November 2023 Newsletter
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President's Message
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CaSPA Latest News
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The School Photographer - Platinum Partner
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CaSPA Board Update
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NGS Super - Platinum Partner
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A Reflection from Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann
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PSW - Platinum Partner
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International Confederation of Principals Conference Report – COREY TAVELLA
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Box Of Books - Platinum Partner
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International Confederation of Principals Conference Report – BRADLEY HALL
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AGH Camps - Gold Partner
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POST COUNCIL COMMUNIQUE’ ICP The International Federation of Principals (ICP)
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Woods Furniture - Gold Partner
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CaSPA National Conference 2024 – SAVE THE DATE!
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Rory's - Gold Partner
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ACPConnect
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Atomi - Gold Partner
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INSTALLING THE SZAPP
Dear Colleagues
Happy World Teachers’ Day to you and all your staff!
I hope your community was able to find great ways to celebrate your teachers and support staff. In the current times it is so important that we all continue to promote the status of our profession.
On 30 October it was a genuine pleasure to meet with the Australian Catholic Primary Principals Association in Canberra. Socially, it was great to enjoy a meal together at the end of the day. At the meeting we discussed common issues and future actions relating to Catholic Principals and we are looking forward to our meeting in person with Minister Clare on 21 November. In the recent meeting with NCEC and Stakeholders, Minister Clare raised the following points as key educational issues: the influence of Artificial Intelligence; the upcoming Education Ministers meeting in October; students Vaping; NAPLAN and the challenges with 10% Australian students registering below minimum standards; the importance of education and finishing school; the importance of pre-school and before school training (if a child goes to preschool, more likely to finish school); catch up strategies; shortage of teachers; retention of teachers in training and in the workforce; and raising the status of teachers – we had some very keen discussion with Catholic Primary Principals around these points.
AITSL is also completing some valuable research on “Advancements in Edtech for Teaching and Learning”
The first Spotlight: Evaluating the evidence for educational technology: Part 1 – The technology will contain research on the different types of educational technology available for teachers, school leaders, schools and students. This Spotlight will be published as originally planned at the end of November.
A second Spotlight may be published at the start of next year, Evaluating the evidence for educational technology: Part 2 – Teaching and learning, the contents will include how teachers’ beliefs and preferred pedagogical approaches influence their selection and use of edtech, how teachers and students learn how to use advanced technologies, and the affordances edtech offers for diverse learners such as students with disability.
Another area of current focus by AITSL is around Middle Leaders and their role – this has culminated in the Development of Professional Standards by AITSL. “AITSL research suggests that at least 90% of middle leaders hold teaching roles. Their closeness to classrooms means that they are well positioned to address the core school business of leading improvement in teaching and learning. The Middle Leader Standards cover the key requirements for middle leader roles and development. Middle leaders may demonstrate different levels of capability development across different focus areas.”
Since our last newsletter, we had the referendum results come to the fore. In honouring the Uluru Statement and paying tribute to our First Nations People, the referendum has made a focus on the first nation occupancy acknowledgement and the gaps - this momentum hopefully will take us to other possibilities, as the situation cannot be side stepped and our young people will not let this happen.
Let’s hope that Robert Frost’s words ring true –
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
As Fr Frank Brennan reflects “It will be another generation before we revisit the recognition of the First Australians in the Constitution. Let’s hope that we have done a better job by then convincing our fellow citizens that there will always be a need for some special laws and policies to be made for the First Australians and that it is unthinkable that such laws be made without some assurance that they will be adequately consulted. That assurance should be part of our Constitution.
Holding in our hearts the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who will be feeling rejected, we recall those words of Pope John Paul II at Alice Springs in 1986:
‘If you stay closely united, you are like a tree standing in the middle of a bush-fire sweeping through the timber. The leaves are scorched and the tough bark is scarred and burned; but inside the tree the sap is still flowing, and under the ground the roots are still strong. Like that tree you have endured the flames, and you still have the power to be reborn. The time for this rebirth is now!’ “
This month the CaSPA Board will be meeting in Perth. During this meeting in Perth the CaSPA Board will also hold its Annual General Meeting. In addition, this time will be a great opportunity to visit the 2024 CaSPA Conference venue and meet with the Conference Committee.
Overall, it is the time of the year where we farewell some of our Principals, as they move on to other positions, or different phases of their life. I wish to acknowledge the amazing work you do and your extraordinary contribution to your community and society - thank you!
