R U OK? RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS (Ref: 196/20)
Office of the Children’s Guardian – Child Safe Standards Survey (Ref: 191/20)
As part of its ongoing consultation regarding implementation of the Child Safe Standards, the Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) has developed a short survey to better understand how they can support organisations providing services to children in NSW.
This short survey is designed to prompt reflection on what organisations consider their strengths, and where there are opportunities for improvement. Organisations can use it to reflect on their child safe practices to consider whether they are providing the best quality service to keep children safe from harm. Responses to the survey will also provide the OCG with some insight into the cultures and practices in organisations so that they can better target their capability building and support work.
The survey is available here. It will take about 5 minutes to complete. The OCG requests that the survey be shared with teachers, colleagues and organisations in your network. The survey can be completed by anyone who works in, or has a child that attends, an organisation that provides services to children in NSW. The OCG has requested that the questions be answered honestly and critically. All responses are anonymous.
Any queries regarding the survey or the data collected should be directed to the OCG Policy team, [email protected] .
Let’s talk about…Principal Care sessions 3 and 4 (Ref: 193/20)
In response to feedback from our first and highly successful session on the Principal Wellbeing Survey, Catholic Schools New South Wales in association with The Association of Catholic School Principals Ltd, invite you to continue the conversation, ‘Let’s talk about…Principal Care’ .
Thursday 17 September join Clinical Psychologist Andrew Fuller in conversation about practicalities and realities of managing the stresses of the principal role. Follow this link to register for this session.
Thursday 12 November join Rob Unsworth, experienced principal and principal mentor, in conversation about the benefits of networks of support to build professional capital. Follow this link to register for this session.
Education and Care Services National Amendment Regulations 2020 (Ref: 184/20)
Education Council has introduced new requirements under the National Regulations for approved providers of education and care services that offer, or arrange, transportation of children. The new requirements will commence on 1 October 2020.
Children are sometimes transported, or travel on transport arranged, by children’s education and care services – for example, transport to and from the service and a child’s home or other location.
Transporting children may present additional risks, including during transition between a vehicle and a service premises or other location. To better manage these risks, all governments have decided to introduce new requirements to strengthen oversight arrangements when children are being transported under the care of an education and care service.
From 1 October 2020, approved providers of education and care services that offer, or arrange, transportation of children will be required to have in place transportation-specific policies and procedures. New requirements for transport-specific risk assessments and obtaining written authorisations will also apply. Minor corresponding changes relating to excursions that involve transporting children will also take effect.
The Education and Care Services National Amendment Regulations 2020 are available here and will also be available on the NSW Government legislation website.
This ACECQA information sheet provides details of the changes. It includes links to relevant risk assessment templates that providers may wish to incorporate within their own risk material. Updates to the Guide to the NQF will be published in September ahead of the changes taking effect.
The Australian Teacher Workforce Data (ATWD) initiative (Ref: 185/20)
The ATWD is an exciting initiative that is building a comprehensive picture of the national teaching workforce, across all systems and sectors, from initial teacher education through to end of teaching career.
Learning from teacher experiences
To properly understand the teaching workforce, AITSL need to hear from teachers. The ATWD Teacher Survey is the teacher voice in the ATWD, providing an opportunity for teachers to help us understand their work experiences and how we might address the opportunities and challenges facing the profession.
The ATWD Teacher Survey
This year, teachers and principals will be invited to participate in the ATWD Teacher Survey via an email from the NSW Education Standards Authority on 17 August 2020. Please watch out for your invitation.
If you’re a school leader or teacher, AITSL encourage you to complete the ATWD Teacher Survey yourself, and encourage colleagues to also participate.
The survey takes no longer than 10 minutes to complete and is voluntary. Data in the ATWD is fully de-identified.
The work experiences of every teacher and principal in New South Wales are an important part of the picture of our workforce and AITSL appreciate your input into this important initiative.
For more information about the survey: https://www.aitsl.edu.au/atwd/atwd-teacher-survey
For more information about the ATWD initiative: https://www.aitsl.edu.au/atwd
NESA delivered Professional Learning 2020 (Ref: 190/20)
The attached information provides a summary of the professional development delivered by the NESA Liaison team in 2020. The mode of delivery (on-line or face to face) is also detailed. Liaison officers will, where possible, deliver face to face workshops to an individual school staff or team. All queries regarding these courses, which are all NESA registered, should be directed to the Liaison Officer for your school or Diocese. Liaison officer contact details can be accessed here.
