Hunter Public School Principals Face Burnout

BY IAN CROUCH

Hunter Public School principals say they're struggling with their ever-increasing workload and many are facing burnout.

A Forum for Principals at Wests New Lambton yesterday heard principals are not just dealing with the everyday administration of their schools, they also have to juggle hundreds of emails and phone calls, demanding and troublesome students and parents with high expectations of their children.

Department of Education officials have promised to work with principals to help manage their workload.

Hunter Public School Principals Face Burnout Picture: Education Matters

UPDATED: Department of Education responds to surveillance camera allegedly uncovered at a primary school in Maitland

BY JESSICA ROUSE

UPDATE:

The Department of Education has since responded to 2NURFM's request for a response.

"Student wellbeing is Ashtonfield Public School's highest priority.

CCTV cameras can support the school as a safe environment, and the school has signage throughout advising that CCTV can be used outdoors and indoors in general use areas and classrooms.

A camera has been put in plain sight in a classroom as part of a response to a police matter.

The matter does not involve nor put any students at risk, but it is not appropriate for the school to comment on such matters."

In addition, the Department provided reasons for why public schools use CCTV surveillance which included monitoring premises for after hours security and during the course of the working day for added security; they say surveillance is also used to monitor sick bays and student time-out rooms or other specific areas in schools.


EARLIER:

It's understood a surveillance camera has been discovered at a primary school in the Maitland area in a kindergarten classroom.

A concerned parent contacted local MP Jenny Aitchison after she discovered the camera and then heard three different stories about why it was there.

She's demanding the correct answer after she was first told it was a part of a high school students project, then the Department of Education allegedly told her it was a part of a film and then she was also told it was to catch someone who was apparently bullying a teacher.

"Given that there are three stories the onus is really on the Department to say why the camera was there, you know if the reason given by the director, of course, is that it was to be covertly finding out about bullying of a teacher that is also a concern, just the bullying in itself, but also how the school is addressing that issue," said Jenny Aitchison.

There are now reports the surveillance has now been removed but there's no solid answer about where it has gone.

"The video has actually been removed and the department isn't sure where it is so there are quite a few concerns about that. I've contacted the minister this morning about that and we've asked him to look into that issue. I understand the parent did also address that concern to him."

The Department of Education has been asked for comment.

The most over crowded schools in NSW are here, in the Hunter

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Wirripang Public School at Gateshead is the state's most crowded school at 220% capacity according to figures released by the Department of Education.

The documents containing the figures were obtained under Freedom of Information laws and also reveal more than a third of NSW schools are at 100% capacity or more.

Charlestown MP Jodie Harrison says the results are a big reflection of the governments inability to plan, contrary to its commitment to public education.

"It [Wirripang Public School] opened in 2013 under this Liberal government. Now three years later, we've got overcrowding of 220 per cent. Wirripang Public School is over enrolled and what that means is this Liberal government is failing to plan for population growth let alone existing population."

The other five schools in the Hunter which are at more then 100% capacity include Islington Public School, Jesmond Public School, Grahamstown Public School, The Junction Public School and Maitland Grossmann High School.

Hunter school maintenance backlog soars

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The NSW Department of Education’s latest annual report revealed a $281 million underspend in Hunter schools.

In 2014-15, the Baird Government were committed to investing $14.2 billion on education. Instead, the Department’s own report found there the underspend of $281 million.

Schools in the Hunter are currently facing maintenance backlogs totalling $70 million, with Maitland High School at $1.6 million and two high schools in Raymond Terrace sitting at $1.5 million in maintenance backlog.

The maintenance backlog consists of basic issues such as toilet and sewer repairs, painting, replacing windows, fixing damaged rooves and other general repairs.

The report also revealed in 2015 the government decreased spending on maintenance in Hunter schools by $26.6 million dollars increasing the maintenance backlog.

Shadow Minister for the Hunter Kate Washington says that these small problems will only continue to rise, with the State Government failing to take responsibility.

"It continues to rise because government doesn't spend anything on fixing the small problems, so the small problems get bigger and bigger until it becomes this massive backlog and the government just puts its head in the sand".

"We've got the Federal government threatening to push more responsibility back onto the state government, the state government isn't taking the responsibility it needs to take already for our public schools. It's leaving a dire situation in our public schools".

There is also an increasing demand for a public high school at Medowie, as the community continues to grow making the underspend even more concerning. 

Community Calls to Save Mambo Wetlands

BY GARY LYSAGHT

The Port Stephens community has continued to fight the planned sale of the Mambo Wetlands by the Department of Education.

A 'for sale' sign appeared on the grounds on May 6th, with the local Mambo Wanda Wetlands Landcare committee saying the weren't given a heads up beforehand.

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington has firmly opposed the Baird Government's planned sale of the property, saying it is vitally important it doesn't enter private hands.

FOR SALE: Wetlands to be sold [Photo: TRRA]

"There's enormous cultural significance for the local Worimi.  [And] ecologically, it is part of this complex ecosystem that forms [the Wetlands]," she said.

Local residents had the opportunity to have their say on Thursday 26th May with a local forum held at Horizons Golf Resort at Salamander Bay.

Education Minister Adrian Piccoli and Environment Minister Mark Speakman were both invited to attend the forum, with letters and email from Washington's office going unanswered.

The Wetlands' sale sign
[Source: Port Stephens Examiner]

A key concern for local residents is the local koala population which call the Wetlands home.

"We just simply can't afford it, for the sake of the koalas and all the other threatened species that live within that parcel of land," says Washington

"We need to, as a community, have a really strong voice and let the Government know that we do not want this land placed into private hands," she said.

The sale of the Wetlands would be another asset the Baird Government have sold off since the 2015 election, with up to $3 billion of public assets being sold as of 2016 since the Coalition victory in 2011.

Sold assets include Bligh House for $58 million and the Australian Technology Park for $263 million.

Money raised from the sale of buildings considered to be old or misused will be redirected to constructing new infrastructure and housing.

The State Opposition have been critical of the recent litany of public assets the Government have sold into private hands with Shadow Finance Minister Clayton Barr saying Premier Mike Baird was "addicted to the sugar hit" of selling off assets.

"Whether it is electricity assets or Government property, they are happy to accept the short-term gain and ignore the long-term pain," he told The Sydney Morning Herald.