2010 Administrators’ Conference
Public Education For Our Future!
Friday 3rd September 2010
8.45am – 3.30pm
SSTUWA Office
150-152 Adelaide Terrace,
East Perth
AEU “State of Our Schools” Survey The Australian Education Union is conducting a “State of Our Schools” survey of teachers in public schools across Australia as part of our ongoing public education campaign. The SSTUWA urges membership participation in this survey. Invaluable information is gathered to assist our various campaigns. The survey provides valuable information to the AEU in lobbying on behalf of public schools at national and state and territory level. This year’s survey will relate to areas concerned with the Australian Government School Funding Review underway at present. This review is of particular importance public ... Read more AEU Releases | Friday, 3 September 2010 |
AEU State Of Our Schools Survey 2010 The AEU releases its annual State of Our Schools survey for 2010 on Tuesday 31 August 2010. It will be out for three weeks. The survey will go directly to All Principals of public schools across Australia. We urge you to contribute to this important survey. In 2010, the AEU is also seeking perspectives from other administrators and teacher members. The SSTUWA will be forwarding an invitation to participate through our email network. The data gathered will be used to support action around matters such as the current Federal Schools’ Funding Review, ... Read more Administrators News | Monday, 30 August 2010 |
Election 2010: What the parties are offering Based on an assessment of the announcements made to date, it is clear that the policies of The Greens are superior with respect to the funding needs of public education. This should certainly be taken into consideration when voting for the Senate. What is also clear is that in a choice between the major parties, the election of an Abbott Government would result in less funding and less opportunity in education. Regardless of who wins the election, we must continue to campaign for fundamental reform of school ... Read more Union News | Thursday, 19 August 2010 |
What a Conservative Government does to fix the budget 100 days - 100 cuts that hit the vulnerable Some of the UK's poorest families have been hit by more than 100 unfair spending cuts during the first 100 days of the new Government, a Trade Union Congress analysis of departmental spending reveals. The TUC research, published in advance of the 100 day anniversary of the coalition Government, shows that cuts which impact more on the poorest families in the UK have been made across the board in services including education, health, housing, welfare and social care.... Read more Union News | Wednesday, 18 August 2010 |
New Educators: From Surviving to Thriving From Surviving to Thriving, new educators today are adopting this strategy to shape a better future for our children's education and to make the most of the time they spend in the classroom. Teachers from all over WA gathered together on Friday August 13, for SSTUWA's inaugural New Educators' State conference, themed 'From Surviving to Thriving'. Conference organisers, ETC Coordinator, Mary Franklyn and SSTUWA Educator, Cherry Bogunovich, arranged the attendance of approximately 55 participants, a mix of primary and high school educators who are in their first five years of teaching. They are ... Read more ETC News | Tuesday, 17 August 2010 |
Public School Students Let Down The Australian Education Union today expressed bitter disappointment at Labor’s decision to break its promise to introduce a new school funding system before the 2013 election. AEU Federal President Angelo Gavrielatos said it was clear Labor had caved in to pressure from private schools and put their interests before those of the two thirds of students who attend public schools. “The decision to delay until 2014 the start of a new funding system means Labor will not have changed in almost seven years a system which they have repeatedly acknowledged is flawed ... Read more AEU Releases | Wednesday, 4 August 2010 |
SSTUWA At National Asbestos Summit The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), the Australian Congress of Trade (ACTU) and the Cancer Council held a conference in Sydney in June to consider how we might best deal with the dangers presented to thousands of Australian lives by the ongoing presence of dangerous asbestos contaminating materials in buildings, structures and the general environment. The summit was attended by more than 100 representatives from unions, victims organisations, local government, workers from allied industries and support groups from every state and territory. The SSTUWA was asked to present on our ... Read more OSH News | Wednesday, 4 August 2010 |
