ISSU Support for #RespectForSNAs campaign in conjunction with Forsa

📢The ISSU is proud to announce its support for the #RespectForSNAs campaign in conjunction with Forsa Trade Union.

📱Follow @forsa_union & support the #RespectForSNAs campaign!

ℹ️ For more information visit: 🔗 https://www.forsa.ie/

#ISSU4U #RespectForSNAs #ISSU #Forsa

No Consultation with Students on Reopening Schools Plan

ISSU Statement: No Consultation with Students on Reopening Schools Plan

The Irish Second-level Students’ Union (ISSU) believes that announcing a full reopening of schools, with a two-day notice, is rushing school leaders to put in adequate risk-mitigation measures to ensure a safe return for students. Additionally, the department's announcement has not responded adequately to the shortages of school and teaching staff, and student absenteeism.

The ISSU notes the high levels of disruption that schools and students have experienced in the last term, and that any return to in-person learning should be done on a phased approach, whilst prioritising exam year students and students with special educational needs. 

6th Year Student, Quinton Kelly, said;

“As a sixth-year student myself, I am extremely disappointed in the Department of Education's decision to have a full reopening of schools. 

With case numbers rising and school attendance depleting, I am not assured that each student will receive the same standard of education. If we see extreme absences this week while having in-person teaching, it leaves no room for online learning equivalents for absent students. 

With a substitution crisis in place, the cover needed for absent teachers simply does not exist. From my own experience, I am not confident that the new measures in place will make an effective change in time for a sudden full return to school” 

ISSU Uachtarán Emer Neville, after attending a briefing with the Department, said;

“Last nights’ briefing has left students in a position of major uncertainty, and schools will have little time to assess their absences and plan adequately for reopening schools safely. 

With the high levels of close contacts and COVID-19 infections currently affecting the country, many students will either be unable to return to school or will be welcomed back to school on Thursday by classes without a teacher or substitution. 

Disruptions will remain a major issue for teaching and learning, which leaves students, particularly those in exam years, at an acute disadvantage.” 

Furthermore, ISSU Education Officer Jack McGinn, who was also in attendance said ;

“The ISSU has always engaged with the Department of Education positively and were disappointed that students were not consulted, but briefed, on this issue. We note that it is rash to reopen schools as planned and the lack of consultation with all stakeholders on this proposal demonstrates a lack of concern for the voice and safety of students, teachers, caretakers, secretaries and other members of the school community.”

The ISSU further notes students were not consulted on this announcement. This demonstrates a disregard for how important the voice of students is in this discussion, as an equal stakeholder in education. This approach to finalising the return to school without consultation comes as a surprise, considering a very productive and close relationship between a wider pool of stakeholders with the Department of Education in recent months, in response to the challenges that the pandemic has brought about. 

The ISSU is continuing to call for an open and solution-oriented discussion with all education stakeholders on how to minimise disruption of teaching and learning. The union is calling for:

• A phased return to school, starting from Monday, January 10th, prioritising in-person tuition for exam year students and students with Special Education Needs (SEN).

• The urgent sourcing of HEPA filters for all classrooms.

• Additional adjustments to be made to the Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle exam papers for 2022.

The ISSU is urging all stakeholders in school communities to adhere strictly to public health regulations in order to ensure the safety of schools for all students and staff.

The union has noted that whilst Public Health Representatives have said there is no rationale to not re-open schools, the Department of Education have disregarded the disruption that this rushed reopening will cause to students. With high teacher absenteeism and substitution shortages, schools are under-resourced. The current plan that has been proposed allows the possibility of specific class groups in each individual school to be sent home from school if deemed necessary. This causes significant disruption and uncertainty for students, with the possibility of many students not knowing if they are going to be in school the next day. This also raises concerns about whether individual classes could miss out on in-person learning compared to other classes and what position that will leave students completing state examinations.

The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU), expresses major concern at the lack of consultation with students on the return to school. The representatives of students were not consulted at a meeting held on the reopening of schools on January 4th, as they believed they would be, instead, a briefing was held to inform the ISSU and other stakeholders of the decision that had already been made.

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For more information, please contact:

Joanna Siewierska ISSU Communications - 01 443 4461/083 1305583

ISSU New Logo launch!

We are changing up our look here in the ISSU.

We have created a restored version of a time-honoured logo, refurbished for today's world and it needs both present and future.
After five demanding months of research, designing, feedback analysis and decision making to get to where we are today, we are honoured to say that this version of the logo was successfully passed by the Coiste Gnó on 24/10/2021.

See ISSU Communications Officer Statement below.

