Superintending 2018

Postgrad10

Millem wrote: »

Did anyone get any post today?
I was half thinking we might hear today....but nothing came here!

I was thinking this too. Next week it is so! The anticipation is killing me !

happywithlife

Just off the phone to them. 4.45pm Friday evening and they are still "finalising things" so letters have YET to be printed. HOPEFULLY I will have a letter by Tuesday.
My creche is putting me under pressure to confirm arrangements- not fair on working parents :-(

Bananaleaf

happywithlife wrote: »

Just off the phone to them. 4.45pm Friday evening and they are still "finalising things" so letters have YET to be printed. HOPEFULLY I will have a letter by Tuesday.
My creche is putting me under pressure to confirm arrangements- not fair on working parents :-(

Between the department and my ETB ... Im getting really sick of this disrespectful attitude they have, not just towards their staff, but towards those they contract to do other work for them too.

FurBabyMomma

This will be my first year doing it. I'm not teaching atm, I'm staying at home with 2 toddlers so I actually requested not to be sent far if possible due to the logistics of childcare. Haven't heard anything yet and am getting angsty around organising said childcare.

Any tips that a newbie should know?

Postgrad10

They will probably give you a short centre like LCA for the first year. Their exams are not as long as leaving cert exams so that could work to your advantage. The first day is the collection and set up your centre day so once you get your training done you'll spend about about an hour and a half setting up. You'll need to bring your own blue tak for the posters and scissors for opening the packets on the day. Make sure there's nothing on the walls (schools can be awkward about this even though they know the rules), draw your seating plan once you have the candidate numbers on the desks. familiarise yourself with the details and location of your candidate's special centres. Get an outside hours contact number for the school and test the audio equipment for the listening exam. Your attendent should be there to meet you and help you set up.
If you are unsure on anything , do ask the SEC, there's no such thing as a stupid question.

Here's the training video from the SEC. They used to post it to new superintendents

https://www.examinations.ie/?l=en&mc=cs&sc=cs

FurBabyMomma

Thanks for the reply Postgrad10, that was really helpful. I'd love an easy center although given I said I was prepared to work through Irish I'll probably be thrown in at the deep end!

Postgrad10

No such thing as an easy centre really, you need to be on the ball at all times . Every centre comes with two very detailed sets of instruction first of which will be with your school appointment letter. Read it very carefully. You'll then get the day to day instructions on collection day.

spurious

Make sure you follow all the instructions correctly (drawing the plan of the room etc.). Everything is much easier if you follow the instructions fully.

evolving_doors

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

This will be my first year doing it. I'm not teaching atm, I'm staying at home with 2 toddlers so I actually requested not to be sent far if possible due to the logistics of childcare. Haven't heard anything yet and am getting angsty around organising said childcare.

Any tips that a newbie should know?

Get all your paperwork ready so you're quick at dashing to post office when exam has finished, so you can collect kids somewhat early and save money on childcare, or else 'store the scripts in a designated secure location' so you might get a chance to post at lunchtime the following day if you're just supervising a morning exam. Ask other superintendents exactly what you need to have ready for posting.

At the start I did as much prep and paperwork as I could during lunch between exams. But it's nice to talk to other teachers during the break, find someone there who'll help you out. Don't rely on the school exams officer being around to help you out, they're like headless chickens dealing with crises sometimes. It might be worthwhile making good contacts at the lunchtime of day1.

Keep your box of stationary very organised and know what everything is for. Reread the handbook as often as possible.

Triplecheck you have the right envelope on the day. I remember another superintendent having to drive like a maniac back to the Garda station storage as they grabbed the wrong exam :pac:

When you collect scripts early keep them in numerical order to be ready to slot in the remainder.

Expect to possibly be scuppered by some awkward biddies in the post office. I.e. "sorry the post bag is closed" even though the counter is open , they're just too lazy to have to do extra paperwork as superintendents usually come in near closing time. In fairness some post offices will go out of their way for you when they see you coming in with the packages. I went off on a crusade to An Post complaints dept and SEC but they do very little. Although when you tell SEC you might have to take home the scripts for the night they get a bit antsy

If you're in any of the cities, google maps with location turned on will usually give live traffic updates and give you the quickest route.

FurBabyMomma

Excellent advice, thanks everyone! Never even thought about stationery and the likes, will most definitely ensure I'm well organised!

CWF

Anybody get their schools yet?

Postgrad10

Yeah it posted above. They were finalising the schools last Friday evening so letters should be any day now. Well they'd need to be!

Postgrad10

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

Excellent advice, thanks everyone! Never even thought about stationery and the likes, will most definitely ensure I'm well organised!

If you have LCA, you'll receive a stationary envelope as opposed to a stationary box which is great when it comes to posting it back.

Bananaleaf

CWF wrote: »

Anybody get their schools yet?

No. if it doesn't arrive in the next 2 days I'm pulling out.

