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Dear Colleagues
NTPA is recognised as the collective voice for school leaders throughout the NT at both a Territory and National level. It is a key stakeholder and advisory body to the Department, the Chief Executive and Minister of Education, and influences through strong partnerships and advocacy. NTPA has 120 members representing 153 schools and 33,000 students in the NT.
The Exec Board recently had the opportunity to meet the new Education Minister Eva Lawler and raise many of the issues currently being experienced by our members. We look forward to working with Minister Lawler in the future, and would like to thank our previous Education Minister, Lauren Moss for her proactive work and positive partnership with NTPA.
ADVOCACY
As the recognised collective voice for school leaders we have been advocating for proactive measures to address a number of matters in consultation with the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executives, Department Directors and Minister. Our recent Executive Board meeting gave us the opportunity to discuss and share matters impacting on school leaders and provide solutions focused feedback.
Managing Covid. Through our feedback and advocacy, we ensured final school budgets would not be impacted by poor enrolment and attendance in Week 4 Term 1. Final budgets were calculated on either Week 8 or Preliminary budget figures, which ever was the greater. The department redeployed corporate teachers to assist schools with absences. The additional cost of ERT and electricity, from longer running air conditioners, has been raised. We are seeking a formal process for financial support to schools who have had to manage the additional burden of Covid costs not covered in the Covid Grant.
Teacher Shortages This urgent issue has been raised with the CE, Deputy CEs, Minister of Education and Department Directors. NTPA is working in consultation with the Department to identify and provide feedback on short- and long-term solutions. NTPA was consulted on the CDU 4th Year Graduate Program and the Early Career Teacher Induction Program and Grant. We will continue to advocate to ensure our schools attracts a quality workforce.
We urge all schools to consider supporting these graduate programs including providing practicum experiences for our CDU students.
Regional Housing Subsidy The lack of housing or assistance to subsidize rental costs is an ongoing issue in Katherine and Alice Springs and an additional barrier to attracting teachers. Feedback has been provided to the Minister and CE for solutions to these urgent issues. One recommendation we have put forward is for educators to be included in the government announced ‘New Rental Subsidy Scheme to Support Key Workers in the Territory’.
Effective Enrolment Review. NTPA have been consulted and provided feedback to this review. Our advice is that the redistribution of finite funds from school to school would not be a satisfactory solution. One issue we have asked to be addressed is the certainty of school budgets from year to year.
Student Wellbeing and Inclusion (SWI) consultation on their restructure and policies. NTPA have been consulted in regards to the implementation of a new stream lined administration model to reduce the amount of paperwork and double handling for schools through SWI processes and to make the experience better for schools. Our focus is to strengthen our relationship with SWI through regular communication and consultation opportunities. All Chapters have invited Amanda Hubber as a guest speaker to their chapter meeting to provide an opportunity for feedback and consultation.
Thank you to those members who offered to be part of the SWI School Leaders Reference Group. This group is made up of 9 NTPA members across various stages of schooling, in remote, regional and urban schools. This group will be consulted to provide strategic advice on ‘The Inclusive Education Policy’.
Quality Standards Framework for Flexible Education Programs Implementation Steering Group. NTPA President and Deputy Belinda Pearson are members of this group to provide feedback and consultation on the implementation on the Quality Standards Framework for Flexible Education Program. Principals will be advised of a grant for additional support for those schools who would like to participate in the pilot of this program.
Ci Anywhere- NTPA have provided extensive feedback regarding this new financial system and made ongoing requests for face to face training, reports and communication to Principals and School Representative Bodies, allowing external bookkeepers access, review the petty cash policy, and simplified manuals and instructions.
DCDD and HR Support- NTPA have provided ongoing feedback that the current ‘One Territory’ model does not meet the needs of school leaders. We have cited ongoing issues with getting immediate, accurate and timely advice from HR consultants who understand a school context. We are pleased to hear that new Workforce Services Model will be implemented providing educational expertise to our school leaders.
NTPA President has been an invited member on the Attendance Improvement Project. This project was formed at the beginning of Term 2 to address declines in Term 1 attendance by providing focused support to students who were previous high attenders. NTPA’s involvement has been to raise issues and concerns and provide feedback from a principal and school perspective.
