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The October school holiday break has certainly been both a busy and intellectually stimulating one for me. I was privileged to attend the ACEL National Conference in Sydney to kickstart the holiday break, before taking solitary time away to work on my doctorate studies. I must say that I came away from the 3 days of learning at the conference with a very full brain and also a full heart.

The theme of the conference, Amplifying Every Voice, really hit the mark and we heard from so many diverse voices with incredibly important messages. Above all, the pleasure of connecting with other passionate educators and leaders who are leading and learning with hope and optimism was incredible, and the feeling that, at ACEL, we truly are ‘in this together’ and part of something special stayed with me.

At the end of the conference, we were introduced to a PechaKucha style presentation, popular in Japan, where the conference was summed up with 20 images and matching 20 second messages. I loved this idea, so my goal here is to share my own ‘offline’ PechaKucha presentation of the key takeaways that spoke to me. I hope that some of them (or all of them) will also inspire you in some way…

1. We are all HERE because of an educator who once believed in us; now, we can be that person for someone else. We must, and will, author our own story – have the courage to centre the voices and tell our own story. (Liz Foster)

2. When we open our doors and learn from each other, we move from being classroom teachers to SCHOOL teachers, stamping a rich education passport that lifts every learner and strengthens our profession. Every learner deserves explicit, high-quality teaching and a genuine sense of belonging. (Murat Dizdar)

3. Belonging comes from the courage to reveal truths that disrupt comfort, to lean into imperfection, and to find our tribe as we journey toward our full potential. (Shyam Barr & Michael Murphy)

4. Through courage, kindness and vulnerability, our stories can spark change and create safe places for others. “Be someone’s Todd” (Woodbridge) – the person who opens the door just enough for hope and healing to enter. (Jelena Dokic)

5. Collective efficacy thrives when teams build shared understanding, engage in joint work, and continuously evaluate their impact. By focusing on what we can control – trust, coherence and clarity – we cultivate authentic engagement, interconnected strength, and a story of learning where both adults and students flourish. (Peter DeWitt and Mike Nelson)

6. Connection is not a strategy; it’s a human need and a cultural shift. It’s not enough for people to feel heard; they must feel held – safe, seen and supported. Belonging precedes achievement and people, not tools, are the true heart of our schools. Are we (actually) holding space for the people in our schools, or just letting them speak into the void? (Matt Pitman)

7. As AI shapes our world at lightning speed, move beyond the hype to meaning making and developing AI fluency, curiosity and the courage to experiment. (Dr Sandra Peter and Kai Reimer)

8. A mind once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions. – Oliver Wendall Holmes. Leadership is brain work – when we understand how the brain thinks, regulates, adapts and develops we can lead with greater clarity and compassion. By creating reward states, fostering insights, and amplifying each person’s unique song, we help our teams learn, unlearn and relearn – unlocking peak performance. (Kristen Hansen)

9. Authentic student agency demands more than token voice. It requires clarity, structure and honest partnership. Teachers remain the experts guiding informed decisions, ensuring that student voice carries both rights and responsibilities – as agency isn’t just speaking, it’s acting with purpose and accountability. (Aaron Peterson)

10. Fairness begins with literacy, when students can read, they can thrive. (Rebecca Huddy)

11. Hold sacred the knowledge of teachers and students and focus on the clear signal of learning amongst the noise. (Nathaniel Swain)

12. Return to what great teaching and learning looks like, focusing on the goodness already happening in classrooms. (Anna Owen)

13. The most important skill needed is learning how to learn. (Shyam Barr)

14. Shift from the myth of heroic individual leadership to a constellation of relationships that nourish, sustain and protect us. Recentre care, redefine boundaries and invest energy where it matters most – in authentic connections with students, staff, colleagues and loved ones. (Amanda McKay)

15. The real science of learning is more than cognition – it’s the dynamic interplay of cognitive, social and emotional processes that shapes how people learn across contexts and lifespans. (Dr Stephanie McMahon)

16. Walk and work together, caring for Country, for self and one another. Listen deeply to Country’s voice, share knowledge in many forms, and ensure every child knows they are the bee’s knees. (Kirli Saunders)

17. Don’t ask for feedback if you’re not prepared to act on it, as agency and trust erode when voices aren’t honoured. Educators must model high agency, choose action over apathy, sustain belief through setbacks and guide communities toward a preferred future grounded in purpose, wellbeing and connection. (Taylor Dee Hawkins)

18. We must reclaim the narrative that teaching is intellectual, creative work, not mere delivery, and trust teachers as the most essential professionals in the room. (Linda Graham).

