Blogs and Messages

WA Branch News: July 2024

By Mathilda Joubert posted 22 days ago
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Reflections on Rest, Recuperation, and Refreshment Dear WA Education Leader We are currently in the middle of the school holidays, and I found myself reflecting on the importance of three Rs – not Reading Writing and Arithmetic, but Rest, Recuperation and Refreshment. I believe these three Rs are vital, not only for students but also for educators and leaders, the driving force behind our educational institutions. In the relentless pursuit of excellence, it's easy to overlook the essential need to pause and recharge, so here are my brief reflections on the matter. Rest: Reclaiming Balance The four school terms are a series of high energy ...
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ACEL Inclusion and Disability Conference

By Charlotte Forwood posted 25 days ago
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A visit to specialist school, Henbury School, prior to the ACEL Inclusion and Disability Conference in Darwin in May, provided a glimpse of what inspirational leadership can achieve, especially for those with a disability. I met with two of the school’s Northern Territory Learning Commissioners, Aidan and Hannah who proudly explained the role and its impact on them and their school. Student leadership was seeded in the NT with the NT Learning Commission set up to provide students with a vehicle for student voice and agency. I later heard Hannah speak with confidence and conviction at the conference in her role as one of the 18 students in the NT Peak Voice ...
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NSW Branch News: July 2024

By Paul Kidson posted 25 days ago
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There’s been an eery silence from education policy commentators in the wake of the release of PISA 2022 creative thinking results It begs the question as to why. They are, after all, some good news within the PISA universe. After falling literacy and numeracy results for the past decade, along with attendant anguish and blame apportioning, the results for creative thinking place Australia as 4th best in the world! And yet many of the commentariat seem stunningly silent. The other PISA results were routinely dissected by all and sundry, with particular concern that Mathematics had fallen significantly in the rankings: Australia’s mean score is now equal ...
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TAS Branch News: July 2024

By Jacqui Lawless posted 25 days ago
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The ACEL Tasmanian Branch recent ‘Hot Topic’ on Professional Conduct created a great deal of discussion and questions. This is such an important and challenging area for Educational Leaders, one well worth spending time on. Thank you to the TRB for providing the expertise and to everyone who was able to join us. The ACEL Awards will be held in September, and we are once again seeking nominations . There are a range of awards that are able to recognise Educational Leaders in various stages of their career. We urge you to nominate an outstanding Educational Leader. They are perhaps an inspiring and influential leader, contribute to the professional learning ...
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Adam Voigt joins the ACEL Board

By Briony Scott posted 25-06-2024
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The ACEL Board has the option to appoint up to 4 Members as Independent Directors. Independent Directors have specific skills, capabilities and/or experience that the Board believes are appropriate for the Board in terms of diversity and representation, and which complement the Branch Appointed Directors. As a passionate advocate for teachers and school leaders who has become renowned education leader and expert, please join me in congratulating Adam Voigt who has been elected as an ACEL Independent Director. Adam’s career in schools spans more than three decades as a teacher, principal, system leader and organizational leader. His work as a ‘coalface’ ...
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Message from the President, Term 2 2024

By Briony Scott posted 06-06-2024
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Welcome to the second issue of AEL for 2024. We’ve embarked on a year that has been both inspiring and demanding, with education taking centre stage at both state and national levels. The landscape is rife with challenges, from issues of equity and equality, funding, global testing, to the integration of AI and rapid technological changes, managing societal expectations, and the task of adapting and implementing curriculum reforms. By any criteria, learning communities are complex ecosystems. In his book The Checklist Manifesto , Atul Gawande, an American surgeon and writer, states, “The volume and complexity of what we know has exceeded our ability ...
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Message from the CEO, Term 2 2024

By Barbara Watterston posted 06-06-2024
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Together is better. Education is a team sport. Schools and learning organisations in any context, anywhere, know that creating the enabling conditions for teams to thrive impacts positively on performance and outcomes. No matter where you sit in an education ecosystem, highly effective teams nourish our intrinsic motivation to perform at our best, and go the extra mile as we work on something that is collectively important, valued, and meaningful to all of us. At ACEL we see this at national board level where diverse perspectives and incredible experience and expertise are brought to bear to lead an organisation with deep responsibility and thoughtful action; ...
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WA Branch News: June 2024

