28 August 2024

President’s Report

The Power of a Good Book

Book Week is a memorable time of the year in most schools and is up there with Christmas for some people! The level of creativity (and craft) on show from principals in the past week has been nothing short of entertaining!

Book week and dressing up as one of our favourite characters is great fun for our school communities and always an event that many look forward to. Reading has been and always will be a simple experience that can be life changing – it helps us to connect and make sense of our own experiences, with other people and with the world around us. Book Week is much more than about dressing up though. It provides a platform to expose young (and older people) to quality Australian literature. We are fortunate in Australia that there is a strong appreciation for literature, and some outstanding authors that create texts that engage and inspire our young people. Since 1946, the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) have continued to provide an annual structure for celebrating quality texts by Australian authors. Looking back through the years, Christobel Mattingly, Alan Baillie, Colin Thielie, Emily Rodda, Margaret Wild, Shaun Tan and Graeme Base are names across the last few decades that many of us may recognise as featuring as shortlisted books by the CBCA.

One of this year’s category winner, Timeless written and illustrated by Kelly Canby is a ripper!  Emit (whose parents turned back time to name him) is surrounded by busyness. Dad is too busy to read stories, Mum is too busy to play games and Emit’s brother and sister are simply too busy doing nothing to do anything, at all. Emit tries everything he can think of to get more time, he tries to catch it, wait for it, but it’s not until Emit tries to buy some time that he learns the secret which is, if you want time, you have to make it.

A great lesson there for all of us!

Farewell Tim Bullard – Secretary of Education, Children & Young People

I attended the Northern Principal’s Forum last Friday and along with other colleagues, was asked to share some reflections on Tim’s impact as a leader in our agency.

“As Secretary of Education, following two predecessors who were both highly experienced principals in their own right, it’s fair to say that there may have been a degree of bias or assumption about the leadership that principals may have expected versus the leadership that we needed to head up the education portfolio for our state back in 2016. The Premier, Education Minster and many media outlets nationwide have recognised Tim’s pivotal leadership across major events, pandemics, critical incidents, inquiries and major reforms in education across this time. Given that many Tasmanian educators have walked this path with Tim, it feels more fitting to focus on the human elements of his leadership.

‘We are big enough to make a difference, but small enough to care’ was an opening that Tim said at a principal forum many years ago, when setting the scene for the impact that we can have in our communities and across our state for each and every learner. Not only did this resonate strongly, it really stuck with us as we saw his calm, decisive, decision making and communication always showing a genuine care and interest in out learners and our workforce.

If you’ve ever had Tim in your school or college, you quickly understand that the drivers that we share as educators are the same and you get a real sense that if not a lawyer, that Tim would be just as comfortable in a year 10 English or prep classroom, and the young people would have been mighty fortunate to have him as their teacher if that had of been his path!

Tim is held in high regard by his colleagues nationally and is known for leading with social justice, equity and the transformative nature of public education always front of mind.

It was no surprise that he would be sought out to share his impact more broadly, after all he is a learner and AITSL makes a really logical fit.

As a colleague, said upon reading the announcement, ‘I just wanted to reach out, give him a hug and say thank you for leading us through some challenging times.’

We thank Tim for being the leader that we needed across this time and wish him and his family well for the next chapter.”

The Need for Codesign

Attending the Northern Forum on Friday, I was present to hear the messages from the Associate Secretary & Deputy Secretary relating to the organisational recommendations recently handed down to DECYP executive. Understandably, as there have been, and still are, several review processes happening simultaneously, we would caution that any ‘future state’ has principal perspective from the outset and importantly, that there is a carefully considered agenda for, commitment to and timeline for change. We look forward to contributing to the conversation in the coming weeks and months.

School Visits

Thank you to the leaders at Winnaleah District School, Bridport Primary, Ringarooma Primary and Hagley Farm School for making time for school visits recently, they are always a highlight for us.

TPA Sponsor

Thank you to our valued sponsors for their ongoing support of our Association.

• Platinum - MSP Photography, ZartArt, BFX Furniture
• Gold – Schoolzine, ASCA, Berry Street Education
• Silver – Teacher Health

We welcome Hart Sport. Hart is synonymous with Australian schools with their products kicked, thrown, climbed over and under and keeping kids safe in PE lessons and playgrounds for more than 30 years. We look forward to providing opportunities for our members and the Hart staff to connect across the coming months

Check out the sponsoring member offers -

Hart Sport

ZART ART

BFX

BFX delivery to Latrobe High School Staff Room

TPA Elections

At the close of nominations at 12 noon on Monday 26 August 2024, the following valid nominations for the TPA positions to commence on 1 January 2025 for a two-year term were received and accepted:

President:

• Mat Grining

Vice President Secondary:

• Joel Doyle, Principal Rose Bay High School

Vice President Primary:

• Monique Carter, Principal Lansdowne Crescent Primary School

Under the terms of the TPA Constitution, as there were only sole nominations for each position, I declare Mat Grining, Joel Doyle and Monique Carter elected unopposed for the positions of President, Vice President Secondary and Vice President Primary respectively.

