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Areas Covered

• Priorities for 2016/2017• Communication structures/ Relationships• Getting essential paperwork in place• Preparing for school opening and planning

the early stages• Longer-term planning• REMEMBER: People before paperwork!

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Tuning into the School Culture

• WSE and inspection reports• Mission Statement and other policy docs• What’s celebrated – photos, Newsletters,

website and other social media• Parent Council & Student Council agenda• Get to know staff – family issues, areas of

involvement in school• School role in the community

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Some Priorities• Health & Safety• Working timetable – one cycle to be sure• Induction of new Staff• Contracts, vetting –new procedures• Supervision & Substitution, Croke Park hrs• SSE and SIP – new Circular 0040/2016• OLCS – online claims system• DTR and October Returns

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New in 2016/17

• Fitness to Practice – see teachingcouncil.ie. Part 5

of the Teaching Council Acts, 2001-2015 on 25

July 2016

• New vetting procedures – circular 0031/2016

• Paternity Leave from 1st September 2016 - 2

consecutive weeks paid leave, 4 weeks advanced

notice in writing

• Continuing SSE – Circular 40/2016

• ASTI Schools – possibility of industrial action

• Whistleblowing Policy – check with mgt body

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Health & Safety

• Creating a safe environment:– Remember, the educational welfare of the

students takes precedence over all other considerations

• Child Protection Policy, Anti-Bullying, Critical Inc– Your role as Health & Safety Officer should not

be overlooked• H&S Policy with risk assessments for all areas• Fire Safety Register – need for a consultant?

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Fire Safety Register• The name of the Fire Safety Manager, and those who deputise for

him/her; the details of specific fire duties that have been assigned to

staff; the details of instruction and training given to staff, and by whom;

the date of each fire and evacuation drill and results of exercises held;

the type, number and location of fire protection equipment in the

premises, including water supplies, hydrants etc.; the date of each

inspection of the building itself, its fittings and services and the actions

taken to remedy any defects found;

• Details of all fire incidents and false alarms that occur and the actions

taken as a result.

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H&S Checks• Has each staff member got a copy of

– the Safety Statement/ H&S Policy?– The Child Protection Policy?– The Dignity in the Workplace Policy?

• Has relevant training been provided?• Are there duties/responsibilities assigned to

staff in policies? Are they aware of these?• Should you provide staff with First Aid

training?

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Induction of New Staff

• See www.teacherinduction.ie• What is the school policy? • Workshops at Education Centres• There may be trained facilitators on staff• School mentor, possibly the DP• Invitation to schools to participate in

Droichead for 2016/2017

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General Communications• Mobile number & Email address for every

staff member, including non-teachers• Texting service and group email for staff,

families or using a school app• Use of website, and other online systems

(Google apps, Office 365, Edmodo, Schoology, Moodle, Schoolwise)

• Newsletters • Teacher-student emails: safe system

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Staff• Letter to Staff prior to return to school

– Letter ,Timetable,Schedule for return to school• Teacher Pack

– Teacher Journal, Class Lists, H&S, Child Protection, Induction of new staff

• Staff Meeting – your 1st meeting is very important so plan carefully with DP. What is each item on the agenda meant to achieve?– Your enthusiasm may not be matched by staff

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Other Things

• Viewing of scripts• TUI v ASTI issues• S&S operation• Seniority lists• School Plan and policy development• Use of the school by outsiders• Recent inspection reports

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Staff Meetings• Venue ,contract, prayer/reflection • Agenda – include staff in setting it, see minutes of

previous meetings of staff & BOM + Inspections• Chairing – P & DP take alternate items/meetings?

Rotate among staff?• Format, Decision Making & Follow-up• Minutes – who records them and safe storing • Create independence – you don’t have all the

answers• T&L should be central to all agendae

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Staff Meetings

• Seating arrangements – consider group work for some agenda items - composition

• Self-aware: watch your personal triggers• Begin to recognise indicators of impending

conflict• Respect and other basic protocols• Leadership is about positive influence

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Staff• Induction procedures for each year group

– Clarify roles of Class teacher, Year Head, DP & P at induction

– What teachers are needed?• Croke Park hours

– teachers on reduced hours– Was the calendar and deployment of hours

ratified by BOM? N.B:Confirmation of Attendance to Salaries DES

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Others

• Trustee contact(s) – when/why?– BOM Minutes, finance, reports– Permission to alter property – Advice

• Local principals’ network• DES: Salaries, Allocations• Support: NAPD, Mgt body, Trade Union, • HSE, Garda, NEPS, TUSLA

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Staff Paperwork• File for teaching staff members

– Allocations schedule for 2016/17 from DES– Seniority lists for POR and Redeployment– Full list of staff including those on career

breaks, secondments, job-shares, other leave– Non-permanent staff: copies of letters,

incremental forms, yearly status, contracts from their starting dates

– Determine CID possibilities– Did you receive a curricular concession?

