QACSL eNewsletter - July 2025

President's Update

Welcome back to Term 3, I trust that you all had a restful and relaxing break.  I spent some time with my family recharging prior to what is going to be a very busy 6 months for QACSL. 

Strategic Work Ahead

Over the next six months, we will begin implementing our endorsed Strategic Plan through purposeful action across its three core pillars: Governance, Professional Development, and Advocacy and Influence.

Key initiatives will include:

• Defining the structure and responsibilities of the Executive and sub-committees

• Developing resources to support those stepping into leadership roles within QACSL

• Rolling out a revitalised suite of professional development offerings

• Establishing new partnerships that enhance the value we provide to members

• Advancing a clear, strategic advocacy agenda informed by the real challenges faced by leaders in combined sector schools

This work will be driven by our newly formed pillar-aligned sub-committees, which will begin meeting in the coming months. (See below for more details)

Professional Development Sessions

Thank you to all who attended our first PD session. I’ve heard from a number of members who were unable to attend but were keen to engage with the content. A recording is now available at the link below:

Recap: QACSL/QUT Trauma-Aware Education Professional Development Wednesday, 23 July | Meeting | Microsoft Teams

Please note: the transcript is AI-generated via Microsoft Teams and may contain significant errors. If you use any content for your school communications, be sure to proofread it first.

Looking ahead, we’re thrilled to welcome one of our former presidents, Dr Shaun Kanowski, as our August PD presenter. Now an academic researcher, Shaun will be sharing his latest work on effective school transition processes. Further details and an invitation will be sent once the date and time are confirmed. 

Sponsorships & Partnerships

It has been a productive few weeks for sponsorships, and I'm pleased to announce two new sponsors joining our QACSL community:

Queensland University of Technology (QUT)

QUT joins us as our official supporter for Professional Development provider - QUT will be providing the majority of our monthly PD offerings as well as academic research in our newsletters and guests for our podcasts.  This is an exciting initiative to provide our members with real value for their membership.  QUT offers a wide variety of educational courses, from our initial teacher training, to Masters and PhD programs, as well as micro-credential short courses in support of continued professional development.  We will be supporting QUT by sharing some of their courses with you over the coming months.  Thank you to QUT for joining us on this journey.

Australian Country Choice

Australian Country Choice (ACC) is Australia's largest family-owned meat and livestock producer.  They are a family with their heart and soul in the bush - with many of their properties located in communities serviced by our K-10/12 schools.  Having grown from 1 property, ACC now run paddock to plate operations out of their Brisbane headquarters.  The desire of the ACC is to see Queensland students receive the best education possible. They see a direct synergy between our mission of supporting students through supporting leaders and their overall goal of strong and vibrant agricultural communities.  ACC is undergoing significant educational work on behalf of the Australian agricultural industry and is keen to partner with our schools and association to ensure that their educational offerings are fit for purpose.  Together, we will explore educational programs, facility tours, and rural immersion experiences for urban students. We are delighted to welcome ACC as a QACSL sponsor.

Website & Membership Drive

Our new website is now live: www.qacsl.org.au
Memberships can be completed quickly and easily via the Join Us page.

We are now focused on growing our membership base and we need your help. QACSL’s strength lies in the collective voice of its members. The more leaders we represent, the greater our influence when advocating for policy, resources, and systemic support for combined sector schools.

Here’s how you can help:

Have a conversation. A quick chat with a colleague—whether a principal, deputy, head of department, or head of school—can go a long way. Mention why you joined QACSL and the value it brings to your role.

Share our materials. Attached to this newsletter (on the right-hand side), you’ll find:

• A printable poster

• A trifold flyer

• A key contacts list

Print and place the flyer or poster in your staffroom, hand it to a colleague, or forward it digitally to your networks.

Promote at meetings. If you're attending a regional principal forum, cluster meeting, or network catch-up, take a moment to share QACSL’s purpose and invite others to join.

Nominate new leaders. Know someone stepping into a leadership role at a combined sector school? Encourage them to join early in their journey—so they’re supported from the start.

Let’s be clear: growth is not about numbers for the sake of it - it’s about impact. Every new member adds to our collective strength and our ability to shape policy, influence system-level decisions, and deliver support where it’s needed most.