Congratulations! We are excited for their leadership and contributions to our association's ongoing success.

Tamara Clark
Returning Officer

The Australian Principal Health & Wellbeing Survey

We need your voice to tell the world what is happening to Australian School Leaders!    

The Australian Principal Health & Wellbeing Survey is a confidential survey, independent of all employer groups, professional associations and unions. First, you will be able to review your job-related personal health and wellbeing, with an individualised report returned automatically upon completion. Second, global results will build a holistic picture of the state of school leader health and wellbeing. The results provide a system-level report with recommendations for future actions.

This research has significant impact in the diagnostic feedback given to school principals, the evaluation of existing policy initiatives, and the consultation with state departments leading to important new policy initiatives. This year, we have updated the design and layout of our survey and personal report access. If you have taken the survey before, check your email or new participants can register at Health & Wellbeing (healthandwellbeing.org).

Secondary Trauma Research Study

A recent Australian review by Oberg et al (2023), published in Frontiers in Education, identified the need for additional research into the impact on teachers working with traumatized students.

Although many educators are implementing trauma informed practice to better support the wellbeing and learning of students who have experienced trauma, there is a lack of focus on the impact of this important work on educators. Supporting students with trauma exposes educators to secondary trauma (commonly called vicarious trauma in the community). This could include the distress of learning about the trauma experienced by a student or their family member and/or managing consequential behavioural changes within the school environment.

Deakin University and Dr Adam Fraser have partnered up to further study this issue. The aim of this study is to answer four key questions:

1. How prevalent is this issue in Australian schools?
2. What are the key factors that lead to secondary trauma in educators?
3. What are the strategies that are used to manage it?
4. What strategies are most effective in minimizing the impact of secondary trauma?

COMPLETE THIS QUICK 10 MINUTES SURVEY BY SCANNING THE QR CODE OR CLICKING ON THE LINK BELOW.

There is also an option at the end of the survey to participate in an interview with a senior researcher at Deakin University. This important part of the research will allow us to identify what are some of the key factors that are helpful in managing and mitigating the impact of vicariously experiencing trauma.

26Ten

Ensure your colleagues are familiar with the 26Ten Chat

Explore the Tutor Adult Literacy Learners TasTAFE course 

• free for Tasmanians to enrol – please disregard the tuition fee.

ASCA

ASCA and our Preferred Suppliers at the TSAA Conference

• Make sure your School Business Manager knows to come and visit the ASCA stand at the TSAA Conference in Hobart, for some great ideas from our preferred suppliers and speak with Helen Cairns from Enquiry Tracker on maximising your enrolments for the coming year.
• Kerry will be on the stand to assist with all our ASCA suppliers and there will be a wonderful special deal from Lactalis for your school to gain (see the attached flyer)
• David Edwards spoke with several Principals at their network gatherings on the 6 & 7^th of August, highlighting how ASCA contributes to education and how Principals and schools can assist in this area as well.
• This is also a great time to make sure that you have let your staff know about the ASCAplus staff benefits and that they can register via at https://go.asca.com.au/ascaplus/reg, to also gain wonderful deals and savings from our suppliers for their personal purchases.

ASCAs preferred supplier Bunnings is holding an Expo in Hobart

• Principals - let your Facilities Managers, Woodwork Teachers, Careers people know that they can attend the upcoming Bunnings Expo ben held on Princess Wharf!
• A great opportunity to talk with Trade Specialists and check out new items in all trades.
• It’s a great opportunity for students looking to move into a trade to also head along and check out the possibilities that will be on show and talk to those in the trades. Families welcome.

ASCA supports Australian Charities

• As a not-for-profit organisation, each year ASCA donates its surplus funds to a range of registered charities who assist in the education of vulnerable children. 
• By simply purchasing from ASCA’s Preferred Suppliers, you are not only gaining best value for your school, but indirectly contributing to our Charity Partners.
• Since our inception in 1979, ASCA has continually supported these charities, with almost $11 million raised for partners such as The Smith Family.
• Thanks to your support, we continue to donate to our charities who really need our support. Thank you.

To ensure our email reaches your inbox, please add membership@asca.com.au  to your address book.

TPA Sponsors

Platinum

Gold

Silver