Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Letter re Class Size campaign


 Dear parents,

                    The Minister for Education has stated that he intends to make savings of €100 million in the Education Budget this year. The most likely option is to increase class size. If the pupil/teacher ratio is increased by even one per class teacher, Ballybrown NS will lose a classroom teacher. This is an appalling prospect at a time when the school enrolment is at an all-time high. .An increase of three to the pupil teacher ratio will result in a loss of two teaching posts.    An alliance of Management bodies, parents and teachers has been formed for the purpose of lobbying and organising against any such proposed changes to the schedule. (See overleaf).

  The issue was discussed at the Board of Management and Parents Association meetings in this school this week.

What can we do? A campaign is currently under way throughout the country.

The Campaign consists of 3 parts:

(a)   Lobby of TDs by email: this can be done by parents, Boards of Management and teachers:  below are the email addresses of the TDs in our constituency: Let your TD  know how you feel about the prospect of larger, multi grade classes.

 

michael.noonan@oireachtas.ie

jan.osullivan@oireachtas.ie

willie.odea@oireachtas.ie

kieran.odonnell@oireachtas.ie

patrick.odonovan@oireachtas.ie

dan.neville@oireachtas.ie

niall.collins@oireachtas.ie

 

 (b)       On   Monday next,  23rd September at 8.00p.m. there will be a meeting in the South Court Hotel , Raheen to which all local TDs will be invited.  This meeting will have five speakers who will speak briefly on the implications of any change to the staffing schedule. This meeting will serve Limerick City and County and it is essential that every school community is represented there.  A large turnout is vital.

 

(c) Each family has received a postcard to send to a TD in this area to make your feelings known. The school will have more available next week

 

(d) Would you be prepared to lobby local government TD's in this constituency to make your feelings known? The Limerick city area has the second largest class sizes in the country due to population surge in the last few years. It is hoped that a group consisting of members of the Board of Management, Parents Association and teachers would meet local TD's to put our concerns across. Please contact the school if you are available.

 This is a vital issue for the school and your children

 

 

________________

 

J. Lyons

Principal