Principals Australia Indigenous education newsletter. Issue 42, February 2010
In this issue:
You're Back, The Kids Are Back - And So Is Dare to Lead
Vale Greg Jarvis
Succession Planning in Action Areas
National Conference 2010: Call for Papers and Workshops
Student Data Collection
Indigenous Education Resource Update
National Indigenous Education Plan
Excellence Awards
Remote Executive Support Strategy
Remote Indigenous Gardens Network
Project Contacts
YOU'RE BACK, THE KIDS
ARE BACK - AND SO IS DARE TO LEAD!
The 2010 school year will bring new challenges, new faces,
new approaches. In a time of change, certain things don't change: good practice
is still good practice, there is still a lot of important work to be done in
Indigenous education, and principals are still the most important individuals
in deciding what happens in their schools. In 2010 Dare to Lead will continue to advocate for principals creating and
sustaining data-evidenced improvements in Indigenous education. The project has
matured since its inception a decade ago and is now in its most sophisticated
stage yet, 'Partnership builds success'.
There are many crucial partners working with Dare to Lead. Among the most critical
partnerships are those between the project and educational jurisdictions across
Australia. Many of these are very long-standing, such as the relationship with
WA DET. The most recent partnership is a brand-new Memorandum of Understanding
with Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA). To provide an insight into
jurisdictional thinking about the possibilities and advantages of formal
linkage with Dare to Lead, EREA Executive Director Wayne Tinsey has given us
permission to reproduce a paragraph from his letter to colleagues:
"In an EREA context, many of our
schools have already embraced Dare to
Lead as a constructive way of enhancing educational outcomes for indigenous
students. Dare to Lead is not a
program in the ordinary sense of the word. It is a network of support for
school leaders to work effectively with current programs and to initiate new
models of activity which will result in improved educational outcomes. One of
the goals of the project is to achieve sustainable change in this regard. This
new partnership with EREA is designed to support all of our schools and
especially school leaders to make explicit linkages to EREA policy and provide
mutually suitable and appropriate in-service opportunities and advice available
to schools. It will also provide a focus for school leadership teams to share
in the benefits of a nationally recognised project with a proven track record."
This is not work that can be achieved alone. Dare to Lead is grateful to every
jurisdiction that comes on board because it is through partnership that greater
outcomes can best be achieved for our students and young Indigenous
Australians.
VALE GREG JARVIS
Indigenous education lost one of its great champions with
the death of Greg Jarvis on February 1. Greg was with Dare to Lead almost since the project's inception as Northern
Territory Coordinator. Prior to that he spent most of his career in remote Top
End communities as a teacher and principal at schools like Millingimbi,
Maningrida, Moulden Park, Malak and on Groote Eylandt. He had the rare
distinction of being both loved and respected by those he worked with. His loss
is enormous. Deepest sympathies to his family, and our thoughts are with all
who knew Greg and are missing him as much as we are.
SUCCESSION PLANNING
IN ACTION AREAS
The most important mechanism Dare to
Lead has for working with principals is Action Areas. The work that
volunteer principals undertake as Action Area Contacts is pivotal to the
success of the project, a tangible example of working collegially and of the
leadership individuals are providing in Indigenous education. A refinement of
the current Action Area structure is occurring, with assistant Contacts
currently being sought. This is a form of succession planning for the project.
If you have an Assistant Principal with a passion for Indigenous education,
this is a great opportunity for them to step up. Assuming the understudy role
will enable them to get to know their state and territory coordinators, to link
into the entire list of Action Area contacts (committed principals across
Australia) and help put in place the next wave of leadership in this critically
important area. Interested individuals should contact their state or territory
coordinator for more details.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
2010: CALL FOR PAPERS AND WORKSHOPS
Dare to Lead is currently calling for expressions of
interest for keynote and workshop presentations for a national conference to be
held in Brisbane on 3 June 2010. The conference, "Successful Classrooms for Indigenous
Students" will examine Curriculum, Pedagogy, Ways of Learning, Relationships,
Culture, Identity and Community: what is the right mix? All prospective presenters
are encouraged to contact the conference co-ordinator, Brian Giles-Browne at brian.giles-browne@pa.edu.au or
0423 915 552.
STUDENT DATA
COLLECTION
Data collection forms have recently been sent by email
requesting 2008 and 2009 NAPLAN literacy data (Year 3, Year 5, Year 7 and Year
9). 2008 data provides us with baseline data which we have not yet gathered
from most schools. For those secondary schools with Year 12 students, we are
also seeking Year 12 completion data.
As a significant strategic project, we need to track data to
see what difference is being made for Indigenous students in Dare to Lead Coalition schools. Helping
to make a difference in schools - leading to an improvement in the literacy
outcomes and school completion for these students - is a very important part of
what we do. Further, Dare to Lead is
required to provide its aggregated outcomes data to its major funding source,
DEEWR. A reminder that Dare to Lead
data is aggregated and reported nationally; no individual school, system or
state is ever identified. Your assistance in returning your school's data
quickly will be most helpful to the project.
SUBSCRIBE TO INDIGENOUS
EDUCATION RESOURCE UPDATE
An excellent way to stay in touch with resources and
readings that might be useful to you is to subscribe (free) to an online
newsletter jointly produced by Dare to Lead and What Works. The newsletter will
be sent to subscribers several times per year.
OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT
INTO NATIONAL INDIGENOUS EDUCATION PLAN
Ministers for Education, Early Childhood Development and
Youth Affairs are calling for submissions on a draft national Indigenous
education action plan that is designed to improve educational outcomes for
Indigenous students. Principals are encouraged to contribute to the
consultations. For more information visit the website.
EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Judging for the 2009 Excellence in Leadership in Indigenous Education Awards has
been completed. An announcement by the Minister who will consider the
recommendations of the judging panel will be announced in due course. Many
thanks to all school leaders who lodged entry forms.
REMOTE EXECUTIVE SUPPORT STRATEGY
The Dare to Lead Remote Executive Support Strategy makes use of the expertise and knowledge of retired school principals in remote locations. This report provides a taste of one former principal's experiences as an Indigenous Community Volunteer in the Kimberley and Northern Territory in September-November 2009. For more details click here.
REMOTE INDIGENOUS GARDENS NETWORK
The Remote Indigenous Gardens Network helps share knowledge,
contacts and resources in the contribution that local food gardening can make
to remote Indigenous communities. More information here.
PROJECT CONTACTS
A full list
of Dare to Lead project contacts can
be found here.
E:peter.obeirne@pa.edu.auPh: 08 8394 2122
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