AEU Journal Vol 45 No. 03

Official publication of the Australian Education Union (SA Branch)

Vol 45 I No.3

May 2013

AEUJOURNAL SA

“

Leave on Time & Leave it Behind

”

Inside: u Academy

Schools: Profiting from public education u TAFE:

Funding cuts put regional TAFEs under threat

u Naplan:

There’s something fishy going on

AEU members in preschools are campaigning on workload during Term 2

Features President’s View

“

AEU Union Journal Training

”

Leave on Time & Leave it Behind

Academy Schools Prospectus page 6 Making money from public schools

Inside: u Academy

Schools: Profiting from public education u TAFE:

Funding cuts put regional TAFEs under threat

u Naplan:

There’s something fishy going on

AEU members in preschools are campaigning on workload during Term 2

“Leave on Time & Leave it Behind”

TAFE Focus

pages 12 – 13 Preschool members will campaign on working hours in weeks 8 – 10

pages 10 – 11 Regional TAFEs under threat

Letters to the Editor

*Winner of top letter!

Dear Editor, The Advertiser (1/5/13) informs readers that Prince Alfred College has opened a new $15 million facility which, “...includes an aquatic centre, squash courts, a sports science centre, a gymnasium catering for basketball, tennis and cricket, and a Hall of Fame.”

We are also informed that former Adelaide United coach John Kosmina has been appointed as director of soccer coaching at Christian Brothers College.

Earlier this year we learned that cashed up private schools such as PAC and St Peters College are paying generous sal-

Best letter in each issue of the AEU Journal will receive two tickets to either Palace Nova Cinemas or the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

Email to:

journal@aeusa.asn.au

aries to full-time football coaches and offering prestigious scholarships based on football talent.

Elite private schools such as these regularly receive huge donations from generous benefactors and ex-scholars and also own huge property and share portfolios generating lucrative revenue streams, such as PAC’s stake in Coopers Brewery, worth $18.2 million back in 2005 (The Advertiser, 29/9/05).

If such privileged initiatives were being entirely funded by their own independent (i.e. private) means, then noone could legitimately complain, but the trouble is that these exclusive private schools all receive millions in federal government funding every year.

Far, far more, in fact, on a per student basis, than the run down public schools in disadvantaged areas whose parents will never be able to afford the so-called “choice” that some claim is created by throwing obscene amounts of money at the nation’s most elite and exclusive schools.

Australian Education Union | SA Branch 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 Telephone: 8272 1399 Facsimile: 8373 1254 Email: journal@aeusa.asn.au Editor: Craig Greer AEU Journal is published seven times annually by the South Australian Branch of the Australian Education Union.

Deadline Dates Publication Dates #4 June 7 June 26 #5 July 26 August 14 #6 August 30 September 18 #7 October 18 November 6 Subscriptions: Free for AEU members. Nonmembers may subscribe for $33 per year.

Print Post approved PP 531629/0025 ISSN 1440-2971 Cover Photo: Craig Greer Printing: Lane Print Advertise in the AEU Journal. Reach over 13,500 members across South Australia.

8272 1399 journal@aeusa.asn.au

these points in mind that I ask whether or not full-time football coaches, squash courts and sports science centres for private institutions of immense wealth really constitutes appropriate allocation of scarce government education funding (i.e. public money)?

The proposed Gonski reforms are a massive step in the right direction, allocating resources more according to need rather than throwing truck loads of money at schools which, by any fair and reasonable analysis, are opulent in comparison to cash-strapped public n schools.

Guy Barnwell Teacher, Adelaide High School

AEU Journal is carbon neutral If you currently receive a hard copy of the Journal and would prefer to read the Journal online, please let us know by emailing: journal@aeusa.asn.au

The AEU Journal is online at: www.aeusa.asn.au/journals.html

Nor could these public schools ever even dream of the kind of spending initiatives outlined above and it is with 3

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Wednesday 12 June 4.30 - 6.00pm Australian Education Union 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 Open to AEU student members graduating in 2013 To register for the

MEET THE PRINCIPALS FORUM 3 You must be a student member to register 3 If you are not a member you will need to join To register or for further information go to:

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8: aeusa.asn.au>events&courses To join the AEU, download the application form at:

8: www.aeusa.asn.au/join.html AN INVITATION TO RETIRED OR RETIRING TEACHERS & SSOs

l campaign at: Support the nationa

Have you retired or are about to retire? Are you seeking opportunities to maintain or increase your level of fitness and want to learn more about your city and surrounding hills and bushland? Are you seeking companionship with other retired teachers and their partners as well as other walkers from a range of backgrounds (not just teaching!)?

Walks are organised at several levels. Rovers walk from 14–18 kms, Walkers from 8–10 kms, Ramblers from 6–7 kms and Amblers up to 5 kms. The R.T.A. Walking Group is a sub-group of the Retired Teachers Association and is affiliated with The Walking Federation of SA. We walk in conservation parks, national parks and forestry reserves within the Mount Lofty Ranges and Fleurieu Peninsula, suburban beaches and along the six creeks of the Adelaide Plains, the River Torrens Linear Park and other suburban trails. It’s a great way to get to know your city and surroundings! A camp is also organised each year in country areas within South Australia or Victoria.

If you are interested in finding out more about our walking group, you are invited to contact: our Secretary, Roger Tagg email: rogertag@internode.on.net or our Convener: Tony Nichol T: 8396 1682 4

President’s View

It’s time to say yes to Gonski AEU SA President Correna Haythorpe says the State Government must act now on school funding reform.

How much is it worth to South Australia? $600 million over six years. The greater proportion of this will go to public schools because they educate the vast majority of disadvantaged students.

What else is in the funding package?

O

n Sunday April 14, the federal government released details of their new School Funding Plan and a $14.5 billion increase in funding for schools. In the following week, there was a media frenzy as questions were asked about details of the plan and whether state and territory governments would sign up at the April 19 COAG meeting.

To date, only NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell has made the commitment to implement school funding reform by signing up to Gonski. This means we must intensify our campaigning to get Premier Weatherill to sign up before the Prime Minister’s June 30 deadline.

Given the high level of interest in the Gonski review, AEU members have been asking lots of questions.

How does the new school funding plan work?

There will be a new Student Resource Standard (SRS). For 2014, the SRS base allocation will be $9,271 per primary student and $12,193 per secondary student. Needs-based loadings will be added to the base funding to reflect the additional costs of educating Indigenous students, students with disabilities, students from low SES backgrounds, students with limited English proficiency, and according to the size and location of schools. The federal government will maintain existing school education spending and has committed to 4.7% indexation each year.

For more information on the detail of the funding model go to:

www.betterschools.gov.au

SA has to commit to provide one-third share of the $600 million, agree to stop education cuts/freezes, and ensure there is 3% growth in school funding every year.

Will any schools be worse off?

Some schools are already at or sit above the SRS, these schools will not be worse off as the federal government has said that “no school will lose a dollar.” Further, funding for these schools will be indexed at 3% per year.

What is the transition process?

The school funding reform will be brought in over six years.

What happens if we don’t sign up to Gonski?

If the current funding arrangements are maintained, in 2014 there will be a cut of $390 million in Commonwealth funding for public schools. This equates to over 3,000 teaching positions and the cuts will escalate to $5.4 billion by 2017.

Further, we will lose SA’s share of new Gonski funding from the federal government.

Why hasn’t Premier Weatherill signed up yet?

The Premier has stated his public support for Gonski but also said that SA is still in negotiations with the federal government.

Mr Weatherill is on record as saying, “We will be protecting SA’s interests in those negotiations.”

What does the federal opposition say?

On Q&A, Opposition Education Spokesperson, Christopher Pyne publicly pledged that if elected to government this year, the Coalition would keep the

current system in place. Opposition leader Tony Abbott has said the current funding system is not broken and there is no fundamental problem with the way schools are funded.

What does the Gonski report say? That there is an urgent need for change to ensure that every child has the same chance to receive a high quality education. The review found that Australia is investing far too little in schools and the way that the money is distributed is not efficient, effective or fair. The system is failing too many students who are missing out on the resources they need.

What next?

The I Give a Gonski campaign continues.

Currently, delegations of AEU members, parents and principals are visiting every State ALP Member to seek their support for Gonski. You can help out by lobbying the Premier with an email, facebook post, twitter comment or by calling his office.

Uni Cuts, Dumb cuts!

The AEU stands in solidarity with our colleagues in the university sector as they campaign to stop cuts to university funding. When the federal government announced the School Funding Plan, it had a sting in the tail for universities with cuts of $2.3 billion flagged to partially resource the increase to school funding.

