News for Tasmanian Teachers

Archive for November 2020

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EARLY CHILDHOOD
Concept designs completed
Tas Govt media release, 30 Nov 2020
Concept designs for the new Child and Family Centres at the Sorell and East Tamar schools are now ready, education minister Jeremy Rockliff says.

LITERACY
Phonics check now statewide
Tas Govt media release, 26 Nov 2020
The Year One Phonics Check will be made available online to all Tasmanian government primary and district schools.

TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
$4.9m over three years for early learners
Tas Govt media release, 24 Nov 2020
A boost in funding for government school students in the early years will be provided from next year, education minister Jeremy Rockliff says.

TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
New Town High and Ogilvie to be co-ed from 2022
Tas Govt media release, 24 Nov 2020
Ogilvie High School and New Town High School, Tasmania's only government single-sex schools, will be co-educational from 2022, education minister Jeremy Rockliff announced at an Estimates hearing this morning.

TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
Cosgrove shifts to Claremont College site
Cosgrove High School Facebook, 23 Nov 2020
Cosgrove High School students will resume face-to-face lessons on Thursday this week, but at the Claremont College site and for at least the next two weeks.
Details are provided in a letter sent to parents  [pdf] today.
Letter to parents [pdf], Cosgrove High School, 23 Nov 2020

TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
Teens held over Cosgrove High fire
The Mercury, 23 Nov 2020
A girl aged 17 years and a boy aged 15 have been charged with arson following the fire at Cosgrove High School.
School closure to continue:
Cosgrove High School will be closed to students on Tuesday and Wednesday. Plans for Thursday onwards will be announced later today (CHS Facebook page, 23 Nov 2020)

TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
Cosgrove High closed to students on Monday
The Mercury, 22 Nov 2020
Students have been told not to attend Cosgrove High School on Monday, to allow investigations and safety operations to continue following a fire on Saturday night.
See also Cosgrove High School Facebook page: "To ensure safety of students and staff, Cosgrove High School will be closed tomorrow - Monday 23/11/20"

COROAVIRUS
Only one new case in SA
ABC News, 22 Nov 2020
South Australia has recorded one new case of coronavirus, an overseas traveller already in quarantine.
Twenty-one staff and contacts related to the Woodville pizza shop have been placed into quarantine.

CORONAVIRUS
SA pizza worker lied
ABC News, 20 Nov 2020
SA's strict lockdown will be lifted to allow family groups to exercise and from midnight Saturday night for a range of business and community activities to recommence.
FALSE BASIS FOR DECISION: It has been revealed that a person now known to be a second pizza shop worker had lied in claiming he had been a customer. That false information suggested the risk of spread was greater and helped form the trigger that sent the state into lockdown.
CASES UPDATE: Three new cases have been identified in the last 24 hours, both of them in quarantine. The number of cases linked to the Parafield cluster is now 25.

BUDGET RESPONSE
Greens Budget alternative
TasGreens website, 19 Nov 2020
The Tasmanian Greens' Alternative Budget features a guaranteed quality for Tasmanian schools, tutoring for students below national standards and extra teachers and support staff, Greens leader Cassy O'Connnor says.
Greens Alternative Budget 2020-21

CORONAVIRUS
Zero new COVID cases in SA
ABC News, 19 Nov 2020
No new coronaviruys cases were reported in South Australia today.

CORONAVIRUS
Six-day lockdown for SA as virus reproduction rate accelerates
ABC News, 18 Nov 2020
South Australians are to undergo a strict six-day anti-coronavirus  lockdown followed by a less strict eight days. The Adelaide cluster has risen to only 22 cases but the virus now appears to be breeding new generations more rapidly than previously.
UPDATE: There are reports of panic-buying at Adelaide supermarkets.

CORONAVIRUS
Statewide restrictions imposed in SA
ABC News, 16 Nov 2020
A number of facility closures, activity bans, mask requirements and attendance restrictions have been imposed across South Australia in response to  the emergence of a cluster of 17 COVID-19 cases.
Adelaide hit by cluster of 17 COVID cases
Advice for South Australians in Tasmania, Tas Govt media release, 16 Nov 2020
Tasmanian response to Adelaide cluster, Peter Gutwein, Premier, 16 Nov 2020
UPDATE Tue 17 Nov 2020: The number of cases has risen to 20.

WEATHER ALERT UPDATE
Thunderstorms die
BoM website, 12.15pm, 16 Nov 2020

A second weather band causing lightning strikes will likely die out before reaching south-east Tasmania. You can still monitor its progress (ensure the "Lightning" box is ticked).
BoM warnings
Power outages
Road closures (Police)
SES
The Mercury website

CORONAVIRUS
Monday: 17 days with no new cases
ABC News, 16 Nov 2020
Victoria has recorded no new coronavirus cases and no new deaths for the nineteenth day in a row.

BUDGET RESPONSE
Making TasTAFE great again
TasLabor website, 15 Nov 2020
An expansion of the teaching workforce and the provision of free TAFE courses in critical areas are among changes Labor would make to TAFE in Tasmania, Opposition leader Rebecca White says.
Free TAFE: More jobs for Tasmanians, TasLabor website
Rebuilding TAFE, Michelle O'Byrne, Labor Shadow Minister for TAFE and Skills, 17 Nov 2020

TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
School tender action
Tas Govt media release, 13 Nov 2020
Tenders have just been issued for architects to produce concept plans for the new Brighton High School and the new primary school at Legana.
Tenders will be issued shortly for redevelopment at the JRLF School Farm and Cosgrove High School.
Brighton and Legana completion dates later than originally promised, Josh Willie, Opposition education spokesperson, 13 Jul 2020

STATE BUDGET
Premier delivers Budget
ABC News, 12 Nov 2020
Premier Peter Gutwein has brought down the State Budget for 2020-21.
Details:
Budget website (Tas Govt)
Full Budget papers

Education spending summary
Investment in Tasmania's future through education
Education Infrastructure spending
Trauma support
Skills and training
TasTAFE spending

CORONAVIRUS
Tuesday: eleventh day of no new cases
ABC News, 10 Nov 2020
Victoria has recorded no new coronavirus cases and no new deaths for the eleventh day in a row.
Figures for the last fourteen days are:

*Amended

EDUCATIONAL ETHICS
Student learning vs student wellbeing
The Conversation, 9 Nov 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has forced many teachers and principals to face a number of ethical dilemmas, an educational ethicist says.

US ELECTION
First woman VP
ABC News, 8 Nov 2020
Senator Kamala Harris will be the USA's first woman to fill the role of Vice President, and the first woman of colour to reach the White House.

US ELECTION
Biden wins
BBC News, 8 Nov 2020
Joe Biden has secured enough electoral college votes to become the next president, US networks say.

US ELECTION
Biden presidency looms
ABC News, 7 Nov 2020
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is continuing to edge closer and closer to ousting Donald Trump as president.

TASMANIAN TEACHERS
Top STEM teachers recognised
Tas Govt media release, 6 Nov 2020
Tasmania's primary school and secondary school STEM teachers of the year have received Tasmanian STEM Awards of Excellence.

TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
Snug gym opened
Tas Govt media release, 5 Nov 2020
Snug Primary School's new gym and presentation hall was opened today by education minister Jeremy Rockliff.

THE ECONOMY
Interest rate cut
ABC News, 3 Nov 2020
The Reserve Bank of Australia has cut the cash rate from 0.25 per cent to a record low of 0.1 per cent. It expects to keep it at that level for at least three years.
The RBA has also announced it is engaging in quantitative easing, or "money printing", to boost the economy, as well as pulling other levers to increase availability of finance and promote employment.