Welcome to 2026!
As we begin a new year at ACEL, we do so grounded in the strengths that have always defined us: a deep commitment to educational leadership, a powerful national community, and a belief that leadership matters—at every stage and in every context. Building on this strong foundation, we are delighted to share a number of new initiatives designed to support, challenge and connect our members in fresh ways. To help launch into 2026, we are offering a free BOLD LEADER Toolkit, a practical and reflective resource to support leaders navigating complexity with confidence (access it here). We are also excited to share that ACELearn Middle Leaders Online has been reimagined, now featuring new learning methodologies designed to better meet the needs of today’s middle leaders—flexible, applied and deeply connected to practice.
Looking ahead, there is much more on the horizon. Coming soon for members is Career Catalyst, an evolving suite of resources to support career progression and purposeful leadership pathways. We are also developing a new Next Gen program for our highly valued emerging leaders across Australia, alongside a Regional, Rural and Remote Roundtable to amplify voices, perspectives and solutions from diverse contexts—stay tuned for more. Alongside this work, several exciting partnerships are taking shape and will be announced soon, creating unique opportunities for ACEL members.
As always, our vibrant professional connections continue through ACEL branches and conferences, with key date claimers including NIDC: One Goal, Many Voices – Building Inclusive Education Together in Adelaide (25–26 May) and our National Conference in Perth: Bold Leadership – New Frontiers in Education (30 September–2 October). Add to this our upcoming Leadership Profiles series, and it’s clear: ACEL is honouring what has always mattered, while boldly building what’s next. Exciting times are ahead.