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 SCHOOL MERGERS
Wesley Vale and Moriarty to merge
The Advocate, 30 Nov 2012
Parents
have voted to merge Wesley Vale Primary and Moriarty Primary from
the beginning of 2013...
 SCHOOL CLOSURES
Concern among Ouse Primary parents
The Mercury, 30 Nov 2012
A majority of Ouse Primary parents have voted to close the school
but a minority say some of the majority were going to send their
children to other schools next year anyway...
TEACHING PROFESSION
Rabbit killer jailed
Herlad Sun, 29 Nov 2012
An Italian teacher has been jailed for killing two rabbits with a
hammer in front of his anatomy class...
STUDENT SUPPORT
Poor support for children with disabilities
Michael Ferguson website, 29 Nov 2012
Parents of children with disabilities say the level of support is
insufficient, and there are difficulties in finding out what support
is available for such children and how many there are in the school
system, Opposition education spokesman Michael Ferguson says...
STUDENT SUPPORT
No Tas special needs review
Tas Govt media release, 29 Nov 2012
It would not make sense for the state government to conduct a review
into the funding model for students with disabilities at this time,
education minister Nick McKim said today...
ABC News,
30 Nov 2012
STUDENT SUPPORT
Special needs funds up
Tas Govt media release, 29 Nov 2012
Students with special needs will receive $1.6 million more in 2013,
education minister Nick McKim said today...
STUDENT HEALTH AND SAFETY
School bans Christmas lolly giving
news.com.au, 29 Nov 2012
 A
Darwin primary school has banned its students from giving each other
lollies for Christmas.
Other bans in Australian schools, some of
which have been overturned, involve:
- hugging
- cartwheels
- handstands
- somersaults
- gymnastics
- high-fiving
- contact sports
- running around during recess
STUDENT SAFETY
Safe Schools competition announced
Aust Govt media release, 21 Nov 2012
A competition to publicise what Australia's schools are doing to
fight bullying and discrimination has been launched by the Federal
Minister for School Education, Peter Garrett...
Safe Schools are Smart Schools Competition
[pdf]
STUDENT HEALTH
Poppy warning
The Mercury, 28 Nov 2012
Police have warned people to be aware of the dangerous effects of
poppies following the death of a Tasmanian 17-year-old from drinking
poppy tea...
The Mercury,
29 Nov 2012
 MY SCHOOL WEBSITE
Fed Libs would remove individual schools data
The Age, 27 Nov 2012
Individual
NAPLAN school results would be removed from the My School website,
federal Opposition education spokesman Christopher Pyne said in
response to a survey that had revealed the negative side effects of
NAPLAN testing...
TASMANIAN TEACHERS
Inspiring teacher loves Flinders Island
The Examiner, 27 Nov 2012
Tasmania's finalist for Young Australian of the Year, Holly
Barnewall, nearly missed out on an opportunity to return to Flinders
Island to teach...
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
Fun with cows
The Advocate, 27 Nov 2012
Yolla District High School is the winner of a dairying educational
program, Cows Create Careers, run in the North-West in
association with Dairy Tasmania...
TasTAFE
New TasTAFE CEO announced
Tas Govt media release, 27 Nov 2012
The new CEO of TasTAFE will be Stephen Conway from South Australia,
the Minister for Education and Skills, Nick McKim, said today...
The Examiner, 27 Nov 2012
TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
Eastern Shore ovals get kickalong
Tas Govt media release, 27 Nov 2012
A partnership agreement with the Clarence City Council will extend
the use of the Clarence High and Geilston Bay High school ovals...
TASMANIAN TEACHERS
Hardie
winner named
Tas Govt media release, 26 Nov 2012
The Department of Education's online learning guru, Janine Bowes,
has won the Hardie Fellowship to study in the USA...
