TASMANIAN PRINCIPALS
Former NW principal dies
The Advocate, 29 Feb 2012
Former Burnie Primary School
principal Mrs Jan Milburn has died...
HIGH SCHOOL EXTENSION TO YEAR 12
Year 7-12 high schools now essential
Michael Ferguson website, 29 Feb 2012
Retention would be improved with
year 7-12 high schools, Opposition education spokesman Michael Ferguson
said today, linking the Liberals' year 12 high schools policy with a
survey by the Mercury and the education minister's recent statement on
the Skills Strategy Report Card...
HIGH SCHOOL EXTENSION TO YEAR 12
Survey supports year 12 high schools
The Mercury, 29 Feb 2012
Results of a survey of Tasmanians
include 59 per cent support for having years 11 and 12 at high school
instead of using secondary colleges...
RETENTION RATES
Year 12 retention improves
The Examiner, 29 Feb 2012
Tasmania's year 12 retention rate
is now 58 per cent...
SOCIAL MEDIA
Online comments condemned
The Advocate, 29 Feb 2012
The AEU is frustrated with
websites that allow unfair accusations about teachers to be made online...
STUDENT SUPPORT
Autism support on way
Aust Govt media release, 28 Feb 2012
Almost 2000 teachers and parents
will be trained in autism support, Brendan O'Connor, the federal
Minister Assisting for School Education, said today...
HEAVENS ABOVE
See
the Aurora
ABC Hobart website, 28 Feb 2012
The Aurora Australis should be
visible more often from southern Tasmania over the next few years.
You can register to be sent an email when conditions are right for its
appearance: go to IPS Radio and Space
Services, click on Subscribe in the bottom menu bar, then under
Alerts choose "Possibility of Auroral Event" ...
TASMANIAN SKILLS
Some good
skills news
Tas Govt media release, 28 Feb 2012
The latest Tasmanian Skills
Strategy Report Card has been released by the Minister for Education and
Skills, Nick McKim.
Mr McKim's media release also includes a list of the 57 Tasmanians who
have received medals in the Tasmanian Worldskills Competition..
EDUCATION BUDGET
Librarian budget victim
The Advocate, 28 Feb 2012
Burnie High School has lost its
librarian as a result of budget cuts...
SCHOOL CLOSURES, EDUCATION AND THE ECONOMY
Tasmanian schools too small
The Mercury, 27 Feb 2012
Tasmania's average school size is
too low, economist Saul Eslake says in an interview about the role of
education in Tasmania's economic future...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Former small school now shining
SMH, 27 Feb 2012
A school in NSW threatened with
closure ten years ago when it had only 30 students now has 326 students
and is ranked sixth in the state on academic performance...
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Vocab test can improve language
Guardian (UK), 20 Feb 2012
A checklist of 310 words can help
identify children as young as two who will develop language problems,
and allow therapy to help them...
GONSKI REPORT
Gonski new direction correct
SMH, 27 Feb 2012
Gonski's review points
Australia's school funding system in the right direction, ACER chief
executive Geoff Masters says...
STUDENT HEALTH
Condom call
The Mercury, 26 Feb 2012
High schools should install
condom vending machines to help reduce the rates of teenage pregnancies
and sexually transmitted infections, the Family Planning Association of
Tasmania says...
MY SCHOOL WEBSITE
My School updated
Aust govt media release, 24 Feb 2012
The My School website now allows
parents to follow student performance over time...
STUDENT HEALTH
Nits discrimination
news.com.au, 24 Feb 2012
Sending children home when they
have head lice amounts to discrimination, a Victorian parent says.
(State and federal guidelines appear not to require students to be sent
home.)...
-
Tas DoE head lice guidelines
TEACHER SCHOLARSHIPS
Sue Napier
scholarship winners
Tas Govt media release, 24 Feb 2012
The two 2012 Sue Napier
Scholarships in Education were presented today...
TASMANIAN CHILD AND FAMILY CENTRES
Ravenswood
centre opened
Tas Govt media release, 24 Feb 2012
A Child and Family Centre was
opened in Ravenswood by the Minister for Children, Michelle O'Byrne,
today...
