Life is Easier with MSP

Introducing Our New Partner Consultants

BFX Furniture

We’re pleased to introduce Andrew Gordon as the new Sales and Project Consultant for BFX Furniture in Tasmania, taking over from Steve Milekovic. Steve has returned to the mainland to spend more quality time with his family, and we thank him for his dedication and contribution.

Andrew brings more than 30 years of experience in sales, account management, and project delivery. A proud Tasmanian—born and raised—he believes that strong local relationships are key to lasting partnerships. With over 15 years of experience working on the mainland, Andrew offers a unique blend of local insight and national expertise to support your school’s furniture needs.

Whether you're refreshing a classroom, fitting out a new space, or simply seeking tailored advice, Andrew is ready to assist. He brings big island experience with local know-how, and a commitment to go the extra mile.

Contact Andrew - Sales and Project Consultant

M: 0459 592 130 E: Andrew.gordon@bfx.com.au
Customer Support: 1300 866 522  
www.bfx.com.au 

Smart 

Smart is thrilled to welcome Tassie local Angela Donovan to the team as a Customer Education Specialist. Angela brings over 30 years of experience in the finance industry, with a strong background in banking and mortgage broking. Now, she’s applying that expertise to support educators in understanding the benefits of novated leasing, one of the most tax-effective ways to own a vehicle.

As part of the Smartgroup family, Smart is a leading provider of employee benefit services in Australia. Through novated leasing, employees can use their pre-tax income to cover the cost of a car, including finance, registration, insurance, fuel, and maintenance, potentially saving thousands of dollars in tax. Smart makes the process simple and seamless, offering access to a wide range of vehicles, expert support, and exclusive deals. 

Based in Lenah Valley, Angela enjoys life on acreage with her two dogs: a lively 14-month-old Labradoodle (possibly a Groodle!) and a 13-year-old rescue pup. Horses have been a part of her life since she was eight, and her love for animals runs deep. 

Contact Angela - Customer Education Specialist

M: 0477 138 856  E: angela.donovan@smartgroup.com.au  

Professional Learning

Franklin Covey - Multipliers - Wednesday 30  July 2025 

Intentional Leadership Professional Wellness Program - Lee Crockett

This program offers school leaders a powerful, year-long experience focused on sustaining clarity, purpose, and professional wellness. 

Professional Wellness Workshop - LEAD WELL. LIVE WELL.

In this FREE 60-minute workshop, you will learn a proven framework for sustainable, high-impact leadership, built on our own 6 Dimensions of Professional Wellness.

• 9th July
• 6th August

The People Leader Program - Simon Breakspear 

Learn the essential skills every team leader needs.

All workshops are streamed live using Zoom between 10 AM - 12 PM (AEST / AEDT)
MODULE 1: Tuesday, 12 August
MODULE 2: Tuesday, 16 September
MODULE 3: Thursday, 30 October

Type TPA30 into the comment section for your discount.

TPA Partners

Platinum

Gold

President’s Report

Dear TPA Members & Supporters,

How often have we heard, or even said ourselves, that schools are essentially a reflection of the broader community, a microcosm of society? In the past few weeks, TPA have continued our involvement in roundtables and working groups – most recently, the LGBTIQ+ Working Group. Forums like these are effective when they have a cross section of system, school and community leaders and representatives, and most importantly, our young people. Reflecting on June also being celebrated as Pride Month, I have spoken with young people who proudly made reference to the inclusive practice in schools and colleges. They highlighted the positive experience of their school providing pride support groups and how they feel genuinely excited about the move to college, where they know the same inclusive supports are in place. They feel safe, supported, connected and empowered. Listening to these reflections and others has been a great step that has led to societal change in our state. It’s also a reminder that schools are powerful places to lead the change that we want to see in our society. If we can have our young people driving and designing, then I am sure we can flip it so instead society becomes a reflection of the best practice already happening in our schools.