Blessings to All
Ann Rebgetz
CaSPA President
- The CaSPA Board has finalised the contract of the research to be conducted by ACU to research the development of aspiring leaders. This research should be ready by December this year.
- The CaSPA Board Zoom Meeting was held on 23 October. The CaSPA Board discussed meeting dates, conference planning and other activities for 2024.
- CaSPA is preparing a research funding application with the Principals Australia Research Foundation (PARF). Research is planned for 2024.
- Work has commenced with SchoolZine and Athas Concepts to update the CaSPA Website.
- NAPLAN 2023 survey link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NRTZCHN.
Your feedback will help inform any future improvements to NAPLAN.
- Updated CaSPA Constitution placed on CaSPA Website.
- CaSPA Board has been notified that ACNC has granted CaSPA the Charity Status it had applied for earlier in 2023. This status has now been registered with the Australian Taxation Office.
- CaSPA Board Zoom Meeting held on 23 October.
- CaSPA President, Ann Rebgetz and Board members met with ACPPA and the Education Minister Jason Clare on 30 October in Canberra to discuss issues related to Catholic education and Principals.
- The 2023 CaSPA Annual General Meeting will be held in Perth on 8 November at the Board Meeting.
- CaSPA Auditors have completed work for the 2022 / 23 CaSPA Audit Report in readiness for the AGM.
- 2024 CaSPA Conference planning has been ongoing.
Profiles of all the CaSPA Board are available on the CaSPA Website: https://caspa.schoolzineplus.com/current-and-past-board-members
A Reflection from Miriam - Rose
"My people are not threatened by silence. They are completely at home in it. They have lived for thousands of years with Nature’s quietness. My people today recognise and experience in this quietness the great Life-Giving Spirit, the Father of us all. It is easy for me to experience God’s presence. When I am out hunting, when I am in the bush, among the trees, on a hill or by a billabong; these are the times when I can simply be in God’s presence. My people have been so aware of Nature. It is natural that we will feel close to the Creator. Our Aboriginal culture has taught us to be still and to wait. We do not try to hurry things up. We let them follow their natural course – like the seasons. We watch the moon in each of its phases. We wait for the rain to fill our rivers and water the thirsty earth…
When twilight comes, we prepare for the night. At dawn we rise with the sun.
We watch the bush foods and wait for them to ripen before we gather them. We wait for our young people as they grow, stage by stage, through their initiation ceremonies. When a relation dies, we wait a long time with the sorrow. We own our grief and allow it to heal slowly.
We wait for the right time for our ceremonies and our meetings. The right people must be present. Everything must be done in the proper way. Careful preparations must be made. We don’t mind waiting, because we want things to be done with care.
We don’t like to hurry. There is nothing more important than what we are attending to. There is nothing more urgent that we must hurry away for.
We wait on God, too. His time is the right time. We wait for him to make his word clear to us. We don’t worry. We know that in time and in the spirit of dadirri (that deep listening and quiet stillness) his way will be clear.
We are river people. We cannot hurry the river. We have to move with its current and understand its ways.
We hope that the people of Australia will wait. Not so much waiting for us – to catch up – but waiting with us, as we find our pace in this world.
If you stay closely united, you are like a tree, standing in the middle of a bushfire sweeping through the timber. The leaves are scorched and the tough bark is scarred and burnt; but inside the tree the sap is still flowing, and under the ground the roots are still strong. Like that tree, you have endured the flames, and you still have the power to be reborn.
Our culture is different. We are asking our fellow Australians to take time to know us; to be still and to listen to us."
~ Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann
(Aboriginal Principal, Educator, Artist and 2021 Senior Australian of the year)
International Confederation of Principals Conference Report – COREY TAVELLA
This year I was fortunate to have won the CaSPA Leader Development Scholarship, along with Bradley Hall from John Paul College in Kalgoorlie. Together with Dr Stephen Kennaugh, Principal at St Andrews College Marayong and CaSPA Executive Member, we represented CaSPA at the International Confederation of Principal’s (ICP) Council + in Rovaniemi, Finland, their biannual gathering of members. I was also fortunate enough to attend the pre-conference meeting, the Emerging Leaders Summit, a first from ICP to support those new to leadership.
ICP is the peak international organisation of national school leadership associations, of which CaSPA is a member. It was established in 1990 by Principal Associations from 10 countries – Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, USSR, United Kingdom and United States of America.
It is a global association of school leadership organisations that reaches out across four regions of the globe: Africa, The Americas, Asia & Oceania, and Europe. As such, the ICP commands a unique global position as an influential voice for school leadership.