Kurz & Bundig - German Language Online Professional Learning (Ref: 192/20)
These compact and convenient online professional learning units are aimed at teachers of German in Australia who are short of time and are looking for new ideas and effective methods for their classes. Educators from Europe and Australia share their expertise and experience with digital content in short 60-minute sessions via Zoom. Simply pick and choose topics relevant for you, register for free and dial in from anywhere to expand your ideas and methods toolkit for the digital classroom.
For more information please click here.
ASIC's Moneysmart financial literacy funding (Ref: 183/20)
ASIC’S Moneysmart program has made school grants available to primary and secondary schools who have designed new and creative financial literacy projects that:
- teach kids how to budget and plan in the digital age
- embed financial literacy across the whole school
- incorporate cross sector collaboration
- boost parents’ understanding of good money management
- include the local community.
Grants of up to $5000 are available now. Further information, guidelines and application forms are available on the Moneysmart in schools website https://moneysmart.gov.au/moneysmart-in-schools
The Early Years Foundations for Learning website is now live! (Ref:171/20)
We are delighted to be launching ‘Phase One’ of the Early Years Foundations for Learning website.
The Early Years Foundations for Learning project responds to the national and NSW bilateral reform priority to support students, student learning and student achievement, with a particular focus on boosting early achievement in literacy and numeracy.
The project has been funded under the Commonwealth Government’s Non-Government Reform Support Fund.
The website can be found here.
Fairtrade certified sports balls (Ref: 174/20)
Through Catholic Schools New South Wales’s work with the Australian Catholic Anti-Slavery Network, we have been advised of an offer currently being made to schools by RREPP, which makes Fairtrade Certified match quality sports balls. RREPP is offering each school a bulk order discount of 20% – schools only need to purchase a minimum of 5 sports balls to obtain this discount. Schools can reach out directly to Scott Goddard at RREPP with any inquiries or to place an order. His details are:
Scott Goddard & The RREPP Team
M: 0422 004 954
[email protected]
www.rrepp.com.au
Because of shipping delays due to COVID-19, RREPP is taking orders by the 1st November at the latest, to be able to make deliveries by the beginning of Term 1 in 2021.
The purchase of goods from Fairtrade-certified suppliers is one way that schools can take action to minimise the risk of modern slavery in their supply chains and help protect the rights and conditions of vulnerable workers. See the Fairtrade website for further information.
Proposed new copyright reforms (Ref: 175/20)
The Australian Government has proposed a number of changes to Australia’s copyright laws, which includes some proposed amendments which will assist schools in an increasingly digital environment. The proposed changes will be contained in draft legislation which the Government expects to be released for public consultation later this year.
In brief, the Government has announced that the proposed reforms will comprise:
1. The introduction of an ‘orphan works scheme’, allowing the use of copyright materials that do not have an identifiable copyright owner where a ‘reasonably diligent search’ for the copyright owner has been undertaken. Works will still need to be clearly attributed to the author as far as reasonably possible.
2. A new fair dealing exception for non-commercial quotation, which will enable quoting of copyright material for non-commercial purposes by educational institutions (and others), so long as certain criteria is met (including ‘standard fairness factors’). The Government has stated that this new exception “will reduce uncertainty and administrative burden for schools….when they quote words from a book, a passage from a piece of music, or a visual image taken from a work of art”.
3. Amendment of library and archive exceptions, which will enable materials held to be available online for browsing, so long as reasonable steps are taken so that the person accessing the material does so in a way that does not infringe copyright.
4. Amendment of the education exception as follows:
(a) Removal of some of the current limitations, so that copyright materials that can validly be used in a school or classroom learning environment can also take place outside of the premises (eg in an online environment). Reasonable steps will need to be taken to limit wider access to copyright materials than that reasonably necessary;
(b) A ‘special cases’ exception for education institutions to cover other reasonable uses of copyright material that will not impact the creator’s commercial market, including in times of regional or national crisis;
(c) Restoration of the exception in section 106 of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) which impacted on public schools only (ie not independent schools) playing sound recordings for non-curricular activities such as school concerts.
5. Updates to the Government copyright licensing scheme, including (relevantly) changes to the fee structure for collecting societies including removing the requirement for a sampling system (survey) to be used.
More information about the proposed new reforms can be found here
Enter the NSW Children's Week 2020 Art Competition (Ref: 197/20)
Create an artwork to show how you are keeping safely connected with your family, friends and community during this time. Artworks can include drawings, paintings, photographs, digital illustrations or videos.
The competition is open to all children and young people up to the age of 18 living in NSW. It’s not about being a good artist, it’s about finding inspiration and sharing your voice through art.