STUDENT SAFETY
$10,000 cost for Rene's parents
The Advocate, 24 Feb 2012
On top of losing their son as a
result of drowning on a school excursion, Rene Levi's parents have to
pay a legal bill of $10,000 following the inquest...
STUDENT HEALTH
Canteens promoting healthy food
The Mercury 24 Feb 2012
Margate Primary School has one of
13 Tasmanian school canteens given gold accreditation by the Tasmanian
School Canteen Association for their promotion of healthy food and
healthy eating habits..
GONSKI REPORT
Private school disadvantaged expansion now possible
National Times (opinion), 24 Feb 2012
The Gonski review has allowed an
atmosphere of goodwill to develop over school funding, writes Helen
Proctor - who also notes that private schools now have the opportunity
to cater for the most disadvantaged students...
CARER SUPPORT
More support
for grandparents
Tas Govt media release, 23 Feb 2012
A new support program run by
UnitingCare to assist grandparents and other relatives raising children
was announced by Minister for Children Michelle O'Byrne today...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Numbers vary in NW schools
The Advocate, 23 Feb 2012
This year's enrolments in
north-west schools on last year's closure hit list are up in some, down
in others...
GONSKI REPORT
No means testing, says Garrett
SMH, 22 Feb 2012
Private school parents will not
be means tested under the Gonski report's implementation, federal
schools minister Peter Garrett says...
TEACHING PROFESSION
Simply valuing teachers will yield results
Canberra Times (opinion), 22 Feb 2012
Treating teachers like
professionals and valuing their contribution will bring about
improvement in our schools, writes Ned Manning...
GONSKI REPORT
Feds refuse to commit to Gonski
Canberra Times, 22 Feb 2012
Further consultation and further
information gathering, as well as the Federal government's reiterated
commitment to return the budget to surplus, appear likely to prevent
speedy implementation of the Gonski report's recommendations...
GONSKI REPORT
More private schools possible in disadvantaged areas now
SMH, 22 Feb 2012
The charter school concept of
private schools using public funding to operate in disadvantaged areas
is made feasible by the Gonski report's recommendations...
FOUR-TERM YEAR
Custody issues from four terms
The Advocate, 22 Feb 2012
The change to four terms from
2013 is likely to have custody implications for parents who share access
to children during school holidays...
POST YEAR 10
Fewer courses
Michael Ferguson website, 21 Feb 2012
There will be fewer Polytechnic
industry courses as a result of the Commonwealth taking over VET,
opposition education spokesman Michael Ferguson says...
GONSKI REPORT
Fee rise pressure for private schools, says Pyne
Federal Liberal Party website, 21 Feb 2012
The Gonski report's
recommendation for school funding to take account of parental income
will place pressure on school fees, federal opposition education
spokesman Christopher Pyne says...
GONSKI REPORT
Brown calls for funding timeline
Australian Greens website, 21 Feb 2012
A timeline for implementing the
new Gonski schools funding formula needs to be set out, Australian
Greens leader Bob Brown says...
GONSKI REPORT
Tasmania to benefit from Gonski
The Mercury, 21 Feb 2012
With a relatively high proportion
of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, Tasmania is set to gain from
the Gonski Report's recommendations that focus on addressing
disadvantage...
GONSKI REPORT
Independent schools wondering
The West Australian, 21 Feb 2012
Independent schools are finding
it hard to tell whether they will be better off or will have to raise
fees following the Gonski Report's recommendations, a WA independent
school principal says...
GONSKI REPORT
Catholic schools may benefit
SMH, 21 Feb 2012
Catholic schools in disadvantaged
areas may well benefit from the Gonski recommendations, but some
Catholic schools might
have to consider varying fees according to where parents live...
GONSKI REPORT
Ferguson welcomes Gonski Report but with reservations
Michael Ferguson website, 20 Feb 2012
State Opposition education
spokesman Michael Ferguson welcomes the Gonski Report but is concerned
about using NAPLAN data in determining funding and says abandoning the
existing socio-economic status model must not disadvantage any student...
