Dear ACEL SA,
I hope the year has begun positively for you. One of the many strengths of ACEL is our shared commitment to celebrating the profession and recognising the outstanding leadership that exists across our state.
Each year, you have the opportunity to acknowledge colleagues who are making a significant impact by nominating them for both the ACEL SA State Awards and the ACEL National Awards. These awards shine a light on the innovation, dedication, and excellence that characterise educational leadership in South Australia.
As a profession, we are sometimes hesitant to pause and celebrate the exceptional work happening around us. Yet these moments of recognition are powerful—they elevate our profession, inspire others, and affirm the contributions of leaders at every level.
I encourage you to consider nominating a colleague for either the state or national awards. Your nomination might be the recognition that someone truly deserves. Nominations close on March 25.
Upcoming ACEL SA Events
ACEL SA Breakfast with Dr Shyam Barr
Friday 13 March | 7.00am for a 7.15am start – 8.45am
The Parks, Walford Anglican School
Building on the success of our inaugural ACEL SA Breakfast in 2025, we are pleased to welcome Dr Shyam Barr for a session exploring the relationship between AI, student agency, and self‑regulated learning.
Shyam will unpack how AI can both support and challenge independent thinking and offer practical strategies for leveraging AI to strengthen, rather than replace, students’ self‑regulation skills.
A light breakfast will be provided. All are welcome.
Registrations close Friday 6 March.
Click here to register
Book Launch – Cultivating Cultures of Thinking in Australian Schools
Thursday 12 March | ACEL SA
ACEL SA is proud to host the South Australian launch of Cultivating Cultures of Thinking in Australian Schools: From Control to Curiosity, edited by Cameron Paterson and Simon Brooks.
This free event provides educators with an opportunity to engage with the book’s key ideas, grounded in Dr Ron Ritchhart’s Cultures of Thinking framework, and to consider how thinking‑focused learning environments can offer a hopeful, research‑informed response to increasing standardisation and crowded curricula.
Click here to register.
We Look Forward to Seeing You
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to educational leadership and to our ACEL SA community. I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events.
Kind regards,
Martyn Anderson
President, ACEL SA Branch