The AEU believes that the provision of high quality public education for students at all levels must be the highest priority for both federal and state governments. We do not support these cuts nor believe that some of the funding of Gonski should come from the university sector. We urge all AEU members to support the NTEU “Uni Cuts, Dumb Cuts” campaign online at:

www.dumbcuts.org.au

And finally, if you have not “given a Gonski” yet, please go to the web link (below) and sign up today. We need your support to achieve this once in a generation change to school funding. n

8: www.igiveagonski.com.au 5

Academy Schools be necessary. Of course, you will “consult” i.e. have meetings where you say what will happen, allow community members to air concerns, then ignore their voice.

7. While taking charge of the school’s governance, get your company involved in curriculum development, provision, assessment and reporting – all profitable businesses when government approved and promoted. Later, sell this package to the government or community and then use selected positive statistics to validate its advantages.

Make big dollars from public schools

8. Change the school’s name to something posh and as soon as possible, discard any difficult “clients” who may give the new business … er … school, a bad name.

AEU Organiser Jill Cavanough provides a step-by-step Academy Schools Prospectus for major investors

9. Most importantly, get government support to cut “red tape”. Start pocketing the difference between the school’s income from taxpayers and parents and what it costs you to run it by employing staff on any wage, on any conditions, with any workload and with any level of training that you choose. Ensure that the Principal’s job security depends on meeting (your) key performance indicators.

W

10. Act outraged if any mention of profit or of unethical behaviour arises.

Bring in your celebrity mates to talk up your caring credentials and success in business, which will obviously translate to knowing how to run a school.

hy should governments retain control of public schools when water, power, transport and other community services are now lucrative businesses in the for-profit sector?

There is no logical reason why public schools can’t be privatised for profit. It will take time, and there may be opposition, but shareholders’ efforts will be rewarded by long-term profits.

Simply follow these easy steps:

1. Find a public school system where some schools are seen as “underperforming”, especially where people keenly compare their schools with others.

2. Identify and pocket numerous prominent academics whose research “demonstrates the benefits” of creating “private” public schools.

3. Brief government and media about “the only way” to improve student outcomes being via increased “local control”.

4. Get government to:

• Convince well-meaning school leaders that your approach offers hope, by 6

removing schools from the clutches of – and lack of support from – their centralised system.

• Use the terms “choice”, “autonomy”, “independence” and so on to make it appear that they will have more local say in improving students’ performance.

• Offer financial carrots to rope in volunteer “academy style” schools in “trials” that you can take over later.

5. Choose one or more independent

public schools and convince key community figures that changing their governance and structure, as opposed to providing the necessary support to teachers, students and families, is the only way to improve teaching and learning outcomes. Tell them about the “successful results” of schools with new structures in “competing economies/ regions”.

6. From the outset shut down all avenues for community or staff to resist your agenda. This may involve sacking governing councils, staff, or even politicians, who ask questions or show dissent.

Some minor legal adjustments may

11. Offer some “scholarships” to establish your social justice credentials (think of the potential tax deduction!)

12. Sit back and enjoy the spoils of your entrepreneurial genius while forking out a portion of your tax return to send your kids to an elite private (government supported) school.

13. Bored? Need cash to expand other businesses? Offer the “Insert Name Here” Academy for sale on the open market. You can expect significant interest, including from international investors. Overseas tenders may now be accepted, and low-wage workers imported on 457 visas.

14. If desired, move on to next state/ system/country and repeat.

Reference: Turning public good into private profit for Dummies, J. Cavanough, 2013.

n

NAPLAN

There’s something fishy about NAPLAN A social media outcry recently forced the withdrawal of a television commercial linking a children’s fish-extract supplement to success in the NAPLAN tests writes Trevor Cobbold.

T

elevision advertisements for Nature’s Way Kids Smart Omega-3 Fish Oil supplements finished with a reminder to parents that “NAPLAN testing starts May 14”. The Sydney Morning Herald also reported that a Kids Smart ad placed on a website also included the slogan “Key ingredients for NAPLAN results and a healthy future”.

The commercial was met with a howl of protest on twitter and facebook. The Daily Telegraph reported that education and health experts called the ads “unethical” and “opportunistic” and parents called it a “ploy that advertises to people’s fears”. The ad was quickly withdrawn.

The incident reveals just how important NAPLAN tests have become in schools.

A whole industry is being built around the tests that plays on parent fears and aspirations and the pressure on schools to improve their results.

The influence of My School Schools practice tests for much of the first semester of school, some even start at the end of the year prior to NAPLAN, and parents are encouraged to practice for NAPLAN at home with their children.

NAPLAN practice booklets are amongst the biggest selling education texts – you can even buy them in the local supermarket. Demand is so great that some publishers cannot keep up.

Many parents are having their children tutored after school for NAPLAN. Just Google “NAPLAN tutors” and you get 80,000 results. Privately-run NAPLAN workshops, including for Year 3 children, were widespread this year during first term holidays. Some schools and teachers refer children to private tutoring centres.

None of this was happening before My School. Standardised tests have

been in place in some states for over 20 years and nationally-based tests have operated since 1999. They were treated as a low stakes exercise in schools that provided an additional source of information to parents and schools.

High stakes NAPLAN is now “high-stakes”. It is high stakes because school NAPLAN results are published on the My School website and are used to publish partial or full league tables of school results in newspapers. School reputations now depend on NAPLAN results. They also put the reputations and careers of principals and teachers on the line.

Money now hinges on NAPLAN results as well. Federal Government reward payments have been provided to state/territory governments for improving their NAPLAN results. Federal bonuses are to be paid to schools and teachers for improving NAPLAN results.

The Victorian and Queensland Governments want to introduce performance pay for teachers based in part on NAPLAN results. Overseas, such practices have led to widespread corruption and rorting of results.

More harm than good?

Substantial harm is being done as a result of this “high stakes” role of NAPLAN. Parents are being conned into paying out hundreds, even thousands, of dollars to get their children tutored for NAPLAN just so schools can say they are above the national average or better than the school down the road.

Many young children in Australia are experiencing high levels of stress as a result of the prominence given to NAPLAN in schools. A University of Melbourne survey year found significant numbers of parents raising concerns about the impact of the tests on their

children’s wellbeing.

Nearly 70% of teachers said that they had heard from individual parents about stressed children, particularly amongst primary-aged children. Over 40% of teachers reported having had concerns raised by parents regarding their child’s ability to sleep as a consequence of the tests. Thirty-six per cent reported parents had raised problems of students feeling sick before the test, with almost one quarter reporting that multiple families had identified this issue.

Curriculum narrowed A survey of teachers in South Australia and Western Australia by researchers at Murdoch University also found that NAPLAN has led to a narrowing of the curriculum, teaching to the test, and a negative classroom environment that lowers student engagement and does not cater for the needs of individual students. In this survey, 77% of teachers reported that preparation for the NAPLAN tests are taking time away from other curriculum areas. Fifty per cent of teachers said that they felt forced to give dull, repetitive lessons because of NAPLAN. So, there is something “fishy” about NAPLAN and My School. They were promoted as the way to better student results, but the gains may be artificial and at the expense of a balanced education and lifestyle for young children.

Last year, the consumer group Choice awarded its Shonky award to another Nature’s Way Kids Smart product – its Natural Medicine range for children. Perhaps this year’s Shonky award should go to NAPLAN and My School! n Abridged version of Trevor Cobbold’s original article, which is available at

www.saveourschools.com.au 7

Running SA2SA Campaign Head

1 above: The ten visiting educators 7 Some of the SA2SA campaign team members with the Minister. From left: Graham Byass, Sybil Wakefield, AEU President Correna Haythorpe, Minister for Education Jennifer Rankine, Suzanne Donovan and Alla Hoffman.

SA2SA - fly them here!

The campaign to fly ten South African public school educators to South Australia.

On April 9, the AEU launched an online fundraising campaign to support a tour to South Australia of ten public school educators from disadvantaged communities in Western Cape Province, South Africa. The tour is being supported by DECD International Education Services, who will place the visitors in a range of different school settings as part of a three-week professional development program.

Consisting of teachers, leaders and a regional manager, the South African delegation will arrive in Adelaide on June 14 and return to Cape Town on July 7 and hope to develop an understanding of public education provision in South Australia, particularly in relation to issues like: • Disabilities • Inclusion • Early Child Development and Care (inc. OSHC) • Individual Education plans for learners • Digital technologies

• Vocational education • Assessment and reporting • Managing change/environment impacts • Preparing students as global citizens • Behaviour management/changing nature of students/diverse backgrounds The challenges these educators face in their communities are palpable. Take Deputy Principal Tsepo Majake’s Iqhayiya High School, for example. One of every 25 learners lives in an informal settlement and 15% are in a child-headed household due to work migration or death of parents. A ‘no-fee’ school, approximately 75% of students at Iqhayiya High School have parents who are unemployed. The school offers sciences but has one science laboratory for learners from grade 8–12, no library and no school hall. Meetings and assemblies are held in the open. The same story of high unemployment, along with low literacy and poor living standards is repeated across the province.

