19 March 2025

President’s Report

For those that have picked up a Jackie French book from a school library, you may be familiar with the stark artwork and powerful language in three of her great picture books for older readers, ‘Flood’, ‘Fire’ and ‘Drought’.

Naively, we can easily assume that these are extreme experiences that only occur to those ‘further north’ and that we are largely protected from natural disasters or threats to our communities like these. Of course this is not the case. From the fires, evacuations and school closures on the West Coast in recent weeks, the impact of drought on King Island across 2024 through to the floods and closures in the Derwent Valley and power outages across the North West – these are realities that can impact us in our communities at any time.

Images from Josh Dean, Zeehan Primary School

Our research partnership in 2024 with the Australian Catholic University (ACU), exploring the psycho-social impact on principals leading their communities through critical incidents, picked up on the significant role school leaders play as first responders during critical incidents, managing immediate responses while also maintaining the overall functioning of their schools. School leaders really are super heroes!

In a fortnight's time, the ACU will release the results from their 15^th annual Australian Principals Occupational Health & Wellbeing Survey and it will include the results for the first time relating to critical incidents. Along with the ACU, our mainland counterparts and TPA will be championing for greater support for school leaders to be best placed to continue the impactful work that we drive in our communities.

Media

With the updated bilateral agreement providing 100% of the School Resourcing Standard signed recently, we have provided some media responses through ABC radio, stressing the importance of transparency of the 4% removal for depreciation, funding TRB & TASC as well as visibility of the full funding through to our schools and colleges. We look forward to discussing this further with the Minister when she joins our state executive this Thursday in Campbelltown.

Australian Government Primary Principals Association (AGPPA)

State & Territory representatives met in Canberra on the 3^rd & 4^th of March with TPA represented by Monique Carter (Lansdowne Crescent Primary) and Mat Grining. Representatives worked through governance matters with the Annual General Meeting before each jurisdiction provided reports from their state/territory. ACARA CEO Stephen Gniel presented to the group and took questions relating to the media use of Myschool, foundation curriculum, the place of languages in the curriculum and how we can ensure state/territory ministers are best informed to set the direction of ACARA. The national discussions then fed into a session developing positions on key issues that member associations can use to enhance advocacy and support matters for their members.

Recognising Our Valued Partners

The Tasmanian Principals Association sincerely appreciates the support of our valued partners, whose commitment to educational leadership enables us to provide high-quality professional learning, advocacy, and networking opportunities for school leaders across Tasmania.

A special thank you to our Platinum Partners: MSP Photography, BFX Furniture, Zart, Hart Sport & Easy Turf, whose investment strengthens our mission and directly benefits our members. We also extend our gratitude to our Gold Partners: Schoolzine, ASCA & Berry Street. We are proud to collaborate with organisations that share our vision for excellence in education.

We encourage our members to engage with our partners, whose contributions make a significant difference in our ability to serve and support the profession.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support!

National Associations

Mat Grining
TPA President

Professional Learning Opportunities

For additional information or if you have any questions, please contact manager@tpa.org.au

Tasmanian Educational Leaders Conference

Multipliers

ACU Survey on Offensive Behaviours and Productivity

TPA Partners

Platinum

Gold