At the IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Principals Sub Branch meeting on 5 May, participants welcomed news of the successful resolution of the Catholic systemic Enterprise Agreement (EA) campaign and looked forward to a strong ‘yes’ vote in the ballot.
Noting that the issue of access to arbitration has now been successfully concluded, Catholic systemic principals hope that their EAs will now be interpreted to provide appropriate dispute resolution if the need arises.
Other issues discussed at the sub branch meeting included:
• the recent Gonski report and the response from the IEU and from other education sector stakeholders
• the debate around the future of NAPLAN
• funding and resourcing issues, especially in regard to students with special needs, and
• the impact on principals and school staff of issues such as suicides in the school community and other mental health and wellbeing issues.
The IEU thanks Maitland-Newcastle Diocese principal members, and especially their rep Sidonie Coffey, for the breakfast meeting held on 18 May. Students from Saint Francis Xavier's College Hamilton catered for this event (pictured above). Principal members look forward to meeting with Broken Bay Diocese principals at Mona Vale on 31 May. Other opportunities to meet with principals at diocesan or regional levels are most welcome.
Further 2018 Principals Sub Branch meetings are scheduled for 4 August and 3 November.