A former teacher, South African ex-pat Sybil Wakefield was instrumental in getting the South African’s tour together.

She says the support of AEU members, particularly in raising money for the airfares has been tremendous help.

“We are delighted at the response to the AEU’s online campaign to raise funds for the tour. The contributions from union members, the community and the Education Minister Jennifer Rankine have allowed us to book the flights from Cape Town to Adelaide,” said Sybil.

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to Minister Rankine and all those who have thus far donated to this worthwhile cause,” she added.

Over $5,000 was raised by AEU members and supporters within a couple of weeks of the campaign being launched and, unexpectedly, the target was reached soon after when Minister for Education Jennifer Rankine pledged $10,000 to assist in meeting the costs of the tour.

AEU President Correna Haythorpe says the AEU’s support for the campaign is a demonstration of the importance the union places on social justice, not just locally, but internationally.

“The AEU has always had a strong focus on social justice, particularly when it comes to public education and opportunities for educators to access high quality professional development.

Our support for this tour is one example of how we can do our bit to positively effect outcomes for both educators and children in disadvantaged communities overseas,” she said.

While the cost of the airfares has been met by donations received thus far, there are costs that need to be covered during the delegation’s stay. n

If you would like to donate to the SA2SA campaign or express interest in billeting a South African delegate, go to: 8

8: www.mycause.com.au/page/sa2saflythemhere

Vice President’s Report

How bright is thy future?

AEU Vice President David Smith writes

I’d like our future to be bright. Who wouldn’t?

We’d all like to be assured that the future of education in our state and nation will ensure a better, more informed life for all our citizens.

Mind you, it’s easy to feel gloomy about the future of public education that is, a genuinely public education, not the pseudo-private variety so fondly espoused and trumpeted by certain politicians here and elsewhere.

Some years ago the AEU in SA published a pamphlet called For the Public Good. The philosophy which informed that is as valid today as it was then. It made the perfectly reasonable claim that a public education system is at the heart of a fair, just, coherent and democratic society. That system itself should not be divided into separate fiefdoms which succeed or fail on their local community’s wealth or otherwise.

It must have the power to balance quite disparate needs and allocate resources appropriately. And it must be run by an unbiased, far-sighted and fair-minded government infrastructure.

Turning schools over to commercial entities, as we see in many parts of England, has shareholders at heart rather than students and communities.

That is morally bad and, from the results available so far, it does not improve educational outcomes.

There is, however, a basis for thinking that the future will be bright. There are good things in place which should guarantee that. In South Australia we have a decent Enterprise Agreement, along with a Personnel Advisory Committee handbook (see page 17), and an agreement with the government to work through several other matters through an exchange of letters. Together, these provide fair working conditions for our members and greater support for all our students. And then there’s Gonski, which for all the political to-ing and

“The brightness may come, but for many of our members the illumination is as yet both dim and partial.”

fro-ing, promises a big funding increase to government schools. It is significant, and positive, that the first state to sign up was NSW, under a conservative government. Best of all, though, we have a workforce of dedicated, talented and committed teachers, leaders and support staff in schools and preschools, doing their best to ensure their students get the best possible start in life. That last point, despite ill informed attacks from others, cannot be disputed.

Yet we are all asked to contemplate an even Brighter Future. Sorry, Futures.

There will, it seems be more than one.

That’s puzzling in itself.

The symbolism here is powerful.

Have you walked or driven past the DECD building on Flinders Street lately? Until recently there were large easy-to-see photos of teachers and students, all under the Teaching is Inspiring banner. While that campaign had its detractors, at least it was colourful, positive, representative and clear. What has replaced that image?

Lots of words and a few arrows – unfortunately, pointing downwards. If you’re attentive, you see the term Brighter Futures, but the qualifying text gets ever smaller so that a passer-by has to be pretty industrious to even read it.

The basic premise of rationalising various educational, child protection, health and families resources makes sense, given that they have all been placed in the same government department. However, beyond what seems to be a major cost saving, it’s not easy to see what the rest of the plan entails.

So many of our members are confused and unsettled by the scheme and as

the days pass, the questions and rumours grow. In the absence of definitive explanation about such matters as the dismantling of the Regions and the fate of their current staff and services, the creation of new classifications such as ‘lead principals’, the formation of federations or clusters of schools, and so on, the chatlines are quite rightly running hot. There may be benefits to the changes, but without the details, it is impossible to espouse them, let alone grasp their potential impact.

I’d really like to be able to support the Brighter Futures proposal, but can’t, at least at this stage. The brightness may come, but for many of our members the illumination is as yet both dim and partial. n

* Upcoming Event

‘13

Wed. 10 July

9.30am – 3.30pm

Overseas Trained Teachers’ Conference

This 1-day conference is designed for AEU members who were initially trained overseas prior to teaching in Australia. It is planned and facilitated by members of the AEU Overseas Trained Teachers’ Network.

Open to: AEU members trained overseas.

For further info or to register:

www.aeusa.asn.au >events&courses

9

TAFE Focus

Regional TAFEs under threat AEU members are concerned that a significant reduction in funding over the next four years will seriously impact on the regions

O

n November 24, 2011 Dr Bob Such, a former Minister in a Liberal state government for Technical and Further Education, moved the following motion in the House of Assembly of the SA Parliament: “That this house calls on the state government to ensure that TAFE is not undermined by the introduction of full contestability for VET funding, nor by the South Australian government’s Skills for All policy.” The motion was carried.

It was an important motion and was the culmination of intensive lobbying by the AEU of state parliamentarians.

The Current Situation Regrettably, the South Australian parliament’s motion has not had the effect of preventing the undermining of TAFE SA. Particularly hard hit are the regional TAFEs.

Regions will Lose Out Course delivery costs are based on metropolitan delivery. There is a very real fear in rural areas that the cost of course delivery in rural and remote regions will lead to reductions in courses and even closure of some rural TAFE shop fronts. Kingston in the South East and Cleve and Wudinna on the West Coast are in the firing line.1 It is reported that

regional TAFE can expect a 25% reduction in funding over the next four years.2 Capping of courses based on large metropolitan numbers is having a direct effect on regional campuses. At the same time, private RTOs are targeting low cost delivery high enrolment courses such as Business Management and Information Technology.

The following table (below) shows the percentage increase or decrease in regional enrolments from Semester 2 2011 to Semester 2 2012. It shows the total, the figures for TAFE SA and private RTOs and the movements in TAFE SA market share.

If these figures are indicative of what might become an annual pattern of competition between TAFE SA and its competitors, then the future sustainability of regional TAFE SA operations must be called into question.

At the very least, the SA government must introduce some regional representation into the new TAFE SA Board.

Chaired by avowed TAFE SA critic and former head of Business SA Peter Vaughan, six of its seven members represent corporate and business interests.

A more balanced Board able to respond to regional concerns might see some of those from the big end of town replaced by representatives of groups

like the SA Farmers Federation, SA Council of Social Services or rural local government.

This must be done before it is too late for regional TAFE services. n Mike Williss | AEU Research Officer Tony Sutherland | AEU TAFE Organiser 1 2

Feedback from AEU TAFE SA members.

Feedback from AEU TAFE SA members.

*

Let’s celebrate our achievements Monday 3 June is National TAFE Day!

This is an opportunity for us to celebrate the successes of TAFE and its contribution to local communities.

We encourage sub-branches to organise an event or activity on your campus.

• Hold a morning tea or BBQ with staff/students • Invite your local state or federal MP or local media to see the work you’re doing • Send the AEU Journal a photo of your sub-branch holding a Stop TAFE cuts poster Alternatively, come up with your own event to celebrate and promote TAFE. Take photos of your event and send them in to us @ the AEU!

Table 1: Compiled from Skills for All: Regional Analysis, 11 December 2012 Region

Adelaide Hills Barossa, Light and Lower North Eyre and Western Far North Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island Limestone Coast Murray and Mallee Yorke and Mid North 10

Total est. increase 72%

TAFE increase/decrease 63%

Private RTOs increase/decrease 140%

TAFE SA market share -4%

31% 14% 9%

27% 16% 4%

217% -2% 79%

-3% 2% -4%

9% 47%

-20% 36%

344% 225%

-4% -8%

49%

34%

125%

-9%

57%

39%

166%

-10%

Running TAFE Focus Head

Protecting working conditions and improving the bottom line The March 2013 issue of the AEU Journal carried a story about recent positive outcomes at English Language Services, TAFE SA. The following article is included to give members more context and background to how working conditions have been protected with productivity gains.