GONSKI REPORT
McKim
welcomes Gonski Report
Tas Govt media release, 20 Feb 2012
Education minister Nick McKim has
welcomed today's release of the Gonski Report...
GONSKI REPORT
Here is the Gonski Report
Aust Govt media release, 20 Feb 2012
The Gonski review aims to ensure
that Australian students "do not fall behind the rest of the world" and
to "stop the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students growing
wider"...
-
Your School:
Our Future (Gonski Report) website
-
Download the final Gonski Report [3.85MB]
GONSKI REPORT
Gonski Report released
ABC News, 20 Feb 2012
The Gonski review on school
funding takes special account of low socioeconomic background of
students...
GONSKI REPORT
Gonski Report today
The Mercury, 20 Feb 2012
The Gonski Report on school
funding is expected to be released by the Prime Minister
at 12.45pm today...
BIG HISTORY PROJECT
Gates backs new total history course
SMH, 20 Feb 2012
Bill Gates is promoting a new
free web-based world history course that links insights from the various
disciplines and is now available for schools to use...
-
Big History Project
website
STUDENT HEALTH
Weight concerns for a quarter of students
The Mercury, 20 Feb 2012
Students with lower socioeconomic
backgrounds are more likely to be overweight or obese...
EDUCATION BUDGET
Ed Dept meeting budget targets
The Examiner, 18 Feb 2012
Budget papers in last Wednesday's
mid-year financial reports show the Department of Education is likely to
meet its budget savings requirements...
POST YEAR 10
Agricultural college news to Minister
ABC News, 18 Feb 2012
Education Minister Nick McKim
says he was not consulted about a new agricultural trade college for
Smithton announced by the Federal Minister for Regional Development,
Simon Crean ...
-
Media release by Simon Crean, 10 Feb 2012
EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Asian students perform better
SMH, 17 Feb 2012
Australian students perform up to
three years behind students in Asian countries...
NAPLAN
NAPLAN standards questioned
SMH, 17 Feb 2012
Students assessed as performing
at two years below their year level are nevertheless considered to be
meeting benchmarks, a Senate committee has been told ...
TASMANIAN TEACHERS
Kings Meadows High teacher remembered
The Examiner, 16 Feb 2012
The life of Kings Meadows teacher
Aaron King will be celebrated at a memorial service tomorrow...
COMPUTERS IN SCHOOLS
School computers target exceeded
Aust Govt media release, 16 Feb 2012
Australian schools now have more
than 911,000 computers, exceeding the national target of 786,000,
federal schools minister Peter Garrett said today...
NEVER IN TASMANIA
Cards made for teacher's boyfriend
NYDailyNews, 15 Feb 2012
A New York Grade 5 teacher was
put on desk duty after she had her students make Christmas cards for her
imprisoned boyfriend...
SCHOOL STATISTICS
63,500
students expected
Tas Govt media release, 15 Feb 2012
A total of 37,200 primary school
students, 17,400 secondary students and 8,900 senior secondary students
are expected to be at government schools this week, the Minister for
Education and Skills, Nick McKim, said...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Edith Creek numbers down 25%
The Advocate, 15 Feb 2012
Edith Creek Primary's enrolments
are down 25 per cent following its inclusion on last year's closure hit
list, opposition education spokesman Michael Ferguson says...
STUDENT HEALTH AND SAFETY
Lack of sports injury data hides problem
SMH, 14 Feb 2012
A lack of proper collection of
school sports injury data is holding back efforts to improve safety for
students, at least in NSW...
TEACHER APPRAISAL
Fear for teacher reward scheme
SMH, 14 Feb 2012
ACER's Dr Lawrence Ingvarson
believes there is insufficient time to develop and test teaching
standards before the federal government's program of bonus payments to
top teachers commences in 2014...
NEVER IN TASMANIA
Queensland crackdown on classroom egg hatching
Courier Mail, 13 Feb 2012
Queensland teachers must now
complete a 15-page application before they can allow their students to
watch chickens hatching from eggs in an incubator...