By Mathilda Joubert posted 04-06-2024
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Good day I hope that Term 2 has been a positive time of student and staff learning and growth in your organisation. In this ACEL West Australia newsletter, I am reflecting on the process of changing habits, and sharing some updates of branch events past and future. I hope to see you at some of these events. Changing Habits For the next ACEL WA Book Club meeting in the July School holidays, we will be discussing the book “ Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones ” by James Clear. I am about halfway through reading the book and enjoying it tremendously. It is an easy read, full of practical strategies, on ...
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The Crucial Role of Educational Leadership in Navigating Curriculum Change

By Lauren Sayer posted 04-06-2024
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The Crucial Role of Educational Leadership in Navigating Curriculum Change Education is always evolving, and right now, we're experiencing significant evolution with the Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0 poised for full release and the Australian Curriculum Version 9 still being implemented across states and territories. These updates are crucial to keep our educational standards relevant and effective. Strong leadership, guided by a whole school vision and robust change management strategies, is essential for making these changes successful. Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0: What's New? The Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0 aims ...
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QLD Branch News: June 2024

By Elizabeth Foster posted 04-06-2024
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With our State Branch ACELQ Awards for 2024 currently under consideration, we are reminded of the tradition and history associated with these awards. In August we will again recognise a colleague with The Miller-Grassie Award and President’s Citation. In Queensland, this award acknowledges and perpetuates the memory of the life and work of educational researchers and administrators, Dr Laurie Miller and Associate Professor MacCrae Grassie. Nominees are outstanding educational leaders, or a team, whose achievements and influence on policy and, or practice reflect the spirit of the work of these pioneering educational leaders. Dr Laurie Miller and Associate ...
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Raw Marks, Raw Wounds

By Simon Crook posted 04-06-2024
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Raw Marks, Raw Wounds A couple of years ago I wrote two articles ( 2021 , 2022 ) regarding the flaw of measuring systems, schools, teachers and students by their number of Band 6s, since Band 6s are not created equally between subjects. I think it is incumbent upon us as school leaders to ensure that all within our communities, including colleague leaders, are familiar with the arguments. As I describe below, not only is comparing numbers of Band 6s completely flawed, it is also detrimental to students making informed choices when choosing subjects for Year 11, or dropping units from Year 11 to Year 12, and can be devastating to student and teacher self-efficacy ...
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ACT Branch News: June 2024

By Sandra Darley posted 04-06-2024
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Dear colleagues, Our annual ‘ Breakfast with the Minister’ held at the National Portrait Gallery on 17 May was an outstanding success again this year with over 70 members and their guests from each of our sectors in the ACT in attendance. This is a great tribute to our profession, your interest in ACEL and collaborating with each other, and especially the opportunity to hear from our Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Education Yvette Berry who is a great supporter of our work and of ACEL. Thank you to Dr Tony Bracken , Deputy Director of Catholic Education who will lead this edition of our Newsletter with some editorial remarks. ACEL ACT colleagues ...
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WA Branch News: April 2024

By Mathilda Joubert posted 02-05-2024
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Reigniting our Passion for Teaching and Leading Welcome to Term 2! In this WA newsletter we will briefly reflect back on Term 1, look forward at an exciting array of events planned for Term 2 and reflect on a topical think on strategies to support teacher wellbeing. Reflecting Back Term 1 flew by with a host of exciting ACEL events. We started the year with our Breakfast with the Minister and Sector Leaders event in February, exploring the challenges and opportunities for education in Western Australia in 2024. In March we held a Leading Innovation in Education Network meeting with speakers addressing diverse topics ...
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VIC Branch News: April 2024

