings with: ■ Various ICT advisors re. IPPN ICT Strategy ■ NAPD re. primary/post-primary transition ■ DES re. literacy and numeracy

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

consultation, patronage and pluralism forum NCSE re. resource provision for next school year and impact on schools IVEA re. community national schools HSE National Disability Unit re. progressing disability services for children & young people The Teaching Council re. the draft policy on the continuum of teacher education IPPN gave presentations at Misneach 4 in Ennis, Monaghan, Kilkenny, Portlaoise

● Executive Committee meeting ● National Committee meeting – termly consultation with county representatives.

www.ippn.ie – Recently-added resources PRINCIPAL ADVICE SCHOOL POLICIES ● EPV Course Days Policy II ● Homework Policy I ● Homework Policy II BOARD OF MANAGEMENT ● Accident Report Form II

● Teacher - Fixed-Term Contract ● General Information Regarding Fixed-Term & Specified Purpose Contract ● Teacher - Temporary Teacher Checklist For Employment

RESOURCES/PUBLICATIONS Leadership+ Issue 62 Apr 2011 To complete our online archive, the following issues are now available on PDF: ● Leadership+ Issue 1 - Jan 2000 ● Leadership+ Issue 2 - March 2000

● SNAs

● Leadership+ Issue 3 - Nov 2000

RECRUITMENT TEACHERS ● DES Panel Rights for Teachers Guidelines

● SNA - Specified Purpose Contract

● Leadership+ Issue 18 - Nov 2003

● SNA - Temporary Fixed-Term Contract

● Leadership+ Issue 19 - Jan 2004

● Teacher - Specified Purpose Contract

● SNA - Temporary Fixed-Term Checklist

● Leadership+ Issue 20 - April 2004

● Template - Letter Extending Fixed-Term Contract

● Google Doc – Class Novel Recommendations

● Leadership+ Issue 21 - June 2004.

PAG E 1 5

Reclaim the Summer

by Brendan Mc Cabe, Principal St. Colmcille’s School, Kells The Summer holidays beckon. All the teachers are talking about their holiday plans and you’re there, saying nothing, but feeling very sorry for yourself, because you know that when the bell rings on the day of the holidays you will be the only one still concerned about the school during July and August. And there is so much to get done.

Is it possible to really avoid coming into the school regularly during holiday time? To a large extent, that depends on your personality type.

THE DITHERER One of the problems about working unspecified hours is that work has a tendency to stretch itself out into the time available.

Have you ever noticed that you get more things done at home during term time than during school holidays, despite all the extra time you have to do it? The same applies to jobs in school. If you are willing to spend a lot of time in the school during the holidays, invariably you will fill that time with work.

One of the problems about working unspecified hours is that work has a tendency to stretch itself out into the time available.

THE WORRIER “What if there is some form I have forgotten to fill for the Department of Education? Have all of the teachers done up their rolls fully? Am I sure I locked all the doors properly? Could the school be vandalised if nobody is around?”

THE EXPLORER As soon as the holidays arrive, our intrepid explorer takes off for foreign climes and exotic places, never to return until the day before the new school year begins.

THE DICTATOR Decorators have been employed to paint the school but this person feels he/she must stand

over them watching each brush stroke. Unless he/she is on hand to tell them exactly what to do, they will invariably make a mess of things.

And as for the cleaners….!!!

THE DELEGATOR The delegator realises that the Board of Management has responsibility for the management of the school and that its members have a role to play. He or she believes in empowering people to get things done. If the school is having Summer Works done, the BoM will have employed a consultant engineer.

Supervising the project is part of his job, not the Principal’s. You don’t keep a dog and bark yourself!

The cleaning staff know exactly what they have to do over the Summer, so let them at it.

THE CONTROL FREAK “I’m not handing the keys of the school over to some stranger while the plumbing is being done. I’ll open up myself every morning and lock up in the evening.”

THE PERFECTIONIST “We’re having two classrooms painted and I need to see the colour on the skirting board.

We picked it from a colour chart, but you’ve got to see it on to really judge.”

There are a number of issues that need to get resolved but they can easily be addressed in the first few days when we return after the Summer.

THE PROCRASTINATOR There are a number of issues that need to get resolved but they can easily be addressed in the first few days when we return after the Summer. Nobody expects to hit the deck running from day one. The man who made time made lots of it.