SCHOOL AUTONOMY
Staffing fear for small schools
The Mercury, 13 Feb 2012
Small Tasmanian schools could
have difficulty obtaining good teachers if a federal government school
autonomy program scheduled for next year goes ahead, Tasmanian
Principals Association president David Raw says...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Fear over loss of the small school option
The Examiner, 12 Feb 2012
If small schools are removed,
students who thrive only in small schools will no longer have that
option, a Moriarity Primary School parent points out...
SCHOOL AUTONOMY
Principals can sack inept staff
ABC News, 11 Feb 2012
Queensland and NSW are the first
states to take up a federal government school autonomy package that
includes principals having the freedom to hire and sack staff...
STUDENT HEALTH
Lunch box
safety advice issued
Tas Govt media release, 10 Feb 2012
Food in student lunch boxes
should be kept cool, the State Manager of Environmental Health in the
the Department of Health and Human Services, Stuart Heggie, said...
EDUCATION FUNDING
Gonski report looms
The Age, 10 Feb 2012
Australia's Gonski report, which will address
federal government school funding issues, is due to be released on
Monday, 20 February 2012...
EDUCATION SYSTEM
Avoid competitive school market, says OECD report
SMH, 10 Feb 2012
Selective schools take students
who are easier to teach, causing a negative impact on students with a
low socio-economic background, an Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development report says...
NEVER IN TASMANIA
Mexican film reflects poorly on teachers
Associated Press, 9 Feb 2012
Makers of a film on Mexico's poor
education system had students film their own schools, and argued that
teachers should turn up to all their lessons and no longer pass their posts on to
relatives...
TEACHING PROFESSION
Schools for
top teacher trainees named
Tas Govt media release, 9 Feb 2012
Eight schools will receive elite
future teachers under the Partnerships in Teaching Excellence program,
Department of Education Secretary Colin Pettit said today...
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
Institute to handle teacher learning
The Mercury, 8 Feb 2012
Professional learning for
teachers will be channelled through the Tasmanian Professional Learning
Institute which is to be operated from next year...
TEACHING PROFESSION
Teacher pleads guilty in student sex case
The Mercury, 8 Feb 2012
A former Ogilvie High School
teacher has admitted to maintaining a sexual relationship with a student...
SCHOOL RULES
Hair salon considers school restrictions
The Mercury, 8 Feb 2012
A Hobart hairdresser says he has
modified some hairstyles to take account of criticism by parents and
schools...
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
Tasmanian Professional Learning Institute to support teachers
The Examiner, 8 Feb 2012
Education minister Nick McKim
will set up a Tasmanian Professional Learning Institute to improve
teacher standards...
SCHOOL CLOSURES, PROFESSIONAL
STANDARDS
Teacher ability determines success, not school size
The Advocate, 8 Feb 2012
A former teacher says it is not
school size but teacher ability that counts...
TEACHING PROFESSION
Teachers need certainty
Michael Ferguson website, 7 Feb 2012
What teachers need most is
certainty and investment in schools, Opposition education spokesman
Michael Ferguson said in response to education minister Nick McKim's
announcement of his vision for education...
VET PROVIDERS REVIEW
VET review
group meets
Tas Govt media release, 7 Feb 2012
The VET reference group to assist
in the review of the role and function of VET providers had its first
meeting today, consultant Virginia Simmons said...
-
DoE VET review web page
-
VET review terms of reference
EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION
Quality the
key, McKim says in vision
Tas Govt media release, 7 Feb 2012
High quality leaders and teachers
were essential for a high quality education system, Minister for
Education and Skills Nick McKim said in outlining his vision for
education at a symposium today...
SCHOOL RULES
Students sent home over hair styles
The Mercury, 7 Feb 2012
Secondary students at Glenorchy's
Dominic College have been suspended on their first day of term for
having dyed hair and rat's tails...
SCHOOL FUNDING
Means test support
The Mercury, 7 Feb 2012
The bulk of Tasmanian survey
respondents believe a means test should apply to private school funding...
