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Recent headlines . . .

Ombudsman targets school council decisions

VIC - 'The Age' has reported that the Victorian Ombudsman has criticised the Education Department for making vital decisions, such as on school mergers, without proving community backing.
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Private school fee fears

NATIONAL - Private school fees could increase under a new funding model for schools recommended by the Rudd Government.
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Geography reclaims topics

NATIONAL - The new geography national curriculum will now include topics currently taken in other subjects, such as the interpretation and creation of maps.
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Today's hot topic in Sydney: geography

NATIONAL - Over 150 geography teachers will meet today in Sydney to discuss the new national geography curriculum. The curriculum is set to have a focus on the Asia-Pacific region, Indigenous Australia and the environment.
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Update on school libraries and staff

NATIONAL - The House of Representatives committee on education and training is to report tomorrow on the 'role, adequacy and resourcing' of school libraries and teacher librarians across the nation.
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Hornsby school still waiting on new building

NATIONAL - Parents and Citizens' Association vice-president of Hornsby North Public School, Lynne Slevin, has spoken of the disappointment and difficulty the school has experienced with its education stimulus program funding.
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Ethics learning begins

NSW - Haberfield Public School hosted the state's first ethics class for primary school students, which will cover topics such as honesty, fairness, bullying and graffiti.
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Australia moves closer to Russia

NATIONAL - Russia and Australia are set to work more closely after a new education exchange and cooperation program was announced by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stephen Smith.
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Opinion . . .

Environmental education has come a long way

NATIONAL - John Jeayes reflects on environmental education when he was in school, the changes it has undergone since that time and what it is teaching students now.
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Good news . . .

Student ambassadors promote college

VIC - Stawell Secondary College is using student ambassadors to create a positive image of the school internally and as part of the community.
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International

UK teachers boycott tests

UK - The National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Head Teachers are both boycotting the national Standard Attainment Tests. The Teachers Federation writes, 'SATs are misused to compile meaningless league tables which only serve to humiliate and demean children, their teachers and their communities'.
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Use schools for all they've got: editorial

UK - This editorial in 'The Guardian' looks at the upcoming election and the education policies currently being debated. 'With the cash running dry, milking more out of the schools we have got is a better priority than building new ones,' it says.
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ACEL Noticeboard

ACEL's Travelling Scholar: Jan Robertson

Building Leadership and Learning Capacity Through Partnership
In an education context that is typified by change, complexity and challenge, new conceptions of leadership and learning are essential. Turbulent times require a type of education community that can ride the ebbs and flows of multiple discourses and ethical dilemmas – together taking the responsibility for the successes and the challenges still to be taken.

The essence of effective leadership and effective learning is in trusting, respectful relationships within the learning community. Jan’s work on the coaching partnership is acclaimed internationally for the powerful impact it has on educational leadership practice, the facilitation of professional learning, and in the development of formative learning relationships. Partnership is not a concept commonly practiced in education and therefore skill development is essential to this process. Jan is a highly sought after keynote speaker and workshop facilitator internationally.

The day will include the following content:
• Leadership and learning through partnership;
• Developing pedagogy for changing times;
• Formative learning relationships;
• Developing coaching cultures;
• The leadership of learning;
• Facilitating professional learning and building leadership capacity;
• Coaching skills of active listening, reflective interviewing, self-assessment and goal setting.

This day is a seminar and workshop. Participants will receive a work booklet as a coaching resource and will have many opportunities to reflect on their own professional practice, and will be equally challenged by the expertise in the group to take new thoughts of leadership and learning practice back to their own education communities.

Please click here for more information on this exciting event.

Inspire: ACEL Leadership Program

Are you a highly competent principal? Have you noticed that it’s always your team who get the in-house training budget rather than you? Are you ready to reignite your passion and continue to find purpose in the difference you are making? Are you building your legacy daily?

Mackerel Sky in partnership with ACEL has created the Inspire program. Mackerel Sky has worked with thousands of leaders across a range of industry sectors including IT, engineering, accounting, education and health care. Our programs unpack and name what it is that great leaders do. In this way CEO’s and executives gain insights on their existing strengths and clarity on the development pathways important to them.

In each one of our programs, leaders discover new ways to develop the leaders they serve. They gain clarity around what they do that works so well. Supporting the development of others is easier when you can clearly articulate what it is that has been working for you. Participants are delighted to discover easy to apply models and frameworks that serve as a guide in challenging situations.

The Inspire program sits alone in a market rich with offerings to emerging leaders. This program is uniquely placed to stretch experienced, senior leaders. You will create a powerful network of other strong leaders whilst covering the latest in leadership theory and practice such as:

• Talent management - attraction, retention and engagement across the generations
• Succession Planning – growing leaders from within
• Leaving a legacy – making sure your today is resourcing your tomorrow
• Connecting with Community – making a bigger difference
• Cultural Intelligence – creating cultural competence for leaders
• High Performance Teams – secrets of teams that go the extra mile

For more information on this special event please click here.

ACEL Winter School

The London Centre for Leadership in Learning, Institute of Education works in London, nationally and internationally and offers a vibrant and refreshing learning community to support your learning in the heart of London. The London Centre for Leadership in Learning works in partnership with practitioners and policy makers at the critical edge of research and practice and are at the forefront of developing new knowledge for and about leadership and learning.

In her role as Director of the London Centre for Leadership in Learning, Professor Alma Harris and her team will provide a Winter School during the week of the 5th – 9th July 2010 at the London Leadership Centre.

The Winter School will be built around the ACEL Leadership Capability
Framework and participants will have the opportunity to design the
program of their choice from a menu of opportunities including visits to
schools and workshops that focus on distributed leadership, strategic development in professional learning, coaching - building a coaching culture, emerging leaders, experience leaders, leading for learning, parental engagement, network for learning and deep dive learning sessions with London Leadership Centre consultants and leaders.

Participants will also be provided with pre and post conference learning activities that combined with conference will provide university credit. This program will be designed to support leaders informal leadership positions.

Participants will be invited to join the ACEL Alumni as a result of attending this Winter School and will be recognised in the Class of 2010.

Program Objectives
Participants will:
• Learn about the English educational context and learn from and
with educational leaders in London and the surrounding area
• Engage in participatory, reflective seminars and workshops lead by the London Centre for Leadership in Learning - Institute of Education colleagues
• Participate in the London Centre for Leadership in Learning Annual Conference on July 7th and interact with a wide range of educational leaders from schools in England.
• Personalise their own learning and development through reflection of their own experiences and practice
• Evaluate the impact of the week on their own learning and consider consequent implications for future practice

Click here for more details.

Hosting and Harvesting conference:
Creating the change we wish to see in the world

Final words ...
"Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions." - Harold Geneen