April 2002 - Members' Letter

1 April 2002

To: All Member School Board Chairpersons, Directors of Education, Education Committee Chairpersons, MSPs

Dear Colleagues

EXTRACT ONLY – FULL COPIES SENT TO ALL 1969 MEMBER BOARDS

1. Annual Conference

We enjoyed a wonderful annual conference at Musselburgh Race Course on Saturday 16 March. There wasn’t a horse in sight but we did see some golfers playing on the oldest golf course in Scotland which is situated in the middle of the racecourse. Our thanks to East Lothian Council for their hospitality.

2. Nicol Stephen, MSP, Deputy Education Minister

Speaking at the SSBA conference the Minister said –

"I am pleased to announce that we are also looking at improving the Executive’s support for School Boards. We have agreed to fund an independent consultant to review current support arrangements for School Boards to consider where progress can be made.

Parents must have regular access to meaningful information about their child’s school, about their child’s progress and how they as parents can help. There is a lot of information available but our concern is that it does not reach all parents.

The SSBA, set up by parents in Scotland in 1991, aims to promote and encourage partnerships in education, bringing together educationalists, parents, pupils, governments at local and national level, as well as members of local communities to develop best practice and improved standards in schools."

3. SSBA New President and Office Bearers Elected

We have a new set of Office Bearers and a new President elected by the membership at the AGM.

President

John Tierney is a member of Knightswood High School Board in Glasgow. John is married with one daughter who is 16. He worked for many years in public transport latterly becoming a full time union representative before he retired due to ill health. He is an avid supporter of children and their teachers and has a strong belief in parents playing a greater role in the education partnership.

Vice President

Jeff Taylor is a member of Cumnock Academy School Board in East Ayrshire. Jeff is married to a schoolteacher and has two children. He has been treasurer of SSBA during the past two years. He is currently General Manager of the Learning Game.

Treasurer

Kathleen Glass is a member of Kirkcudbright Academy School Board in Dumfries and Galloway. Kathleen is married with two children and works as a Senior Accounts Assistant at Frazier International.

Company Secretary

Gino Satti is a member of Lenzie Primary School Board in East Dunbartonshire. Gino is married with three children and has a milk franchise with Wiseman Dairies in Glasgow and also owns the Glasgow Gourmet catering company.

Secretary

Gordon Stewart is a member of Croftcroighn Special School in Glasgow. Gordon is married with one son who has autism and downs syndrome. Gordon has represented Special Educational Needs schools on the Executive Board for the past two years.

Outgoing President

Alan Smith from Renfrewshire has been President of SSBA for the last two years. A special thanks was given to Alan for his leadership and support to Executive Board members and staff. Alan’s comment on demitting office was that "he felt sure that SSBA would continue its support for teachers and pupils and that he left with confidence in the new Executive Board knowing that they would take SSBA to the highest level in the interest of our young people."

4. Vacancies for Executive Board Members

A full list of the new Executive Board accompanies this letter. You will notice that there are a few vacancies. If you are interested in becoming an Executive Board member please let me know.

5. New Quality Indicators for Schools

Bill Clark, HMIE described the crucial role of the School Board with the introduction of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000. "How good is our school?" is designed to help headteachers, teachers and School Board members in schools self-evaluation and to assist education authority officials in discharging their responsibilities for quality assurance. HM Inspectors are also using it when they are inspecting both the school and the education authority.

This is a crucial document for School Boards. Please ask your Headteacher to print you off a copy from the disc inside the booklet or simply make you a copy. Please let me know if you have any problems obtaining a copy. More information is contained in the conference report.

6. What Does a School Board Do?

Our new video/CD presentation and booklets pack is selling well. Three councils have already ordered for their School Boards. The pack is a 12 minute presentation on the basic responsibilities of a School Board and has many uses:-

• use by Headteacher/Chairperson when new members come on Board
• refresher course for all School Board members
• presentation to staff when looking for a staff member
• presentation to parents during the election period
• presentation to Councillors and education department staff

At £30 for the pack of either video or CD-ROM and 10 handbooks it is a bargain which you use over and over again. Get your order in now! An order form is enclosed.

7. School Board Training

We have now provided 43 training courses in the past 3 months. We currently have a pilot course for Headteachers running in Dumfries and Galloway and Renfrewshire. This should be ready for delivery to all authorities after the summer holidays.

8. SSBA 10 Year Questionnaire

The results of the 10-year questionnaire are enclosed. Many thanks to the 541 School Boards who returned their completed questionnaires. Thanks also to those of you who found it to be a useful learning tool.

9. The Future of Education and the Hope for School Boards

Alan Blackie, Director of Education for East Lothian and currently President of ADES (Association of Directors of Education in Scotland) said –

"Some of my hopes are that all School Boards achieve the standards of the best. That they fulfil their potential for real and meaningful involvement of parents in their communities as full partners with schools and education authorities in improving the quality of education and in including all who have a stake in this great venture called "education".

As to my aspirations for School Boards. This is where he gets the chance to be a little fanciful perhaps and to gaze in to the crystal ball of what Schools Boards could really be! I would like School Boards to be:

10. Margaret Doran, Head of Schools: Children's Services, Stirling Council and Member Of The Ministerial Discipline Task Group

"It is very rare to find that children or young people who are experiencing problems in schools are doing so as a result of a single issue. It is usually the case that they are having problems in a number of areas in their life such as family breakdown, alcohol and drugs, abuse within the family, etc. All of these constitute a barrier to learning. Others include social factors, school policies, and conditions for effective learning and teaching, involvement of children, parents and carers. It is important that schools and education authorities take all steps necessary to ensure that barriers to learning are removed where possible and that social disadvantage is not reinforced by educational disadvantage."

11. Sex Education in Schools

The enclosed leaflet has been produced by the Church of Scotland Education Committee to assist constructive co-operation and discussion between parents, carers and schools. This leaflet may be freely copied, unaltered and has been designed so that it can be easily photocopied.

12. School Meals

A Parliamentary Bill looking at the possibility of issuing free school meals to all children in Scotland is making its way through Parliament. It is due to be voted on by 10 May 2002. This Bill would give all children in Scotland the right to a free healthy meal at school. More information can be obtained from the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland – Telephone Number 0141 552 3303.

We are here to help

I am also enclosing a copy of the main part of the letter in A5 size so that you can copy it to the members of your Board. They will then have the opportunity of asking for relevant parts of the letter which take their interest.

We are here to help. Remember what we tell our children every day – "if you don’t understand something, don’t be frightened to ask for help or advice".

I look forward to hearing from you.

With kind regards

Ann Hill
Chief Executive
SSBA

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