Department of Education to be Prosecuted WorkSafe has taken a prosecution against the Department of Education as a result of an injury to a female student at Morawa Agricultural College in 2007. The girl suffered extensive fractures and lost four toes. This is the first time WorkSafe has prosecuted a Government Agency for breaches of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The Department is charged with failing to provide and maintain instruction, training and protective clothing and failure to ensure the safety of persons who were not employees. The Department has indicated that it will plead guilty to two ... Read more OSH News | Wednesday, 4 August 2010 |
Catholic College fined over Death of ChildIn October 2005, a five year child was crushed to death by the entrance gates of Trinity Catholic College, Lismore NSW. The child was not a student at the school but visiting the site with his mother to pick up his father who was working at the school. The large, sliding metal gates, each leaf weighing approximately 100 kg were operated by a roller system sitting on a metal track. The stopper plate system failed and this allowed one leaf of the gate to slide out of the metal track and ... Read more OSH News | Wednesday, 4 August 2010 |
Abbott’s Education Cuts Will Send Australia in the Wrong Direction The Australian Education Union is today launching an online advertisement warning that the Coalition’s $3 billion in cuts to education will take Australia backwards. AEU Federal President Angelo Gavrielatos said the advertisement used mixed up footage from Mr Abbott’s numerous sporting endeavours to convey a message about the absurdity of the cuts. “All parties should be promising to invest more, not less in public education,” he said. “It is hard to believe that any party would be denying our children resources and learning opportunities. “Sadly, the Coalition’s primary commitment ... Read more AEU Releases | Thursday, 29 July 2010 |
Nature Play – ‘Last Child in the Woods' It was climbing trees, watching clouds move and imaginary play that are some of my fondest childhood memories spent visiting my grandparent’s home. Sadly that property no longer exists; it has become subdivided into a multitude of cottage blocks. It’s not uncommon for a child of the ‘baby boomers’ generation to have grown up with a large backyard, with maybe an orchard, a chook pen, or a vegetable garden. Back ... Read more Book & Resource Reviews | Wednesday, 25 August 2010 |
Steady Work • Finland Builds a Strong Teaching and Learning System Excerpted and adapted from “Steady Work: How Countries Build Strong Teaching and Learning Systems” in The Flat World and Education: How America’s Commitment to Equity Will Determine Our Future, New York: Teachers College Press, 2010. See original for footnotes and references. One wonders what we might accomplish as a nation if we could finally set aside what appears to be our de facto commitment to ... Read more Education Issues | Monday, 23 August 2010 |
Teacher Bonuses Fail to Improve Student Results A research brief published by the public education group, Save Our Schools, says that Labor and Liberal claims that teacher bonuses will improve student achievement is not supported by research evidence. SOS National Convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said that the proposed bonuses will be a huge waste of money and encourage more teaching to the test in schools. “The weight of research evidence is that teacher performance bonuses do not improve student ... Read more Education Issues | Tuesday, 17 August 2010 |
Help a Child Grow Book Launch This year the not-for-profit organisation Therapy Focus, encouraged primary school students from across Western Australia to illustrate the pages of two children’s books that help promote the inclusion of children with disabilities. Therapy Focus’ third edition of the narrative stories received a total of 5,100 illustrative works from children with a variety skills and abilities. The Minister for Child Protection Robyn McSweeney MLC who took part in the launch at Karrinyup Shopping ... Read more Book & Resource Reviews | Tuesday, 10 August 2010 |
Parental leave: Tony still doesn't get it It sounds good: six extra weeks and at replacement salary, not the minimum wage. But it's not as good as it sounds. For a start, it entrenches sex discrimination as it doesn't replace the carer's pay unless they are the mother. This means it is not a real workplace payment and will do nothing to shift the current gender imbalance of parenting by encouraging more sharing of roles. So the father ... Read more Social & Civic | Monday, 9 August 2010 |
