REGIONAL REPORT DECEMBER, 2007
Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a restful holiday!
This is our final Regional Report for the year and we would like to take the opportunity to wish you all the best for Christmas and the New Year and more importantly, a safe and restful holiday break.
As we were reminded by Mark KcKeon at the recent AGM
Neverunderestimate the impactyou are having over otherpeople.
TEACHER SUPPLY AND DEMAND
Things continue to look rather bleak in regard to teacher supply. In some metro and rural areas getting anyone is a bonus let alone someone in the teaching area you require! There will be flattening out of graduates in the next few years, partly as a result of the new University of Melbourne arrangements, with an increase from 2010.
Generally there is an over supply of primary trained teachers and an under supply of secondary teachers. However it is worth keeping in mind that about 50% of primary trained teachers do a minor degree and are qualified to teach in junior secondary.
We all are aware of the difficulty some overseas trained teachers have in adapting to the Victorian context. DEECD have negotiated with Holmesglen TAFE to run a 3 month trial program for overseas trained teachers. The course will focus on English language, pedagogy, relationships and cultural issues. It is designed for already VIT registered teachers and will include a 5 week placement. The aim is help these teachers to be more “classroom ready”.
The VIT has an extensive data base of registered teachers, some of whom may be underutilised in your area. The VIT can do a mail out for a group of neighbouring schools targeting teachers in your vicinity. In one rural region the VIT did the mail out inviting qualified teachers to attend a meeting run by the cluster of schools. Apparently the schools were able to pick up a number of teachers they were unaware of. If you are interested contact the VIT.
Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a restful holiday!
If you are looking overseas for a LOTE teacher contact the VIT first. If the applicant has VIT registration it makes the somewhat arduous Immigration Department processes easier.
DEECD does have a number of retraining and scholarship schemes and we will be pressing them to increase their resources in this area.
DEECD seems to acknowledge the crisis in secondary staffing in the areas of LOTE, maths and technology. The following programs have been continued:
- The Teacher Scholarship Scheme to encourage 150 graduates annually to go to remote schools.
- The Career Change Program has received more funding and there is a waiting list for participants.
The Reference Group is also pressurising DEECD regarding:
- Priority transfers to rural areas
- Re-location allowances
- Flexible starting salaries
- Continuation of the Rural Re-training Scheme
- More maths/science scholarships
One area to watch will be the increased practicum time for trainee teachers. This is putting a lot of pressure on universities and schools to adequately resource. Apparently DEST (the federal education department) has redefined the practicum to include “school experience”. The Universities are fighting this concept to ensure the practicum is “actual teaching experience” and not just turning up to a school!
Human Resources Links
The DEECD is progressively updating its publications due to the new Education Act. This does not alter policy but tries to draw things together more sensibly and looks for consistent language and presentation.
A recent example is in the area of complaints procedures. To assist Principals in this process a FAQs site has been developed. They are for Managing Complaints and Unsatisfactory Performance and Misconduct. The sites are below.
Other examples relate to leave provisions and are now available at the following HR Web sites.
Resumption from leave- relevant to all Department employees
Pre-natal leave- teachers and SSOs combined into one site
Maternity leave- teachers and SSOs combined into one site
Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a restful holiday!
Spouse leave - teachers and SSOs combined into one site
Blood donation- teachers and SSOs combined into one site
PRINCIPAL CLASS APPOINTMENTS
The following appointments have been recently notified. VASSP members are asked to make contact with newly appointed principal class officers and encourage them to come along to regional meetings and join the Association.
Name / Position / SchoolGus Napoli / PR4 / FawknerSC
Phillipa Griffiths / PR5 / TraralgonCollege
Wayne Terrill / PR4 / Hoppers CrossingSC
Heather Macalister / PR4 / OrbostSC
Ayman Youssef / AP2 / MullaunaSC
Branko Lukic / AP2 / ThomastownSC
Kay Clarke / AP2 / ThomastownSC
Michael Caccamo / AP3 / Belmont HS
Kathleen Kenny / AP2 / Peter Lalor SC
Jacqueline Nankervis / AP1 / BerendaleSchool
Susan Mills / AP3 / BallaratSC
Kaye Harris / AP2 / WodongaMiddleYearsCollege – Flying Fruit Fly Circus
Jason Torney / AP1 / OuyenSC
Gregory Button / AP2 / Lakes EntranceSC
Robert Monk / AP2 / DrouinSC
Andrew Wynne / AP2 / DromanaSC
Robyn Hollis / AP2 / ChaffeySC
Christopher Egan / AP1 / Bacchus MarshSC
Mary Barclay / AP1 / LynallHallCommunitySchool
Jurgen Frank / AP1 / SeymourTechnicalHigh School
Sally-Ann Venables / AP1 / SeymourTechnicalHigh School
Leon Lilly / AP3 / BrentwoodSC
Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a restful holiday!
VASSP Contacts:
Marion Heale, Field Officer Ph: 0408 401 755
Morris Sleep, Field Officer Ph: 0409 007153
Ian Wallis, Project Officer Ph: 0412 805 895
Brian Burgess, PresidentPh: 0407 845 036
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