Together, we can build a truly connected, informed, and empowered network of leaders across Queensland’s combined sector schools. Let's grow this movement.

President's travels

The early months of my presidency have involved a great deal of foundational work - much of it administrative. I’m now looking forward to hitting the road to connect with our school leaders across Queensland.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll be contacting schools in regions I’m visiting to arrange catch-ups. Whether or not the principal is a current member, I’m eager to meet with them to ensure our advocacy reflects the real, on-the-ground challenges of combined sector schools.

Paul Andrews
President

3 Pillars Program

The strategic work of our association is guided by three core pillars:

• Governance

• Professional Development

• Advocacy and Influence

To advance this work and ensure the voices of our members continue to shape the direction of the association, we are inviting expressions of interest to join one of three sub-committees aligned with these pillars.

Each sub-committee will play a critical role in progressing our strategic priorities, guiding the feedback provided to the Department, and ensuring QACSL remains responsive to the needs of leaders in combined sector schools.

Sub-Committee Leads:

• Governance: Paul Andrews (President)

• Professional Development: Bec Hutton (Vice President – Marketing) & Sarah Taylor (Central Queensland Counsellor)

• Advocacy and Influence: Rob O'Brian (Principal, Babinda P–12 State School) & Yolanda McLean (Vice President – First Nations), supported by Cameron Wayman (Vice President – Mentoring)

Sub-committees meet twice per term and are open to all QACSL members. These groups will serve as the primary conduit between our membership and the executive, ensuring your insights directly influence our strategic agenda.

If you are interested in joining a sub-committee, please email: president@qacsl.org.au

This is your opportunity to contribute, collaborate, and advocate for the unique needs of P–12 schools across Queensland.

Cross-Sector Conversations: A QACSL Podcast

In this month’s episode - Episode 2: Trauma-Aware. School Ready., we sit down with Associate Professor Judith Howard from QUT, one of Australia’s leading voices in trauma-aware education. Judith unpacks the realities of how trauma impacts student behaviour, learning, and relationships - and what schools and leaders can do to respond with compassion and clarity. It’s a must-listen for anyone leading in complex school environments where understanding student behaviour is key to creating safe and supportive learning spaces.

Click the link below to explore strategies, leadership insights, and a deeper understanding of what trauma-aware practice really looks like in schools.

Academic Research

We thank QUT and Ass. Prof. Judith Howard for her time this month on our Pod and during our PD sessions. Anyone who is interested in Judith's work is welcome to jump online and purchase her book.  It is an insightful and thought provoking read!

https://www.ausapress.com/p/9781925644593/

Judith has referenced a number of documents in the Pod & PD.  These are linked below:

Advocacy Updates

1. QCT PTT Roundtable - Paul attended the Qld College of Teachers permission to teach roundtable in early July.  During this meeting, there was significant conversation regarding the purpose of PTTs and the research behind supporting PTT teachers in schools.  Paul raised that a large number of P-10/12 schools have PTT teachers on their staff and that clarity is required regarding the support that is provided to ensure consistency.  It was raised that while there is an AITSL definition for what mentoring is, this is not always put into practice on the ground due to the current pressures of schooling.  The QCT took on board this feedback and would be working to ensure clarity in this space going forward.  The QCT also welcomed a university to the table to discuss a proposed additional category of PTT to support specific subjects, similar to the trade to teach initiative.  There were some concerns raised regarding the need for an additional category and the workload implications on school mentors and leaders.  The discussion was tabled for further investigation going forward.

2. DOE Behaviour Review - QACSL recently engaged in consultation with the Department regarding the upcoming review and refinement of behaviour policy and procedure documents. A strong emphasis was placed on ensuring these documents are practical, easy to navigate, and genuinely support decision-making at the school level.  Key changes under consideration include simplifying the procedures by limiting attachments to only mandated forms, with additional resources relocated to a centralised hub. To support ease of use, embedded links will be included within documents to streamline access to relevant materials without the need to navigate multiple portals. Flowcharts and complex details may be shifted into accompanying guidelines to keep the core procedures clear and concise.