STUDENT SUPPORT, GONSKI REPORT
Disabled students receive incredibly more in Tasmania
SMH, 7 Feb 2012
Disabled students in Tasmania
received $41,817 each in targeted funding in 2009-10 while South
Australian students received only $4,808, according to an estimate by
the Australian Council for Educational Research...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
McKim should close schools ASAP
The Mercury (Opinion), 6 Feb 2012
Columnist Greg Barns writes that
Minister for Education and Skills Nick McKim should get on with closing
schools without further ado...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Closures threaten rural labour force
The Advocate, 6 Feb 2012
Possible school closures will
increase skill shortages in rural areas where young families require a
local school, Opposition spokesman for primary industries Jeremy
Rockliff says...
SCHOOL FUNDING SUPPORT
Tax laws hinder donations to government schools
The Age, 6 Feb 2012
Federal tax laws are hindering a
wealthy former government school student who wants to donate $6.8
million to his old Melbourne school ...
SCHOOL COSTS FOR PARENTS
Warning over school-cost loans
The Mercury, 4 Feb 2012
Parents are being warned about
taking out high-interest loans to pay for back-to-school costs...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Goodwood parents ready to fight
The Mercury, 4 Feb 2012
Goodwood Primary School parents
are ready to fight any attempt to close their school...
POST YEAR 10
Libs would restore one TAFE
Michael Ferguson website, 3 Feb 2012
A Liberal government would have a
single modern day TAFE and not sack teachers, Opposition education
spokesman Michael Ferguson says...
VET PROVIDERS
Dates for VET
consultations announced
Tas Govt media release, 3 Feb 2012
Consultations around Tasmania on
the role and function of public VET providers commence on Monday 6 March...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
New solar panels on closure schools
The Advocate, 3 Feb 2012
Nineteen of the schools that
could face closure have recently been fitted with solar panels costing
about $1 million...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Closure group was split over recommendations
Michael Ferguson website, 2 Feb 2012
Opposition education spokesman
Michael Ferguson says there was uncertainty and conflict over the School
Viability Reference Group's recommendations...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Business and unions split over school closures
The Mercury, 2 Feb 2012
AEU president Terry Polglase
wants the school viability report's recommendations implemented in full
but within up to two years, while TCCI chief executive Robert Wallace
wants action this year...
STUDENT SAFETY, MOBILE PHONES
Call for mobile phone lessons by parents
The Mercury 2 Feb 2012
Research indicates that parents
need to educate their children about mobile phone dangers, Telstra says ...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Five Northern schools to fight
The Advocate, 2 Feb 2012
Five Northern primary schools
appear to be at risk of closure...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Ten NW, W schools could close
The Advocate, 2 Feb 2012
Ten schools in Tasmania's
North-West and West are now under the spotlight for closure...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
August confirmation, says Ferguson
Michael Ferguson website, 1 Feb 2012
Schools will have only a few
months to argue their case for not being closed, Opposition education
spokesman Michael Ferguson says...
STUDENT SAFETY
Speeding in
school zones to be targeted
Tas Govt media release, 1 Feb 2012
Police warn they will be actively
targeting 40 km/h school zones when school returns and in the weeks and
months ahead...
STUDENT SUPPORT
Social
workers vital
Tas Govt media release, 1 Feb 2012
School social workers play an
integral role in schools, Minister for Education and Skills Nick McKim
said today...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
AEU accepting closures
ABC News, 1 Feb 2012
Australian Education Union
president Terry Polglase says the Government needs to save money and
some schools will need to close...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
40 schools under spotlight
The Mercury, 1 Feb 2012
About 40 Tasmanian schools might
have to be considered under the closure criteria of the School Viability
Reference Group's report...
EDUCATION FUNDING
Inequality an outcome of private school funding
The Mercury, 1 Feb 2012
A report by University of
Melbourne professor Richard Teese concludes that government funding of
private schools has increased inequality in education...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Focus on five Northern schools
The Examiner, 1 Feb 2012
Avoca, Bracknell, Meander, Mole
Creek and Ringarooma are the Northern primary schools whose 2011
enrolments place them in the school viability report's 100-pupil
starting point for closure consideration...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
School closures appear inevitable
The Advocate, 1 Feb 2012
Key outcomes of the school
viability report are potential closures in 2014, school boundaries being
overhauled and increased bus fares for students who bypass their closest
school...
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