Principal Positions and Ongoing Employment
NTPA has been consulted on the Bulk Recruitment process for principal positions, Principal Transfer Policy and Principal Pay Progression Policy. If you would like advice on moving from a contract to an ongoing position please reach out to our Executive Officer Jo Poulter who can connect you with the right person for guidance. We would like to thank all members who volunteer their time on Principal Panels. This is important work to ensure fair and equitable processes to select quality leaders for our system.
WELLBEING
NTPA recognises the importance of this priority area and has been very focused on implementing the School Leaders Wellbeing Action Plan in conjunction with the department. We have been consulted and provided feedback on the policy and advisory library, the public campaign to promote safe and respectful behaviours, strengthening critical incident support and the Occupational Violence and Aggression in Schools Report and recommendations. This will be released shortly once it has been endorsed by the Minister.
We are investigating options to help prioritise a safe place and time for wellbeing conversations to enhance the skills and capabilities of our school leaders. From the Department and NTPA Surveys, school leaders have identified Regular opportunities to meet and network with other school leaders to share ideas and strategies about mental health and wellbeing for self and the school community as the most important need to support their wellbeing. More information should be announced soon in regards to how this will be facilitated.
LEADERSHIP
Last year we saw the release of the Leadership Strategy and as a member of the Education Leadership Strategy Implementation Group, I assist and provide advice on the implementation of this important work which is closely aligned to our NTPA priorities. I am also a member of the Leaders’ Summit Planning Committee and welcomes any advice from members on what they would like included in the annual Leadership Summit. (Week 4 Term 4)
Early this term a professional learning opportunity was facilitated for early career principals and assistant principals in the Top End on the topic of Know your Accountabilities. The topics covered HR, Finance and Governance matters and positive feedback was recorded by members who appreciated the opportunity to learn more and to connect with others. We are hoping to provide this workshop to other regions in Term 3.
NTPA are offering two scholarships to the value of $750 for any member to attend the ALEA Conference being hosted in Darwin this year from the 7th to the 10th July. If you are interested in applying for his opportunity please send an EOI to jo.poulter@education.nt.gov.au Further details regarding the conference are below.
Networking Events
This week, the Darwin and Arnhem Chapter members took the opportunity to connect after their Principal Collaborative Days in Week 8. It is great that face to face meetings have returned allowing members time and space to catch up informally.
Hope you all take some time to rest and relax over the 3-week break, after what has been a demanding and relentless semester one. We have continued to advocate for an additional PL Day to privilege time and space for reflection, rebalancing, recalibrating and reorienting. (you might remember this from Kristen Douglas). This is important work to support school leaders to shift from surviving to thriving.
Whilst I promise to keep break dancing moves to a minimum, I am walking the talk and taking the last 2 weeks of term as long service leave. Please continue to reach out to your Chater Chairs or to our Exec Officer Jo Poulter and they will connect you with the right support.
Please keep well.
Warm regards,
President Email: ntpa.admin@education.nt.gov.au or ntpa.president@education.nt.gov.au
Face to Face national meetings have allowed all presidents from each of the States and Territories the opportunity to come together to engage in strategic work for our national associations. These meetings provide opportunity to share and learn from each other, engage in planning for strategic direction as national peak bodies and to enhance the collective national principal voice and efforts. The federal election and possibilities going forward were items of conversation.
AGPPA
The Australian Government Primary Principals Association (AGPPA) is the national professional association for public primary school principals in Australia. AGPPA represents over 5300 principals in public primary schools in every corner of every state and territory. It is worth noting that this body is representative of over half of all schools in Australia – inclusive of all Primary, Secondary, Catholic and Independent schools across the country.
AGPPA’s National Council includes representatives from six states and two territories, with two members representing each jurisdiction. This group represents a shared national commitment to both highlight the importance of the primary years and to promote excellence in public primary education in Australia. Our advocacy is based on the vision of every child attending a school with healthy, high-performing leaders and quality staff, along with the knowledge that primary schools are where Australian children acquire the necessary foundational academic, social and emotional skills to lead fulfilled and enriched lives. It is imperative that our education policy enables this noble intent so that all children can experience such success, both at school and through later life.