TASMANIAN TEACHERS
Inspirational teachers
NEiTA website, 26 Nov 2012
Two Tasmanian teachers have been recognised as inspirational
teachers through the National Excellence in Teaching Awards:
-
Jeff Thomas, from Dominic College, Glenorchy, and
- Tim van
Winden, from Youngtown Primary School...
STUDENT HEALTH
Vaccination booster
Tas Govt media release, 26 Nov 2012
A changeover will commence next year to standardise Year 7 as the
time to immunise students and to introduce the Gardasil vaccination
for boys...
The Mercury,
27 Nov 2012
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
Attendance falling
The Mercury, 26 Nov 2012
Concerns are being expressed over the high level of absenteeism
among Tasmanian students...
NAPLAN
Vomiting among NAPLAN side effects
The Age, 26 Nov 2012
 NAPLAN
testing pressures are prompting teachers to run very early practice
tests and children to vomit from the stress, according to a
University of Melbourne study ...
FINANCIAL LITERACY
Financial education opportunity for teachers
Herald Sun, 24 Nov 2012
The key to implementing a successful financial literacy program in
Australia's schools is to first give a large number of interested
teachers the skills and confidence they need to be in charge of
their own financial lives, writes "Barefoot Investor" Scott Pape...
Taslearn comment:
This article also appeared in Tasmania' s Mercury. Scott
Pape is right on the ball in realising there is a powerful classroom
potential when existing teachers are motivated by newly acquired
life-changing knowledge and skills. Scott has been involved in the
federal government's ASIC Smart Teaching Strategy. Teachers who are
interested in learning financial skills as part of the "Teacher
Tribe" are encouraged to email Scott Pape
(scott@barefootinvestor.com).
Barefoot Investor
website
MoneySmart Teaching
website
LESSON ACTIVITIES
Counselling offered over serial killer task
SMH, 23 Nov 2012
 Year
9 students at a Victorian school were given an assignment that
included designing a serial killer's house and planning their first
murder ...
SCHOOL MERGERS
Many might merge
The Mercury, 22 Nov 2012
 Schools
considering merger or closure are:
- Ouse Primary
- Mole Creek
Primary
- Penguin Primary, Penguin High
- Mayfield Primary,
Rocherlea Primary, Brooks High
- Wesley Vale Primary, Moriarty
Primary
- Mole Creek Primary, Meander Primary
- Geilston Bay
High, Lindisfarne North Primary
- Maydena Primary, Westerway
Primary
- Geeveston District High...
ASIAN CENTURY
Asian Century White Paper discussed
Aust Govt media release, 22 Nov 2012
 Federal
Schools Education Minister Peter Garrett took part in a roundtable
discussion on Asia literacy today...
Australian Government's
Asian Century
website
STUDENT HEALTH
No more health checks
The Examiner, 21 Nov 2012
Health checks for prep-aged students have stopped...
COMPUTERS IN SCHOOLS
Laptops uncertainty for Tas parents, schools
The Examiner, 21 Nov 2012
The apparent ending of the federal government's laptops in schools
program and introduction of the Bring Your Own Device program in
some Tasmanian schools from 2013 is raising a number of issues for
Tasmanian parents and schools...
PEACE TREATIES
A deal to end the Tasmanian forest
battle appears to have been agreed upon.
ABC News report,
21 Nov 2012
ABC News Update:
Deal signed
(by all except one group at this stage), 22 Nov 2012
INDUSTRIAL ACTION
 Comments threat upsets parents
The Age, 21 Nov 2012
A
threat by Victorian teachers to exclude written comments from
end-of-year student reports appears to be backfiring by alienating
parents who had previously supported their campaign for higher wages...
SCHOOL MERGERS
Launceston schools may merge
The Examiner, 21 Nov 2012
Brooks High School, Rocherlea Primary and Mayfield Primary are
discussing possible amalgamation...
Update,
21 Nov 2012
TASMANIAN ECONOMY, TRAINING
ABC management hits up to 16 Tasmanian staff
ABC News, 20 Nov 2012
 The
ABC's Sydney-based management is closing the ABC's Hobart television
production unit on the grounds that it will be more efficient to
have such operations in larger cities...
