President's Message

Dear Colleagues

Despite the challenges that we all face I trust that Term 2 is finishing well for you all. For those that are coming to the CaSPA Conference in Perth I look forward to seeing you and enjoying the learning, collegiality, discussion and down time.  CaSPA’s mission to provide opportunity for Unity, Voice and Service has been evident in many ways throughout the past month and will culminate in the Conference experience.

We have been very active recently advocating across numerous platforms with a variety of stakeholders. Every National Principal organisation across Australia has been invited by Minister Clare to a Round Table to discuss Principal Wellbeing and school funding. An outline of the many areas of advocacy CaSPA representatives have been active in are listed below. We are being consulted by more organisations than ever and we relish this opportunity to influence the educational agenda and outcomes for staff and students.

• Faith Formation Partnerships with Notre Dame University: NDU to conduct a survey of Faith Formation programs around Australia with the possibility of NDU providing Faith Formation programs for Leaders, Teachers and Diocesan Offices.
• CaSPA Board met with representatives of the National Catholic Education Commission on the Numeracy resources that are available through OCRE Education and the planned 2024 Year 12 Exit Survey while at our Canberra Meeting.
• CaSPA received an invitation to attend the APPA Conference in New Zealand. CaSPA appreciated the invitation and will be sending a representative.
• CaSPA has distributed the ACU Australian Principal Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey Report to the States and Territories. CaSPA will be meeting with the ACU Researchers in June to discuss the findings further.
• CaSPA have also met with ACU to discuss the outcome of research we have commissioned on Women in Leadership.
• CaSPA Board met with Meg Brighton (Deputy Secretary Schools – Department for Education) to discuss National School Reform Agreement, Teacher Shortages and ITE.
• CaSPA Board was represented by Dr Stephen Kennaugh and Darren Atkinson at the AITSL consultations related to ITE and NTWD.
• CaSPA Board met with Ed Simons (Executive Director MACS), Angela Pollock & Sandra Milligan (University of Melbourne / New Metrics), Edmund Misson (Acting AITSL CEO) at our Melbourne meeting in May.
• CaSPA Board will be meeting with CAP and SchoolTV soon to discuss the next focus of the next edition of Broadcast.
• CaSPA and Athas Concepts have finalised the CaSPA Data Project for 2024 and has summarised the data gathered from 2019 - 2024.
• CaSPA has been in discussions with the AMA to support the Anti Vaping lobby which held a Press Conference in May in Canberra. It has cross sectoral support.
• Dr Stephen Kennaugh attended the Quarterly Meeting with Federal Department of Education Chair: Meg Brighton Updates included: Recent Education Ministers Meeting 26/4/24 in Perth; National Teacher Workforce Action Plan; Mobile Phones / Vaping; Initial Teacher Education; Board Quality Assurance; Higher Education – improvements to governance; HECS Debt Relief; Supporting paid practicum placement for Teachers / Nurses to be up and running from 1 July 2025 $300 + a week; Wellbeing of Principals and School Leaders presentation to Education Ministers. We expressed our disappointment that the Catholic sector had no representation at this meeting with Education Ministers
• Dr Stephen Kennaugh and Phil Lewis attended the ACARA Peak Principal’s Briefing last week with a focus on NAPLAN and the challenges regarding schools receiving their data in a timely fashion as well as possible improvements. We were introduced to Stephen Gniel (Acting CEO).
• Dr Stephen Kennaugh met with Daniel Pinchas and Judith Page from AITSL to discuss the Accreditation of initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures (Standards and Procedures). It was a general discussion surrounding what is working in schools across the country as well as what can be explored.
• We are looking forward to joining Diocesan Education Directors, RI MPJP authority representatives, Catholic Primary representatives and parent representatives for an update on the National School Reform Agreement and other funding matters from Jacinta Collins (NCEC Exec Director) on July 2 in Melbourne.
• We are also looking forward to attending the Catholic Education Leaders Forum in Canberra from Tuesday 10 September to Thursday 12 September hosted by NCEC. 

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Phil Lewis, our Executive Officer, for the tireless work that he has undertaken across the many years he has been involved with CaSPA. Phil has served as a Director, President and for the past 5 years as the Executive Officer of CaSPA. His loyalty, enthusiasm and commitment to raising the profile of Catholic Education is such a blessing and both the Board and the wider Catholic Education sector wish him the best in his retirement at the end of July.

If you are not travelling to Perth have a wonderful break and a positive start to Term 3. If you are attending the Conference in Perth I look forward to catching up with you there.

Dr Stephen Kennaugh
CaSPA President

Dr Steve Kennaugh (CaSPA President) and Peter Cutrona (ACPPA President) with Minister Jason Clare at the  National Peak Principal Associations Round Table meeting in Sydney. CaSPA appreciates the Minister's initiative to listen to the voice of Principals.