In these days of dollar driven education programs, is it possible to maintain pay and working conditions AND return a profit at the same time? The answer is, sometimes. It’s happened at TAFE English Language Services (ELS) over the last 12 months. How was this achieved?

When the then Managing Director Stephen Conway went looking for ways to make TAFE more profitable, he came up with the idea of pressuring teachers to work longer hours for the same pay.

Teachers were told that 24 hours per

week in the classroom for full-time teachers was to be the target. The “benchmarking hours” exercise was the vehicle for the bid.

But union members at ELS made it clear that they were not in favour of increasing teaching hours under the benchmarking exercise and that we were prepared to look at other ways to improve operations. Local management then developed a series of proposals to change practices and improve the financial position. The measures included changes to relief rostering, more teacher responsibility for data entry and better recording of individual student counselling done outside of the classroom.

Union representatives then negotiated with local management to refine these ideas and then put the proposals to all members at a general meeting. They were strongly endorsed and immediately

implemented.

The outcome has been a classic winwin. Teachers and counsellors have had to modify some work practices, but pay and conditions have been maintained.

The programmes have seen a significant financial improvement – from a projected deficit to a healthy surplus, due in part to the above changes. Teachers have been able to concentrate on delivering quality programmes without cutting corners to squeeze more preparation into less time. Morale at ELS has improved and employees feel more positive about their future employment.

Improving the bottom line by resorting to a cut in the employees’ wages or conditions is often the first reflex action of senior managers. It rarely saves businesses over the longer term and often produces more resentment and worker de-motivation than productivity gains.

The message from ELS is clear: strong union organisation plus an intelligent management approach can lead to a win for all concerned. n

TAFE

Sub-branch Secretary John Wishart of the TAFE SA English Language Services explains

Let’s celebrate our achievements on:

National TAFE Day Monday 3 June

*

See box on page 10 for tips!

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Campaign: Preschools continues to pursue the provision of these resources with Minister for Education & Child Development, Jennifer Rankine.

The Campaign Preschool members are saying they’ve had enough of the endless workload and the way it’s impacting on their lives and their families. In response to this, the AEU Early Childhood Consultative Committee has organised a preschool workload campaign – Leave on Time, Leave it Behind.

Leave on Time & Leave it Behind NQA, QIP, BBB, EYS, NQS, RRR, EYLF, NQF, UA, SFD... OMG! In 2012, the AEU conducted a national survey of Early Childhood members which resulted in almost 700 responses. The results indicate a marked increase in members’ workload since the introduction of Universal Access to 15 hours preschool education and the national quality standards and associated framework.

The key findings of the survey include: • 90% of respondents reported an increase in workload, with 64% of those respondents reporting a significant increase • 82% reported an increase in unpaid overtime required to deal with the work • 80% reported that increased workload is likely to impact on their decision to remain in the sector (40% definitely, 40% possibly)

current complexity of the sector mean that members are feeling both overwhelmed with the work requirements and in many cases less committed to a continuing career in the sector.

Damaging the sector Whenever we raise this with DECD officers, their response is that staff in preschools have set hours of work and therefore they cannot have workload issues. We know from the recent Review of Teachers and Leaders Work and various member surveys that recent changes and new initiatives are creating massive workload and have not been resourced with appropriate amounts of release or admin support time.

• 52% identified teacher release time to be inadequate and 41% identified co-worker/support staff release to be inadequate.

The AEU is also aware that some members have chosen not to reapply for Preschool Director positions at the end of their tenure due to the everincreasing demands. This is of concern not only for members, but for our whole preschool system and communities.

While many of the initiatives under the National Quality Framework can be seen as progress towards meeting some of the AEU’s key policy objectives in early childhood education, limited resources, poor implementation at state level, lack of nationally consistent data and the

The AEU put a proposal to DECD during the enterprise bargaining process requesting an increase to leadership administration time and an allocation of SSO or ECW hours that would provide support in managing growing admin demands. Both were denied. The AEU

12

Preschool members are encouraged to call an AEU meeting at their workplace as soon as possible in preparation for the campaign. At that meeting: • Work out your daily finishing times.

During the campaign, display these in your centre and stick to them with all staff leaving together at the agreed finishing time. Leave on time.

• For staff in school-based preschools, check your face-to-face teaching and NIT times to make sure your entitlements are being met. Look at the admin tasks you are undertaking. Do you need to meet with the leadership team at your school to discuss who is responsible for undertaking these tasks?

• Determine which of the tasks that demand your time are of the highest priority. Which will have a direct effect on your children, fellow members and families? Which will you leave behind?

• Come up with strategies on how you might manage the tasks that don’t get done. Are they important to your preschool? Will you use your allocation of leadership admin days?

Campaign details and support materials will be sent to all preschools soon and a campaign launch will be held at the AEU during Week 7 of Term 2.

Preschool members will be leaving on time and leaving it behind from June 17 to July 5, the last three weeks of Term 2.

Taking this action may be a challenge.

As we know, educators tend to do everything asked of them and just keep taking more on board in the interests of the children and families they work with.

But there comes a time when goodwill is stretched past its limits and it’s okay to say ‘No’. n Jan Murphy, AEU Vice-President Howard Spreadbury, AEU Lead Organiser

Campaign: Preschools

Why preschool members should “Leave on Time” AEU members in preschools say it’s time to “Leave on Time and Leave it Behind.”

The Director Catherine Willoughby-Tuma Stirling East Kindergarten “Nowadays there is a lot more accountability and with it comes a huge amount of paperwork and administration – it’s increased significantly not only for preschool directors but for teachers and early childhood workers as well. The community is more complex and the expectations of parents have increased since I first began teaching.”

“We actually need to look at what’s important and what’s not so important.

For me, the kids and the community come first and everything else follows afterwards. Our priority is making sure that we are meeting the goals in our Quality Improvement Plan, if it’s not relevant to that it’s not a priority.”

“The single intake is also going to make it very hard, especially when it comes to getting reports done at the end of the year, there will be so many more to do and no time to do it. It’s good that we are now having to look at the way we work and improving outcomes but we really need extra resources and staffing to be able to manage. DECD is meant to be a family friendly employer – I’ve just had my first child and it would be nice to know that when I come back to work I’ll have some work/life balance. I sup-

Lauren Griffin Neta Kranz Children’s Centre “Since the changes have taken place in the sector, our workload has definitely increased. Last term we were often at work until 6pm and sometimes going in on weekends. When Universal Access came in the time we used to set aside for planning disappeared.

Barbro Stranz Pennington Kindergarten “I think it’s really important that we support the Leave on Time, Leave it Behind campaign as administrative tasks, data collection and other expectations relating to the changes in the preschool sector are resulting in more work but we are not given any more time. We spend all day with the kids, they are the priority, and this means there is no time left. It is very rare that staff get to leave on time.”

“It’s important that members let the Department know that we have prescribed working hours, I finish at 4.00pm and I do have a life; I want to get home to my family. The Department needs to provide more support and time in the form of extra staffing so we can leave work on time.” n

º

º

The Teacher

The ECW

Campaign Launch: Preschool Workload

º

“We try to get everything done within our designated working hours but we are usually here for a while after. It’s important that we don’t let our work consume our home lives. We all need to give ourselves permission to say ‘I’ve done what I’ve done today and I need to go home .’ I try to do as much as I can and tomorrow the work will still be here, and I’ll deal with that when I come in the following day.” n

The Early Years System has also caused lots of extra work; the old roll book worked perfectly well. There’s a lot of data entry required that wasn’t needed before. If kids want to change sessions, you have to do it all on the computer and it’s just made things a lot harder.

Why mess with a system that has worked for years?”

port the campaign and I hope it leads to change.” n

Leave on Time & Leave it Behind

Monday 17 June 4.30 – 5.30 @ the AEU:163 Greenhill Road, Parkside All AEU preschool members are invited to attend.

Sub-branches in all sectors are encouraged to send a message of solidarity that will be read out at the the launch.

8: jmurphy@aeusa.asn.au

RSVP Jan Murphy

13

Running Head Universal Access

OBITUARY

Universal Access funding secured for 2014

Lynette’s living legacy

At the meeting of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) held on 19 April, agreement was reached between the federal, state and territory governments for new National Partnership Agreements for funding of Universal Access for a further 18 months from 30 June 2013.

The AEU welcomes this ongoing partnership between the federal and South Australian governments, which will ensure that the foundation work on the part of our members for this significant preschool provision continues into the future.

