*All change*

[GrumbleDook]

Well, it has finally happened. I was going to save this until tomorrow after the Northants IT Managers' Meeting but thought I would chat about it now, especially as I had a chat with a few of you about it at the conference.

After working on and off on some LA projects I have been released by my school to do it full time for a year. Most of my school stuff is being split between different people (Head of ICT, Business Manager, Network Manager and a few other staff) for that year. In return I will be able to work full time on EMBC and VLE projects amongst other things. It does mean I have to slow down on other things so I will likely be taking a bit of a back seat on the site over the next few months. I have talked with the other admins about this and they all understand. It might actually mean I am back to doing only one job instead of three ... I might even allow me to have a life again!

I will be cutting ties on some particular discussions due to possible conflicts (or at least until HR have worked out if and how much comment I can make personally or professionally) ... the biggest of these if BSF.

I will still be around to get involved with the next conference and BETT (as if DB and the others would let me escape these!) and will still do East Midlands stuff on the site too.

The last 3 years (well ... 2 years, 10 1/2 months for me ... I was a late arrival in the first wave!) have been brilliant ... keep it all up.

[kingswood]

Congratulations Tony- I think this is a great move for you!

All the best in your new post mate...

Paul

[Grommit]

So you have sold out to the BSF by the sounds of it and as you say you will be "cutting back on the BSF discussions" thus turning into one of them who feed the ICT staff small drips and drabs of information and not being open and up front with the Truth and information..

Congratulations on the great move...

[Domino]

Most of my school stuff is being split between different people (Head of ICT, Business Manager, Network Manager and a few other staff) for that year.

.....so, you're surplus to requirements?



well done mate!

[beeswax]

It's a little early in life to be slowing down isn't it?

[cookie_monster]

Excellent news Tony (well sort of, we'll miss your input) it will be nice to have someone within the LEA who understands the situation in schools especially on issues such as BSF.

Good luck.

[kmount]

It won't be slowing down when he gets there and needs to pick up the game!

I think its a good move, county needs the help.

[Lee_K_81]

So you have sold out to the BSF by the sounds of it and as you say you will be "cutting back on the BSF discussions" thus turning into one of them who feed the ICT staff small drips and drabs of information and not being open and up front with the Truth and information..

Thats a bit harsh. Tony has never been Pro-BSF, just not totally anti-BSF. BSF on the whole wont be a bad thing for schools, it's just the IT part of it that we all have issues with. Tony has to look at the bigger picture as part of his role on senior leadership. Anyway, not trying to turn this into a BSF debate, there's far too many of those on here.

Congratulations Tony.

[russdev]

So you have sold out to the BSF by the sounds of it and as you say you will be "cutting back on the BSF discussions" thus turning into one of them who feed the ICT staff small drips and drabs of information and not being open and up front with the Truth and information..

Congratulations on the great move...

lol

Well if Tony stayed part of discusion you would arugue he had conflict of interest. So he is up front and says look I am working for lea on bsf stuff and so will have to take a back seat and still is wrong in your books.

But then do I expect any different....

What is our lost is Northants gain...

As said Tony before congrats...

Russ

[GrumbleDook]

So you have sold out to the BSF by the sounds of it and as you say you will be "cutting back on the BSF discussions" thus turning into one of them who feed the ICT staff small drips and drabs of information and not being open and up front with the Truth and information..

Congratulations on the great move...

Almost an amusing attempt at trolling there ... almost got a response from me. I suppose it is my own fault though ... selling out for more money, power and chocolate treats. Perhaps even a chance to make sure good practice is shared between schools that may not be regulars on EG.

No .. you are right ... I will not sell out to the LA. I will send a letter in now and take the other jobs I have been offered instead. Something about consultancy for BSF bidding firms. Let's *really* screw schools!

[torledo]

i can't speak for anyone else, but i personally would kill for an oppotunity to be involved in projects at a learning grid/lea....in fact i'm a bit confused as to why you've not taken up a permanent position rather than the 12 month hiatus from school duties. It sounds a bit have your cake and eat it to me....sorry to be so blunt. I personally think people should commit themselves one way or the other, give the school the opportunity to replace you or to choose not to indefintely.

[GrumbleDook]

Thanks for the response guys ... when I started to do chunks of this I never realised how much there was to do ... it all started off with agreeing to look at the procurement of the EMBC contract as a schools rep with some technical knowledge.

Still ... it is made a lot easier by having a cracking bunch of NMs and Techs in Northants that are all willing to muck in and heckle at meetings where appropriate ;-)

[Butuz]

Congrats Tony! It sounds like a very good move to me, both for you and for your LA and LA Schools. I wish my LA had people like you involved at high levels!

Here - have a cool smilie on me!

So you have sold out to the BSF by the sounds of it and as you say you will be "cutting back on the BSF discussions" thus turning into one of them who feed the ICT staff small drips and drabs of information and not being open and up front with the Truth and information..

Congratulations on the great move...

I think maybe it's about time you left educational ICT Grommit - frankly your dissilousionment with the whole system and the way things are going is sad to see. Either embrace change and make the most of it (a'la Tony) or spend the rest of your life struggling to swim in a sea of bitterness and dissapointment - with no arm bands....

Butuz

[Friez]

Almost an amusing attempt at trolling there ...

Something about consultancy for BSF bidding firms. Let's *really* screw schools!

LOL for Irony?

I don't know about Grommit, but THAT line from you *IS* trolling. If theres anything on here that can cause a really nasty reaction among the people on here it's about BSF and how its going to screw everyone over.

[Diello]

Congrats Tony Hope it all works out well for you.

Let's cut the BSF debate shall we people? There's plenty of threads for that. Enough of the thread hijacking already. You can't expect someone to put their career on hold just because one facet of it is being eradicated.