AGPPA initiatives, actions and projects are research informed and aim to assist in making Australia’s education system a beacon for all. This aim is perhaps best enunciated using the words of David Gonski, Chair of the Review of Funding for Schooling expert panel, who said:
“Every child should have access to the best possible education, regardless of where they live, the income of their family or the school they attend.”
At our recent face to face meeting, presidents worked on the AGPPA Strategic Plan 2021-2024. With a change in Federal Government there is now an opportunity to address the inequity of funding for schools, particularly in the NT. AGPPA has released a media release on this matter. (See below) This was presented to our new local Education Minister.
At the AGPPA dinner we thanked, farewelled and awarded retiring and departing members including our past president Britany Roestenburg who fulfilled the deputy president role on both AGPPA and APPA.
L-R: Phil Seymour NSW, Britany Roestenburg NT, Liz Bobos ACT,
Ian Anderson, WA, Anne-Maree Kliman Vic, and AGPPA President Pat Murphy
APPA Meeting
At the Australian Primary Principal Association meeting we welcomed Danny Pinchas from AITSL. He stated that AITSL is committed to sharing the expertise, influencing expertise, enhancing expertise, esteeming expertise and supporting expertise and shared an update of AITSL’s work.
The APPA National Advisory Council spent time developing a response to the review of the National Schools Reform Agreement. The NAC believes the current agreement has a number of assumptions including that: more measurement will result in better outcomes, increased accountabilities will increase the quality of education, what gets measured gets managed and that teachers can’t be trusted.
The APPA paper: Lessons from COVID-19 for Australian Schools: Key Points for the Australian Primary Principals Association and its 4 themes frame our thinking and response. (Access the paper at the button below)
- The need for policy development input from schools
- Equality: no skimming but looking deeply
- Accountability and assessment: not high stakes but sample testing
- A primary curriculum: and what it means to be a learner in early years and primary settings.
APPA is seeking a transformational agreement, which would lead to flourishing schools.
Prof John Hattie attended the NAC meeting via zoom and spoke about implementing the recommendations of the Quality Initial Teacher Education Review and the need to open up the debate around expertise. He provided some provocations around esteeming the profession, inducting teachers into the profession and not just the school or system, and the need to be bold in considering what it takes to increase teacher and leaders supply. He noted the powerful impact of collective efficacy amongst principals in COVID; not a single policy helped us get through remote learning; it was all profession led and he challenged all leaders to be able to speak confidently about their tried-and-true models of implementing policy and initiatives.
ASPA Meeting
The ASPA meeting held in Adelaide this term, provided a great opportunity to meet and hear from the South Australian Department for Education Chief Executive Professor Martin Westwell. He spoke of the need for clarity of purpose for public education and shared commitment for bringing this to life and we discussed the value of Principal Associations working with education departments in collaboration.
Again, this forum provided presidents the opportunity to share current issues across jurisdictions with the common themes being teacher shortages, the impact of covid-19 on student attendance and connection with schooling is a considerable concern, and principal reclassification and the impact and outcomes of the process.
Presidents continued to work on the ASAP Strategic Plan, working with a national data, strategy and delivery agency that specialises in strategic advice, policy, communications, stakeholder engagement, research, change and transformation, awareness campaigns, digital strategy and design.
The Australian Secondary Principals Association has extended a warm invite to our new Federal Education Minister Jason Clare, at the next face to face meeting.
The awards are sponsored by the Australian Secondary Principals Association and open to both primary and secondary government schools.
Submissions for the award will close on September 9.
Click here for for the video introduction
Award Categories
In determining award categories, ACSSO will use the ICSEA scale (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) it allows for a fair and reasonable comparison among schools with similar demographics. It is not a school rating and has nothing to do with the staff, school facilities or teaching programs at the school.
There are four categories
- Schools with an ICSEA of less than 800
- Schools with an ICSEA of 800 – 1000
- Schools with an ICSEA of 1000 – 1100
- Schools with an ICSEA of 1100 plus
Applications must address the topic: “Family Engagement – Our Journey”
Or please veiw the hard copy below:
Pasi Sahlberg: A vision for Australia's education sector under a Labor government.