The agreement provides funding until the end of 2014 with a review to be completed by 30 June 2014 to assess its effectiveness on the participation of four-year-olds in a high quality preschool education program.

DECD has committed to continue to consult with the Universal Access to Early Childhood Education Stakeholders Advisory Committee up to and during the time of the review. The AEU is represented on this committee.

Members are to be congratulated on their commitment to the implementation of the initial National Partnership Agreement and we look forward to the continued benefits of 15 hours of high quality preschool education for the children we work with to provide the best early years learning environments.

Change to TRT policy Some preschools are running the Universal Access of 15 hours per week over two long days meaning TRT payment methods need adjusting to enable members to be paid for the total hours worked.

The AEU has been successful in seeking changes to the TRT policy which will ensure that when TRTs work more than the previously scheduled full day of 7.25 hours, they can be paid accordingly. Preschool directors need to confirm with TRTs the hours for which they will be employed at the time of the booking and if a teacher is required to set up or pack up in addition to the actual session time, this is to be included in their employment hours. n 14

Teacher educator and passionate unionist Lynette Virgona’s contribution to the profession lives on in the next generation of teachers. ment Courses for New Educators in the city and country, our Cooperative Learning workshops, and provides presentations and workshops for our city and country New Educators’ Conferences.

Lynette was coaching our team in conferencing skills so they could share their expertise more deeply with their own staff at school and our members.

Her work with us was cut short but there is a living legacy through the teaching lives of all our members who she influenced.

E

arly Friday morning on 8 March 2013 Lynette Virgona died at home after suddenly becoming ill with cancer last summer. Lynette was an active member of the State School Teachers Union of Western Australia (SSTUWA) and AEU SA Branch T&D presenter since 2003. Lynette volunteered her time over a ten-year period to work with us to improve our new educators’ classroom management and instructional strategies (CMIS) skills.

After Lynette presented her first keynote two second career teachers based in Ceduna came up to us and said that they were ready to give up teaching but now (after working with Lynette) they felt they could give it another go! This was not an isolated case as year after year new teachers said that Lynette had turned their teaching experience around.

Each year Lynette presented at our New Educators’ Conference and ran our holiday classroom management course.

Lynette also developed and mentored some of our experienced teachers so they could take our program out to their schools and to the country.

This small team of AEU members now runs our successful Classroom Manage-

The AEU expresses its sympathy for Lynette’s family, the members and leadership of the SSTUWA and Department of Education staff who will feel the loss of her guidance and skills. Lynette will be remembered as an education union treasure. n Lynn Hall, AEU Coordinator Training & Development

‘13

* Upcoming Event

AEU Aboriginal Members’ Conference Monday 3 June 9.15am – 3.30pm

Open to: AEU Aboriginal & Torres Strait islander Members Preceded by a dinner on Sunday 2 June, this 1-day conference explores current educational issues related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members.

For further info or to register:

www.aeusa.asn.au >events&courses

RunningChange Climate Head

Heading-3col

as a voice for young people. In South Australia, the AYCC is working on the Repower Port Augusta campaign to replace Port Augusta’s ageing coal-fired power stations with solar thermal technology. As part of the Repower Port Augusta Alliance, we held a 2000-person rally in September last year to welcome eighty people who walked the 300 kilometres from Port Augusta to Adelaide. The AYCC seeks to engage and inspire young people and build a generation-wide movement to solve the climate crisis. This is where we begin to engage school students.

Our students can change the world

Time to ‘Start the Switch’

Intro

Student teacher Daniel Lynch from the Australian Youth Climate Coalition describes a fantastic opportunity for schools.

N

elson Mandela has proclaimed that “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” In my studies to become a secondary teacher, the literature proves again and again that students need relevance to get the most out of their studies. Linking what they learn at school to the “outside world” increases engagement and learning, and one of the biggest “outside world” issues affecting students is climate change. Climate change will affect those who are in school now, and it is our duty as teachers to educate them about the issue. The Australian Youth Climate Coalition’s new schools program, together with teachers, can harness that “powerful weapon”.

Climate change across the curriculum The new Australian Curriculum has several cross-curricular priorities: engagement with Asia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, and sustainability. Climate change needs to be one of these priorities. The science tells us that the next decade is critical in curbing our emissions and switching to renewable energy. As educators, it is up

to us to ensure our students are engaged and active citizens, and give them the tools to make the change they want, regardless of the issue.

For science teachers the link between climate change and the work done in the classroom is obvious, but many teachers can integrate the climate issue and social change into their classroom activities. The humanities can explore the effects of climate change and the results on human populations; English can use climate change as a focal point for text analysis, and my chosen field, Drama, can explore the implications in a theatrical form. There is not one aspect of our lives that will remain untouched by dangerous climate change.

A voice for young people The Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC) is one of Australia’s largest youth-run organisations. Young people will deal with the consequences of climate change, and the AYCC was formed

AYCC has launched its new national schools program, ‘Start the Switch’.

This program inspires and engages school-aged students and gives them the skills they need to take action on climate change. It all starts at your school, where our trained presenters deliver an exciting and inspiring presentation that covers all parts of the climate issue. From there, interested students can attend a school summit, run by the AYCC in early Term 3, where they can meet fellow students from across Adelaide and learn from experienced young leaders how to take action in their local community. After the summit, students are able to pick from a series of projects that will make their school or local community climate-friendly.

They can also choose to work with AYCC on its campaigns. This program is being rolled out across the country and provides leadership opportunities for students.

If you are an educator concerned about climate change, then the AYCC is able to provide the inspiration and skills that springboard into both deep learning and social change. Together we are able to harness that most powerful weapon and create a future that is healthy, clean and just.

To organise a presentation for your students, email Daniel Lynch at:

daniel.lynch@aycc.org.au

Pre-service teachers concerned about climate change are also encourn age to get in touch.

Find out more about this great opportunity at

8: www.starttheswitch.aycc.org.au 15

SSO: FAQs

SSO Focus

SSO qualification not compulsory, but worth it Lisa Sigalla answers members concerns about the need to get qualified.

SSO: did you know?

The 2012 Enterprise Agreement states that a review of the Recruitment and Selection of SSOs and ECWs will take place this year in consultation with the AEU. The AEU SSO Consultative Committee has set up a sub- group to look into any proposed changes and will consult and advise AEU Executive.

Their role is to make sure that any proposed changes do not have an adverse affect on the industrial rights of our permanent and temporary/casual members. More information will become available once we see a draft policy.

(Source: Clause 6.8 SA School and Preschool Education Staff Enterprise Agreement 2012)

Maternity Leave An employee, other than a casual employee, who has completed 12 months continuous service prior to the birth of the child, or prior to taking custody of an adopted child is entitled to 16 weeks paid maternity leave or paid adoption leave.

An employee who, at the time of commencing such paid maternity or adoption leave, has been employed in the SA public sector for not less than five years (including any periods of approved unpaid leave): a) Will be entitled to 18 weeks paid maternity or adoption leave; and b) If commencing an absence on maternity or adoption leave on or after 30 June 2014, will instead be entitled to 20 weeks.

If you are a contract SSO your circumstances may be different. We advise you to write to Michael Papps, Director, Workforce Management to clarify your situation.

[Source: DECD HR Update No 2 Supplementary Resources of SSO Absences] 16

H

ave you been told that you must have a qualification to maintain your employment as an SSO?

Unless you work in a preschool as an ECW or a Child Parent Centre as an SSO you do not have to hold any formal qualification. However, the new 2012 Enterprise Agreement allows for an additional increment for SSO Level 1 and 2s who hold a relevant qualification, have been on the top step for 12 months and are not subject to performance management.

The additional step equates to a $1,000 increase per annum.

The AEU is concerned that implementation of the new incremental step is taking far too long. The AEU recently sent a fax to all schools encouraging eligible SSOs to fax a letter to DECD calling on them to get cracking on this process. We will keep members updated as to the response.

Some members have asked the question: “Why get a qualification if I don’t have to?”

I recently visited Roseworthy Primary School and met with two SSO members: Lyn Moeller, who has just finished her Certificate IV in Education Support, and Kim St. Clair, who is about to begin her Certificate III in Education Support.

Lyn has worked as an SSO for the last 12 years and never really thought about studying until recently. She felt that the skills and experience she had was worthy of formal recognition. All work was done online and eight of the 12 modules were recognised through RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning). It took Lyn eight months to finish her Cert IV and she was fully supported by the teaching staff and leadership at the school, who needed to sign off modules and watch her interactions. Matt Saunders, Principal at Roseworthy Primary School says it’s important that staff access training and development opportunities.