Importantly, feedback from our members has been heard - particularly around language clarity, document overload, and the importance of retaining essential risk assessment tools. Revised drafts are being developed, with improved risk documentation and support resources in progress. Parental engagement is also a priority. The Department will partner with P&Cs Queensland to craft targeted messaging to help families better understand and support the implementation of any new approaches. To ensure input from all contexts, face-to-face and hybrid co-design sessions will be offered to enable strong representation from regional and remote school leaders. Draft documents and a full summary of feedback will be shared for review later this term, with publication of the finalised materials expected in Term 1 next year. We will keep members updated as this work progresses and ensure your voices continue to shape the system-level changes that matter.

3. Effective Responses to Bullying - The Department is placing a strong focus on the prevention, reduction, and effective response to bullying. A national review is currently underway, and the Queensland Government is implementing a coordinated response to support schools. This response includes four key initiatives:

• Establishment of Rapid Support Squads (RSS)

• Increased investment in wellbeing officers and chaplains

• Professional development for staff

• A dedicated crisis support line for parents

It is recognised that bullying requires a broader community response and that the wider public has a vital role to play in addressing the issue in schools. Paul highlighted the importance of ensuring any rapid response approach is mindful of the rural and remote nature of many Queensland schools. RSS activation is intended only after a school has exhausted its multi-tiered systems of support. Initially, support may be provided virtually until personnel can arrive onsite.

The parent support line has been introduced to help families understand departmental processes and provide guidance through bullying incidents. Paul also emphasised the need for community education around what constitutes bullying and the importance of an appropriate response.

Targeted support for First Nations students and families has also been prioritised. This includes the inclusion of First Nations representatives on the stakeholder panel and the availability of First Nations counsellors on the support hotline.

The Department has made clear that this is not a one-size-fits-all model. Rapid Support Squads will be regionally based and tailored to meet the specific needs of each context. Their purpose is to assist schools in managing incidents - not to oversee or evaluate leadership decisions or enforce compliance with policy.

4. State Delivered Kindy Program - At the last executive meeting, there was discussion regarding the FTE allocation for State Delivered Kindy programs in P-10/12 schools.  Some schools have been receiving .5 FTE while others were not.  Paul has taken this to the department to seek clarification.  The current Departmental allocation policy/model allows some discrete first nations communities do receive additional fractions of FTE to support SDKs in these contexts.  Further clarification is being sought to understand what additional supports can be provided to SDKs that fall outside this category.  Updates will be provided in due course.    

Patron's Prose

THANK YOU, LUCY!

After writing an article for the last edition of our Newsletter, I found myself in a dilemma. You see, I have been writing articles for some years now, and it seemed to me that I had run out of things to say. Friends that I consulted even suggested that I find an article that I had written some time ago and just resubmit it. I could not bring myself to do that. You see, the truth is that I have been away from the school/departmental action for so long, that I feel that I cannot honestly comment on current activities.

Just a few days ago, I was wandering around a bookshop, and found myself looking at a drawing of Lucy, of Peanuts fame on the cover of a book. Lucy appeared to be looking directly at me, as she said, ‘I hate it when you have to know what you’re writing about.’ It hit me then that somehow Lucy had understood my problem. Any comments that I might make about schools or education now, at my age, might be made out of ignorance, or at least incomplete knowledge. ‘Don’t try to fool people,’ Lucy was saying, ‘write about things that you know.’

My next problem was finding something that I know about, that might interest people. My decision was almost immediate. If I write some articles about my time as a teacher/education officer, people just might find the differences between schools as I knew them and schools of 2025 of some interest.

I finished my Senior (Grade 12) year at high school at the end of 1957. In those days, people had to sit for an external examination, set by the University of Queensland, to show their readiness for university. I remember being found to be acceptable for all faculties except Arts and Architecture. I was not able to face more years as a student, however, and so I wrote several letters to possible employers, requesting information about work possibilities. The only direct reply that I received was from the Education Department, saying that I was accepted into the Teachers Training College, and telling me to report to that college on a certain date. I had always done as I was told, and so I dutifully turned up at the college on the nominated day.

The course was for one year, and we received payment for our efforts. I received about 7pounds ($14) each fortnight. The courses supposedly included English, Music, Art, Speech, Philosophy, Infant Method, Phys Ed and weekly one day visits to a school. I remember that my prac school was Milton, where I spent a month with a teacher at a certain grade level, before moving on to my next grade. I’m not sure about the suitability of some of the teachers who were setting examples for me to follow, but I remember one in particular, who demonstrated rather undesirable teaching techniques.

