Quick! Register your school's interest in an incredible new partnership we've formed with Filmpond to make beautiful, professional videos about your community.

Taking our lessons into 2022

In the lead-up to the end of 2021 we're finding the requests for meetings with, and input from, ACSSO have not slowed at all.  This is fabulous on one hand as it reinforces how valued we are as an organisation, and that what we do is having a positive impact.  On the other hand, I’d love for our CEO and her team to be able to wind down, and spend some extra time with family and friends! They are, after all, the most important parts of life.

We will be closing our office after tomorrow - 17 December - and reopening on 17 January 2022, refreshed and ready for the year ahead.

Federal election

This year has brought many challenges and changes again to the education arena.  As we head towards a Federal election in the first half of 2022, ACSSO is aiming to take what we have learnt from each of those challenges, and use that insight to inform our dialogue with the Federal department.  
We have heard loud and clear that our current education system is not at all equitable, with very different opportunities available to students in our rural and remote settings, our low-SES schools, and for our indigenous and disabled students compared to those students attending our high-SES city schools and non-government schools.  These students may all be being taught the Australian Curriculum, but that is where the similarities end.  
We will continue to advocate for access to a high-quality, fully resourced education for every child and young person in our government school sector.  No child in Australia should have their education impacted upon as negatively as so many did during the learning from home periods of the last two years.  

Doubled down disadvantage

For so many students, their learning online was unable to continue to the same standard as their peers, or at all.  Lack of computers, internet connections, private study spaces, resources, and even meals, all had a huge impact upon students.  
The educational needs of every student ought to be met through appropriate funding to schools.  It is the responsibility of our Federal Government to adequately invest in the future of Australia by providing such funding to our government schools, and not to the select non-government sector.

Education Wishlist

We want to continue to represent the views of Australian government school families via our Education Wishlist, and we do this by gathering information throughout the year. It helps us enormously, though, when you contact us with your education priorities and specific needs for our government school programs and infrastructure.  

Save the date!

ACSSO will turn 75 in 2022 and we will celebrate this great achievement of parents advocating for, and supporting, government school families and working with education officials, stakeholders and departments at the highest level, during our conference to be held on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th November in Canberra.  Please save the date and consider joining us for this amazing milestone!

Have a wonderful festive season, and I hope you can take some time to reflect on the year that’s been, to plan for a much better year going forward, and most of all, to enjoy time spent with your family and friends.
Merry Christmas!

Sharron Healy

Chair

Australian Council of State School Organisations

December 2021

ACSSO Partners with Filmpond

We are pleased to announce that ACSSO has partnered with Filmpond to help schools support family engagement practices in 2022. Through our partnership, you will have access to our film templates which allow schools to quickly and easily make professionally edited short films.

We will be writing to you at the start of 2022 with more information. In the meantime, please take a few moments to register your interest here.
ACSSO templates will guide schools through creating films on topics such as:

• Your Local Parents Association
• Transition to High School
• A Day in the Life of Your Classroom.

A shining example of what you can do can be seen here with Plumpton Public School’s Filmpond creation, A Day in the Life of Kindy. 

Healthy Lunch box week – a partnership with Nutrition Australia

Healthy Lunchbox Week is a great event at the start of every school year. Keep an eye on our ACSSO Facebook and Twitter accounts to get more information about how your school can participate in 2022.

2022 - ACSSO's 75th Anniversary

SAVE THE DATE: November 5-6, 2022, is ACSSO's national conference and 75th anniversary celebration, including the inaugural award for Exemplary Family Engagement.

Mark your calendar for 5-6 November, 2022 for the ACSSO national conference and 75th anniversary event.

Early in 2022 we will publish more details on this event and how you could nominate your school for one of our inaugural Susan Ryan Awards for inclusive family engagement in education.

We will meet in Canberra and mark the occasion with a celebration of 75 years as the voice of families in government schools.  A key feature will be the presentation of the inaugural Susan Ryan Awards for Exemplary Family Engagement.

The Hon. Susan Ryan AO, who passed away in 2020, was the first full time Executive Officer of the Australian Council of State School Organisations. She went on from ACSSO to be one of the most successful women to enter Australian politics – Susan was indeed a leader!

She became Labor’s first female Senator and was the Minister for Education and Youth in the Bob Hawke years. Susan was also Australia's first Minister for the Status of Women, and Australia’s first Age Discrimination Commissioner. She was highly effective in drawing attention to the extent of discrimination against older people.

“From her beginnings in ACSSO, Susan Ryan AO became a pioneer for those most marginalised.”

We have lots of history to relive over the next 12 months - like the below special capture from our Moments in History series.

ABOVE: In 2011 ACSSO held its National Conference in the former building for the Department of Education and Communities, Bridge Street Sydney.  It opened though, at a breakfast meeting, at Kingsford Smith Airport in order to capture the presentation by Minister Peter Garrett prior to his departure interstate for meetings.

Caught you being great!

Ipswich State School Young Mums’ program was one of our featured CYBG stories in December. The program helps these young women continue with their education while caring for their little ones – inclusive, confidence-building and supportive –  what an awesome program!

We love to hear your stories of schools and communities doing great things. They don't have to have made it to mainstream media already. 

Send your #caughtyoubeinggreat stories to contact@acsso.org.au and use the hashtag on Facebook to find other wonderful stories.

Save the date!

5-6 November 2022: ACSSO National Conference, Canberra. Watch newsletter for updates.