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Recent headlines . . .

Advertising offensive against NAPLAN boycott

NSW - The NSW government has paid for advertisements which state NAPLAN tests for government school students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will go ahead, despite a threats of a boycott by the NSW Teachers Federation.
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Money buys the best education: analysis

NATIONAL - 'The Australian' looks at the results of what it claims is the 'first national analysis of of school performance' and states that, 'money still buys the best education in Australia'.
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Outback needs to catch up

NATIONAL - 'The Australian' has uncovered a stark gap in school performance results between the city and rural Australia. The newspaper conducted its report using results from NAPLAN testing.
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Principals dissatisfied with stimulus handling

NATIONAL - Principals have described the handling of the school stimulus scheme as 'excessively centralised' in a survey by the Australian Primary Principals Association.
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Catering for students with learning issues

VIC - This article speaks to Dominic Dimattina, a young man with a learning difficulty, and looks at how school handle students with learning disabilities.
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Cash prizes for rural high-flyers

NATIONAL - The Centre for Independent Studies has recommended high achieving students in remote schools receive cash prizes from the government, to help improve the school performance of indigenous students.
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Students fight for their fees

NATIONAL - Many students in India are unsuccessfully trying to have their enrolment fees refunded, despite the collapse of the Australian colleges they were enroled in.
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Truant patrol proposal

TAS - A proposed ban could allow social workers to patrol the city and question school-aged children from kindergarten to grade 10 as to what business they have out of the classroom. Teacher, Ald Briscoe, told 'The Mercury', 'the city [...] prides and markets itself as being 'the education city' and 'the place to be', which looks a bit silly when many, if not hundreds, of school-age kids use the city centre for entertainment during the school day when in fact they should be at school preparing for their futures.'
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Opinion . . .

Time to face the real problem: opinion

NATIONAL - Education writer, Justine Ferrari, writes that school comparisons are 'here to stay' and advises educators to move on to 'the real debate - the uneven performance of our school system'.
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Good news . . .

Chickens win students accolades

NSW - Agriculture students at Picton High School have won multiple prizes in the Canberra and Sydney Royal Easter shows with their well nourished and immaculately groomed chickens.
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International

Chinese parents fearful after classroom attacks

CHINA - Three classroom assaults in three days across China have parents and schools on high alert, with the government pleading for citizens to 'trust the government' and to not believe rumours surrounding the attacks.
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Sports banned after school teams clash

US SAMOA - A temporary ban has been placed on school sporting fixtures for the rest of the academic year, after a violent clash occured between Tafuna and Leone High Schools at a soccer game.
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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 ...
"To me, education is a leading out of what is already there in the pupil's soul." - Muriel Spark