QACSL eNewsletter - August 2025

President's Update

I’ve always promised myself I wouldn’t open a newsletter with overblown phrases like “What a month it’s been!” but after the past few weeks, it feels entirely fitting. QACSL has experienced an incredibly full and productive month, from school visits and advocacy support to the work of our subcommittees and culminating in representing the association at both the QASEL and QSPA Conferences. 

I would like to publicly acknowledge the hard work of the presidents' - Andrew (QASEL) & Mark (QSPA) and congratulate their respective teams on two very successful conferences.  I was inspired by their energy, passion and commitment to developing the leaders of our profession and no doubt their members (many of whom are also QACSL members) walked away feeling uplifted as they return to their schools.  Like our partnership with QASSP to produce the School Leaders Conference in May each year, QASEL & QSPA effectively engage their sectors through their conferences to provide invaluable professional networking, development and support.

On that note, QACSL and QASEL have been in discussion of late regarding how we can work more closely together and collaborate on our professional development offerings in support of our members.  Andrew and I are working on a strategy that would see the members of our respective associations able to access the alternate association's programs.  QASEL members attended our August PD - School Transitions with Dr Shaun Kanowski - in droves and it was wonderful to see so many online.

School Visits

After a few months of getting organised, I would like to thank the following Principals for welcoming me into their Schools:

1. Natasha Glover - Kuranda District State College
2. David King - Herberton State School
3. Kelly Jeppesen - Woodford State School
4. Brad Roberts - Chancellor State College

It is heartening to meet with these leaders and see first-hand the great work that is occurring in our combined sector schools.  Needless to say, there are challenges that are faced on a daily basis.  But very few are unique to a school specific context.  Rather, we all face continued staffing pressures, changes in policy and procedure and continued pressure from parents and communities. With this in mind, the Advocacy & Influence sub-committee met for the first time earlier this month and a summary of what was discussed can be found below.

Secretary Changes

At the last meeting, Vanessa Koina made the difficult decision to step down as Secretary of QACSL.  Vanessa has given everything to the association over the last decade.  She is the recipient of the QACSL Distinguished Service Award and a proud Life Member.  Understandably, things are very busy in Vanessa's school at this present time and as such she has stepped away from her QACSL role to focus more fully on her Principalship.  On a personal note, I would like to thank Vanessa for her unwavering support of me.  I have valued her friendship and calm counsel throughout our many years of working together.  Vanessa is not completely removing herself and has assured me that she will remain an active member and passionate advocate of our association. 

Stepping into the secretary role is Sarah Taylor, principal at Tambo State School.  Sarah has been a regional councillor for QACSL for the last few years now and brings with her a wealth of knowledge.  She has had a diverse leadership journey and spent the vast majority of her career in regional or remote schools, interspersed with time in regional or head office running programs such as Take the Lead.  Thank you, Sarah, for stepping into the secretary role.

New Members

We would like to welcome the following new members to our association.  If they are in your region, please reach out to them and make them feel welcome:

David King - Principal - Herberton State School
Ariana Walkom - Cluster HOSES - Dysart State School
Jess Lewis - Deputy Principal - Lockhart River State School
Kylie Gurney - Head of School Secondary - Upper Coomera State College
Ruth Smith - HOD Languages - Calamvale Community College
Tania Waterman - HOD English - Chancellor State College

Paul Andrews
President

3 Pillars Program

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.

Updates from each subcommittee:

1. Governance: The Governance Subcommittee recently met to continue its important work around strengthening the association’s policy and procedure framework. A key focus of this meeting was clarifying and documenting the roles and responsibilities of the Executive, ensuring that our structures are both transparent and sustainable as we move forward.

A draft document capturing these discussions has now been circulated among Executive members for review. Once it has been ratified, the finalised version will be shared with our wider membership. This will provide all members with a clear understanding of how the association is governed, how responsibilities are distributed, and how each role contributes to the success of QACSL.  Looking ahead, the next step for the Governance Subcommittee will be to formalise sponsorship and partnership policies for the association. 