PAG E 1 6

THE SHOP STEWARD “Our pay is down XX%. We’re working an extra hour every week with this Croke Park Agreement. I’m only paid to work 183 days a year. I’ll be damned if I’m going to give up my precious holiday time.”

THE PRAGMATIST This is the person we all need to be.

This person ruthlessly decides to get all chores done over just, say, four days: two after the school closes and two before the school reopens. He/she knows that when time limits are imposed things tend to get done within that time boundary.

Leading a school is a challenging and exhausting job. It requires a lot of energy and you need the Summer vacation to recharge the batteries.

On the issue of staffing he/she knows that this year is going to be somewhat different to other years in that, whether we like it or not, recruitment will be mainly from the panel and therefore there is absolutely no reason why new teachers should not be selected long before the Summer holidays begin.

The caretaker/cleaner will be in and out of the school almost every day and if something is seriously wrong, and only seriously wrong, they can contact the Chairperson.

Leading a school is a challenging and exhausting job. It requires a lot of energy and you need the Summer vacation to re-charge the batteries. Make yourself completely unavailable. Give yourself the opportunity to face the new school year feeling enthusiastic, optimistic and energetic. Both you and your staff deserve it.

Cá bhfuil na subs?

Le Mairéad Uí Fhloinn, Gaelscoil Mhainistir Na Corann, Mainistir Na Corann, Co Chorcaí ANYSCHOOL, ANYTOWN

Na sonraí a líonach Text curtha do 117 múinteoir cáilithe ar ár oileán.

A ceathair a chlog, am chun imeacht An eochair díreach istigh sa ghlas Ting a ling ling, sin an fón Better answer it, och och ochón!

Mo fón i mo lámh, mise ar bís Cén fáth nach bhfuil na glaochanna ag teacht anois?

Buaileann sé, at last beidh mé in ann imeacht Ach níl ann ach mo mhac!

"Mise anseo, bhíos ag an dochtúir Dúirt sí liom mo scíth a ligint ar feadh 24 uair Beidh teastas agam, is féidir leat sub a fháil Tá an- chuid ann, dar leis an gComhdháil"

"A Mham , nach dúirt mé go raibh traenáil ag a sé Tá síob uaim ,mé féin agus Ré Brostaigh ort, táimid ag fanacht Tá tú i gcónaí déanach , cathain a bhfuil tú ag teacht?

An eochair a chasadh , ar ais isteach Mo leabhar uimhreacha a oscailt ar leathanach a seacht Glaoch a 1, glaoch a 2, glaoch a 3, glaoch a 4 Na hoidí go léir ag obair sa chathair.

Glaoch a 5, glaoch a 6, glaoch a 7, glaoch a 8.

Iad go léir gafa, ní orthu an locht Glaoch a 9, glaoch a 10, guí ,guí le haghaidh Zen!

An féidir liom, an féidir liom é a dhéanamh?

An dalta Hibernia nach bhfuil cáilithe go fóill An gcaithfear amach mé as an INTO? An gcaithfear amach mé, an mbeidh mé ar an dole?

Cuirim an glaoch, tá sí lánsásta teacht Anois is féidir liomsa imeacht Ting a ling ling, sin an fón An INTO, och och ochón!!!

Failure!

There's nothing for it but IPPN Text-a-sub a chur ar an scaileán

/&8 The comprehension box incorporates three levels of comprehension questions in a multiple choice format and assesses 12 different comprehension skills.

Sample cards from Box 3 (Ages 11+)

ains: Each box cont y illustrated

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Sample cards from Box 2 (Ages 9-10+) Sample cards from Box 1 (Ages 7-8+)

Lo-call 1890 92 99 59 to order today The Comprehension Box 1 The Comprehension Box 2 The Comprehension Box 3

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Ages 7-8+ Ages 9-10+ Ages 11+

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Digital Art Week

by Simon Lewis, Principal of Carlow Educate Together NS This April was Ireland’s first Digital Art Week for primary schools and it was one of the best weeks I’ve had as a teacher and principal in years. Over the course of two weeks, schools all over Ireland used digital tools such as Twitter, Flickr,Wikipedia and more in order to learn about art and to create their own pieces of work. The idea of a Digital Art Week sprang up from a Twitter conversation a couple of weeks before my school was due to start our own annual Art Week.

Each year, children in my school get a drawing pad and they draw a picture and caption it.