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ISSU COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER STATEMENT

"When I first started working on the logo redesign back in July 2021 and spent the first month creating a vectorised version of our logo. Formulating colours, shapes, typography and creating a more clear overall look to our logo.

The first draft to change the logo was proposed at the Coiste Gnó meeting on 07/08/2021 by myself, Quinton Kelly. Following a presentation, made to the Coiste Gnó and Secretariat, the Coiste Gnó voted and agreed on some of the minor adjustments to the current logo be introduced in the near future. This could include; vectorisation, change of green colour tone in the current logo and looking at further expansion of research and analysis.

The next month was spent investigating different approaches to the current logo and making slight adjustments and modifications based on feedback and graphic studies.
The possibility of changing the look of the crest was then brought into play and heavy groups of hours upon hours went into finding out information on the psychology of colour, symbolism, emotions of colour, understanding, contrast, balance, harmony and interaction of colour. A narrowed down, 2 categories and 5 variations of different logos came to light from this extensive research. In this time, a total of 57 logos were created from scratch based on all information gathered.

On 09/10/2021 a presentation of these 57 logos was broken into 2 categories and 5 variations were made to the Coiste Gnó. After many debates, discussions, constructive criticism and comments were made, the individual identities making up these logos were further narrowed down and voted on. Two proposals were voted on that day. 1. A vectorised version of the current logo was approved with minor adjustments in size and colour. 2. The agreement that a second proposed logo was more favourable and the Coiste Gnó recommend some further adjustments and readjustments made before a final vote was taken.

After carefully evaluating the evaluation from the Coiste Gnó meeting on 09/10/2021.
I went back and have spent 2 weeks looking at the project from a new viewpoint.
This proposed logo will be in place for at least the next 5 years and I feel it is time to take the elements that we love from the current logo and combine that with the age that we have grown into and create a restored version of a time-honoured logo, refurbished for today's world and it needs both present and future.

On 24/10/2021 a final vote took place, the revised logo including the adjustments and modifications based on hours of extensive research and feedback. This logo was proposed to the Coiste Gnó and was voted on as in line with the ISSU Constitution. I am honoured to say that this version of the logo was successfully passed by the Coiste Gnó on 24/10/2021.

After spending almost 5 months looking at different versions of this logo, this new logo we will introduce and welcome into the ISSU family is one I can look back on and say with pride that "I made that". I can't bear to look in contrast to how far we've come and the difference from the logo back in July 2021. I understand that a lot of you are only used to seeing the old logo and are comparing it to the old logo and maybe notice a drastic change and don't know how to feel, well I can assure you as your Communications Officer that this is the conclusion to hours and months of committed time in research, analysis and consultation into making the perfect rebranded logo to transition it a world we live in.

Many thanks to you all for all your feedback, criticism, comments and ideas to make this a reality." - Quinton Kelly (ISSU Communications Officer)

Official logo of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union CLG 2021

#GetTheJab Campaign

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The ISSU is launching our #GetTheJab campaign to encourage students to register for their COVID-19 vaccine.

We have created this video to show some of our student officers different experiences getting their vaccines.

We hear from students who received the Pfizer and Janssen dozes through the HSE Vaccination Centre, GP and Pharmacy, while learning about the side effects and how you can register for your vaccine too!

#GetTheJab #ISSU #ISSU4U

For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine and to learn more about registering, as well as know side effects and information leaflets visit: https://www.hse.ie/

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Meet Our Officers: Philip Crowe

 Hi. My name is Philip. I'm a transition year student at the Abbey school in Tipperary town. As Secretary of the NSE (National Student Executive) it is my job to take the minutes of every meeting and to make it available to the rest of the NSE and to organise NSE meetings once one has been called for. Also, I help to organise Annual Assembly and if any other officers need support with an event they are running I assist them in organising it.  I ran for the position because I believe it is vital that student voice is heard and that students should be involved in the decision-making process on issues that will affect us more than anyone else. Also, because I'm in TY, I can devote more time to ISSU than I would be able to in other years. I started as Secretary in December but I still plan to do the best I can as Secretary in the upcoming months. Hopefully I'll see you all at Annual Assembly.

Meet Our Officers: Glen Kiely

 I am a 6th year student of St. Munchins’ College, Limerick. I am passionate about education and learning, student voice, photography and fitness. I was appointed as Education Officer in August, with the hope that I could address the problems facing second-level education in Ireland today. I ran for this position because I felt that, with the ISSU, I could be an advocate for students and our education! During my term in office, I hope to confront various issues. I will be undergoing meetings with education spokespersons and publishing my, and the ISSU’s, thoughts on relevant matters. I hope to further student’s stance in their own education. That’s it from me, Glen.