The Examiner, 20 Nov 2012
The Mercury, 20 Nov 2012
COMPUTERS IN SCHOOLS
Laptop uncertainty
SMH, 20 Nov 2012
Schools may face the dilemma of whether to encourage students to
bring their own computer devices to school if laptop funding is not
renewed...
TCE
TCE exams over soon
The Mercury, 20 Nov 2012
The Tasmanian Certificate examinations finish on Friday...
SCHOOL MERGERS
North-West schools may merge
The Mercury, 20 Nov 2012
Wesley Vale Primary and Moriarty Primary are considering a merger or
co-location...
EDUCATION EXPENDITURE
Massive value from school improvement
Aust Govt media release, 19 Nov 2012
A PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) analysis shows that benefits worth
more than double Australia's current annual output could result from
improving the performance o0f Australia's schools...
Australian Government's
Better Schools
website
TASMANIAN TEACHERS
Adventure teacher is Tas Australian of the Year
Tas Govt media release, 19 Nov 2012
Andrew
Hughes, the Tasmanian Adventure teacher who developed Expedition
Class and Project Skullbone, has been named Tasmania's Australian of
the Year 2013.
Holly Barnewall, a teacher on Flinders Island, is
the 2013 Tasmanian Young Australian of the Year...
NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS
Private school enrolments drop
The Mercury, 19 Nov 2012
Enrolments in some Tasmanian independent schools will fall next
year, possibly causing teacher redundancies...
TEACHING PROFESSION
 Students to assess teachers
SMH, 18 Nov 2012
NSW
students will soon be asked to rate their teachers...
VET, TASMANIAN TEACHERS
 Hellyer teacher top VET teacher/trainer
Tas Govt media release, 17 Nov 2012
Hellyer
College teacher Fiona French was named winner of the National VET
Teacher/Trainer Award in Melbourne last night...
 STUDENT SAFETY AND THE LAW
Risk assessments for drawing and
painting
The Australian, 17 Nov 2012
Drawing
and painting are among activities that could require Queensland
teachers to complete onerous risk assessments...
HUGGING POLICY
 It's hugs all round as commonsense
prevails
Perth Now, 16 Nov 2012
The
Western Australian primary school that had recently suspended a girl
for hugging her classmate has now overturned its no-hugging policy...
SCHOOL MANAGEMENT
Vic schools to make business links
The Age, 16 Nov 2012
Under
a new education policy in Victoria, schools will be under pressure
to build relationships with businesses, principals will review each
other's performance, and curriculum offerings will be broadened...
GONSKI LEGISLATION
Draft Gonski Bill leaked
The Age, 16 Nov 2012
A leaked draft of Gonski reforms legislation lacks enforcement
clauses, but a federal government spokesperson says the legislation
will be legally enforceable once more details are added...
EARLY LEARNING CENTRES
Campbell Town early learning centre
opened
Tas Govt media release, 16 Nov 2012
The new Campbell Town Early Learning and Care Centre has been opened
by local member Michael Polley...
CHURCH SCHOOLS
Conflict for Minister over
faith-based schools
Michael Ferguson website, 15 Nov 2012
Education
minister Nick McKim cannot maintain an ideological opposition to
faith-based schools yet still be the Minister for Education,
Opposition education spokesman Michael Ferguson says...
AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM
Victoria to have own "Essential
Learnings" and National Curriculum
The Age, 15 Nov 2012
Victoria
will reduce its "Victorian Essential Learning Standards" from 18 to
12 domains of learning to give schools more curriculum freedom, in a
move described by education minister Martin Dixon as "breaking away
from the national curriculum model"...
EDUCATION FUNDING
Funding details loom
The Age, 15 Nov 2012
The federal government is expected to introduce legislation for
major changes in school funding in two weeks...