They get the same drawing pad every year and by the end of primary school, they will have amassed a progression of their drawing skills from Junior Infants to 6th class. I wanted to expand on this idea so I used Twitter to connect with others who might be interested in collaborating on similar ideas.

Fred Boss from the NCTE (an art teacher), Damien Quinn from Seomra Ranga (a primary teacher in Sligo) and I worked on some ideas to integrate Visual Arts with technology. We came up with a number of ideas.

Firstly, there was to be a shared gallery that all schools could upload images to. Secondly, there would be an online Art Treasure Hunt.

Thirdly, we wanted to give a list of web sites that children could play around with to gain an insight as to how some famous artists worked.

Finally, being big fans of Twitter, we really wanted to get conversations going there to share ideas, questions, etc.

We began ‘tweeting’ about the event and asking anyone we knew on Twitter to retweet it. We also emailed the various education fora and

mailing lists. I created instructions for the event on my personal blog (http://www.simonlewis.ie). Encouragingly, lots of teachers and parents picked up on it.

We decided to use Flickr as the place to share all the pieces of art that the children were to create. Flickr is one of the best known photosharing sites in the world. Teachers emailed me for a username and password to the account.

They could upload whatever children’s art they wished. (See some examples below.) Pupils could take photographs or draw something using Paint or use iPod Touch technology to create their masterpieces. There was a great variety of art work and over 350 pieces of original artwork were uploaded by the end of the second week. The only downside to this was Flickr is blocked by the Schools Broadband Filtering Scheme on levels 4 and below. This made it awkward for some schools to upload images but it was amazing how inventive some teachers were. One teacher emailed me to say she had uploaded the images on her iPhone using the 3G signal!

Fred Boss acquired a new Twitter friend for us all – a Vole by the name of Leo – who created a fantastic Twitter Art Treasure Hunt. For two days, Leo would tweet clues, which would link to a web site and questions would be asked about a particular piece of art. Pupils had to tweet back the answer. If they were right, they collected a piece of a jigsaw. If they got all 12 pieces of the jigsaw, it revealed a famous painting! It was amazing to see so many new teachers on Twitter and hopefully it will encourage them to keep on tweeting with their classes after this.

A while back I discovered a fantastic app which

PAG E 1 8

allowed children to make paintings in the style of Jackson Pollock (jacksonpollock.org). I found a few other web apps that let children “paint” in the style of other famous artists.

Children were able to play around with artists like Picasso, Keith Haring and Henri Roussau.

Some of these images made it onto the Flickr album.

Apart from the use of Twitter throughout the project, another great thing was that there were a number of non-teachers who got very interested in the project. For example, the the National Children’s Gallery offered to publish the art work in their national gallery.

Hopefully Digital Art Week will become an annual event. The project welcomed teachers who may not have used social media like Twitter before. It also helped children create their own art and share it with each other.

Most of all, it helped hundreds of children around the country learn a little bit more about art.

Simon is editor of Anseo.net, a monthly online magazine which writes about all aspects of primary education. He also tutors teachers all over Ireland about aspects of technology in education. You can contact Simon at simon@anseo.net Simon is leading another project called ‘Targetboard’ where all schools are invited to join in a Maths problem-solving project. More information can be found on http://www.targetboard.net.

Principalship - Why Do I Love this Job So Much?

By Geoff Lovegrove, Principal of Lytton Street School in Feilding, New Zealand Someone recently asked me why I love my job so much. I thought it worthwhile to jot a few notes down. Hopefully you’ll share some or all of the reasons: ● Smiles on the faces of children, every day ● Parents who need and appreciate your help ● The Staffroom – always a buzz. Always a place to “sound off ”. ● The laughter. What other workplace has so much? ● The responsibility. It’s not about power, it’s about helping people help people. ● The thrill of a child “getting it” for the first time ● Colleagues. All of them. So different, so diverse. ● Being asked to do something for others ● The little notes of appreciation (sending as well as receiving!) ● Dealing with different challenges every few minutes ● Advocating for kids ● Advocating for teachers ● Opening a new building ● The buzz of each Board Meeting ● Working with an absolutely committed Parent Support Group

The responsibility. It’s not about power, it’s about helping people help people. ● Just sharing a drink and a chin-wag with colleagues ● Appreciative phone calls from parents ● Appointing new staff ● Birthdays! ● Attending school sports events ● Chewing the fat with the Caretaker and Cleaners ● Walking around with the BoM Chairperson ● Showing prospective new parents around our school ● Proudly declaring “Teacher” on official forms ● Meeting school families downtown ● Former students returning – always a thrill ● Working with specialists who care about kids

● Surrounding myself with positive people ● Being a principal of a New Zealand School ● Being in a position of influence on the lives of young people ● Not being “The Boss”, but one of a great team.

