Good day, Dare to Lead Colleagues

Dare to Lead 2013

I am sure that you will be pleased to hear the good news that The Hon. Peter Garrett - Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth recently announced a funding extension for Dare to Lead through until the end of 2013. This will provide us with solid base funding for the project to continue its work at a similar level as 2012, supplemented by the fee-for-service work we do for jurisdictions and individual schools.

New Products and Services for 2013

While Dare to Lead has been part of the schools scene for almost a decade, it has worked to remain responsive to what schools and school leaders need. For 2013, there will be some new 'products and services' available including around leadership, staff development and curriculum. More details soon.

Congratulations to the recently announced Excellence Awards recipients...

The Hon. Peter Garrett - Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth presented High Achievement Awards to the four schools who are the latest recipients of the Dare to Lead Excellence in Leadership in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Awards. The schools were presented with a certificate and a cheque for $5000 to use to further enhance their programs.

Our congratulations go to Kirwan State High School (Qld), Rockhampton State High School (Qld), Yule Brook College (WA) and Wagin District High School (WA).

Each of these schools was able to demonstrate a strategic approach, engagement of community and data demonstrating sustained improvements in student outcomes.

For each of these schools' stories, click here.

Three schools were also presented with Achievement Awards, including a cheque for $1000 for program enhancement. Giralang PS (ACT), Hume PS (Albury) and Urandangie SS (NW Qld) are each showing sustained improvements in their highly-varied school settings.

Dare to Lead Resources

• Are you keeping up with our Professional Discussion Starters series? Next edition - PD Starter No 6 out soon. For earlier editions, click here

• The first in a series of video-clip Prompters has been posted here. These short clips prompt some self-reflection about key success factors for leaders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education. New clips will appear every few weeks.

•  Have you checked the Resources tab on the Dare to Lead homepage? You will find details about useful professional and classroom resources like Two Way Teaching and Learning, Class Movies, Honey Ant Readers and the Indigenous Education Resource Update........

Member Survey

We are interested to know what you think...how is Dare to Lead travelling? Is it providing useful support? Is your school any different as a result of its Dare to Lead involvement?

Access the anonymous survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/DaretoLead2012MemberSurvey. Respondents will have the chance to win a free registration (registration, travel, accommodation) at the Dare to Lead conference in Brisbane on Friday September 7 2012.

ASSETS Program

We are pleased to have been involved with the ASSETS program for some years now. ASSETS 2012 is an exciting and challenging opportunity for Year 10 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to immerse themselves in a unique 9-day science and cultural program. It is a national, annual program, fully funded for all participants and conducted by experienced educational leaders. The program runs in December. Visit www.riaus.org.au/assets for more details.

Wannik Schools: Leadership Development Programs and Collegial Snapshots

As part of our partnership work with the Wannik Unit of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development in Victoria, Dare to Lead is facilitating a series of 2-day plus 1-day Leadership Development Programs for Wannik Focus Schools. From late May until late July, six programs will run in Melbourne, Geelong, Bairnsdale, Mildura and Benalla. All are no cost to participants, registration being covered by Wannik. Click here for more details.

Also available at no cost to Wannik schools is a 'revisit' collegial Snapshot, for schools to measure 'distance travelled' since their earlier Snapshot or situational analysis. These revisits can occur at the school's convenience during 2012. Contact peter.obeirne@pa.edu.au or brian.giles-browne@pa.edu.au

MATSITI:   More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teachers Initiative

We are pleased to be connected with MATSITI (More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teachers Initiative)...... a national project led by UniSA and funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). There is a July national conference for teachers who themselves are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Please visit www.unisa.edu.au/MATSITI-conference for more details.

We thank all of our partners for the confidence that they show in Dare to Lead.

Best wishes,

Peter O'Beirne, National Project Coordinator
on behalf of the Dare to Lead team