Reports!

I had a busy morning today starting our semester 1 school reports for this year. This year schools are no longer automatically able to access the QuickVic reporting system which was the reporting system for primary schools for years. As a cost cutting (what else) measure the previous government cancelled the contract and decided that now schools would have the 'choice' to select their own reporting system (so long as the data could still be fed into the Department ) Some schools like us chose the 'devil we knew' and stuck with QuickVic while others have shopped around. ( QuickVic isn't perfect. In fact they have made no improvements to it since it was introduced and it needs improvements but I can work my way around it without the need for additional training as I would with a new system which at the moment I just don't have time for.) It only took about 4 hours to finish the reports this morning

 but I will talk to some other colleagues about the systems they are using this year and if they are better and cheaper ( It is now costing $700 for us to use QuickVic when it was once free to schools) and if friends can train me for nothing then I'll make the swap next year.

Also on Friday my DET leased replacement laptop arrived. I have to scrub the old laptop before I return it and my tech ( Steve) wants to set it up for me so I'll leave it in its box until Tuesday. DET were taken to the High Court by the AEU last year arguing that the laptops were used for our work ( Many teachers do their reports on theirs) and therefore we shouldn't have to lease them. ( It doesn't cost much but it does add up) It has been over 6 months but still no decision! ( How hard can it be?) But if they come down in favour of the AEU I wonder if we will be reimbursed for lease payments going back, for me to about 1994! Probably not but wouldn't that be nice! If there are any High Court judges reading this blog can you get on with making a decision please!

Reports all finished in their folder and my laptop in its box!