One of the major issues with the Assisted School Travel Program has long been the amount of pay given to Travel Support Officers who escort students on vehicles to school and back everyday. In 2012, this amount of pay has risen to $13, much less than the officer would get paid working in a similar job somewhere else.
One Carenne Travel Support Officer has decided to speak out about the appalling conditions she faces everyday for miniscule pay and the lack of support she has received from the department and others.
The TSO says that on a daily basis she has to deal with students biting, hitting and kicking her as well as keep an eye on those with behavioural needs. She helps students get on and off the bus and ensures that they are correctly seated and restrained. She says that School Learning Support Officers are being paid in excess of $25 per hour for a similar job while she is being 'robbed' at $13 per hour.
'The department can't justify paying someone $13 an hour. It's not right. It has to be against the law', said the TSO.
The TSO claims to have approached the department which told her if she didn't like the pay offered she was free to leave and to have contacted the Assisted School Travel Contractors Association who told her they were not interested in helping TSOs when there are so many contractors who are being short changed by the department.
The TSO is now asking for anyone who believes that it is unfair to work as a TSO for $13 per hour to contact local member Paul Toole and show their support. He can be contacted by email paul.toole@parliament.nsw.gov.au or telephone (02) 6332 1300.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Neil Moon ignores dangerous parking by Minshull
Incompetent Carenne Special School principal Neil Moon has once again failed to address a serious issue showing that he is more interested in ensuring he looks good and his detractors look bad than he is in dealing with issues at the school. For months, staff have reported concerns about Steve Minshull, Capebase bus driver and Carenne music teacher parking on the grass behind the school office.
After months of having their concerns dismissed by Neil Moon, yesterday those concerns were shown to be completely valid when Steve Minshull almost hit a worker at Glenray next door to the school as he was leaving. Staff allege that Minshull was texting on his phone when he drove along the front lawn of the school and out Glenray's driveway where a worker was standing. The worker was forced to jump out of the way to miss being hit by Minshull.
Staff are concerned that a student could be hit by Minshull if he is allowed to continue parking where he does and that Neil Moon must take action.
After months of having their concerns dismissed by Neil Moon, yesterday those concerns were shown to be completely valid when Steve Minshull almost hit a worker at Glenray next door to the school as he was leaving. Staff allege that Minshull was texting on his phone when he drove along the front lawn of the school and out Glenray's driveway where a worker was standing. The worker was forced to jump out of the way to miss being hit by Minshull.
Staff are concerned that a student could be hit by Minshull if he is allowed to continue parking where he does and that Neil Moon must take action.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Students subjected to exhaust fumes by Carenne Support
Just weeks after the muffler fell off Carenne Support's Oberon bus its Lithgow bus suffered from a similar issue with a hole in a muffler. Carenne Support is known for using defective vehicles and having quick fixes done on their vehicles without any consideration to student safety.
Parents report that for the last two days, Dave Graham has driven the bus with a hole in its exhaust, leaking exhaust fumes into the vehicle. One parent claims when she put her head inside the bus yesterday to speak to Robyn Graham that she could smell noxious fumes in the vehicle.
According to sources close to Carenne Support, Dave Graham has asked Mary Housler to source a relief vehicle but refused to do so placing students at serious risk.
Despite the leaking exhaust Neil Moon is still allowing classes to use the vehicle through the day, exposing more students to dangerous fumes.
Parents report that for the last two days, Dave Graham has driven the bus with a hole in its exhaust, leaking exhaust fumes into the vehicle. One parent claims when she put her head inside the bus yesterday to speak to Robyn Graham that she could smell noxious fumes in the vehicle.
According to sources close to Carenne Support, Dave Graham has asked Mary Housler to source a relief vehicle but refused to do so placing students at serious risk.
Despite the leaking exhaust Neil Moon is still allowing classes to use the vehicle through the day, exposing more students to dangerous fumes.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
More bizarre behaviour by Adam Ryan
One of the staff at Carenne Special School has placed himself in another inappropriate situation by becoming heavy involved with a student in his class' family in breach of the department's child protection guidelines.
We can reveal that Adam Ryan has been driving a student to and from school in his personal vehicle and has been observed at the student's house after hours. The department's policies forbid such behaviour as it can blur the staff/student relationship. Ryan has also said that he spends time with the student on weekends as they have become 'good friends'. The situation is reminiscent of the relationship that developed between Carenne teacher Anna Blackburn and student David Withyman, which progressed to a sexual liaison.
Ryan's behaviour, despite being against policy raises serious concerns due to allegations against him both at Bathurst High and Carenne. How Neil Moon can continue to place students at risk and Mr Ryan at risk of further allegations must be thoroughly investigated.
We can reveal that Adam Ryan has been driving a student to and from school in his personal vehicle and has been observed at the student's house after hours. The department's policies forbid such behaviour as it can blur the staff/student relationship. Ryan has also said that he spends time with the student on weekends as they have become 'good friends'. The situation is reminiscent of the relationship that developed between Carenne teacher Anna Blackburn and student David Withyman, which progressed to a sexual liaison.