Surfaid International educational programs SurfAid Founder Dr Dave Jenkins Hosts Annual 'Surfing Suits' Parties in Perth One of the SSTUWA’s Women’s Conference workshop coordinators was Kirsten Gomes, from SurfAid International. The SurfAid International Schools Program (http://schools.surfaidinternational.org), supported by Billabong, is a global education program for students in Australia, New Zealand, the US and Europe. The mission of the program is: To develop global citizens using the humanitarian challenges and achievements of SurfAid International as an educational ... Read more Education Issues | Wednesday, 30 June 2010 |
July is Fremantle Poetry Month And you can join in WACOT-approved seminars and poetry-related classes, with WA poets! Fremantle Press will host five free events and an online poetry writing competition to celebrate the launch of its poetry list in July 2010. There are events for both teachers and students. This inaugural Fremantle Poetry Month will feature the work of established poets John Mateer and Caroline Caddy while introducing emerging poets Scott-Patrick Mitchell, J.P. Quinton and Emma ... Read more Book & Resource Reviews | Friday, 11 June 2010 |
Teacher Amanda Betts: Shutter Speed Teacher Amanda Betts is also an author with Fremantle Press. With her second novel just gone to print (Wave Length) we are looking for someone to review her first novel, Shutter Speed. Amanda will also be appearing in July’s Fremantle Poetry Month. Look out for more information on this ( which is full of free events for students, and a special Master teaching Class for Poetry, for teachers) on this site and ... Read more Book & Resource Reviews | Thursday, 20 May 2010 |
Funding Review Comprised by Conflict of Interest The public education group, Save Our Schools, has criticised the appointment of the chairman of Sydney Grammar School to head up the school funding inquiry announced by the Federal Education Minister. National Convenor of SOS, Trevor Cobbold, said the appointment of Mr. David Gronski has compromised the independence of the review. “It is absolutely absurd that the chairman of an elite private school has been appointed to decide the future funding ... Read more Education Issues | Tuesday, 18 May 2010 |
School funding compromised School Funding Review Compromised by Overwhelming Conflict of Interest The public education group, Save Our Schools, has criticised the appointment of the chairman of Sydney Grammar School to head up the school funding inquiry announced by the Federal Education Minister. National Convenor of SOS, Trevor Cobbold, said the appointment of Mr. David Gronski has compromised the independence of the review. “It is absolutely absurd that the chairman of an elite ... Read more Education Issues | Monday, 3 May 2010 |
Tim Jarvis- Not your common, everyday, garden variety scientist! As an environmental scientist with Masters in both Environmental Science and Environmental Law, he has undertaken unsupported expeditions to both polar regions and many of the world's deserts, mountains and rainforests, including a record-breaking journey to the South Pole. Tim recently completed an expedition in Antarctica where he attempted to recreate the amazing expedition and human feat of Sir Douglas Mawson. He walked close to ... Read more Members At Work | Thursday, 19 August 2010 |
Science Week in a class like no other Science Week in Mr Mengler's classroom at Applecross Senior High is like no other. It's a trip to other parts of the Biology world. In his classroom there are fish tanks, preserved dissections of animals, skeletons, skulls and plenty of interesting stories to tell of his expeditions from around the world. Jeffrey Mengler, Senior Science Teacher at Applecross Senior High School and Union Member was selected as one of 12 teachers from ... Read more Members At Work | Thursday, 19 August 2010 |
Union Rep wins award Weld Square Primary School Teacher, Rick Payne is this year's winner of the top 2010 AFL School Ambassador of the Year Award. Rick, who is a senior teacher, AFL School Ambassador and a maths and science specialist, has received the “Outstanding Service Award” for providing five years of outstanding service to the West Australian AFL - and was lucky enough to win a trip to the 2010 AFL Grand Final as ... Read more Members At Work | Thursday, 19 August 2010 |
Durack Institute of Technology The Durack Institute of Technology (formerly Geraldton TAFE) has established a strong culture of sustainability which includes a number of new technologies to help decrease the institutes reliance on external power and water. Over the last year they have: Installed a 15 metre wind turbine, Completed a 90 solar panel array, Designed and implemented an aquifer storage recovery system which has reduced their reliance on potable scheme water by 65%, and Established a sustainability promotion ... Read more Members At Work | Wednesday, 21 July 2010 |