2. Professional Development: The Professional Development Subcommittee met on 7 August 2025 to refine plans for upcoming learning opportunities. A key focus was on delivering short, targeted sessions (1 hour) designed for specific groups, while also ensuring variety through online delivery, podcasts, and recorded content for wider access.

Content under consideration includes sessions on:

• Effective interaction with aggressive parents

• Wellbeing and health for school leaders

• Creative decision-making around timetabling, curriculum, and staffing

• HR, workforce planning, and pathways such as Trade to Teach

Case studies, including flexible staffing in P–12 settings and Trade to Teach initiatives, will be showcased. Sessions are planned to run after school at 3:15pm and will be open to all staff, not just members.

Looking ahead, the committee discussed the timing of the QACSL Celebration, with consensus to move this to 2026 and align it with the School Leaders conference. Life members and past presidents will be invited, with the potential for a pre-conference QACSL day.

Work is also underway with QUT researchers to build a 2026 PD calendar in partnership with QACSL.

3. Advocacy & Influence:  The Advocacy & Influence Subcommittee met on 8 August 2025 to identify and refine the key issues where QACSL can make the strongest impact for combined sector schools. The group worked to narrow down achievable priorities that are both widely relevant and within the association’s influence.

After discussion, five pressing advocacy priorities were identified:

1. Middle Leader Allocation 

2. State Delivered Kindergarten allocations in rural and remote P-10/12s

3. Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) 

4. Parent Vexatious Complaints 

5. Staffing 

These priorities will now be more deeply worked through to establish a clear and united QACSL position that reflects the consensus of our members and ensures the voice of combined sector schools is strongly represented.

Academic Research

Anna Hogan is associate professor in the School of Education, Queensland University of Technology. Her research interests broadly focus on education marketisation, and related issues of privatisation and commercialisation. Her current research projects include: philanthropy in Australian public schools, teacher and school leader time poverty and the role of commercial curriculum resources on teachers’ work.

We are thrilled to welcome Associate Professor Anna Hogan from QUT as part of QACSL’s professional development partnership as September's PD Guest. Anna’s recent work explores the challenge of “time poverty” and the growing demands faced by educators, with a particular focus on how leaders can better support early career teachers. Her insights offer both a clear-eyed look at the systemic pressures we face and practical strategies for creating schools where new teachers thrive. You can explore more of her work in the featured articles below with embedded links to the full research papers.

Want to fix the teacher shortage? Start by giving teachers time to do their jobs 

Teachers aren’t leaving the profession because they’ve stopped caring. They’re leaving because they’re burnt out. Each day, they’re pulled in multiple directions, constantly interrupted and overwhelmed by a stack of disjointed tasks.  We call this time poverty, and it’s not a personal failing, it’s a systemic failing. The way teachers’ time is governed in schools is unsustainable. Unless this becomes a policy priority, the workforce crisis will only deepen.

The cascade of constant demands

Using ‘time use’ data from our ARC Linkage project, we found that regardless of how positively a teacher began their day, they almost always ended it feeling rushed and overwhelmed by the volume of tasks they were managing. Importantly, teachers weren’t reporting this experience as an isolated bad day. It was their everyday reality. Teachers across all demographics, including school type and location, reported the same thing: they simply don’t have enough time to meet the demands placed on them. The structure of the school day magnifies this problem. Teachers’ time is tightly managed, divided into timetabled periods, quick transitions between classes and subjects, and a series of fixed duties and meetings. 

No flexibility

There’s no flexibility to absorb the unexpected. A single disruption, like a behaviour incident, an unscheduled parent meeting, or an unexpected playground duty, can derail the rest of their day. We call this the cascade effect. When one task is delayed it pushes everything else – particularly those tasks that require focused attention like lesson planning, marking, and parent emails – into the evening. The more these disruptions happen, the less time teachers have to do the work that professionally sustains them: the creative, relational, and intellectually rich parts of the job. Instead, their days become cycles of triage, where the goal is simply survival.