With the Winter Solstice behind us, we can enjoy an increasingly ‘little bit’ more daylight at each end of the school day. The daily walk, drive or ride into school can offer the perfect opportunity to prepare ourselves in that transition time between work and home, but only if we can consciously use this time in an intentional and effective way. Many members would be familiar with the work of Dr Adam Fraser on the ‘Third Space’, and recently, colleagues have been sharing how they consciously transition between activities, tasks or different environments. For many, the midyear break may be a timely reminder to revisit Adam’s work, or for those who aren’t familiar, to explore it for the first time.

The Third Space® — Dr Adam Fraser

Professional Learning

Please view and share the upcoming professional learning opportunities with your teams. Multiply your team's natural genius and unlock their full contribution with the Multipliers PL. Join Simon Breakspear in The People Leader Program or Intentional Leadership Professional Wellness Program by Lee Crockett. 

New Members

A warm welcome to our new member, Sarah Geale, Acting Principal of Campania District School, who has recently joined our association. We look forward to your engagement with your Association for many years to come!

Thank you for your engagement with the Association across Term 2. Absolute best wishes for the coming weeks for those that have scheduled holidays, and equally for those that will be working across this time

Warm regards, Mat

Intentional Leadership Professional Wellness Program

We are pleased to partner with Lee Crocket and provide the opportunity for members to access the  Intentional Leadership Professional Wellness Program, a powerful, year-long experience focused on sustaining clarity, purpose, and professional wellness. This program is a proven way to equip leaders with the tools, community, and support they need to thrive.

• $1995 per participant
• 12-month journey (approx. 3 hours/month)
• Delivered in our private Excellence Network community
• Structured around 4 arcs with 3 professional drivers in each
• School leaders from across Australia learning and growing together

Upcoming free workshop dates to learn more:

• June 11
• June 26
• July 9
• August 6

Teachers Health Fund Awarded - Private Health Insurer of the Year

As the health fund for the education community, we’re checking in ahead of your (hard-earned) winter break! Read on to discover marvelous member savings – or for those still to join, an inviting introductory offer.  

But first, a ’proud health fund moment’... 

Your (double) award-winning fund 
Positive feedback is truly meaningful when it comes from those, you’re most invested in. For you, that may be a student, parent or mentor. For us, it’s our members. 

So, it was great to be recognised, not once but twice, as Roy Morgan’s Private Health Insurer of the Year and Not-for-Profit/Restricted Private Health Insurer of the Year.  

Based on feedback from over 60,000 Australians, these awards reflect our commitment to those who dedicate themselves to others. A good report isn’t grounds for complacency though, so let’s get back to you!   

Cashback for members 
Teachers Health members who join our Member Rewards program can earn cashback shopping at selected retailers. Shivering through recess? Try 5% back at Kathmandu. Sinking into a hot bath? Earn 5% on Sheridan towels or ECOYA candles. Set-and-forget cashback is one of many ways your membership can work as hard as you do.   

Haven’t joined yet? 
Get 6 weeks free when you join with Hospital & Extras cover by 30 June and skip the 2 & 6-month waits on popular Extras*. Get an online quote or call us on 1300 900 301 for more info.  

*Offer ends 30 June 2025, eligibility and T&Cs apply.

National Associations

Thank You to Our Valued Conference Supporters

On behalf of the Tasmanian Principals Association, we extend our heartfelt thanks to our partners and supporters for your generous contribution to the success of the 2025 Tasmanian Educational Leaders Conference.

Your commitment plays a pivotal role in helping us create a meaningful and impactful event for school leaders across the state. Whether through your presence as an exhibitor, your engagement in sessions and conversations, or your ongoing partnership throughout the year, your support enhances the experience for our members and helps strengthen connections between schools and the wider education community.

We appreciate your continued support and look forward to working together throughout the year.

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Multipliers

Don’t miss this opportunity to invest in your leadership growth and connect with colleagues across the state. Register for the Multipliers leadership program from FranklinCovey.

To ensure the sessions go ahead, we need a minimum of 15 participants, so we encourage you to register as soon as possible.