SCHOOL MERGERS
Merger deadline looms
The Mercury, 15 Nov 2012
The Round One school merger deadline for Tasmanian government
schools is tomorrow...
DISCRIMINATION AND CHURCH SCHOOLS
Church
schools miss out on exemption
ABC News, 15 Nov 2012
Parliament has defeated the proposed legislation that would have
given church schools an exemption allowing them to discriminate in
favour of religious students where there was a waiting list...
The Mercury,
15 Nov 2012
Legislation should not have been restricted to full classes,
Michael Ferguson website, 14 Nov 2012
Eclipse of the Sun
14 Nov 2012
-
When and where to view (ABC)
-
Guide to the eclipse (ABC)
STUDENT HEALTH & FITNESS
Childhood jumping protects
knees later
ABC News, 14 Nov 2012
Childhood impact activities such as jumping help prevent
osteoarthritis later in life, a study by Tasmania's Menzies
Institute has found...
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM
Five artists in colleges named
Tas Govt media release, 14 Nov 2012
Five artists who have been selected for the 2013 Artist in Residence
program were announced by the Minister for the Arts, Lara Giddings,
today...
NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOL FUNDING
Greens oppose church school funding,
say Libs
Michael Ferguson website, 13 Nov 2012
A comment in Parliament by Greens minister Cassy O'Connor means the
Greens oppose government funding of non-government schools,
Opposition education spokesman Michael Ferguson says...
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Friday deadline for closure interest
The Examiner, 13 Nov 2012
Schools considering amalgamation or closure have until this Friday
to lodge an expression of interest in round 1 of the funding that is
available...
DISCRIMINATION AND CHURCH SCHOOLS
Education
Minister not supporting church schools exemption
Tas Govt media relese, 13 Nov 2012
The Minister for Education and Skills, Nick McKim, said today he
will not be supporting the planned Anti-Discrimination Act
amendments that create a partial exemption for non-Government
schools. [He is presumably referring to the enrolment of non-faith
students.]...
The Examiner,
13 Nov 2012
The Mercury, 14 Nov 2012
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Geeveston loss due to anti-forestry
policies
Michael Ferguson website, 12 Nov 2012
The closure of the high school at Geeveston was effectively the
result of the Labor-Green Government's anti-forestry policies,
Opposition education spokesman Michael Ferguson said today ...
SCHOOL CONVERSIONS
Geeveston DH to become Geeveston
Primary
Tas Govt media release, 12 Nov 2012
Following community discussions Geeveston District High School will
become a K-6 primary school from 2013, the Minister for Education
and Skills, Nick McKim, said today...
The Mercury,
13 Nov 2012
YEARS 11 AND 12
TCE exams tomorrow
Tas Govt media release, 11 Nov 2012
About 7100 Years 11 and 12 students will commence Tasmanian
Certificate of Education exams tomorrow and will receive emailed
results on 12 December, the Minister for Education and Skills, Nick
McKim, said today...
TASMANIAN TEACHERS
Tasmanian educators recognised
Tas Govt media release, 9 Nov 2012
The inaugural RBF 2012 Department of Education Awards were presented
by the Minister for Education and Skills, Nick McKim, today to the
following category winners:
Ingrid Fielding
Kerry Whelan
Jane Bovill
Larissa Brenner
David Stansall
Loren Costello
Bronwen Bowman
The Tasmanian Polytechnic and Bonorong Wildlife
Sanctuary
Deborah Thorp
David Briggs and Paul Daniels
Jill
Glover
Holly Barnewall
The Business Support Service
Gini
Ennals
Brian Gilligan
Megan Baird and Rachel Chivas
Caitlin
Sutton
See the media release for categories and more information ...
TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
Jordan River opened
Tas Govt media release, 9 Nov 2012
The Middle and Senior School campuses of the Jordan River Learning
Federation were officially opened today at a function attended by
premier Lara Giddings, education minister Nick McKim and Dick Adams
MHA representing federal minister for school education Peter Garrett ...
