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Recent headlines . . .

Validity of building report brought into question

NATIONAL - The ABC Investigations Unit has claimed the auditor general's report on the school stimulus building program has discarded surveys by 3,159 school principals, to instead use a sample group of 622 private school principals who had a more favourable response toward the building scheme.
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Conflicting reports on building scheme schedule

NATIONAL - Treasurer Wayne Swan has said that most school building projects under the Rudd government's school stimulus scheme are not behind schedule, despite a report by the Australian National Audit Office saying 80 per cent of the projects in the program are behind schedule.
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Prefabricated buildings common under building scheme

NATIONAL - 'The Australian' has reported that at least one in seven schools participating in the Building the Education Revolution program has been given funding for a demountable or prefabricated building, instead of a 'bricks and mortar' structure.
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Ultranet launched in Victorian schools

VIC - The first phase of the Ultranet has been rolled out in Victorian schools, to allow students and teachers access to digital resources and to work with peers across the state.
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Schools asked for Ultranet payment: 'The Age'

VIC - The Victorian state government is being accused of going over budget for its new Ultranet project, and allegedly has tried to cover the financial burden by asking schools to contribute money toward the project.
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Students to get new football and dance academies

VIC - The Brumby Government has announced funding for eight new football and dance academies for indigenous youth to be established at Victorian government schools.
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Abbott called out on climate claim

NATIONAL - Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is being called on to provide evidence that the weather was warmer 'at the time of Julius Caesar and Jesus of Nazareth' than it is now, after he made the claim to students at Trinity Gardens Primary School.
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The influence of Mother Nature

NATIONAL - Nature and the outdoors play a large part in the formation of a child's life and have many long-term benefits.
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Opinion . . .

Education expert changes mind on testing

NATIONAL - Director of the Education Standards Institute, Kevin Donnelly, admits that he has had a change of heart regarding the value of standardised testing and believes it is now 'counter-productive'.
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Many questions unanswered by stimulus report

NATIONAL - Investigative journalist, Anne Connolly, writes of her frustration regarding the school stimulus program and the logic behind it.
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Good news . . .

New truancy program

WA - The Compass Alliance Group is working on reducing truancy in Carnarvon by working out new ways to engage young people with school.
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International

A president's words to new graduates

USA - President Barack Obama has told a commencement audience at Hampton University that he dreams for the US to, 'offer every single child in this country an education that will make them competitive in our knowledge economy.'
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Test boycott goes ahead in UK

UK - Approximately between one third and half or primary school head teachers are boycotting the compulsory SAT exams, consisting of writing, spelling and maths tests.
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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 ...
"We have an obligation and a responsibility to be investing in our students and our schools. We must make sure that people who have the grades, the desire and the will, but not the money, can still get the best education possible." - Barack Obama