TPA Partners

Platinum

Gold

President’s Report

Dear Members and Supporters of our Association,

I can honestly say that it brought us so much joy to see delegates at our conference engaging deeply in the conference program and making the most of the opportunity to quarantine two full days dedicated to your learning and wellbeing. With our 2025 Tasmanian Educational Leaders Conference at Wrest Point wrapped up, we'd like to provide a recap courtesy of our Association & conference Platinum Partners; MSP Photography, BFX Furniture,  Hart Sport, ZartArt, Easy Turf, Smart Group our conference sponsors Amplify, Caresuper, Moreton Group Medical Services, Growth Coaching, TheirCare and as well as all of our trade exhibitors.

Thank you to our MC Robyn Evans for her generosity of spirit, who so expertly ensured that the conference flowed as smoothly and professionally as it did. We were grateful for the Acknowledgement of Country from Corey Mundy & Ted Barrance, and the address from our Minister for Education, Jo Palmer MLC. The talent, passion and joy from students; Lollie year 6 student from Taroona Primary, Charlotte year 10 from Taroona High and Willa, a year 12 student from Hobart College completely captured the room. I’m sure it’s not the last we’ll see of these three performers!

What a lineup of keynote speakers that treated us with their unique interpretation of the conference theme! Dan Gregory, Tracey Ezard, Tom Brundzell, Rana Hussein, Richard Gerver and Julie Cross each captivated us and left us with some deep reflecting in the time that followed. Finally, we had a great time using our voice (and feet) rocking with The Kick Ons for our conference dinner.
We can’t put on a program of this magnitude without the support of the Conference Planners who were brilliant in pulling everything together to create a seamless experience for us all. TPA thank you all for your support and we look forward to us all coming together again for something special in 2026 in Launceston!

Thank you to delegates who have already completed the post-conference survey. It remains open until Thursday the 12^th of June, we encourage all members and school leaders, whether you attended or not to complete the survey. We’ll be drawing out one survey participant to win a complimentary Full Registration and 2 Nights of Accommodation for the 2026 Conference. https://forms.office.com/r/qCau8u1RKu

TPA Critical Incidents Research Update

In 2024, TPA partnered with the Australian Catholic University (ACU) to undertake a key piece of research in an area that will impact many of us across our careers – ‘Understanding the psycho-social impact on principals leading school communities through critical incidents’. Across recent weeks, we have had opportunities to revisit the finalised report which was published in November. Along with our research partners Dr HeeRa Ko and Dr Theresa Dicke from the ACU, we walked the Principals Australia Research Fund (PARF) Board through the research process, findings, recommendations, and most importantly, the early impact that we have seen as a result of the nationwide research. Across the past fortnight, East Derwent Primary Principal Ted Barrance and I have also presented to the Australian Education Union and the national team at Headspace. We see tremendous opportunities for significant and real policy and practice action at the school, state and national level. 

Secondary Trauma Stress Research

Since our last newsletter, a report was released about the impact and management of secondary trauma in educators. The research behind The Silent Cost, co-produced by Deakin University and The Energy Factory, was initiated by the Australian Special Education Principals Association (ASEPA) and then supported by the Australian Government Primary Principals Association. I’d like to acknowledge TPA members Lisa Wright, Sarah-Jane Murphy, Simon Ellaby and their ASEPA Colleagues for driving this, Dr Adam Fraser and the Energy Factory as project leads, and my West Australian colleague Melissa Gillett for the artful summary.   
The findings make for interesting – if not uncomfortable – reading.  Here are a few of the key findings:

Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) is higher for:

• School leaders, closely followed by teachers
• Educators working in Education Support within a Mainstream School score significantly worse than those working in Education Support Schools/Centres, with both scoring worse than those working in Mainstream Schools.
• Rural and remote schools
• Educators with 16 years or more of experience

Educators experience more STS than other professions in Australia:

• 21% higher than Psychologists
• 23% higher than Mental Health Nurses
• 34% higher than Paramedics

So, what is Secondary Traumatic Stress, and it is the same as Vicarious Trauma, Compassion Fatigue and Burnout?

