Small Schools Committee members Karen Conte, Michael Wood, Mick Collins and Kim Taylor meet with MPs Robert Oakeshott and Richard Torbay.

Small Schools Committee lobbies politicians

By Owen Hasler

Members of the Federation's Small Schools Committee visited State Parliament on August 11 in order to press for the Government to honour its promises to review the unpopular school staffing formula.

The committee also sought to promote more relief time for principals, more school administrative support staff (SASS) and extra teaching resources.

The committee met with independent MPs Richard Torbay (Northern Tablelands) and Robert Oakeshott (Port Macquarie), Nationals MLC Melinda Pavey and Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon and education spokesman John Kaye.

Mr Collins said the Committee proposes a sliding scale, which would see a reduction in staff having limited impact over a period of time.

"The growing community support is being reflected by the independent members' willingness to support the issue in parliament," Mr Collins said.

"We applaud the fact that those parliamentarians interviewed recognised the need for the review as well as their preparedness to advocate such in Parliament."

The Committee hopes the Government and other opposition members, in addition to Ms Pavey, are similarly receptive when committee members meet with them.

Mr Taylor said losing a teacher has significant implications for small schools and represents a major loss of services.

Ms Conte said Federation has recognised the need for greater flexibility in the formula for sometime.

"Most small schools have witnessed the inevitable loss of morale when schools lose staff and parents rightly complain that their students are potentially negatively impacted," she said.

Croppa Creek and Black Mountain saw the P&C working together in an attempt to save their second teacher.

This strong support of the local community is recognition of the need to change the formula.

The Committee was pleased to recognise that they were prepared to support the proposed review of the staffing formula.

The present inflexible staffing formula has caused major concerns in schools in the New England region such as Croppa Creek, Bendemeer, Black Mountain, Deep Water and Curlewis in recent years and is long overdue for a review as proposed by Mr Torbay.

Fluctuations of enrolments at the cut-off for two teachers (26 students) and for three teachers (55 students) has caused serious concerns to school communities in this area and statewide.

In many cases the reduction in staff has caused a further drop in number as parents are concerned about the learning opportunities and disruption to the schools programs caused by the change in staffing mid term one.

The Small Schools Committee intends continuing the campaign for betterments for small schools by further lobbying of politicians including meetings with Opposition education spokesperson Jillian Skinner, in October, and Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt when available.

The Small Schools Committee includes principals and staff from some of the more than 500 small schools across the state including Cattai Public School principal Karen Conte, Wanaaring Public School principal Michael Collins, Byrock Public School principal Michael Wood, Nimmitabel Public School principal Jo-Anne Jones and Corindi Public School teacher Kim Taylor.

A Small Schools Conference is also being planned for Term 2, 2006, in order to present a plan to 2006 Annual Conference to take forward into the 2007 State Election Campaign.

Small schoolies will be advised of the details of this conference when it is confirmed.

Owen Hasler is a Country Organiser and the officer attached to the Small Schools Committee.

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