Each member is a major organisation that supports the professional development and work of school leaders. The ICP is non-political and non-sectoral with members coming from government and non-government sectors and all educational levels. It is dedicated to the development, support, and promotion of school leadership globally.
Highlights of the Emerging Leaders Summit include:
- OECD data and perspectives on newly appointed leaders.
- Australian research on education leadership and managing complexity.
- Case studies from Africa, Oceania, the Americas and Europe from newly-appointed and emerging leaders.
- Deep research and analysis from the on supporting emerging leadership in Ireland.
- a 'World Cafe' hearing how different countries are supporting leadership and Principal development, as well as educator and student wellbeing, through hearing directly from:
- The Netherlands through their leadership mentoring program.
- A New Zealand presentation on the important of and focus on supporting Māori leaders.
- The Irish Primary Principals Network focus on side-by-side support during three phases of Principalship (preparation, induction, established) in Ireland.
- In India, a six-phase focus on 'Heartful Students' as a wellness program.
- In Canada, the British Columbia four-phase focus on aspiring school leaders.
- Hearing from from six international Principals about the profession and shared ICP's work and future directions, and today were joined by more colleagues from Eswatini and Ghana.
- We were also in the midst of an 'active AI conference' which is summarising, suggesting and prompting avenues for extension through Artificial Intelligence.
Highlights from the Council + were:
- 'Principal Barometer' research from the University of Helsinki on Principal wellbeing and leadership (the findings correlate, and in some cases go further than, those from the 2021 Riley report on The Australian Principal Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey)
- Research and findings from OECD’s Anna Pons, and demonstrations and provocations from Argentinian Digital Learning Leader Gabriel Rshaid on Chat GPT (which, by the way, scored 90% on the March 2023 PISA Reading Test).
- Perspectives from the education of Indigenous people from around the world with inputs from Canada, New Zealand, Ghana and Finland.
- A student leaders forum featuring two students in-person from Finland, and others joining us online from Argentina, New Zealand and Singapore.
Overall it was a fantastic opportunity to be present with Australian colleagues to have conversations on the world stage. Thank you so much Catholic Secondary Principals Australia (CaSPA) for the chance to successfully access the Professional Learning Scholarship to enable this opportunity.
Corey Tavella
Principal- Thomas More College
International Confederation of Principals Conference Report – BRADLEY HALL
I am very grateful to CASPA for the opportunity to attend the International Confederation of Principals Council in Rovaniemi, Finland, joining Corey Tavella from Thomas More College in Adelaide and Dr Stephen Kennaugh, St Andrews College Marayong and CASPA Treasurer, who welcomed us into the ICP fold.
Corey has summarised the Council highlights. Reflecting on the presentations, some poignant points for me.
- The OECD research on Principals wellbeing indicate a disturbing global trend among school leadership of increasing levels of anxiety, stress, and ill-health indicators. Who will take the lead on attempting to resolve the issues? ICP may be ideally placed as it is a global organisation.
- Artificial Intelligence (i.e. Chat GPT) is here, students are using it, with permission and without. Schools need to understand it, teach students about the ethics of using it. AI can be a very useful tool to assist teachers under pressure. Gabriel Rshaid, conference presenter, demonstrated the quick preparation of lesson plans, test questions, website creation… my takeaway: immediately get a site license and plan PD for staff on this innovative addition to a teacher’s toolbox; make AI into “a tool for democratising learning” and relieving some pressure from the teachers.
- Educating Indigenous students: Conference input from Canada, New Zealand, Ghana and Finland and table discussions tell us many countries are on a journey to give the best possible educational experience to indigenous students. While context means the approach is varied, we can learn by continuing the dialogue, I was most impressed by Finnish Sami regional schools who stop conventional teaching during reindeer herding season and salmon fishing season and decamp to the sites for practical education, accompanied by their teachers.
- Student Voice: Input from Finnish students present and online students from Argentina, Singapore, and New Zealand. Key takeaway: student perspective, “not a supplementary role but a complementary role”, they want to support schools and students in their schooling.
Whilst the conference was in Finland, it was not focussed on Finnish education, however, I did get some takeaways:
- A strong focus on lifelong learning.
- A core national curriculum but room for local variations.
- Good funding from government.
- Quality assurance based on steering instead of controlling.
- Highly educated teachers.
- Highly selective for teachers courses: one in five (20%) applicants are successful.
…and finally, when in Finland, eat like the Finns: the bear and reindeer were superb!
Bradley Hall
John Paul College Kalgoorlie