Email Lisa Sigalla on:

1From left: Lyn Moeller and Kim St. Clair from Roseworthy Primary School “We offer opportunities all the time for SSOs to access training and encourage them to be involved in professional learning; this will enhance not only their skills and knowledge but also benefit the students and teachers they work with.”

Kim says her decision to study was about gaining a better understanding of the work she is doing and how it can support the children she works with.

“I think studying will give me a solid foundation and will assist me in supporting the children to be more successful,” she says.

So, even though you do not have to have a formal qualification to do your job, some SSOs feel that it will give them a greater understanding of their role and why they do what they do. And of course, for Level 1 and 2s there is the financial recognition for their efforts in the form of an additional salary increment.

Negotiations are continuing. We are making positive progress, however, we are still to finalise the qualifications. n Lisa Sigalla, AEU Organiser SSO Focus For more information on the additional incremental step, call the AEU Information Unit on: 8272 1399 or email Lisa (below) 5

)

8: lsigalla@aeusa.asn.au

* Upcoming Event

* Upcoming Ev ent

Stand up for Health and Safety

Student teachers get chance to ‘Meet the Principals’

The second in a series of three FREE conferences

AEU student members who are graduating in 2013 are invited to register for the

Date 21 June 2013 Time 9.00 am – 4.30 pm Venue Education Development Centre – Milner Street, Hindmarsh Supported and funded by SafeWork SA

upcoming ‘Meet the Principals’ forum on June 12.

To register contact SA Unions phone: (08) 8279 2248 email: saunions@saunions.org.au web: www.saunions.org.au/hsrtraining

The AEU’s annual Meet the Principals forum is a great opportunity for student teachers to get tips and advice on how best to place themselves in the job hunting process.

Is your PAC effective?

The 2013 edition of the PAC Handbook is now available for download via the AEU website

T

he new PAC Handbook sets out a number of important aspects of the PAC including the committee’s role, its composition, issues for discussion by the PAC, operation of meetings, staff consultation, resourcing, recruitment and selection and much more.

The importance of schools having a properly functioning Personnel Advisory Committee (PAC) cannot be overstated.

Members are strongly encouraged to access and read the updated document as knowledge of how the PAC should operate is essential in understanding individual and whole staff industrial rights in the workplace.

An effective PAC operates in partnership with the Principal to consult widely with staff and make workplace decisions in a democratic fashion.

Sub-branches are encouraged to work closely with the AEU PAC rep to ensure the PAC is operating as outlined in the Handbook.

When reading the new PAC Handbook members’ attention is drawn to the following topics:

• Early years class size • Provision of information to PACs and staff • Face-to-face teaching time (in particular extended definition) • Non-Instruction Time • Beginning Teachers • Trading of face-to-face teaching • Other Duties • Staff Meetings

• Release time to write Education Plans • Minimum fraction of time for contract teachers • Meal breaks • Release time for AEU sub-branch secretaries.

PAC Training Negotiations are continuing on the development of a new PAC Training Package. More information on PAC training will be provided to members in the near future. n To download the PAC Handbook go to:

Attendees are separated into groups and will have the opportunity to meet and converse with a number of AEU Principal members from the full range of year levels – from junior primary through to secondary.

Student members will gain perspectives about each leader’s experience of the Local Selection process, their background, their school context as well as hearing recollections of principals’ early experiences as beginning teachers in both metro and country locations.

If you are a graduate, this is a great opportunity to get ahead of the pack.

Not an AEU member?

If you’re not already an AEU member and wish to attend this forum, you will need to join the AEU. Go to the

Advertisement on Page 4 of

this Journal for details on how to join the AEU, or for further information and to register for this forum.

If you are a school leader and you would like to support our next generation of educators by being involved in this forum, please contact me via email n below.

If you have any questions about this Forum or about joining the AEU email Daniel Pereira | AEU Organiser on:

8: www.aeusa.asn.au 8: dpereira@aeusa.asn.au

17

Email Tish Champion on

Women’s Focus

8: tchampion@aeusa.asn.au

Having or adopting a child?

Did you know?

Couples who are both employed by DECD can share/split the paid maternity leave entitlement.

Partners are entitled to special leave days when their child is born and under extenuating circumstances can access the full 15 days.

The 18 weeks of Federal Paid Parental Leave can be shared between both parents.

Partners are also entitled to two weeks paid leave under the Federal Government’s Dad and Partner Leave Scheme. This is at the basic minimum wage and requires the partner to be on leave without pay.

Contract teachers with DECD can take their entitlement to paid maternity leave from the day after their contract expires. n

: www.humanservices.gov.au/ 8 customer/services/centrelink/ dad-and-partner-pay

“

*Attention AEU Women Changing the World, One campaign at a time... the woman effect.

”

This year, the annual AEU Federal Women’s Conference will be held in Melbourne on 15 and 16 June.

This conference is a fantastic opportunity to network with other AEU women from all over Australia and to gain relevant and useful knowledge and skills.

AEU women members who live in the electoral seats of Boothby or Hindmarsh are invited to apply to attend this fully-funded conference.

There is an expectation that the women who attend this conference will return to SA and contribute to campaigning activities in the seats of Boothby or Hindmarsh.

Sounds like you? Contact Tish Champion before Friday 31 May (details right) 3 18

Emily Barresi, Black Pearl Photography

Know your rights on paid maternity leave

AEU members can now access consecutive periods of maternity leave to start a family.

U

Until recently, women employed permanently by DECD needed to return to work for at least 12 months to be eligible for a second round of paid maternity leave. In the majority of cases, the women returned to work part-time in order to balance the needs of DECD and their young families.

If a woman returns to work part-time in the year prior to having a second or third child, their next round of paid mater-

nity leave will be paid at a part-time rate.

With improvements to paid maternity leave arising from the 2008 EB, permanently employed women are now entitled to take consecutive periods of paid maternity leave without returning to work. As long as you are permanent and have 12 months of continuous service with the Department you are entitled to access further paid maternity leave without having to work for 12 months continued over page 3

Harmo ny Day

“...maternity leave changes...are a reminder of how powerful a union can be in securing better conditions for its members.”

immediately prior to the leave.

AEU member Tessa Kowaliw (pictured with her young family), tells her story of paid maternity leave.

“I began working as a full-time, permanent teacher in 2004 and took my first round of paid maternity leave in mid-2009. Since that time I have been fortunate to access further paid maternity leave in order to raise a family.”

“I’m really grateful that the AEU successfully negotiated the conditions that allow me to claim paid maternity leave without having to return to work. For teachers like me who are eligible, the ability to claim subsequent paid maternity leave without returning to work is a very family-friendly change. It has meant my husband and I could have children in close succession without the pressure of me having to return to work for at least 12 months.”

“I have been able to stay home and enjoy these formative years with my children, and I have continued to accrue sick leave and other entitlements, which will be an advantage when I return to work with a young family to care for.

From my perspective, these maternity leave changes certainly encourage a sense of loyalty in terms of returning to work with DECD, and they are a reminder of how powerful a union can be in securing better conditions for its members.”

If you are on unpaid leave and are pregnant or thinking about having a child and would like to know more about your entitlements, please contact n Tish Champion (details below).

Tish Champion, AEU Women’s Officer

Tish Champion | AEU Women’s Officer

T: 8272 1399 E: tchampion@aeusa.asn.au

Gawler & District College celebrates Harmony Day

G

iven the incredible cultural diversity in Australia it’s not a wonder that Harmony Day is so widely celebrated in our preschools and schools.

The recent merger of Evanston Preschool, Evanston Primary and Gawler High gave impetus to a special Harmony Day event for students at what is now known as Gawler & District College B-12. Student leadership council member and aspiring teacher Jade Kirby, explains: “We’ve organised banners that will go up around the school featuring every student’s handprint – we really wanted to bring everyone together as a whole school community rather than two schools. Even though the school is new, everyone is getting to know each other and the senior school students often go into the primary area to work with them, so it’s really nice,” she said.

Year 12 student Stephanie Pocock is another leadership council member involved in organisation of the day. She says that harmony between students at school has many benefits.

“Harmony Day is about everyone coming together regardless of how popular you are or what your interests are.

In this school generally, everyone talks to everyone and it makes school so much better; there’s less conflict, we work well together and students can ask questions and ask for help from other students,” she said.

Principal Gerri Walker told the AEU Journal that because the school has students from a wide range of cultures, it’s really important to acknowledge the contribution those students and their families make to the community and to promote respect.

“One of our school values is respect – respect for self, everyone and the environment – so if we think about respect in that way it’s really important that students learn to respect everybody,” she said The merger into one school has created what Gerri described as “opportunities’ rather than “challenges” and she says it’s all coming together really well.