I did not enjoy my time at the college, mainly because most of the lecturers did very little, as far as I was concerned, to prepare me for my chosen career. For some reason, they did not use our Christian names when talking to us, referring to us as Mr or Miss. This habit completely puzzled me, considering they were older, experienced lecturers and we were seventeen, eighteen or nineteen year olds. I’ll always remember our speech teacher, who obviously did not have a high opinion of my ability. At the end of the year, she read out to the whole group each student’s results in her subject. When she got to me, she said ‘Mr Ham, Distinction.’ She paused, and then continued, ‘Mr Ham laughed, and so did I.’

At the end of the year, we were all gathered together outside the building and handed letters informing us of the school where we would begin our teaching careers. I was to report to the Goodna State School on the first day of the next year.

And so my new life began.

David Ham - Patron

Countering the "Manosphere"

Welcome back to a busy term for all our wonderful Combined School Leaders. In this newsletter I thought I would reflect a little on some changes I have witnessed in my career in education. I also would like to discuss a little the term “Manosphere”.

Curriculum as I was growing up was basically the 3 Rs with some social science thrown in. As a teacher and principal, the 8 Key Learning areas became the backbone of the curriculum, and then we worked through the Australian Curriculum, with many new initiatives and strategies at different times.

Today technology, artificial Intelligence and social media, devices and community expectations are so different to my childhood, and many still miss the ‘good old days’. However, whenever I interact with our young people I am inspired by their passion and skills – despite the global challenges I think the world will be in safe hands. And of course, so much of this starts from the day our children enter playgroup, Kindy or Prep, and in our schools is nurtured and guided until the day they leave.

One of our greatest challenges is building a school environment and curriculum relevant to the children of today and doing this within a world of influencing from so many sources. The current statistics, so loudly proclaimed by various media, cause concern about absenteeism, disciplinary absences and in a broader sense domestic and family violence, including sexual assault supported by a culture of toxic masculinity. The growth of schools for intervention for youth in the justice system, alternate schools for the disengaged, special assistance schools and so on further underlines these issues.

I have recently been introduced to the term ‘Manosphere” - according to Wikipedia, a varied collection of websites, blogs, and online forums promoting masculinity, misogyny, and opposition to feminism. 

Some of you may have also watched the recent ABC Compass program, Hijacking Adolescence, and if not, it would be worth watching to have another insight into the influences on our young people. This and other programs note the importance of early intervention to address this terrible and growing issue. Respectful Relationships is in every school curriculum, and researchers at universities such as Monash are conducting programs to support teachers to provide interventions to tackle the influence of the Manosphere.

In my community we are working together with many organisations including Rotary, Zonta and our Council to bring the It’s a Man’s Issue to our schools through a presentation to all secondary schools and the offer of in school programs. We have received wonderful support from businesses and politicians, and I hope this is the beginning of a community led intervention to support young people and change toxic cultures.  If you would like any more information about how we are doing this or our contacts, I am very happy to provide it.

Thank you to all the wonderful school leaders who everyday model positive cultures and behaviours for all our students and future leaders. I wish you a positive, productive and rewarding term.

Robin Rayner - Patron

Special Items/News

Rural Educational Leadership Research – Participants Wanted

Brian O’Neill, a confirmed PhD candidate at the University of Newcastle and the direct former State President of QACSL, is conducting research into successful leadership experiences in combined sector schools (P–9/10 and P–12) located in rural and remote communities.

This important study aims to strengthen how we prepare and support principals in these unique school settings. It’s an exciting opportunity to contribute to meaningful change in our profession.

Your story matters. Your experience can make a difference.

Participation is entirely voluntary and flexible. Interviews will be conducted online and recorded. You will receive a full transcript and a written portrait of your experience, which you can review, revise, or withdraw at any time. If you are uncomfortable at any point, you may opt out without consequence.

The research has received ethics approval from the University of Newcastle and the Queensland Department of Education.

If you are a current or former principal of a rural P–9/10 or P–12 school—or know someone who is—please contact Brian to find out more:

0428 540 236
Brian.Oneill10@uon.edu.au

Your voice can shape the future of rural educational leadership.

Contact Us

Email: admin@qacsl.org.au

Mail: PO Box 102 Calen Qld 4798