19. Where are we going and how are we getting there? Leave space for connection, listening and disruption, we can co-create richer more complex maps of the world and go on journey on maps yet to be written - shaped by the questions we ask and the relationships we build along the way. (Michael Murphy)

20. Belonging isn’t a feeling but a shared responsibility – something we do together with care and courage. When we create spaces free from judgment, where everyone sees themselves reflected and valued, we build the collective strength needed to move the big boulders. (Adam Voigt)

These 20 ideas are some that I have continued to ruminate over since arriving home, and I will share them with our team on our staff development day as we return to school. The true measure of the value of any learning experience is in what we then go on to do with the learnings. I hope I can apply some of them in my daily practice as a leader and learner.

ACEL National Awards

It was such a joy to attend the ACEL National Awards Ceremony during the conference to support our WA Branch vice president, Gary Racey, as he expertly entertained us with his speaking eloquence and humour as the evening’s MC.

It was also a privilege to cheer for all the winners of the awards, and in particular support our WA winners, Siobhan Jones (The New Voice in School Leadership) and Mikayla King GAICD (The ‘New Indigenous Voice’ in Educational Leadership), who are both doing amazing work in their respective roles and making such a positive difference (it also allowed me to reminisce about receiving my own New Voice scholarship back in 2017 and to reflect on all the doors that have opened since that time; the start of my journey with ACEL).

Finally, it was a true pleasure to see our previous WA Branch President Dr Mathilda Joubert recognised with an ACEL Fellowship - an honour she is so richly deserving of. Mathilda is an incredible, passionate leader and her impact extends far beyond her day job. We are all better for having learned alongside Mathilda! Thank you for your positivity and for always shining a light on education!

Congratulations to all the other award winners as well - thank YOU for the difference you make every day. There truly is room for everyone to sparkle! ✨

ACEL WA Book Club – ‘Restoring Teaching’ by Adam Voigt

Recently, a small but mighty group of educators met (both in person and online) for our ACEL WA Book Club, where we discussed Adam’s book Restoring Teaching 2.0. Our conversation was boosted by the fact that Adam joined us online to answer our questions and to add much richness to our conversation. I highly encourage you to read this book if you haven’t already – it’s an interesting and easy read peppered with anecdotes that bring the book alive.

In it, Adam calls for a renewal of the teaching profession by rebuilding trust, dignity and connection in schools. He argues that real change begins with a shared language, mindset and conduct, where teachers focus on relationships rather than control, where culture is intentionally shaped through everyday interactions, the words we speak and the way we show up for each other.

You can access an e-copy here or listen on Spotify.

I will send a survey link to help select our next read for the January book club to previous attendees shortly, so keep an eye out for that in your Inbox if you are interested in having a say regarding the next book we focus on.

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Leading Innovation in Education - November Meet up

innovation /ɪnəˈveɪʃn/: noun – the introduction of new things, ideas or ways of doing something...

Join us to meet with educational leaders from different schools and sectors, across all learning stages from early childhood to higher education, to discuss all things innovation in education and to hear about new ideas for improvement.

Come along to hear from leading Western Australian school and system leaders who share case studies of leading innovation in different contexts.

Speakers:

• Nicole Monzu, Head of Junior School, Aquinas College

• Tanya Steers, Principal, Hensman St Elementary School

• Krystal McKnight, Head of Arts, Ballajura Community College

More to come…

Details:

📅 Thursday 6^th November
🕒 10:00am – 12:00pm
📍 In-person: Aquinas College, Salter Point or Online via Teams
💸 Free

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New ACEL WA Members

This month, we want to extend a massive welcome to our new (or reinstated) ACEL members in WA who joined recently - we look forward to connecting with you and hope to see you at an event soon!

• Troy Holdaway, Aranmore Catholic College
• Lisa Fogliani, Aranmore Catholic College
• Michelle Chomiak, St Mark’s Anglican Community School
• Greg Turner, SEDA College WA

For those heading back to school for Term 4, I hope the term starts smoothly for you all, and you had a restful break that gave you the ‘get up and go’ you needed.

I am reachable by email if you have any questions, comments or just want to connect.

Rachael Lehr
ACEL WA Branch President