WHAT’S HAPPENING

• Independent Public Schools Visit Program & Supports
• DET-SSTUWA on-going consultation
• Unsucessful Applicant Schools
• SSTUWA Communication to Parents/Community

INDEPENDENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS VISIT PROGRAM & SUPPORTS  

• The Union office will be focussing on visiting and providing supports for the 34 IPS.It is hoped to have had a first round of visits undertaken by week 5 of term 4 2009.
• The visit program has already commenced with a designated Industrial Organiser allocated to each school. Where possible Senior Officers are also attending the initial visits.
• Checking in on the members, meeting the principal, working to establish operating branches, discussing good communication processes and seeking ongoing feedback from members in the IPS should they see issues and/ or have concerns are some of the matters covered in these visits.
• A specific information bulletin is being produced for the IPS. At the moment we are establishing an email network.
• A training program for Union Reps and D/Union Reps from IPS is being developed and the first day of the program will be 13 November 2009.

DET-SSTUWA ON-GOING CONSULTATION

• The Union continues to meet weekly with DET in the DET-SSTUWA IPS Reference Group.
• The Terms of Reference should be signed off this week.
• DET has responded positively to the SSTUWA request to extend the period of time under which a teacher/administrator may sek to EIP out of an IPS.
• The Union has requested the tabling of all applications from the 34 IPS so that we can be alerted to any areas that may require further discussion [we have also requested Union Reps to forward them to the Union.
• Matters being discussed at the moment include:
• Identification of which policies DET will enable the IPS to ‘opt out of’
• Notification procedures to the Union of policies an IPS has ‘opted out of’
• Clarification as to the powers of School Councils, any legislative changes which may need to be made and the consequential liabilities arising for School Councils
• The mechanism for allocating funding to schools associated with staff costs
• The establishment of monitoring processes for staff EIP movement, problems/ issues, staffing profile changes, flexibilities being adopted and impacts on whole of system

UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICANT SCHOOLS

• The Union will following up with Unsuccessful Applicant Schools during the term.
• In the meantime, we have requested that the branch return the  Consultation Report and a copy of the school’s Applicantion to be in the IPS program.

SSTUWA COMMUNICATIOON TO PARENTS/COMMUNITY

• Please take the time to distribute the attched flyer to your parent community.
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