Phil and Pasi Sahlberg discuss the difficulty in getting teachers, and government funding between private and public schools. Pasi Sahlberg is Professor of Education at Southern Cross University in Lismore and former deputy director of the Gonski Institute for Education.
Here’s how to address bullying, nastiness and violence at schools
Adam Voigt is a former principal and founder and CEO of Real Schools.
$1,000 Scholarships for School Leaders - Information for NTPA Members
We believe that supporting educators to excel in leadership is critical to creating resilient, connected and flourishing school communities and in turn, better outcomes for students.
A limited number of partial scholarships are available to support school leaders to participate in NESLI’s renowned leadership programs. Scholarships are available for two programs:
- Deputy Principals Leadership Colloquium: an integrated nine-month leadership program supporting the development of Deputy and Assistant Principals (open to all genders)
- Women’s Advanced Leadership Program: a comprehensive six-month program for women in senior school leadership positions, delivered in partnership with Women & Leadership Australia
- Women's Middle Leadership Program: A five-month program that builds the behaviours and mindsets needed for effective middle management, delivered in partnership with Women & Leadership Australia
To register your interest or find out more, complete the form here or simply reply to this email. (Applications close 5 August unless allocated prior).
Opportunity to contribute to research
Seeking school leader perspectives about before school physical activity
James Woodforde is a PhD candidate at The University of Queensland, researching before-school physical activity, with the aim of designing a framework of guiding principles and strategies to support schools with the implementation of before-school physical activity opportunities. Participation in this part of the project will involve a 1-hour online focus group, which we are hoping to schedule in coming weeks. Participants will be compensated for their time with a $25 gift voucher.
Email James Woodforde j.woodforde@uq.edu.au if you are interested in participating.
There’s no better time to teach tax and super
All-new Tax, Super + You education website now available
With the end of financial year (EOFY) and ‘tax time’ fast approaching, there’s no better time to teach students about tax and super.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has recently launched an all-new Tax, Super + You website containing free resources that help improve financial literacy, teach the value of tax and super, and prepare secondary students for the workforce. The new website (taxsuperandyou.gov.au) includes high-quality resources designed by teachers, for teachers. The resources are mapped to the Australian and state curriculums, involve real-world concepts and content is available in online and printable formats once a user has registered for free.
The annual Tax Super + You competition, which encourages secondary students to get creative for a chance to win prizes for themselves and their school, also opens for entries 30 May 2022. It’s a great way to engage with students on this topic.
For more information on Tax, Super + You go to taxsuperandyou.gov.au
The Climate Clever Schools Platform is a FREE student-led program that enables schools to reduce their carbon footprint, save money on utility bills and slots right into the curriculum. The community library of actions easily allows schools to check off tasks and measure their impact. Over 150 schools around the country are using the Platform to reduce their emissions and empower their students. For more information, check out the brochure HERE or to sign up, clickHERE!
Welcome to Student Edge – Student Jobs, Deals, Surveys, Competitions and More
We are the largest member-based organisation of high school, TAFE, VET and university students in Australia.
At Student Edge, we work tirelessly to bring you the latest news, the best discounts, free online competitions, paid surveys, job listings, study materials, fun-filled forums and more. The organisation was founded in 2003 by a group of students to make life easier (and more affordable) for their peers.
Here's a taste of some of the great products and features you get as a Student Edge member:
Read more about student Edge HERE
Latest Podcast Episodes
Ep. 70: Leading with Head & Heart
In this episode I chat with Tracey Ezard - author of Ferocious Warmth about the need to be able to lead with strategic and emotional intelligence.
Ep. 69: How to Coach & Set Better Goals
In this episode I chat with Michael Bungay Stanier about his work in helping people to ‘unlock their greatness by working on the hard stuff.’
Since, our oroginal Northern Territory Principals’ Association Facebook site was hacked by a video creator group we have been rebuilding.
We recommend you block this site: Old facebook site
Then follow this one: New NTPA facebook page
Thank you!