There are some similarities between each of these, but also some key differences:

• Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) is the emotional stress that results when an individual hears about or witnesses the first-hand trauma of another person. Secondary Trauma is the development of PTSD-like symptoms without directly witnessing or being involved in a traumatic event. STS can occur unexpectedly and suddenly (i.e. not over time)
• Vicarious Trauma occurs from repeated exposure to other peoples’ trauma. It builds up over time, with those affected beginning to mirror the bio-psychosocial effects shown by victims of trauma
• Burnout is a work-related stress, causing emotional and psychological exhaustion. It is (generally) not a form of trauma.
• Compassion Fatigue is caused by the emotional residue of working with those who have experienced trauma. It may cause emotional exhaustion and a lack of empathy towards victims of trauma. Some consider Compassion Fatigue to be a combination of STS and Burnout.

Will everyone be affected in the same way?

The short answer is no. The research found there are some people who report low levels of STS, despite having high levels of exposure. They used multiple strategies (usually three or more) to minimise the impact, categorised as:

Is this all that is needed?

No. Relying on the individual as a prime strategy to prevent, reduce and mitigate STS will not work. It needs a multi-pronged response from Governments, Education Departments and School Leaders including:

• Formal recognition of STS as a professional risk
• Introduction of STS as a concern in all undergraduate teaching degrees
• Provision of highly effective evidence-based self-care training to mitigate STS and Burnout
• Provision of trauma-informed practice training at a school level for better student outcomes
• Access to professional supervision for educators
• Increased funding and resourcing to child and health care services and systems – mental health care services, department of Child Services to meet the levels of mandatory reporting
• Better coordination between schools and community services in regions
• Timely and effective responses from mandatory reporting systems
• Supervisor support for School Principals as they provide supervisor support to their teachers

New Members

A warm welcome to our new members who have joined our association in recent weeks. We look forward to your engagement with your Association for many years to come!

• Megan Bennell – Brighton High School
• Megan Hills  – Forest Primary School
  

Farewell

For those not already aware, following 43 years of service to public education in our state, Maureen McKeown has decided to retire. Echoing Trudy Pearce’s comments about Maureen’s character, impact and accomplishments, Maureen is also fiercely proud of the profession, and what it represents. This goes beyond her leadership contributions as Principal – of Snug Primary School, Principal Network Leader, Assistant General Manager, Director of School Improvement and Director Improvement Partnerships, and continuing as a member of our Principals Association for more than 20 years.

Maureen was due to head to family in Canada the next day, so we were just delighted that she joined TPA Vice President Monique Carter, Ali Lacey and I so we could present Maureen with an original framed piece of student artwork from one of our immensely talented year 12 students, as a small token of our appreciation.

Warm regards

Mat

Thank You to Our Valued Conference Supporters

As we prepare for the upcoming TPA Conference, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to all our valued Partners, Sponsors, and Exhibitors for their generous support. Your contributions are instrumental in helping us deliver a high-quality event that connects, inspires, and empowers educational leaders across Tasmania.

Your presence and engagement at the conference enrich the experience for our members and reinforce the strong partnerships that underpin our shared commitment to public education.

We look forward to showcasing your work and welcoming you to the event!

Multipliers

We’re excited to offer the powerful Multipliers leadership program from FranklinCovey.

To ensure the sessions go ahead, we need a minimum of 15 participants, so we encourage you to register as soon as possible.

Please register by 1 June 2025 to secure your place and help us reach the minimum number required.

Don’t miss this opportunity to invest in your leadership growth and connect with colleagues across the state.

ACU Survey on Offensive Behaviours and Productivity

Interested? This survey will take approximately 15 minutes. 

Berry Street Education Model

The start of a new school year brings renewal and excitement, yet can also present potential challenges for some students returning back to school.Students may have a number of unmet needs for engagement with learning. These needs often manifest as off-task, escalated or unhelpful behaviours.  Educators can play a vital role in proactively supporting students, providing a safe and nurturing environment where they can thrive at school. 