MY SURVIVAL KIT FOR PRINCIPALS 1. No matter how dedicated, important or capable you are, you are absolutely no use to anyone at all if you are dead 2. No principal has ever been sacked for failing to fill in a form 3. Always remember: only your Board of Trustees can fire you. Not MoE (NZ equivalent of DES).

4. The commitment and dedication of New Zealand Principals is killing them

13. Find out the qualities of the great principals that children remember. They are your models 14. Only you can provide the big picture for staff, Board and Community 15. Take some time every week to read and to reflect 16. When a crisis or traumatic incident occurs (yes, it will!), take five minutes to consider how you will handle it. Those five minutes will determine how well you deal with it.

No matter how dedicated, important or capable you are, you are absolutely no use to anyone at all if you are dead

5. Your most useful file is your rubbish bin.

Fill it every day with everything unrelated to the real needs of your learning community

17. When writing a difficult letter, sleep on it then review its tone and content before sending

6. Receive emails from each other, including jokes. Then reply.

18. Always share a problem with a trusted colleague

7. Phone each other regularly. Keep in touch with your colleagues, especially those you don’t see at meetings

19. Holidays are for rest, recovery, refreshment and rejuvenation. A fool ignores that.

8. You’re only as secure as your last Board Meeting

20. Don’t complain about the interruptions – your job is all about interruptions. Deal with them.

9. NEVER allow surprises at Board meetings.

Thank the person for raising it, and only respond when you’ve had the opportunity to investigate the issue

21. Experts and Life Coaches will also talk about ‘balance’. Do not expect total health and sanity if you have everything out of kilter.

10. Relationships are everything

Essentially, it’s really all about kids, but it’s also all about you.You can’t do your job well if you are sick, depressed, distressed or dead.Take care of yourselves.

11. Your key people are your Partner, your DP, your BoM Chairperson and your Staff Trustee (Rep). Treasure them. Respect them. Nurture them. Trust them.

12. There is no secret formula for success, but try this: Value People. Employ the Best, Induct them, Empower them and Trust Them

PAG E 1 9

Geoff is a former Editor of New Zealand Principal Magazine and a former President of NZPF. He is also a Principal Mentor to school leaders and Professional Adviser to Boards of Trustees.

Workshops with Christy Kenneally For Primary School Staffs Christy Kenneally is offering a series of Workshops to Primary School Staffs designed to enhance the personal and professional well-being of those who participate. In a time of great change, everything changes except the expectations we have of our Primary Schools. Many strive with depleted resources to provide a quality service, and yet, the quality of the service is the quality of the server.

The Workshops are designed to enhance essential skills and reawaken enthusiasm for the important task in hand.

Any Principal and school staff may identify a 'menu' of subject areas they would like to address in a Workshop or they may avail of the Workshops listed below.

I I I I

Coping with change in a Primary School setting.

Rediscovering and re-energising our Communication Skills.

Working as a more effective Team.

Helping the bereaved child in a school setting.

Workshop Director Christy Kenneally will be known to many Primary School teachers for his poems and songs in the 'Children of God' and 'Alive O ' series. He is a novelist, poet, documentary scriptwriter and television presenter. He has published twelve books and will publish a new novel this summer. He is also a Communications Consultant who has worked with many multinational companies in Ireland, Austria, Switzerland and Britain.

His work in the area of communicating with those who have cancer has resulted in workshops in more than twelve countries under the aegis of the Reach to Recovery organisation and he is the recipient of the Amazon Medal for his work with Breast Cancer Volunteers. Christy has also worked for the International Cancer Society in India and Hungary.

He is also a contributor to seminars run by Console, Living-Links in the Republic as well as Suicide Bereavement groups in Northern Ireland and is a lecturer on the Suicide Bereavement Diploma Course in Maynooth.

Christy has also delivered workshops for School Staffs and has been a speaker at the IPPN Conference on three occasions.