“Both the teaching and non-teaching staff have worked really well to develop a positive culture. The student leaders are sensational. We’ve had a number of

1 (pictured left) Stephanie Pocock and (pictured right) Jade Kirby

whole school assemblies and a sports day and the students talk about how proud they are wearing the uniform in the community. We’re making a lot of changes and the community has been really supportive,” she said.

It might have been Harmony Day when the Journal visited Galwer & District College but the fantastic vibe was genuine – something that good simply can’t be manufactured. n

* Upcoming Event

LGBTI Workshop @ the A

EU

17 July y a d s e n d We – 3.30pm 9.15am

A 1-day professional interactive workshop to support AEU members who are working at making our schools safe for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) students, families and staff.

Open to: AEU members

For further info or to register:

www.aeusa.asn.au >events&courses

19

WHS

What’s the point of a Health & Safety Rep? WHS Focus Organiser Jill Cavanough says HSRs must be active

T

here’s probably no point at all in having a Health and Safety Rep (HSR) if they are just a person with a title who doesn’t take the role seriously.

But if they are active in the role, HSRs play a key part in minimising damage to the health, safety and wellbeing of their work colleagues.

Workers often have a “gut” feeling that something isn’t right. But they may not think of the problem as a work health and safety issue when more often than not it is.

By spending time at HSR training with newly elected reps, I have learned that they: • Have a strong desire to help their workmates • Consistently identify similar hazards across DECD sites, most of which are not physical hazards (see below) • Are surprised that HSRs have such strong (and generally underused) legal powers • Are confused or completely in the dark about the best way to report and investigate incidents or hazards • Do not confidently know where to get help, information or support on WHS issues • Are concerned that performing their role might put them off-side with site leadership 20

• Are sometimes expected to take on management functions i.e. to fix issues (with or without time allocation) rather than representing workers • Do not know what to do if issues they have raised remain unresolved • Have not thought to involve AEU, DECD Health and Safety or SafeWork SA • Do not realise how much they can help their site manager to resolve WHS issues, especially when they are complex or “stuck”.

After training, this all becomes much clearer. The HSR can now see that other sites have similar issues and they are now well equipped to undertake their representative role. However, often colleagues may remain unclear about “what the point of their HSR” is.

So it is not only essential that HSRs are trained, and then explain to their workgroup what their role is, but also that those they represent raise health and safety issues with them.

The HSR trainers that know DECD best are at SA Unions. New HSRs are entitled to five days training. Reps trained before this year need to do a one day transition update due to the new WHS Act. They can also do second and third year training. While the worksite pays up front, DECD has to reimburse all costs, including TRT and SSO hours.

Effective HSRs are responsive, but the best are also proactive. This can include encouraging site leaders to identify and respond to hazards by, for example, surveying staff, prioritising, and then raising the most serious issues first. Sometimes this is undertaken as an AEU sub-branch activity, and sometimes by the HSR for the whole staff. A template survey is available from AEU on request.

Identifying hazards could be seen as “looking for problems” i.e. potential criticism of site management, but that is far from true. Why? Because despite having a responsibility to consider potential health and safety risks to their staff, site leaders are usually much less well-trained in how to do this than HSRs (a significant failing by their employer).

Just as importantly, many of the hazards arise not from the site alone, but from the overall actions, policies, attitudes, communications and systems of DECD as a whole and need to be resolved in this context.

So what are the issues HSRs consistently report?

• Heavy workloads, lack of breaks and lack of application of existing controls e.g. through the enterprise agreement via the PAC • Communication and consultation gaps, locally and across DECD • Conflict, disharmony, trauma, feeling unsupported, “bullying” • Precarious employment • Inadequate induction • Teachers and SSOs working outside their area of expertise or beyond their “duty” • Increased reporting/compliance requirements • Student violence, challenging behaviours, vexatious community members • Special education students’ and families’ complexities • Physical hazards – asbestos, asbestos removal, chemical disposal, ventilation, infectious diseases, noise • Stress around teaching and learning being undermined by extraneous factors • Lack of relevant T and D The bottom line is that a school can’t be safe for students if it isn’t safe for staff. The HSR has a role in representing staff, but the safety outcomes benefit everyone, including students. n

8: www.saunions.org.au

For details on Health and Safety training go to:

AEU Training and Development Program 2013

U n i o n E ducat i o n C o urses | T e r m 2 Application Writing for DECD Leadership Positions (Country) Wed 29 May | 2.00pm-4.00pm (Upper SE) Thurs 30 May | 9.30am-11.30am (Mt Gambier)

Thurs 13 June | 2.00pm-4.00pm (Yorke Peninsula)

Fri 14 June | 9.30am-11.30am (Port Pirie) Tues 25 June | 9.30am-11.30am (Whyalla) Wed 26 June | 10.30am-2.30pm (Wudinna)

Thurs 1 Aug | 4.30pm-6.00pm (Webex Conference) This workshop supports AEU country members applying for DECD leadership positions.

Open to: AEU financial members who are aspiring to DECD leadership positions in schools and preschools.

Further Information: Venues and further details are published on the AEU website.

Fri 31 May

9:15am - 3.30pm

New Branch Council Delegates The workshop includes practical sessions on developing confidence in public speaking and formal meeting procedures and will be valuable for any members involved in formal and site based meetings. The workshop provides essential knowledge and skill development to enable active participation in Branch Council by new Branch Council Delegates, Alternative Delegates and Proxies.

Open to: Members and newly elected delegates to AEU Branch Council.

Support: Relief, country travel and accommodation.

Application Writing for DECD Leadership Positions (City) Thurs 6 June 4.30pm - 6.30pm Thurs 11 July (hols) 10.00am - 12.00pm

or 1.30pm - 3.30pm

This workshop supports AEU country members applying for DECD leadership positions.

Open to: AEU financial members who are aspiring to DECD leadership positions in schools and preschools.

Wed 12 June

State WHS Act - Bridging Health and Safety Representative Course A HSR who has completed a course of training under the current ‘Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act 1986 (SA)’ will be taken to have completed the five day training required under the new WHS Act

(Schedule 6, section 19), once they have undertaken this one day Bridging Course (Regulation 706).

Open to: : Elected Health and Safety Representatives in DECD sites.

Fri 14 June

9.15am - 3.30pm

Non-teaching Staff and SSO Contact Officers

A 1-day course for AEU SSO Contact Officers and non-teaching PAC reps on resolving workplace issues effectively through various school decision making structures and Departmental processes. Participants will also better understand their role and conditions of work so they can support non-teaching members.

Open to: Non-teaching staff reps on PAC and SSO Contact Officers.

Support: Relief, country travel and accommodation.

Mon 17 June - Fri 21 June

Level 1 Health & Safety Representative Training A 5-day SA Unions course at which participants will gain an understanding of the principles of the WHS Legislation; including the role of the Health and Safety Representative and the Health and Safety Committee. The course has an education focus.

Open to: : Elected Health and Safety Representatives in DECD sites.

Mon 24 June

9.15am – 3.30pm

Women’s Contact Officers A 1-day course for women members on the role of the AEU Women’s Contact Officer and how to support women in their workplace.

Open to: All AEU Women’s Contact Officers who have not attended this course.

Support: Relief, country travel and accommodation.

Mon 8 July (hols)

8.45am – 4.00pm

Responding to Abuse & Neglect The AEU provides full-day Responding to Abuse & Neglect Education and Care Focus training as a service for members.

Open to: AEU Members only.

Mon 8 July (hols)

9.15am – 12.30pm

Curriculum Organiser Online – Intro A short introduction to the AEU’s Curriculum Organiser Online (COO) and how it can help members teaching Foundation - Year 10 to plan and program based on the Australian Curriculum.

Open to: Everyone interested in finding out how COO can help them in their Australian Curriculum preparation.

For further info on any of the above events and courses email Saniya Sidhwani on

Day 1: Tues 9 July Day 2: Wed 10 July

9.15am – 4:00pm 9.15am – 4:00pm

Conflict Resolution through Mediation – Part B “Culture, Gender and Power” (hols) A high demand 2-day course on considering issues of culture, gender and power when managing conflict situations. This workshop has been developed by Associate Professor Dale Bagshaw.

Open to: Educators who have completed the 3-day AEU ‘Conflict Resolution through Mediation’ Part A course.

Cost: Members $110, Non-members $330

Classroom Management for New Educators (City) Wed 17 July (hols) Thurs 18 July (hols)

9.15am - 3.00pm 9.15am - 3.00pm

Tues 1 Oct (hols)

9.15am - 3.00pm

Highly recommended by new teachers, this 3-day practical course builds on the keynote and workshops run at the AEU New Educators’ Conferences. Participants must attend for the three days. The course is facilitated by experienced teachers, and is recommended as a practical way to develop new teachers’ skills in the classroom.

