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Recent headlines . . .

Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome to languages

QLD - The restoration of compulsory language studies in year six, seven and eight has been met with approval from the Sunshine Coast education community.
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Inflated costs

NSW - 'The Australian' has reported that managing contractors working for the Building the Education Revolution program are charging a significantly higher rate to oversee school building jobs than regular jobs.
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Builders fire back at BER accusations

NATIONAL - The ABC's Online Investigative Unit has spoken to anonymous builders who claim management and administration fees, as well as the risk of liability for projects, are pushing up costs.
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Victorian students trial iPads

VIC - The Victorian Government is giving students at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, Manor Lakes P-12 Specialist College and unwell students in the Royal Children's Hospital, 500 Apple iPads to help determine their potential place in the school system.
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Disadvantaged students have big dreams too

NATIONAL - Research by The Smith Family has shown that children from disadvantaged backgrounds have similar career goals to those from higher socio-economic communities. Child psychologist Dr John Irvine said, 'Those living in disadvantage can encounter debilitating reality checks as they progress through their schooling'.
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Bullying law may need updating

NATIONAL - This article looks at cyber bullying in schools and considers opinions that contend legislation has not kept up with the growing problem.
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Liberals call on Greens to back bill

TAS - The Tasmanian Liberals are calling on the Greens to support a bill which seeks to scrap Tasmania Tomorrow reforms.
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Teachers aides call for permanent employment

NSW - School learning support officers in NSW schools are still seeking permanent employment, instead of temporary employment, to ensure help to special needs students is not compromised.
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AFL players excluded from school visits

NATIONAL - AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has told '3AW' that some AFL players are banned from visiting schools due to 'issues in the past'.
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Opinion . . .

History lessons too 'leftist'

NATIONAL - Author and educator DR Kevin Donnelly claims that by not putting adequate focus on topics such as communism and Christianity, history classes in the national curriculum will give students a 'one-sided understanding of the past'.
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Good news . . .

The cinema crew that's learning too

VIC - A group of students from Mansfield Secondary College are running The Mansfield Armchair Cinemas with great success.
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International

What is a 'free' school?

UK - This article looks at how 'free' schools in England would operate and what changes would be made.
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Student banned from prayer at school

GERMANY - A regional appeal court has denied a Muslim student to be granted the right to pray at school. The court stated that, 'upholding peace in the school took precedence over the student's right to religious observance.'
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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 ...
"A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves." - Unknown