extra assistance

[malook]

Does anyone know the magic formula in DET for requesting extra help with some of our tasks. I am so busy at the moment as I Just keep acquiring more jobs( some self inflicted). I know we are all in the same boat but I feel my science time is suffering because of all the admin etc things that I do

[dime]

With DEC there is no majic formula. All schools are allocated SAS staffing hours according to the number of students. It is then up to the Principal and sometimes the SAM to allocate where SAOs work. ie I am fulltime in Science but I do help out with admin tasks when I have time. This will soon change I am sure, (term 2) as our student numbers diminish, so do our hours. I may well have do divide my time between science and admin or TAS on a permanent basis.
Having said all that, some schools do get extra funding ie SIP, National Partnerships etc. This apparently can be spent how the Principal wishes to a large degree, so can be spent maybe on extra SAS hours for the school.
But within the normal funding formula, I think that faculties that have a practical component ie Science and TAS should get priority as it affects lesson delivery. But I have also seen how the admin side of things have grown over the years but with no extra hours. Ultimately, it is a big balancing act to spread our hours across all that needs to be done.
One area that I think that needs revision is the library. I think they could operate with less hours, but that is just my opinion.

[LabMad]

Where abouts are you?

[malook]

Thanks for your input . I understand the balancing act with admin duties & funding its just that it really eats into my science time , especially doing the bus & train passes which seem to take hours as we have a constant flow of students coming & going & moving house at Kogarah.I also am constantly acquiring new admin jobs from my HT . Having said that, I have been hobbling around with a fractured foot for 6 months without improvement, and that sure makes you irritable. Thanks again

[estelle]

I can relate to this post.
I took every second friday LWOP last year so the school got funding to replace me in science, which worked out well. The friday casual got to do the jobs that I didn't have time for during the week. I also do the ordering in oasis and smartbuy for the whole school, I go to the WH&S meetings and then have to do 4 days out of the year doing workplace inspections. I also do the first aid for the students and staff. And slotted into the organising of the 4 days of immunisation program, getting students out of class, waiting with them and in between sorting out the fainters.
This year, I applied again for LWOP every second friday so the school has the funding to replace me again. Suprise, suprise! They gave my day to the ADMIN!! ###@@ I was not happy.
PLUS, we are being audited and two areas are first aid and chemicals. Soooo, guess who has to organise that.
Feels like I'm in quick sand.
But they kindly took the ordering off me. Big deal, that only took a couple of hours each week. And the SAM said maybe, I shouldn't be so nice doing first aid and spend less time with the students. What the.... last week I had 15 students, one, I had to sit with for an hour waiting for an ambulance and 3 others had possible concussion, so leaving them alone until someone turned up to pick them up wasn't an option. Two days last week I only got to do 1 hour of my own science work. Less time, yeh right.
I heard back, that the SAM wonders what I do all day up here anyway. grrrrrrrrr.
Oh well, as I said in another post. Admin seems to be the new centre of the universe.
So in effect, between LWOP days, immunisation days, and WH&S inspection days, I have lost about 5 school weeks in this area.
Rant over. Back to work.. breaks over...
Estelle.
Oh great, another first aid, 4th for the day so far. Lucky I like actually like the first aid, apart from the time it takes.