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Staff Paperwork

• Other staff (www.employmentrights.ie)– Contract – hours, duties, rates, holidays– H&S: inservice? – How do you record time worked?– Safety of workers in the building after hours:

working alone policy– Keyholders, locking-up etc– Contract staff: cleaners, security

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Staff - Organisation

• Learning Support and allocation of Resource Hours – how/when?

• Information on students with special needs – disemmination of this info to staff

• Subject levels – who takes HL? System?• System for compiling accurate class lists for

database – must be done by mid-September

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Students

• How will students know where to go on the first morning?

• Lockers, books, journals, jackets/uniform – systems

• School Meals Programme?• Introducing yourself to classes if new to

school – how, when?• Student Council – election procedures

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Parents

• First letter to parents – introduction, opportunity to make a good impression, ensure it’s not just about the money!

• Encourage involvement• Parent Council

– The first meeting, parameters– Agenda for the year, guest speaker?– Role in School Self-Evaluation (SSE)

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Parents

• Reinforce policies on uniform/hair/jewellery (the messy things)

• Systems for contacting the school• Page on school website for Parents to

manage? PC slot in Newsletters?• Online portal, Moodle, Texting Service• Information on fees/charges for the year for

different year groups

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Community

• Schools page in local paper? System?• Groups that may use school facilities• Night Classes• TY Computer classes for retired people• Parent/student classes or classes for

parents in Maths etc• Requests by clubs to promote their

activities?

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Your Office

• Renovate, move?• Secure filing system and record-keeping:

who has access to office and records?• Diary – record all calls, meetings & facts• System for students, teachers and parents

to meet you• Work desk and a ‘meeting’ desk

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ieGeneral Administration

• Vetting• Has school literature and website been

updated to reflect your appointment?• Alarm codes – who has them? • Computer backups – system?• Access codes for texting service, OLCS etc

(NB. The principal only is the approver for OLCS)

• Policies, Sept (DTR) & Oct Returns

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General Administration

• Open Night• New BOM? Election of staff and parent reps

and nomination of candidates for trustees• Start of year mass/ceremony• Meeting with parents of new 1st Years?

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ieGeneral Administration

• DLP – stated in BOM minutes and posted around the school

• Designate power to suspend for up to 3 days – delegated at your 1st BOM meeting

• POR review, especially if you’ve had retirements

• Remember all BOM agenda should include Child Protection & Anti-Bullying Reports by you & CP Policy reviewed annually

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ieSecretary

• Very important role for school and you – familiarise yourself with the role to date, contract, pay scale, holidays

• Mail, phone calls, visitors – procedures• Accounts – preparation of financial reports

for BOM with finance c’ttee. Online banking passwords; lodgements

• Interaction with other staff - role, social etc

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Caretaker• Also a VIP with a huge impact on you. You,

secretary and CT may be the only people in the building, at times

• Familiarise yourself with the role to date, contract, pay scale, holidays

• Security: opening & closing school, interaction with security company, H&S role, interaction with students

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ieSSE Summary Points

• In the next cycle of SSE (2016-2020), schools should continue to focus on T&L

• Flexibility to focus their SSE on aspects of T&L according to the needs of the school

• Schools should select a min of 2 and a max of 4 aspects of T&L as the focus

• Most schools will use the process to assist them in introducing and embedding relevant aspects of the Junior Cycle Framework, as outlined in circular 0024/2016

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• Schools should maintain a brief record of their self-evaluation in the form of a short self-evaluation report and school improvement plan

• Once annually, BOMs should complete a policy and legislative checklist of their ongoing process of policy development and review, and their compliance with requirements, as an internal record

• Each year, schools should create a very brief summary of the self-evaluation report and school improvement plan and communicate it in a way that makes it accessible and meaningful to parents and the school community

SSE Summary Points contd