Open to: AEU Members who are new teachers in their first 2 years of teaching and who have attended the 2011, 2012 or 2013 AEU New Educators’ Conference.

Thurs 18 July (hols)

9.15am - 3.00pm

SSO Reclassification Workshop A 1-day practical workshop to assist SSOs in applying for reclassification.

Open to: AEU members working as SSOs.

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* Upcoming Ev ent

AEU SSO Conference

Fri. 19 July

9.15am – 3.30pm

A popular annual conference for nonteaching staff members. A dinner is held prior to the conference on Thursday 18 July @ 6pm.

Open to: AEU members in nonteaching positions.

To register or for further info, follow the links below 5

8: training@aeusa.asn.au

8: www.aeusa.asn.au>events & courses

or to register go to

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Council Dates for 2013

NOTICE BOARD

Branch Council Meetings

Cost of Apply First Aid as part of Cert III

Upcoming dates for 2013 are:

Saturday, June 1 Saturday, August 24 Saturday, November 23

TAFE Divisional Council Meetings Upcoming dates for 2013 are:

Friday, August 16 Friday, November 15

Attention TRTs or TRPs!

T

he AEU has raised the issue of the cost of the Apply First Aid Certificate with DECD and the Minister for Education and Child Development.

The following response from DECD is welcome news: “The DECD RTO is able to reimburse course fees (only) for the Apply First Aid Certificate undertaken as part of the

Certificate III Children‘s Services course for those who have not previously completed this training. Reimbursement will occur after completion of the Certificate III in Children’s Services program.

Please complete a ‘general purpose claim form’ and return along with proof of payment (tax invoice) and a copy of your certificate for reimbursement.” n

‘Authority to Teach’ Teachers seeking employment as a Temporary Relief Teacher (TRT) or a Temporary Relief Preschool Teacher (TRP)

must complete the online Register Interest for Teaching via DECD jobs in order to be included on the Employable Teacher Register.

The start of the new school year can be a stressful time for teachers, particularly employable teachers seeking employment with the department. If this is you, it is important to remember that you need to have a current “Authority to Teach” letter in order to start teaching in any capacity.

At the end of 2012 the department were inundated with over 2000 registrations of Interest to Teach application forms. This caused a back log and resulted in some teachers waiting until after the school year had begun before they got their letter confirming their Authority to Teach.

To avoid these lengthy delays, teachers should apply for their Authority to Teach as soon as the applications open in April each school year or when they have the necessary documentation and updated certificates to apply, rather than wait until the end of the school year.

The Authority to Teach application process for the 2014 school year will open on 2 April 2013 and the form can be found on the DECD website at:

www.decd.sa.gov.au/hr/pages/ jobscareers/schooljobssearch/

Use your QR app to “like us” on facebook.

ADministrative officer vacancY

Australian Education Union | SA Branch The term of office is from an agreed start date until 27 September 2013.

Temporary Organiser

The Organiser will undertake specific responsibilities in supporting AEU campaigns and providing industrial advice and assistance to AEU members.

A Job and Person Specification is available from: Irene Tam on 8272 1399 (email: aeusa@aeusa.asn.au) Applicants must address the requirements of the job and person specification in their application.

Enquiries about the position may be directed to Jack Major or Bill Hignett at the AEU Office.

Applications must reach the Branch Secretary, AEU (SA Branch), 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside, SA 5063 by Friday, 31 May 2013.

SALARY INCREASE & SUBSCRIPTION ADJUSTMENT AEU subscription rates were adjusted to reflect the new DECD and TAFE Enterprise Agreement salary rates on 1 April 2013.

Please advise AEU Membership staff of any change to your classification, fraction of time, workplace or home address by phone: 8272 1399 fax: 8373 1254 or email: updates@aeusa.asn.au

2012 Financial Report The Financial Statements of the Australian Education Union (South Australian Branch) for the year ending 31 December 2012 have been audited in accordance with the provisions of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009. In accordance with the Act and a resolution passed by Branch Executive on 6 May 2013 the auditors report and financial statements are published on the AEU (SA Branch) website at:

www.aeusa.asn.au

Are you up-to-date Online?

We need your preferred Email to

email address

8: membership@aeusa.asn.au

or call Membership on:

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8272 1399

NOTICE BOARD

Member’s Market In order to cater for extra editorial space, the AEU Members Market now has a reduced space allocation in the Journal.

Advertisements will be printed at the discretion of the Editor and will not run in more than three issues in succession.

ALDINGA BEACH HOUSE: Fully equipped, BBQ, aircon, TV, double bed & 4 singles. 2 mins from beach, near Aldinga Scrub.

Beach, restaurants, cafes, wineries all close. Relax for weekend or longer. Avail. wkdays, wkends, Easter and school hols.

T: Philip – 0434 825 972 E: kittophilip@gmail.com

Kensington Town House: Quiet, private, comfortable 2 BR with QB’s. 5-min stroll to historic Rising Sun, Robin Hood, short walk to Parade and great parks.

BBQ, fully equipped, all linen supplied. From $130/night.

T: 0407 744820 E: dover.farm@bigpond.com

OUTBACK TAGALONG TOURS Guided tours in your 4 wheel drive, with your gear loaded on the ‘Big Red Truck’. Hassle Free Outback

Touring. Book now for our Spring Tour – Innaminka Races, Coward Springs, Warren Gorge.

T: David Connell – 02 8885 4620 or Lyn Rowe – 0403 594 406 www.brtoutback.com.au

STREAKY BAY HOLIDAY HSE:

for sale: Crows premiership

5-min walk to beach, in town, close to shops. Sleeps 13. Fish & boat facilities. New bath & kit; BBQ entertaining area and private spa suite avail. Starting rate $140 p/ night. T: (08) 8626 1539 E: ascaines@hotmail.com

Australian certified organic products: Keep

The Mobile Muso Mechanic The long break is looming, I’ll come to you – and setup/repair, restring your guitar/bass and even tackle simple amp maintenance.

This new service is also available for school music rooms.

Frank Lang: T: 8248 0824

STRESS, WEIGHT, HABITS?– Peaceful location, wood fire, R/C air RELAX! Hypnotherapy, Counsel-

ALDINGA BEACH RETREAT:

con, cosy accommodation for 2 – 8 guests, 5 mins from beach, opp National Park, LCD TV, fully equip. kitchen, BBQ, kid friendly facilities.

Wkends from $290. Email for pamphlet. T: 0418 843 711 (Mike) E: acaciahouse@optusnet.com.au

Lifestyle of Choices: Invitation to how to create more of what you want in life. Create great health and become more of the person you want to be. No cost to chat. T: (Linda) 0410 654 657 E: lindanew@tpg.com.au

ling, NLP, Relationships, Career, Smoking, Anxiety, Performance, etc. 15% Discount AEU Members.

Reg Chapman: T: 0419 829 378 E: nlpchanges.com.au Wanted: Primary class sets of readers for developing world education. Best if as relevant as possible to non urban, non western students (Bougainville).

Contact Ian on: T: 0400 303 300 E: ir211057@bigpond.net.au for sale: House on Esplanade at Elliston - great town on west coast. T: 0435 489 429

captain Mark Bickley signed new sherrin football - $300.

T: 0435 489 429

Healthy. For personal use & gifts. www.bodytune.mionegroup.com

Victor Harbor Holiday Hse: New, 4 BR, 2 bath, (2 x Qu, 2 x singles, 1 dble bunk), sleeps 8, 3 living areas, 2 balconies, views of hills & Granite Island, A/C, D/W, BBQ, C’pt, 2 storey, quiet location.

T: 0400 303 300 (Ian) E: ir211057@bigpond.net.au

Children’s Book Sale Hundreds of novels to suit 6-16 non-fiction books, picture books, a complete Wildlife Fact File set & more. Most titles are advertised on Gumtree, or will be soon (located at Marino).

For more information call Chris T: 0408 689 235

Advertise in Members’ Market for FREE! Rent, sell, buy or offer goods and services. Send ads to:

journal@aeusa.asn.au

SAIT Conveyancers

We offer AEU members: Free advice on real estate queries.

Expert advice and professional experience with: • Mortgages, • Private Contract Transfers, • Strata Plan and Plan of Division Lodgments, • Caveats, Discharges of Mortgages, • All facets of conveyancing work.

If you are buying or selling or are involved in any real estate matter, either through a land agent or privately, consult us.

Contact us on:

Anne Walker

(: (08) 8410 6788

Simon Willcox

8410 6799 Email: anne@saitconveyancers.com.au SAIT Conveyancers

Fax: (08)

located at Credit Union SA

Level 3, 400 King William Street, Adelaide, SA 5000

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