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A newsletter of Principals Australia Institute

Issue 2: March 2014

From the CEO

Jim Davies

Principals Australia Institute is continuing our work supporting principals, school leaders and school communities around the country.

Two recent media articles about our work may be of interest to you:

Sydney Morning Herald - This article highlights the importance of social and emotional learning in our schools and profiles the work of KidsMatter Primary.

The Mercury - This article features the Tasmanian leg of the National Consultation Tour on the development of the Australian Principal Certification Program.

There’s a rich variety of professional development on offer around the country in the months ahead. I encourage you to consider how PAI can support your professional development and learning.

Jim Davies - CEO
Principals Australia Institute

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Turning around schools

The Grattan Institute’s report - Turning around Schools: it can be done - makes interesting reading.

It is worth noting that the five steps for turning schools around align well with the KidsMatter and MindMatters frameworks.

In fact, the four schools featured as case studies in the report have engaged with KidsMatter and MindMatters:

  • Ellenbrook Primary School (WA)

  • Ravenswood Height Primary School (Tas)

  • Sunshine College (Vic)

  • Holroyd High (NSW)

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    Professional Learning with Impact

    March 19 - Melbourne

    Working with Dame Pat Collarbone, principals participating in this one day workshop will engage in a significant professional learning experience and have opportunity to make a substantial contribution to the development of a pre-assessment process for the Australian Principal Certification Program. 

    Read more
     

    Learn and Thrive

    March / April – all capital cities

    This breakfast event is for ICT leaders and anyone who wants to make an impactful use of technology in their classrooms.

    Principals Australia Institute is partnering with Microsoft to help you explore what it takes to lead and inspire quality 21st century learning. Sessions will cover:

    • Latest ICT trends
    • Research findings on how educators can thrive in the midst of rapid technological change
    • How to avoid common pitfalls

    Download the flyer
    Register now

     

    Wellbeing conference

    May 5-6 - Melbourne

    KidsMatter Primary is thrilled to announce its Partners in Wellbeing Conference.

    Led by Australian and international experts, the conference will explore how schools can best promote wellbeing for their staff, students and families. It will adopt a participatory approach and build schools’ capacity to connect with their wider communities.

    Registrations are open now. Read more on the KidsMatter website.

     

    PAI webinars

    Register now to engage and interact in a live webinar or browse our recordings and watch at your leisure. We have FREE Research in Practice Webinars and also Professional Webinars including The L5 Leadership series.

    Find out more about PAI's FREE Research in Practice Webinar series, including:

    * Mar 19 beyondblue: The SenseAbility Evaluation Kit - Dr Kate Jacobs

    * Mar 26 Big History and why it matters for education - Professor David Christian

    Find out more about PAI's Professional Webinar series, including:

    * Apr 9, May 13, Jun 3, Jul 29 & Aug 26 The L5 Leadership Series – Jo Mason
     

    Supporting an Indigenous teacher?

    Principals Australia Institute and Dare to Lead are pleased to be helping build the number of Indigenous people in the teaching profession through the MATSITI project (More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teachers Initiative).

    Dare to Lead is facilitating a national mentor-mentee project on behalf of MATSITI which involves pairs of principals and graduate teachers. The project aims to ensure that new appointees get the best possible start in the profession and that potential future school leaders are supported.

    Principals who have recently-appointed graduate teachers who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders are encouraged to find out more. Please contact Peter O’Beirne, Dare to Lead Director.

    Put your wellbeing first

    We all agree that caring for our wellbeing is important. However, most of us struggle to do it.

    Principals Australia Institute has developed a suite of resources and a training package specifically designed to support the wellbeing of principals, teachers and school staff. In the last year, we’ve run workshops in over 20 locations around the country.

    Find out more about how your school or principal association can benefit.

    Register now

    Registrations are now open for Student Principal for a Day (sp4d). Student Principal for a Day is on June 4 and offers primary and secondary students a hands on lesson in leadership. Students negotiate a program of activities with their principal as well as taking part in webinars with students around the country.

    Download our flyer.
    Register now.

     

    Sherpa Kids major sponsor

    We're delighted to announce that Sherpa Kids Australia are the major sponsor of this year’s Student Principal for a Day.

    Sherpa Kids Australia provides quality outside school hours care via local owner-operators who work closely with principals and school communities.

    To find out more about how Sherpa Kids can support your school go to their website.

    Bullying No Way!

    Principals Australia Institute encourages schools to get behind the National Day of Action against bullying and violence on March 21.

    This annual day provides a focus for schools to strengthen their existing messages that bullying and violence at school is not okay.

    A new book will be launched on the day.

    Bully for Them is a collection of interviews with famous and successful Australians who had a tough time at school – either being bullied, not fitting in, or facing other adversities.

    The concept for the book is simple: many of the most popular Australians today were outsiders when they were at school.

    News in Brief

    Creating Inclusive Schools

    ASEPA and ACEL invite presenters to submit abstracts for papers, presentations and workshops for the 2014 Congress on Creating Inclusive Schools. More information on their website.

    QELI offers leadership development

    The Queensland Education Leadership Institute (QELI) has a range of professional development. Take a look at their 2014 programs. More information on the QELI website.

    Youth Ambassadors

    South Australian Schools are invited to engage with the Cancer Council’s Youth Ambassador project. The program is open to middle and senior school students. Read more on their website.