Make teachers’ time a policy priority

It might be tempting to address the challenge of time poverty by offering quick fixes, like AI lesson planning. But this time dividend approach misses the point. Teachers value their lesson planning time. What they don’t value is being pulled into another initiative that draws them away from their core purpose.

Teachers don’t just need fewer hours. They need fewer heavy hours, with less disruption, less triaging, more predictability. That means giving teachers time not only to plan and teach, but to recover, reflect, and connect with students and colleagues in meaningful ways. It also means providing appropriate welfare support in schools to assist with student wellbeing. 

Workforce sustainability won’t be solved through recruitment alone; we need to focus on retention by making the job one that teachers and school leaders can realistically and sustainably do. That means investing in time-conscious governance that not only reduces administrative burden but also values teacher autonomy, prioritises their wellbeing, and respects their need for a life beyond the classroom.

Cross-Sector Conversations: A QACSL Podcast

In this episode of the QACSL Podcast – Cross Sector Conversations, we sit down with Dr Shaun Kanowski, former president of QACSL and now a researcher with the Queensland Brain Institute. What began as a discussion about transitions in schooling naturally expanded into a rich conversation around mental health, brain health, and overall wellbeing.

We also dive into Shaun’s work on co-designed professional learning modules that connect neuroscience, brain health, and education — an exciting initiative to strengthen PD for school leaders and teachers. This episode is a reminder that the best podcasts often move beyond their initial intent, uncovering insights that matter deeply to school leaders and communities alike.

Advocacy Updates

1. Quarterly Associations HR Meeting - Each term, ADG Alan Jones and the operational Human Resources team meet with the association presidents to highlight the work occurring to support the staffing of Queensland state schools.  There were a number of concerns raised by the associations, specifically, the considerable paperwork currently required when undertaking recruitment, as well as the centralised borderless recruitment process.  HR has recognised the concerns raised and while acknowledging that borderless recruitment was developed with the best of intentions, understands that its implementation did match what was envisioned.  As such, recruitment is being re-established at a regional basis, where each school will have one HR representative to work with from recruitment to entry into our schools.  This is a positive move as it re-establishes a relationship between individual school contexts and their HR representative.  It has been asked that we allow some grace period as this shift back will take time and some regions are still yet to move back to this focus.  Additionally, the requirement for vacancy briefs for each vacancy is being review after concerns were raised by the associations.

There were additional conversations regarding the recruitment process of schools. Specifically, Facebook is continuing to play a significant role in our recruitment of staff in schools.  Schools are able to continue to use this method for accessing potential leads.  From an association perspective, we ask that people work together and ensure that if we know of schools that are struggling to find staff, please refer leads to your colleagues. 

Going into 2026 there is going to be significant review of the incentives offered for Rural and Remote teaching service.  This was welcomed by all Presidents, particularly QACSL as we are significantly impacted due to our percentage of rural and remote schools.  Additionally, HR operations is looking into the current relocation process and will be working with the associations to see that this system is revised to make it fit for purpose.  

Lastly, the meeting discussed changes that are in progress regarding reportable conduct and integrity.  While the feedback to schools in the meeting is that the impost on schools will not change to create additional workload, there are significant changes being made in the background to the integrity branch to try and reduce backlog and red tape.  The DOE already has robust practices for employees in place, however any changes made may impact reporting of contractors and volunteers. More information regarding this will be provided in due course.  There was an acknowledgement that SDKs provide an additional layer of complexity in the integrity space, as schools are required to report in triplicate.  As such, the integrity team is having pragmatic conversations around this and an advisory reference group (inc. principals) has been stood up.