Ryan's behaviour, despite being against policy raises serious concerns due to allegations against him both at Bathurst High and Carenne. How Neil Moon can continue to place students at risk and Mr Ryan at risk of further allegations must be thoroughly investigated.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Isolation booth used by Nadine Dwyer and Adam Ryan
Serious concerns have been raised about behaviour management techniques used at Carenne Special School in the past including the use of a pig pen to house students, locking students in storerooms, sitting on them or calling the Police on autistic students to harass them. Another technique can now be added to the list with Nadine Dwyer and her School Learning Support Officer using an isolation booth to menace students.
On the outside wall of Dwyer's classroom she has a desk between two notice boards used as partitions. When a student becomes agitated they are taken to the area where a third partition is pushed against the other two, creating a cubicle no larger than 2x2 metres. Students are told to sit and be quiet and if they stand up they are hit on the head by Ryan or other students in a game he calls "Whack-a-Mole".
At times students have thrown the partitions, narrowly missing others. When they do so they are tackled and pinned against the wall by either Ryan or Dwyer. Dwyer justifies this behaviour by claiming that she has the "uncontrollable bastards" of the school.
The practice is against department policy and a breach of child protection guidelines, yet principal Neil Moon is well aware of it and does nothing to stop it.
On the outside wall of Dwyer's classroom she has a desk between two notice boards used as partitions. When a student becomes agitated they are taken to the area where a third partition is pushed against the other two, creating a cubicle no larger than 2x2 metres. Students are told to sit and be quiet and if they stand up they are hit on the head by Ryan or other students in a game he calls "Whack-a-Mole".
At times students have thrown the partitions, narrowly missing others. When they do so they are tackled and pinned against the wall by either Ryan or Dwyer. Dwyer justifies this behaviour by claiming that she has the "uncontrollable bastards" of the school.
The practice is against department policy and a breach of child protection guidelines, yet principal Neil Moon is well aware of it and does nothing to stop it.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Moon threatens parent, tells them they can't be trusted
Carenne Gate has learned that a complaint has been filed at the Bathurst SEA by a parent posting on this blog as "Mr Irate" about Neil Moon's behaviour towards him. The parent alleges that he has been told by Moon he is not to be trusted and has been threatened with an Inclosed Lands Notice and his child to be transferred to another school if he continues to comment on this blog.
Mr Irate claims that he has been told by Neil Moon he will not speak to him without two additional staff from the school being present as he "can not be trusted" and is "nothing more than a trouble maker". Mr Irate alleges that when he speaks to Moon that he is not taken seriously and that Moon would rather fob him off than to deal with his concerns.
Whistleblowers at the school claim the behaviour isn't isolated towards this one parent. Nedkelly told Carenne Gate she knew of at least five parents who were suspected of posting on the blog that have been treated exactly the same way. "Neil Moon isn't certain who some of the parents are on here, so the most vocal ones are harassed," said nedkelly.
Instead of addressing issues, Neil Moon would rather silence his critics and continue to run Carenne into the ground.
Mr Irate claims that he has been told by Neil Moon he will not speak to him without two additional staff from the school being present as he "can not be trusted" and is "nothing more than a trouble maker". Mr Irate alleges that when he speaks to Moon that he is not taken seriously and that Moon would rather fob him off than to deal with his concerns.
Whistleblowers at the school claim the behaviour isn't isolated towards this one parent. Nedkelly told Carenne Gate she knew of at least five parents who were suspected of posting on the blog that have been treated exactly the same way. "Neil Moon isn't certain who some of the parents are on here, so the most vocal ones are harassed," said nedkelly.
Instead of addressing issues, Neil Moon would rather silence his critics and continue to run Carenne into the ground.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Paul Knight resigns from Carenne Support
The mouth of Carenne Support Limited, Paul Knight has resigned from the board of directors following a disagreement with Geoff Salmon, Terry Mahony and Mary Housler. According to a source inside the organisation, the disagreement related to Salmon and Mahony's plans for a fundraising campaign to purchase replacement buses.
Knight believes that it wasn't right for Carenne Support to call for donations to purchase vehicles when it already has $150,000 in the bank and had been using them to make money. He believed to do so would bring more negative publicity to the organisation.
Carenne Special School conducted a fundraising appeal in 2004 and 2005 to purchase new vehicles for the school. Those vehicles ended up in the hands of Carenne Support instead of the school as they were purchased for. The falling out with Paul Knight shows how quickly those in control will turn on those who disagree with them.
Knight believes that it wasn't right for Carenne Support to call for donations to purchase vehicles when it already has $150,000 in the bank and had been using them to make money. He believed to do so would bring more negative publicity to the organisation.
Carenne Special School conducted a fundraising appeal in 2004 and 2005 to purchase new vehicles for the school. Those vehicles ended up in the hands of Carenne Support instead of the school as they were purchased for. The falling out with Paul Knight shows how quickly those in control will turn on those who disagree with them.
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