UPDATE Apologies at the outset this is a lengthy update but there are some important developments which we wish you to know about. Many of you will have read this week’s Lurgan Mail where the SELB has released a press statement regarding the issuing of a questionnaire and information leaflet next week to parents of all children who are likely to be affected by any development proposal brought forward by the SELB. This consultation is about Option A only. We are aware that many parents are rightly angry about the fact that the SELB is embarking on a paper consultation exercise rather than meeting directly with us in face-to-face meetings which it said it would hold throughout October and November in order to allow parents to ask questions and to receive answers. It must be noted that the SELB is continuing to press ahead with Option A. A number of parents have expressed cynicism at the timing of the questionnaire which is to take place over the Christmas period. Others have been speaking about the fact that they are suspicious that the questionnaire will have been designed to confuse parents and to deliver a response to the SELB which will demonstrate that parents are not speaking with one voice on this issue. It will be vitally important for each and every parent who is concerned about the future education of their children to complete this questionnaire. It is our intention to offer guidance on the completion of the questionnaire in order to ensure that the SELB receives the clear message that parents do not wish to see an amalgamation of Lurgan College with Craigavon Senior High School which will effectively deliver comprehensive education to our area. As soon as we have sight of the questionnaire we will begin to determine the best way in which it should be responded to in order to deliver that message and to that end we will be working with educationalists and others to ensure the parents of Lurgan and Portadown send out a clear message once and for all. You may also have noticed n the Lurgan Mail that the SELB believes that parents do not understand our education system. This is because they seem to believe that you will be fooled into thinking that Option A will retain acceptable grammar school provision by simply calling the newly amalgamated school “a controlled grammar school”. Be under no illusion that this “controlled grammar school” will, like St Michael’s, be a non-selective grammar school. For further information on this please follow this link lurganmail.co.uk/news/local-news/lurgan-college-hits-back-at-selb-claims-1-5715947 We would also ask you to share this link with your friends on facebook in order to reach parents who have not yet signed up to our group. We would therefore ask you to take the following action: · Once you have received the questionnaire from your child’s school please complete and return the questionnaire in line with guidance from us which will be issued to you as soon as we have the questionnaire and have had an opportunity to scrutinise it. · If you are angry about the fact that the SELB is still refusing to meet face to face with you as parents of the children who will be affected by their proposal then please email [email protected] and cc [email protected] and tell them. They must not be allowed to sit in their ivory tower separate from the views of the overwhelming majority of the community. · Please do not consider boycotting the questionnaire as the SELB will use this as evidence that there is not a significant depth of feeling in the community. · We would also ask you to email the Lurgan Mail [email protected] and the Newsletter, [email protected] and the Belfast Telegraph, [email protected] to describe how you believe the SELB is treating the parents of children in our area. At the very least you are being ignored in that to date they have not met with you face to face. At worst you are being treated with contempt. We are aware that there are many questions in the community which the SELB believes it will address in an information leaflet to be sent out with the questionnaire. This leaflet will be trying to sell Option A to the parents because that is what they are consulting about. And, we believe, is unlikely to tell you about the disadvantages for your children in signing up to a bi-lateral school model. Please remember that the SELB said it would meet with parents before Christmas. There is considerable uncertainty and anxiety amongst parents particularly those who have children in P6 as to whether they should start preparing their children for the AQE in the event that they will be denied access to a totally academically selective, free-standing grammar school in Lurgan. Please tell Gavin Boyd this as well so he will not be able to say that he is unaware of such concerns. · In addition to emails please feel free to contact Gavin Boyd directly at the SELB on 02837512200. However, it is preferable if you take the additional time to email him and, as before, we would ask you to let us when you have emailed either the SELB or the press regarding this as emails/letters create hard evidence of contact from concerned parents as opposed to a telephone call which it is harder to prove took place. In addition to the above we want to let you know that a steering group, which has been made up of a representative from each of the 9 groups, has been formed. Its email address is: dpcpsteeringgroup@gmail Further positive news lies in the fact that most of the JHS have now met with representatives of the CPGs. Killicomaine Area CPG is in regular contact with Mr McCarthy, (Principal), Clounagh CPG has met with Mr Canning, (Principal), and Cllr Hatch, (Chair of BOG) and Tandragee District were given an opportunity to address the Tandragee JHS governors including Mr Gillespie, (Principal). In addition Killicomaine and Lurgan JHS CPGs have met with Mr Mehaffey, (Principal) from CSHS. We are aware that Lurgan JHS has offered a meeting with representatives from Lurgan JHS CPG with Mrs Currie, (Acting-Principal) and Mr McKay, (Chair of BOG). This is significant progress in that the schools and governors of the JHS are making various efforts to allow parents to have their voice and state their concerns. It is apparent that some of these concerns are shared by principals and governors within the JHS themselves. This is happening because parents’ groups were formed and wrote and requested these meetings. We are therefore asking you again for your help in getting the SELB to listen to our voice. A handful of individuals cannot do this alone. We need all of the parents to respond to the questionnaire in the correct manner and for you also to contact the SELB again with your views on it proceeding with a paper consultation exercise only and demanding face-to-face meetings. Over the next couple of weeks there will be a frenzy of activity regarding questionnaires/emailing the SELB and the press. Some parents have/will be attending meetings with governors and others on behalf of all parents who are keen to see the retention of the Dickson Plan. We all need to play our role now to defeat Option A once and for all.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:42:49 +0000
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