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The Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (AISSA) and the South Australian Secondary Principals’ Association (SASPA) will co-host the Paradigm Shifters Learning Symposium to showcase the work of International expert Yong Zhao and the progress of South Australian Schools in embedding his approaches into their work. The symposium will be held on July 29 at the National Wine Centre. A school visitation program has been planned for July 30 and 31. The total cost per participant is $350 inclusive of school visits.
Ten AISSA schools and ten SASPA schools are working with Professor Yong Zhao to explore the evolving possibilities and challenges in creating schools which will build future thinkers and innovators. The guiding principles of the work have been Professor Zhao’s principles of student autonomy, product-oriented learning and the global campus which, he believes, are foundational to a world class education.
This work has led to a better understanding of what conditions help the development of entrepreneurial young people, a personalised education and increased student participation as valuable contributors and decision makers.
More information and registration details are available on the Paradigm Shifters Learning Symposium‘s dedicated website.
Please read the latest AISSA Bulletin:
The AISSA Chief Executive, Mrs Carolyn Grantskalns, has congratulated all students whose hard work and effort have led to them completing the South Australian Certificate for Education. Mrs Grantskalns also congratulated all students who completed their International Baccalaureate studies this year. She said: “Finishing schooling is an important milestone in the lives of young people and I wish each one of them well in whatever the future holds for them”.
The State Government has released the review of the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), which outlines 16 recommendations for improving the certificate.
The independent review, led by highly regarded principal Ms Wendy Johnson, was informed by extensive consultation and received numerous submissions, including over 1500 survey responses.
Key recommendations include removing the compulsory 10 credit Research Project from Stage 2 and replacing it with a redesigned 10 credit Research Project at Stage 1 of the SACE, with options for a specialised research project for students wishing to focus on vocational, service and entrepreneurial pathways.
An optional 20 credit Research Project would also be available in Stage 2 as a stand-alone subject.
An implication of this recommendation would result in many students undertaking five Stage 2 subjects in order to receive an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) for university entrance, in line with other states and territories.
Other notable recommendations include developing industry-led framework subjects in the curriculum such as cyber security or healthy aging, and improvements relating to the recognition of Vocational Education and Training (VET).
Education Minister John Gardner welcomed the review and said the SACE Board were now working through the recommendations.
Please refer to the full media release, which includes a link to download the the full SACE Review..
The AISSA is appalled that the ABC would release such a misleading and inaccurate portrayal of school funding ‘Counting the Cost of the Education Revolution’. The article is clearly intended to suggest that non-government schools are being funded at the cost of government schools which is patently false given that the Commonwealth Government is the majority government funder of non-government schools while State Governments are the majority government funder of government schools. The story fails to take into account the key characteristics, including students with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and other critical factors such as school size that influence the levels of government funding a school receives. The failure to publicly identify the non-government schools suggests a deliberate attempt to find anomalies that support their case. Australians have a right to expect better from the national broadcaster.
Media Contact: Carolyn Grantskalns 08 8179 1400
The Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (AISSA) welcomes the Australian Government’s decision to extend for a further twelve months the interim school funding arrangements for non-government schools.
Speaking after the announcement by the Prime Minister and the Minister for Education AISSA Chief Executive, Mrs Carolyn Grantskalns, noted that this decision provides SA Independent schools with certainty for 2019. “Schools are well into their budgeting and planning processes and it is critical that they are able to do so with confidence.”
Mrs Grantskalns further welcomed the Government’s acknowledgement that significant work is needed to resolve some fundamental issues before the recommendations of the Review of SES Methodology can be implemented and its commitment to phase in the new model to minimise the impact on schools negatively affected by changes. “This decision will enable Independent schools and their communities to have confidence that the new arrangements will be valid, fair and equitable and that schools will be provided with the opportunity to plan. I look forward to working with the Government to progress this critical work”.
The AISSA expresses its appreciation to the Minister for Education, the Hon Dan Tehan, and his predecessor, the Hon Simon Birmingham, for their willingness to work with the Independent school sector and their commitment to sector blind funding.