The Palmerston City Schools Network worked together to facilitate a collaborative Professional Learning Day for teachers and school leaders on the Pupil Free Day at the beginning of Term 3.  This initiative was undertaken as part of their Inclusive Practices Network that is shaping the future for innovative and inclusive practices across their schools.  The day was well received by all participants and was a great example of the collaborative professionalism that is evident in the PARRs network.  It highlighted the commitment of Northern Territory Principals and school leaders to work together to raise the outcomes of every student in our care.

The Day was spread across four hosting schools (Bakewell, Driver, Rosebery and Zuccoli) to cater for the large number of staff (over 300) attending.  This gave teachers the opportunity to connect with colleagues and visit other sites.  The professional dialogue was outstanding and the sharing of knowledge a credit to our school teams. 

Staff started the day with keynote speaker Dale Sidebottom who inspired a positive outlook for all with his work on shifting focus from the negative to the positive – such valuable learning for us all in these uncertain times.  Teachers and leaders then attended workshops around fascinating subjects such as interoception, social stories and scripts, mindfulness, Zones of Regulation, the Alert program, understanding Autism, neuroscience and the possibility of engine rooms.  Such a wide and varied agenda that suited the varying needs of teachers within the Palmerston City Schools Network.  The sessions were supported by both corporate staff and school staff which added another layer of knowledge to our knowledge.