Christy Kenneally can be contacted directly at christykenn@ eircom.net and at 086 - 8202567

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PAG E 2 0

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Príomhoide i mbun gnó: Gabriel Ó Cathasaigh, Príomhoide, Gaelscoil Uí Ríordáin, Baile an Chollaigh, Co. Chorcaí

Rugadh agus tógadh i Lios Póil i gContae Chiarraí mé sa bhliain 1958. D’fhreastal mé ar an mbunscoil áitiúil i gCluain Chumhra, scoil bheag tuaithe le triúr múinteoir. Solas an lae a ghealaigh an seomra ó mhaidin go tráthnóna. Toisc nach raibh aon leictreachas againn, ní raibh aon trácht ná radharc ar théipthaifeadáin ná ar ghléasanna cóipeála d’aon tsaghas gan bac trácht ar chláracha idirghníomhacha agus ríomhairí. Ní raibh leithrisí le huisce reatha againn ach an oiread go ceann tamaill agus théimis amach ar chúl an chlóis go tígín le boladh díomhair chun leathphingin a chaitheamh! Ach, i ndáiríre, níor chuir sé isteach ná amach orainn.Thaitin na laethanta scoile liom mar go rabhamar inár ngaiscígh ag imirt caide agus ag súgradh . Bhí an-chion ag na múinteoirí orm chomh maith agus bhíos de shíor ag tarraingt guail chucu chun na seomraí a théamh agus uisce le n-ól ón sruthán i mbuicéid nuair a bhíodh spal orainn.

Bhogas liom ansin go Coláiste Bhréanainn i gCill Áirne. Sagairt na deoise a bhí i bhfeighil agus arís, réitigh mé le gach éinne. Bhíos sásta ach uaigneach ó ám go chéile. Fuaireas an-oideachas ann a chabharaigh liom mar mhúinteoir. Bhíos ar fhoireann díospóireachta “Gael Linn” sa choláiste agus ar fhoireann Shlógadh, ag amhránaíocht agus ag seinm ceoil .Thaistilíomar mórthimpeall na tíre ag dul go Coláiste Íde sa Daingean , go Báile Átha Chliath agus an Ghaillimh. Ní raibh aon teorann leis na peileadóirí iontacha gur imir mé leo ach an oiread. Ina measc siúd bhí Pat, Mick agus Tom Ó Spealláin, Páidí Ó Sé agus Seán Ó Lúing. Ba chuid an-mhór de mo shaol scoile í an chaid.Chruaigh sé mé agus is ann a d’fhoghlaim mé conas seasamh suas dom féin.

Tar éis na hArd Teistiméireachta (a dheineas faoi dhó), chaitheas tréimhse sa Teampall Mór mar gharda agus i UCD mar scoláire. Ansin thugas aghaidh ar Choláiste Mhuire gan Smál i Luimneach. Is ann a chuireas aithne ar Mháíre Dháibhís, Úna Nic Einrí, Nóirín Uí Loinsigh, Walter agus Louise Verling ,(deirfiúr le Seán Ó Riada) agus an-chuid léachtóirí eile. Is uatha siúd ar fad a fuaireas grá don Ghaeilge don gceol agus don mhúinteoireacht.

Chaitheas mo bhlianta tosaigh ag múineadh sa Mhódhscoil i gCathair Chorcaí.

Seanfhoirgneamh ársa aoibhinn a bhí ann.

Faraoir, is tigh na cúirte é inniú mar go raibh na huimhreacha ag titim ag an am agus gur dúnadh

é mar scoil sna hochtóidí. Bhí an- fhonn orm mo shaol múinteoireachta a thosnú i nGaelscoil agus fuaireas an-bhlaise sa Mhódhscoil. Os rud é go rabhas le dul ar an bpainéal dhá bhliain níos déanaí bheartaigh mé dul ar thóir phoist nua. Bhí sé ar intinn agam i gcónaí bogadh thar n-ais go Ciarraí agus nuair a dúirt Pádraig Ó Cuanacháin liom go raibh scoil nua á bhunú i mBaile an Chollaigh, láimh le cathair Chorcaí, dúirt liom féin go raibh sé ar an mbóthar abhaile siar go Ciarraí agus go bhfanfainn ann ar feadh tréimhse dá bhfaighinn an post. Post mar phríomhoide a bhí i gceist, go bhfóire Dia orm.

