SAS Staff News, March 10

Implementation of School Support Officer - Grade 1 Position and additional hours

For the purpose of this allocation all schools have been divided into one of three groups.

The allocations are as follows

Group 1 Schools PH1(901+) & PP1(701+) will receive an allocation of one School Support Officer for 1 day per week

Group 2 Schools PH2(1-900) & PP2(451-700 & PC1(451+) will receive an allocation of one School Support Officer for 1/2 day per week

Group 3 Schools ALL REMAINING SCHOOLS where there is a part time Admin Manager the Admin Manager will receive an additional 2 hours & 8 minutes per week (at Admin Manager rate of pay)

Group 3 Schools ALL REMAINING SCHOOLS where there is a full time Admin Manager the school will receive an additional 2 hours & 27 minutes per week of admin officer hours (at admin officer rate of pay)to be offered in the first instance to the permanent part time admin officer currently employed at that school

The new School Support Officer position will ONLY be allocated to schools in Groups 1 and 2.

Schools in Group 3 are currently being contacted about their allocation of additional hours for School Administrative Managers and School Administrative Officers. The PSA has been made aware that the acceptance date for the new hours is today 10/3/06. We are concerned that some members may be disadvantaged by this cut-off date and the Association will negotiate an extension of this date. These permanent extra hours will take effect Day One Term Two.

Advertisements for all School Support Officer positions will be posted on the Department WEB site and in the Sydney Morning Herald from this weekend. Please encourage your existing part-time and temporary staff to apply for these permanent positions.

The Association proposed a statewide training program for Principals and School Administrative Managers to advise the role and responsibilities of the new Grade One position, with particular attention to the competency levels of this position. The Department rejected this proposal; hence we have attached the statement of duties for your information. (see below)

It is absolutely vital that Grade 1 School Support Officers do not work beyond the statement of duties.

The Association is amazed that the Department has not conveyed any of this information to its employees.

Training and Development Campaign

An urgent meeting of the Schools Steering Committee held yesterday resolved to write to the Department demanding an immediate increase in funding for training and development.

By its failure to provide a suitable level of funding for training and development, the Department is in breach of the award in their responsibility to ensure that employees are provided with appropriate training and development opportunities so that they will form a highly skilled and competent workforce.

If a significant commitment to increased funding for training and development is not forthcoming the PSA will be launching a major campaign and will be referring to the Department as "Department of Education and NO Training".

We will keep you posted on the progress of this issue in future bulletins.

Occupational Health & Safety Package Training

The OHS document covers policy on many important areas of concern for members working in schools including managing difficult behaviours and cash handling. The PSA is keen to see policy in these areas that protects the occupational health and safety of our members. We are also concerned to ensure that the policy is clear about where the responsibility rests for workplace management of OHS issues - that is with the Principal - not another job to be flicked to Administrative Managers, Officers or General Assistants.

The PSA is seeking an urgent meeting with the Department to ensure that the concerns of School Administrative and Support Staff are included in OHS policy before training is developed and offered to SAS staff. Current training programs are not appropriate and include areas that are not the responsibility of SAS staff e.g. risk management plans.

FM Web

However, the Department is trying to reintroduce this same maintenance program by calling it FM Web. SAS staff members are being hoodwinked into believing this is a simple data entry duty. IT IS NOT! Administrative Managers are responsible for the payment of accounts, Principals are responsible for verifying and authorizing these payments. Members are directed not to use FM Web and not to attend any FM Web training.

Support the PSA's Work Overload Campaign. Do not use FM Web.

Traineeships in Schools

The PSA advises that it is not the responsibility of School Administrative Managers to take on the role of supervision or support for these trainees. This role is entirely the responsibility of the course provider and the school principal.

STEMS, FM Web, SSTARTS, SMART and CSA6 data entry and management

If you have any enquiries regarding the above information please do not hesitate to contact the PSA on (02) 9290 1555.

Sue Walsh
President

Caroline Staples
A/Industrial Officer

Statement of Duties School Support Officer

PSA advise the following:

The School Support Officer (Grade 1) will support the current School Administrative Officer (Grade 2) and School Administrative Manager (Grade 3).

The School Administrative Manager must recognise the level of competency for the Grade 1 position and not expect work requiring Grade 2 or 3 competencies.

For example, in the area of office administration, the School Support Officer (Grade 1) could carry out tasks such as filing, reception and photocopying. Job tasks could also include accessing information but not data entry. In the library area job tasks could include shelving and covering of books, and in Technology and Applied Science, job tasks could include assisting the School Administrative Officer (Grade 2) in the preparation of classroom activities.