THE ENVIRONMENT AND EDUCATION
 Mt Nelson sustainability centre opened
Tas Govt media release, 8 Nov 2012
The
new Sustainability Learning Centre at Mt Nelson will be a world
class educational facility, the Minister for Education and Skills
Nick McKim, said today...
GAMBLING
Problem gambling videos for schools launched
Tas Govt media release, 7 Nov 2012
New videos called Gambling and Young People,
available with
support material on the Internet, have been launched by the
Tasmanian government.
TasLearn comment:
Very sensibly, the website enables the videos to be viewed
with subtitles, catering for classroom computers where sound has
been disabled.
...
-
Know Your Odds
website
The Mercury, 7 Nov 2012
YEARS 11 AND 12
Curriculum support teacher positions announced
Tas Govt media release, 7 Nov 2012
Eight curriculum teacher positions for Years 11-12 will be
advertised soon, the Minister for Education and Skills, Nick McKim,
said today...
Opposition spokesman Michael
Ferguson's statement, 7
Nov 2012
 SOCIAL MEDIA
Assistant principal's Facebook photos shock
Herald Sun, 5 Nov 2012
A
New Zealand assistant principal was horrified to find that her
Facebook privacy settings had allowed public access to revealing
private photographs...
ASSESSMENT OF TEACHERS
Teacher rating systems make good teachers look bad
Los Angeles Times (Opinion), 5 Nov 2012
The value-added models for rating teachers based on the performance
of their students is incredibly faulty...
HISTORY COMPETITION
History Challenge student winners announced
Tas Govt media release, 5 Nov 2012
Tasmania's winners in the Australian National History Challenge were
announced today by the premier, Lara Giddings. The students come
from the following schools:
- Princes Street Primary (4 winners)
- Friends' (2 winners)
- Taroona High
...
STUDENT SUPPORT
Arrowsmith brain program backed
The Examiner, 4 Nov 2012
The Arrowsmith program to effectively rewire the brain of students
with a receptive language disorder may be controversial but it
works, a mother and educator says...
ASIAN CENTURY
Asian language fluency needs parental backing
The Examiner, 4 Nov 2012
 For
students to become bilingual there must be support from parents,
Tasmanian Principals Association president David Raw says...
TasLearn comment:
The prime minister's Asian Century goals would be achieved far
quicker and far more cost-effectively if the proposed massive Asian
language program for all students is reduced in extent, with the
government considerably raising the migration intake from her four
specified Asian countries to include existing young bilingual
families and young newly weds who promise to bring their children up
to be bilingual in return for government financial and educational
support.
EXTENDING HIGH SCHOOL TO YEAR 12
Year 12 push supported by TasCOSS
The Examiner, 4 Nov 2012
Tasmanian Council of Social Services chief executive Tony Reidy says
the push to extend high schools to Year 12 should be supported...
 BUS SAFETY
Bus
safety DVD launched
The Examiner, 3 Nov 2012
A Tasmanian DVD on bus safety for children, inspired by Meander
Valley councillor Pat Frost, was launched at Hagley Farm Primary
School yesterday. ...
STUDENT BEHAVIOUR
Behaviour boost on way
Tas Govt media release, 2 Nov 2012
The Supporting Better Behaviour Resource Package
is being developed by the DoE to help teachers manage student
behaviour...
The Mercury,
3 Nov 2012
HUGGING POLICY
Girl caught hugging
news.com.au, 1 Nov 2012
A 12-year-old Western Australian primary school student was
suspended after she gave her friend a quick hug on school grounds
after school...
SCHOOL LEAVING AGE
A lot of problems from raised leaving age
SMH, 1 Nov 2012
Raising the NSW school leaving age to 17 years has led to more
disengaged and disruptive students, has increased absenteeism and
suspensions and has raised the risk of an increased strain on other students
and of wasting of teachers' time, the Auditor-General has found...
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