CWF

Bananaleaf wrote: »

No. if it doesn't arrive in the next 2 days I'm pulling out.

Really?

mtoutlemonde

Bananaleaf wrote: »

No. if it doesn't arrive in the next 2 days I'm pulling out.

It will come tomorrow so that you have a week to contact school you're supervising in.

Millem

I really hope I get the letter tomorrow.....need to organise childcare.

chocoholic999

It’s been the Tuesday of the last week the last couple of years, so should get letter tomorrow.

Bananaleaf

CWF wrote: »

Really?

Yes, really. A week may be plenty of time to contact the school, but there are other things - as others have already pointed out - that need a bit more notice.

mtoutlemonde wrote: »

It will come tomorrow so that you have a week to contact school you're supervising in.

That works out well for the school I'm supervising in, but as above.

evolving_doors

Bananaleaf wrote: »

Yes, really. A week may be plenty of time to contact the school, but there are other things - as others have already pointed out - that need a bit more notice.

I reckon they have to play a tight game. If they released locations too early people might have time to mull it over and then cancel, then there would have to be changes posted out to those already notified. Whereas if it's just next week you might be more 'resigned' to it.

Although in saying that if they offered me a place 2 months ago and told me for how long I could maybe arrange childcare a bit better. Then again the money I spend on child care vs. listening to a ticking clock for 2 1/2 hours...
Ya it aint worth it, unless grannies house is around the corner and she's pepped up on barocca every day:D

Bananaleaf

Arrived in the post this morning

FurBabyMomma

Got mine in the post. I'm only employed for 7 days!

I'm also very confused, as it says that I'm to pick up the exam papers at 11.30 and proceed directly to the school. But then it also says that first time Superintendents must also attend training, but provides no further details of when and where on the letter.

Edit: It says 'L.C.' in front of the school's name, so am I safe to assume it's Leaving Cert I'll be supervising?

Millem

furbaby you go early to watch video!

Delighted I got what I wanted!

Do we all need to watch a video online?

FurBabyMomma

Millem wrote: »

furbaby you go early to watch video!

Delighted I got what I wanted!

Do we all need to watch a video online?

Hi Millen, it says that everyone must watch the video but new superintendents must also attend training at the centre. Just rang the SEC and they said I'll get the training when I show up at 11.30.

It all seems a bit haphazard to me, I'd love to know exactly what exams I'm attending at this point as I'm having to juggle childcare with a few different family members so i really need to be able to give some notice!

Millem

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

Millem wrote: »

furbaby you go early to watch video!

Delighted I got what I wanted!

Do we all need to watch a video online?

Hi Millen, it says that everyone must watch the video but new superintendents must also attend training at the centre. It doesn't say what time though.

You go to at say 10.30 to distribution centre to watch video. Can’t remember how long it is? You got it in post?

Dylan94

Still havnt received my letter. So I gave them a call, they said that I havnt actually been allocated a school and will be on the reserve panel.

I am really annoyed as I turned down other work to do this.

Postgrad10

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

Hi Millen, it says that everyone must watch the video but new superintendents must also attend training at the centre. Just rang the SEC and they said I'll get the training when I show up at 11.30.

It all seems a bit haphazard to me, I'd love to know exactly what exams I'm attending at this point as I'm having to juggle childcare with a few different family members so i really need to be able to give some notice!

We never find which exam or subjects until we open the box at the centre. You watch the video for ten minutes at the distribution centre and then check you box and go on to the school/Garda station if that's were they are storing them.

Postgrad10

Dylan94 wrote: »

Still havnt received my letter. So I gave them a call, they said that I havnt actually been allocated a school and will be on the reserve panel.

I am really annoyed as I turned down other work to do this.

What exactly did your previous letter state?

Postgrad10

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

Got mine in the post. I'm only employed for 7 days!

I'm also very confused, as it says that I'm to pick up the exam papers at 11.30 and proceed directly to the school. But then it also says that first time Superintendents must also attend training, but provides no further details of when and where on the letter.

Edit: It says 'L.C.' in front of the school's name, so am I safe to assume it's Leaving Cert I'll be supervising?

Yes. If it was LCA it would say LCA and if it was junior cert it would say JC.

mtoutlemonde

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

Got mine in the post. I'm only employed for 7 days!

I'm also very confused, as it says that I'm to pick up the exam papers at 11.30 and proceed directly to the school. But then it also says that first time Superintendents must also attend training, but provides no further details of when and where on the letter.

Edit: It says 'L.C.' in front of the school's name, so am I safe to assume it's Leaving Cert I'll be supervising?

They will have the video set up in the collection centre. It's just to say that received training. I still watch it the night before superintendents. They probabaly sent it to you if it's your first year superintending.

Are your exam boxes being held in the school or Garda Station? If its the latter, you will have to drop that off first.

The LC means Leaving Cert.