Age group catergories: Under 5, 6-11, 12-18
There will be 9 winners (3 from each age group.) Winners will recieve receive a prize from a $1050 prize pool.
For more information and to enter visit: www.digitallunchbreak.nsw.gov.au
Go directly to the entry page via: bit.ly/ART20CW
Entries close Friday 9 October 2020.
Shark Tank eSchool program (Ref: 189/20)
Shark Tank eSchool (STeS) is an educational program designed to immerse young people into “the doing” of entrepreneurship and innovation. Innovation and entrepreneurship are increasingly considered key drivers to solve real-world problems. The knowledge, skill, and application activities within the Shark Tank eSchool program incorporates the core general capabilities of the Australian Curriculum and key concepts of creativity, innovation, teamwork, and entrepreneurial thinking skills – into developing our entrepreneurial leaders of tomorrow.
Shark Tank eSchool program is an action-learning, project-based program. Students start by forming teams, and these teams are required to identify or generate a business idea. These ideas are typically born in response to existing problems (or anticipated future challenges), and students are given the opportunity to develop a solution (in the form of a product, service, or user experience), which addresses the identified problem or need. This opportunity is presented via a sales pitch at the end of the program.
For more information please click here.
Munch & Move - training and resources to educators in early childhood education and care services (Ref: 187/20)
Munch & Move is a NSW Health initiative that supports the healthy development of children birth to 5 years by promoting physical activity, healthy eating and reduced small screen time (e.g. watching TV or DVDs, playing on computers and small hand-held games devices).
Munch & Move offers training and resources to educators working in NSW early childhood education and care services. The training aims to assist educators to implement a fun, play-based approach to supporting healthy eating and physical activity habits in young children. The Munch & Move program fits within the new National Quality Framework and the Early Years Learning Framework.
For more information please click here.
Sound Scouts is now being used in over 1,200 Australian schools, for free!
From Perth to Port Macquarie, schools across the country are screening their K-12 students for hidden hearing issues.
With the recent cancellation of incursions and excursions, many schools are taking advantage of this time to screen their students’ hearing.
There’s no specialist training needed. Teachers and support staff can use the app to screen their students’ hearing
in-school by simply reviewing our School Resources. Test results are instantly analysed by our advanced algorithm and a Report is emailed.
The Sound Scouts team are always at the ready to lend support.
For more information please click here.
GERRIC (UNSW) presents eight-part Gifted Parenting series (Ref: 182/20)
It’s common for parents of gifted children to feel confused about the educational needs of their gifted child. Sometimes, the advanced development of the abilities of a gifted child outpaces the child’s physical development, and results in frustration for both parent and child. Additionally, challenges exist for parents in understanding the affective needs of gifted children, which may be very different to the rest of the population.
This eight-part series will assist parents to develop a greater understanding of their gifted child’s needs both at home and at school; interact with other parents of gifted children; and learn from current research and experts in the field of gifted education.
This series is delivered online (via Zoom), 7-8:30pm Tuesday and Thursday nights, over the month of September will be led by GERRIC academics: Associate Professor Dr. Jae Yup Jung, Dr Geraldine Townend, and Dr. Peta Hay.
For more information please click here.
Save the date: 2020 World Teachers’ Day (Ref:186/20)
This year, NSW will celebrate World Teachers’ Day on Friday 30 October 2020.
It is an opportunity to acknowledge the immense work of the 160,000+ early childhood, primary and secondary school teachers in NSW.
Teachers have gone above and beyond for their students and communities over the past year – ensuring students are supported and continuing to learn during the COVID-19 pandemic.
NESA have a range of #WTD2020 resources available to help recognise teachers, including thank you card templates for you to send out to your school community, upload to your school website, or share on social media.
To access the resources please click here.
Last chance to register for Fruit & Veg Month (Ref: 181/20)
Fruit & Veg Month is just three weeks away. Over 550 schools have already registered to participate and their free resource packs are on the way in the mail.
4 good reasons to register
- It’s flexible – we provide the resources, tools and ideas and you can run it in any way that suits your school.
- It’s free – the program is funded by NSW Health so there is no charge for schools to participate.
- It’s suitable for both school and home-based learning – many of the lessons and worksheets can be used in the classroom or at home.
- It’s important -‘Planet Fruit & Veg’ is probably one of the most important Fruit & Veg Month themes we’ve ever had, providing the opportunity to teach your students to think about the positive impact their simple actions and decisions can have on their own health and the health of our planet.Click here to register.