From the President's Desk

May 2023

I know I’m getting older when the years start to fly by so quickly - we’re almost at the end of Term 2 already! And what an incredibly busy term it has been for schools, and ACSSO.

In the last month, we have celebrated National Volunteer Week, recognising all the amazing work of the volunteers in our government schools; IDAHOBIT, celebrating and supporting our LGBTIQA+ students, teachers and families; Walk Safely to School Day; National Check-in Week, supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our young people; Public Education day, recognising the wonderful work of our government school teachers, aides, leaders, and the system itself; National Sorry day, a time to reflect on the past and look to improving the future for our First Nations students and families; and World Environment day. We have enjoyed sharing related stories from our school communities around the country on our socials, so please continue to send us your celebrations and other good news stories from the government school sector.

The Expert Panel as part of the Review into the next National School Reform Agreement has started meeting with stakeholders in the lead up to their first meeting with the Reference Group, to be held early in July. As part of the Expert Panel’s Review into the next National School Reform Agreement, parents, teachers and students are being invited to take part in a national survey to help shape the future of school education in Australia. The survey is a way to ensure those directly involved in the education system get a say in how it is made better, and fairer.

Survey participants can have their say on a range of issues including improving education outcomes; supporting student health and wellbeing; and classroom support for children with additional challenges. I encourage everyone to make a submission personally, and/or via a group to which you belong in the Education arena. The link is on our website. I have already had an initial meeting with the Expert Panel, discussing ACSSO’s work in Family and Community Engagement as a proven tool for increasing academic, social, health and wellbeing outcomes for students. And as reported last month, ACSSO’s CEO is a Reference Group member, so the expert parent voice and perspective will be an important part of all deliberations.

We have also represented families’ voices at the ACARA National Peak Parents and Principals forum, on the National Check-in Week webinar, the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, and to the department on several issues, including a national approach to managing mobile phones in schools.

The Ford Driving Skills for Life program has been supported by ACSSO for several years now and is back for the first time post-pandemic. The program provides a free, hands on opportunity for students who hold a learners permit to obtain skills for safe driving beyond what they learn in a standard driver education program. Sessions are available on their website for booking now, and are being held in Alice Springs on 13^th June, Melbourne on 21^st July, Sydney on 18^th August, and Lithgow on 19^th August. It’s a fantastic opportunity for our students to gain some invaluable driving skills.

I hope everyone in schools enjoys the chance to recharge during the upcoming semester break, and can assure you that we will continue working to ensure the voices of families is well represented in all we do.

Cheers,

Sharron.