Foodbank winter appeal In February’s Western Teacher, we featured a story on the work that Foodbank does in helping public schools feed kids in need. To refresh, Foodbank provides food relief to 35,000 families and individuals through 650 community welfare organisations in Western Australia each month, not just schools of course. People can be in food distress for many reasons, says Foodbank CEO Greg Hebble. “They can be under financial pressure due to unemployment, illness, disability, ... Read more Members At Work | Wednesday, 14 July 2010 |
Morley Aviation Top Guns The young man in reflector sunnies speaking to the Royal Aero Club of WA’s tower, while preparing to take-off in his Cessna, is not a professional pilot. He is Yr 12 Morley SHS student, Andy, who himself a scholarship in Late November 2009, from the Minister of Aviation. Teacher and union member Brigid Tait was also on hand, flying with student Jimmy, along with other students Tien, Jayden (both yr 9) ... Read more Members At Work | Monday, 5 July 2010 |
Morley HS - State Soccer Champions Although our women’s team (the Matildas) are Asian champs, the Socceroos may be looking to Morley HS’s young up-and-comers to help out with the next World Cup! And it may be up to coach Dr Fadi Ma’ayah to help out with the mentoring of both male and female players, from the school’s specialist soccer program. Dr Fadi, a proud union member and L3 Classroom Teacher, has had a successful track record with ... Read more Members At Work | Friday, 18 June 2010 |
Union reps... what do they do? During the West Coast school visits, we caught up with many reps to discuss what’s happening in their school and district, and any issues the union could help with. Paul Zompogna, Clarkson CHS, shared why he bothers putting in the extra time to be a ‘rep.’ and the kinds of things he does on a daily basis for this role. “I have been teaching for 10 years, 9 and a half at ... Read more Members At Work | Wednesday, 16 June 2010 |
Palmyra’s Pally Patch Passion Last year, Western Teacher ran a series of stories on schools in WA participating in the Stephanie Alexander National Kitchen Garden Program (see: Western Teacher: August 2009 and the website links at end of this article). This well publicised program has grown in participants nationally, as well as quite literally in garden size! The aim of the Kitchen Garden Program is “...pleasurable food education for young children.” The underlying belief ... Read more Members At Work | Wednesday, 2 June 2010 |
Premier’s ANZAC Student Tour 2010 From April 5 to 16, 2010, 12 secondary students and 4 teachers visited historic sites of the Gallipoli campaign, including the Nek and Lone Pine, to commemorate the service of Australian veterans. They were chosen as part of 2010 Premier’s ANZAC Student Tour. The teachers are, coincidentally, all union members. They were: Rosinda Seara, Head of Department, Society & Environment, Hamilton SHS (Tour Mgr); Norman Paini, Head of ... Read more Members At Work | Tuesday, 11 May 2010 |
Over 50 Australian economists agree that Labor stimulus prevented recession The undersigned economists are convinced by the evidence that the coordinated policies of the Australian Labor Government have prevented the Australian economy from a deep recession and prevented a massive increase in unemployment. Unlike most OECD economies we have come out of the Global Financial Crisis and the subsequent world recession with only one quarter of negative GDP growth and a smaller increase in unemployment. We note that during a recession ... Read more ACTU Releases | Tuesday, 17 August 2010 |
Western Australia –the place the Liberals experiment in IR Before there was WorkChoices, the Liberals gave the system a dry run in WA. In the 1990s the Court Liberal Government, in which Premier Colin Barnett was a Minister, introduced a state version of WorkChoices. There were three waves of industrial relations changes that saw individual contacts introduced and minimum standards cut for many Western Australian workers. Many of the same changes were included in WorkChoices. In fact, John Howard was ... Read more ACTU Releases | Monday, 9 August 2010 |
Barnett and Abbott: Secret plan to bring back WorkChoices The West Australian Liberal leader Colin Barnett and his federal counterpart Tony Abbott are hiding a secret plan to bring back WorkChoices for West Australian workers, say unions. More than 300,000 West Australian workers are in danger of losing penalty rates, overtime pay, public holiday pay and their protection from unfair dismissal from the WA Government’s planned industrial relations changes. The President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions Ged Kearney (pronounced ... Read more ACTU Releases | Monday, 9 August 2010 |