Thosnaigh mé i mo phost nua i Meán Fómhair 1983 i seomra a bhí ar cíos. Is féidir leat a rá go raibh teaspach orm, a leithéid de dhúshlán a thógaint orm féin. Ní raibh puinn céille agam, ceart go leor, ach ní bhíonn ag aois a 25.

Bhuaileas leis na tuismitheoirí agus thugas m’ fhís dóibh. Caithfidh go rabhadar sásta go leor mar gur tháinig an 20 leanbh a bhí uainn le tús a chur leis an scoil. Ní raibh rud ar bith ó thaobh áíseanna i mo scoil nua ach fiche cathaoir agus deich gcinn de bhoird. Chaitheas mo chéad bhliain mar phríomhoide i m’aonar gan rúnaí, gan múinteoir speisialta foghlama gan SNA. Ní raibh guthán ná aon ghléas nua aimsire mar atá againn inniu sa scoil. Bhí an scoil nua i seomra lastuas d’ollmhargadh. Thagadh glaoití guthán go dtí an siopa dom agus thógadh Patricia an siopadóir mo rang fad is a théinn síos staighre chun an guthán a fhreagairt. Smaoinigh chomh maith nach raibh gutháin shoghluaiste ag éinne. Bhí orm an guthán poiblí a úsáid chun glaoití scoile a dhéanamh tar éis scoile agus is minic go mbíodh scuainí fada ag feitheamh ag bosca teileafóin Telecom. An cuimhin le héinne Telecom Éireann?

Bhí Bord Bainistíochta agus Coiste na dTuistí angníomhach agam agus thosnaíomar ar airgead a bhailiú agus áiseanna a cheannach. D’fhás an scoil de réir a chéile, bliain i ndiaidh bliana. Chaitheas thart ar deich mbliana ag múineadh sa rang. Bhí na blianta san an-dúshlánach ar fad. Bhí an ghéarchéim eachnamaíochta i bhfad níos measa ná inniú agus dhiúltaigh an Roinn Oideachais suíomh a cheannach agus scoil nua a thógaint.

Tá 450 scoláire ag freastal ar an scoil inniu, le foireann scoile den scoth. Thóg úinéir an tsiopa seomraí breise dúinn agus tá seomraí réamhdhéanta sa suíomh freisin. Íocann an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna na céadta míle euro gach bliain ar cíos.

PAG E 2 1

Tagann na páistí chugainn sna naíonáin bheaga gan aon fhocal Gaeilge. Deintear iad a thomadh sa Ghaeilge ón gcéad lá ar scoil. Iad ag labhairt Béarla agus an múinteoir ag labhairt Gaeilge.

Cuireann dul chun cinn na bpáistí iontas orm i gcónaí. Bíonn an-ghreim acu ar an nGaeilge tar éis leathbhliain, iad an-líofa tar éis ocht mhí déag.

Gaeilge ar fad a chloisfeá i nGaelscoil Uí Ríordáin, sa chlós, sa pháirc imeartha nó má bhíonn siad ag snámh. Níl aon amhras orm ach go gcabhraíonn sé seo leis an gcaighdeán sa Ghaeilge.Táim an-bhródúil as díogras foireann na scoile a chinntíonn go mbíonn spiorad aoibhinn, sona, réidh, mórthimpeall na scoile ionas gur féidir le gach páiste a bheith muiníneach agus sásta. Tá tuistí na scoile an-socair agus mórálach sa chóras freisin. Cé go mbíonn easpa muiníne ar chuid acu i dtús báire, tagann said isteach ar rithim agus ar cheol na teangan go tapaidh.

Deineann siar an-iarracht pé méid Gaeilge atá acu a labhairt.

Bainim an-taithneamh as mo chuid oibre. Bím an-chompórdach i measc páistí agus daoine fásta araon. Caithim alán ama gach lá ag cur aithne ar na páistí agus ar na tuistí. Is breá liom scéalta gleoite na bpáistí a chlos. Is scéalaí iontach é/í gach páiste. Deinim alán ama dóibh. Is cabhair mhór é nach bhfuil rang agam, áfach. Tá bua na héisteachta an-tábhachtach sa phost atá againn mar mhúinteoirí agus mar phríomhoidí, ach go hairithe, nuair a bhíonn fadhbanna le réiteach. Sin an tslat tomhais a bhíonn agam gach lá. Ar éirigh liom na fadhbanna a tháinig im’ threo a réiteach go foighneach réidh gan a bheith cráite ná crosta agus a bheith tuisceanach agus socair ionam féin?

