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 will concur with Yvette Berry’s comment at the recent annual “Breakfast with the Minister” that for educators, Canberra is a unique precinct, hosting a concentration of educational entities from pre-school to tertiary level within a defined area. ACEL’s well known cross sectoral character is amplified within ACEL ACT because of this concentration, cultivating opportunities of collegiality and collaboration, interchange of professional ideas, research and practice. In the face of challenges-including teacher shortages- continuing to advocate for the enduring importance of education to transform lives for the better is a critical role of ACEL. ACEL ACT is well placed to be at the forefront of this advocacy.
Sandra Darley
ACEL ACT Branch President