Vice President Bob Willetts instigated a meeting with the Minister’s Chief of Staff, David Cross, and DoE Director attached to the Minister’s Office Scott Davidson discussing the increased work load currently landing on our desks. Chair of our Principal Support RG Grace Palamara and Shellharbour PPC President Greg Wells combined to discuss the Shellharbour’s survey and impact that COVID has had on our role. We offered solutions including:

• Publicly acknowledge that it is NOT “Business As Usual” (BAU) in schools and communities, and that ALL staff in schools are experiencing significantly increased workloads that require a systemic response.
• Cease ALL non-essential policy/procedural changes, reviews, inquiries to allow schools to focus on:
  • student wellbeing (staff and parent wellbeing).
  • teaching and learning,
  • The development of school strategic improvement plans (with an extended timeline).
• Increase funding or FTE to manage the huge increases in current school complexity relating to student wellbeing demands, and the resulting increased workload of principals, teachers and SASS staff. Possible actions include:
  • Increase in the “Principal’s Support” entitlement on the SBAR
  • Increase QTSS
  • Increase SASS entitlement
  • Increase counsellor/wellbeing officer provisions in primary schools.