Chun é seo a dhéanamh bíonn orm aire a thabhairt dom féin. Deinim am dom féin.Téim ag rith is ag imirt peile, ag snámh is ag siúl agus ag rothaíocht go rialta.

Chaitheas maidin an-taitneamhach le fíordhéanaí in oifigí na Roinne sa Tulach Mhór. Dearadh na scoile nua a bhí faoi chaibidil againn.Tá sé geallta go dtógfar an foirgneamh go luath agus go mbeidh an cheithre sheomra ranga is fiche réidh don scoilbhliain 2012-2013. Sin míorúilt má tharlaíonn sé. Beidh scoil úrnua, fairsing agus buan i mBaile an Chollaigh do na glúinte leanaí a bheidh ar thóir na nGaelscolaíochta. Beidh caibidil nua á thosnú arís agam. Cad a bheidh i ndán dom?

Principal in Profile: Caitlín Ní Loideáin, Principal of Inishbofin NS, Inishbofin, Co. Galway I trained in Mary Immaculate, Limerick and graduated in 1998. I took up a post on the beautiful island of Inishbofin in September that year. I was looking for an adventure and had no idea what was ahead of me. I thought at the time that I’d gain experience for a year, maximum two and move on. A year later I was appointed Principal, very much thrown in the deep end and am swimming since (with my head just about above water at times).

It is my vision as Principal that every child that passes through our doors has a good experience of school, enjoys learning and develops the skills, confidence and self-belief that is required when they move off the island to second level and beyond.

isolation. It is very much a case of working on one’s own and hoping that what you are doing is enough. There aren’t many opportunities to meet other Principals and share ideas and best practice. The lack of contact with others in my profession is difficult.

Another challenge is the inability to switch off from the job.The school is on the mind whether it is following up phone calls, surfing the net for school purposes, thinking about what is next and so on. Factors which contribute to this are not being able to leave the proximity of the school on a daily basis; the lack of activities on the island during the winter months that could provide an outlet for the relief of stress and an inability to separate the “professional me” and the “personal me”. If I have had a bad day it is very difficult to shake away the negativity and I am grateful that I can share any grievances with my fellow teacher who has been with me since 2007.Which leads me to another great difficulty for island schools – staffing.

We are a two-teacher school, with a part-time learning support teacher, an enrolment of twenty one, predicting a Challenges face all teachers drop in numbers in the next but the main challenge for few years. me as Principal on an island We are a two-teacher school, with a part-time is the isolation. learning support teacher, an enrolment of twenty one, predicting a drop in numbers in the next few years. Our small school is special in that we develop strong staff relations, close pupil/teacher relationships, very much aware of each child’s personality, learning modality and we are able to spot difficulties at a very early stage. There is a welcoming and open feel to the school. I believe that it is important to keep parents informed of their children’s progress and that they are aware that teaching has changed since they were in school. We strive to provide the children with a positive primary school experience, something which their parents may not have experienced. We have an open door policy and, as we all live together on this small island, school business is not always confined to the school premises, which is not always an advantage.

Challenges face all teachers but the main challenge for me as Principal on an island is the

Between 1999 and 2007 we employed eight different teachers, three of these in the same year and only one of the eight was a fully-qualified primary teacher. Employing a qualified teacher is difficult on an island and retaining them even harder. My fellow teacher has been with me since 2007 and is a great asset to the school. She is fully-qualified and provides support, stability and continuity which are important in a small school.

Professional development of staff takes a back seat during the school year because most courses are run in the evening so attendance at these would not be possible. Online courses during the summer are the only option for me due to my location. Leadership Development for Schools ran the Spreagadh programme last year and I derived great benefit from learning that it didn’t matter how big or small a school is but PAG E 2 2

that we share common difficulties. This is also evident from the IPPN mailing lists.

Between 1999 and 2007 we employed eight different teachers, three of these in the same year and only one of the eight was a fullyqualified primary teacher.

The most obvious difficulty we have is our dependence on Mother Nature. Between October and March it is very difficult to plan for events on the mainland whether it’s swimming lessons, football matches, seminars, meetings, etc and we often have had to miss out because of sea conditions. The same applies to the other side. It is difficult to get access to services. People are not willing to travel out to the island for various reasons.

Curriculum overload and administration are also challenges but are not exclusive to island schools.

Of course there are advantages to working on an island...

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