By Hayley Dureau posted 01-05-2024
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Highlights from the 2023 ACEL VIC Awards Ceremony The Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL) VIC Branch recently hosted its annual awards ceremony, recognizing outstanding individuals whose contributions have significantly impacted the field of education in Victoria. Among the esteemed recipients were Deborah Harman, Jane Wilkinson, Murrundindi, Coralee Pratt, and a cohort of exemplary educators honored with ACEL VIC Fellowships. The awards ceremony brought together educators from government, independent, and catholic schools across metropolitan Melbourne and rural and regional Victoria. Thank you to the ACEL VIC Branch Awards Committee ...
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ACT Branch News: April 2024

By Sandra Darley posted 01-05-2024
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Dear Members, I hope this Newsletter finds you well at the beginning of Term 2. We had a very successful Awards ceremony in March at which colleagues from each of our sectors were honoured for their contributions to educational leadership and research in the ACT. We are currently planning the Ministers Breakfast on 17 May at the National Portrait Gallery. Please don’t forget to register as this is a very popular event. I have taken the liberty of inviting members of our Executive to write the editorial comments for each edition of our Newsletter this year. Tracey Taylor who is a highly respected educator and previous Principal of Samford Valley ...
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QLD Branch News: April 2024

By Elizabeth Foster posted 01-05-2024
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As the Queensland Branch for ACEL, we have clarity of our purpose in that we will continue to provide resonant and innovative professional learning opportunities, which enable a platform for educational leaders and individuals who have an interest in the profession to share discourse and research. We trust that again you will join with us both at in-person and hybrid events as we collectively build the leadership knowledge, skills, understanding and capability of our current and future educational leaders. In these initial months of 2024, we recognise the significant thinking, planning and sequencing in ensuring meaningful learning opportunities ...
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SA Branch News: April 2024

By Martyn Anderson posted 01-05-2024
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Dear ACEL SA Members, On Wednesday, May 1, we're thrilled to host a Hot Topic event featuring Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath. Renowned as a neuroscientist and educator specializing in human learning, memory, and brain stimulation, Jared brings a wealth of expertise. With experience conducting research and lecturing at Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, and the University of Melbourne, his work has been published in the New Yorker, the Economist, the Atlantic, and the New York Times. We're incredibly fortunate to have Jared join us in person. During this event, he'll share thought-provoking insights into our learning processes, the development of ...
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NSW Branch News: April 2024

By Paul Kidson posted 30-04-2024
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Dear colleagues, It’s back to school for NSW this week. Hopefully you’ve been able to enjoy some rest and time for reflection on Term 1. As the busyness of a term gets underway, the impact of the rest can quickly dissipate. Perhaps, though, you might find a new strategy to build into your routine, perhaps an extra ten minutes to spend quietly, perhaps an extra walk around the block to clear your head. As the challenges below highlight, sustaining ourselves for the task of leading is critical at the best of times, and perhaps feels even more so at the moment. The start of this term brings a welcome opportunity to pass on positive suggestions to principals’ ...
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ACEL National Awards and New Voice Scholarships 2024 – nominations now open!

By Barbara Watterston posted 21-03-2024
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National Awards We are delighted to open our call for ACEL’s prestigious peer-nominated National Awards, proudly recognising the education profession for the 39th year. Nominations are welcomed from all members of the education community, both ACEL members and non-members. This year we have further streamlined the nomination process to assist you in making nominations. ACEL National Awards are awarded in the following categories: Gold Medal Award The ACEL Gold Medal is the most prestigious honour awarded by ACEL and is presented to an Australian educator whose influence and contribution to the study and practice of educational leadership is assessed ...
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The Power of Emotional Connection

By Ray Boyd posted 05-03-2024
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The Power of Emotional Connection Schools, by their very nature, involve interacting with people. Therefore, if you don’t like people, then a school is not an environment that you should choose to work in, given the level of interactions that occur every day. Interactions occur between colleagues, teachers and parents, and teachers and students. They vary from simple interactions, such as a greeting, through to more complex interactions around teaching and learning. What makes these interactions complex however is that they are all, in most cases, connected to emotions. It is our emotions that then guide us towards either an attraction or aversion to something ...
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