What our International Colleagues are doing 183 members of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union have been charged for allegedly joining the Democratic Labor Party (DLP), an opposition party, based on the fact that the individuals made private donations to the DLP. The authorities have interpreted these contributions as membership fees, despite the protestations of the individuals concerned. According to the KTU, the teachers made the donations to the political party based on their own private ... Read more International Issues | Thursday, 15 July 2010 |
Pay rise welcomed by unionsWorking Australians get a $26 a week dividend for end of WorkChoices; pay rise welcomed by unions Today’s pay decision from Fair Work Australia for 1.4 million award-dependent workers breaks the drought after a wage freeze of almost two years under the Howard Government’s wage-setting tribunal. The $26 a week minimum wage rise will help working families meet increases in the cost of living after having been left behind under WorkChoices. The ACTU ... Read more ACTU Releases | Thursday, 3 June 2010 |
Mining companies should not stand in way Self-interested mining companies should not stand in way of fairer tax and more superannuation. At a meeting of the national Community Tax Forum being held today (Wednesday), unions will advocate for further progressive tax reform by the Government as a new analysis shows the Resource Super Profits Tax and a package of other tax reforms would boost the economy and create jobs. ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence said unions were united in ... Read more ACTU Releases | Wednesday, 2 June 2010 |
Workers must share in the economic recovery Minimum wage case hearing today: award workers must share in the economic recovery A resurgent Australian economy with forecasts of strong GDP and jobs growth over the next two years makes the case for a decent rise to minimum wages even more compelling, say unions. The ACTU will today (Monday) present its case before Fair Work Australia for a $27 a week pay rise for about 1.4 million workers covered by industrial ... Read more ACTU Releases | Tuesday, 18 May 2010 |
Kamangar has been executed EI is outraged to inform you that our Iranian colleague Farzad Kamangar has been hanged yesterday, with four other Kurds. This time there was no rumour which would have allowed EI and human rights groups to launch a campaign to save his life. EI will continue to campaign on behalf of other teacher trade unionists in Iran but will also request clarity on the process that led to Farzad execution while his ... Read more International Issues | Tuesday, 18 May 2010 |
Abbott's plan for dole 'out of touch' Abbott’s plan to ban the dole for young people shows he is out of touch with working Australians Tony Abbott’s latest thought bubble on the dole is an overly-simplistic approach to the skills shortage that shows a lack of understanding of the labour market and that he cannot be trusted to manage the Australian economy, say unions. ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence said Mr Abbott’s proposal to ban the dole for people aged ... Read more ACTU Releases | Friday, 23 April 2010 |
Women’s rights at work - worth walking for! Have some fun, join in the fight against breast cancer and show your support for Women’s Rights At Work. The Mothers Day Classic is a national walk or run that raises money for breast cancer research. The event, one of Australia’s largest charity activities , is proudly sponsored by Members Equity Bank and will be held on Sunday 9th May 2009. This year - for the f... Read more ACTU Releases | Monday, 12 April 2010 |
Troy Buswell and the State Government have appointed a former Howard Government industrial relations advocate to review Western Australian workplace laws and will soon announce changes that could affect up to 300,000 Western Australian workers.
Public schools are a foundation stone of our society. They are places of learning, of inspiration and opportunity where every Australian child can get the education they deserve. It's the key to a strong economy, a skilled workforce and a socially cohesive society.
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Public education should be free and open to all to ensure non-selective and non-discriminatory access to education. Every child has a right to be educated, to develop as a human being. This capability should not be denied to anyone, either by design or neglect.