Through Berry Street Education Model (BSEM), we provide strategies to increase engagement with learning. Building on a decade of Berry Street’s longitudinal research exploring advances in trauma-informed education, wellbeing, positive education, and the sciences of learning, our unique approach supports safer classrooms where learning and wellbeing are prioritised as essential for growth and achievement.

This year, we’re excited to extend our support to schools in Tasmania with BSEM foundation training available in Hobart. Don’t miss the opportunity to bring BSEM to your school and create lasting positive change for students and staff.

For more information about how BSEM can transform your classroom or school, visit bsem.org.au

TPA Partners

Platinum

Gold

President’s Report

Dear Members and Supporters of our Association,

With the activity around the Federal Election being finalised across the coming days, we’d like to wish all elected members of the Senate and Lower House well in their respective roles and responsibilities for the parliamentary term and thank all candidates who had the courage to nominate in their respective areas. Along with our state and territory colleagues, the Association is non-industrial and apolitical,  but we will continue to raise the importance of a multipartisan approach to education as schools and the young people in our care should not be affected by the outcome of an election cycle if we are committed to a well resourced, high-quality education system. We appreciate the accessibility that we have of our local members in Tasmania and are grateful for the multiple opportunities that we have had in term one to engage constructively with our Education Minister Jo Palmer and the Shadow Education spokesperson Sarah Lovell and her colleagues.

2025 Educational Leaders Conference

Less than two weeks away, TPA will host our annual showcase event with the conference theme ‘Innovate to Elevate – Lifting Schools, Energising Communities’. On behalf of the membership, I’d like to acknowledge the work of our conference planning committee Carol Stingel, Karen Monaghan, Gen Andrews, Sarah-Jane Murphy, Alison Lacy & Kel Innis. I want to especially recognise Tamara Clark, who has done an amazing job frequently liaising with the Conference Managers for this event. This year, we offer a carefully curated line-up of speakers and a program that promises to challenge every delegate and guest as together we address the conference theme. This year we will welcome many first-time attendees who are no doubt eager to network with colleagues and build their leadership skills and knowledge. As is evidenced in research, professional learning isn’t just about benefiting leaders professionally; it also enhances our wellbeing and builds support mechanisms through networking. I look forward to connecting with members and learning together.

Registrations are still open. 

A 'Harty Donation'

Thanks to the incredible generosity of one of our Platinum Partners HART Sport, 11 pallets of quality uniform and clothing items have been donated for distribution to schools across the region. This remarkable gesture will make a real difference to students and school communities. We’d also like to thank Incitec Pivot for providing the storage space on the North West Coast for us to receive such a large quantity! Strahan, Cooee, Burnie, Romaine, Montello, Devonport, Hillcrest, West Ulverstone, East Ulverstone and Ulverstone Primary along with Burnie High, Rosebery, King Island & Penguin District Schools have all put their hand up to accept these generous donations.  

Warm regards

Mat

Berry Street Education Model

The start of a new school year brings renewal and excitement, yet can also present potential challenges for some students returning back to school.Students may have a number of unmet needs for engagement with learning. These needs often manifest as off-task, escalated or unhelpful behaviours.  Educators can play a vital role in proactively supporting students, providing a safe and nurturing environment where they can thrive at school. 

Through Berry Street Education Model (BSEM), we provide strategies to increase engagement with learning. Building on a decade of Berry Street’s longitudinal research exploring advances in trauma-informed education, wellbeing, positive education, and the sciences of learning, our unique approach supports safer classrooms where learning and wellbeing are prioritised as essential for growth and achievement.

This year, we’re excited to extend our support to schools in Tasmania with BSEM foundation training available in Hobart. Don’t miss the opportunity to bring BSEM to your school and create lasting positive change for students and staff.

For more information about how BSEM can transform your classroom or school, visit bsem.org.au

TPA Partners

Platinum

Gold