2. Alan Jones - After the Qtr. HR Operations meeting, Paul met with the ADG (HR Ops.) Alan Jones to discuss QACSL and our association's specific contexts.  Paul raised the issue of staffing, rural incentives and relocation.  Paul discussed that the Advocacy and Influence subcommittee had recognised the need for a focus on HOD allocation in P-12 Schools.  Alan was understanding and would welcome further input from QACSL regarding the allocative model and was receptive of the need to have greater flexibility in our rural and remote locations.  

3. David Miller - Paul met with David Miller (Executive Director - Office of the Director General) who discussed current departmental initiatives.  David highlighted that the DG, Sharon Schimming, and her office were excited by the progress of QACSL over the last 4 Months and were keen to see QACSL have a prominent voice in the conversation.  David has been an incredible supporter of the association and wants to continue our work together for the benefit of our combined sector schools. 

4. Lisa Starmer - Paul met with Lisa Starmer, proud QACSL member and current Senior Principal - Human Resources, who expressed the desire to meet with QACSL principals and discuss the future workforce architecture of Queensland State Schools.  This was in light of the increasing pressures on schools to respond to departmental initiatives and the concerns that a small fall in numbers can have significant effects on classified officer allocation and therefore workload.  The question that she posed was: in a P-12 School, what would the ideal executive team/model be/look like?  Paul has suggested that Lisa could attend the association's next Advocacy and Influence Subcommittee meeting to discuss this thought-provoking question.

5. QCT - Principal's Engagement Reference Group - The QCT PERG met on Wednesday 6th August to discuss current or pressing issues from the QCT.  It was explained that there will be no changes in renewal expectations for the foreseeable future.  There is work being conducted to ensure the Child Safe Standards are fit for purpose and under constant review to ensure best practice in this space - it is a priority of the QCT.  There was a request from the QCT regarding their principal eNewsletter - what topics would leaders like to see?  If you have any particular topics you would like clarification on, please let Paul know to pass on.  Deanne Fishburn (QCT Director) will be a guest of the association in the coming months and she will be on hand to not only update the association on QCT initiatives but also advise on any pressing concerns you may have. 

Patron's Prose

My First School

At the age of nineteen, with one year’s teacher training behind me, I found myself appointed as a teacher to the state school at Goodna.  Goodna, In those days, was not a large school at all, although it was just a short distance from both Brisbane and Ipswich, and had a long history having opened in 1870.  I think the Head Teacher, as principals were known when I joined the profession, would probably have been very pleased to see me, as my appointment meant that he no longer had to teach a class.

On my first day, I arrived early, keen to find out what class I would be teaching.  I was amazed to find that there was no-one there.  I waited on the school verandah for about half an hour, before the Head Teacher made his was across the school ground from his house near the school gate.

He told me he was very busy, as it was the first day of the school year, gave me a copy of a Work Book, and told me to wait in the staff room until other teachers arrived.  A Work Book, by the way, explained exactly what was to be taught to a year level during each period (about six weeks) of the year.  The Work Book that he handed me was for Grade Two!  I was amazed!  I had spent the time since my last day at the training college fondly imagining that, being a male, a cricketer and a football player, I would be given a Grade Five or Six, or anything but an Infant class.  In my mind, infant classes were taught by women.  I had manfully attended lectures called “Infant Method”, but never expected to be actually teaching the little ones.  I could not even understand what I read in the Work Book.

During that first year, I learned a great deal.  I learnt songs and games for small people, I learnt the rules of girls’ basketball, which I found I would be coaching, and I learnt that the youngest teacher on staff was given the jobs that no-one else wanted.  For example, I found that I was in charge of all the clocks in the school, (having to wind all the clocks once a week), and I was required to write all the correspondence that the Head Teacher sent to the Department – he thought that I had good handwriting.  In those days he did not have a typewriter, and computers were not even thought of.

I also learnt that at the end of each six weeks, the Head Teacher would visit each of the classrooms and conduct an examination to check if the work had been absorbed by the children.  Unfortunately, I did not find out about this until I was injured in a football game.  I’d spent Monday and Tuesday at the hospital, and limped back to school on the Wednesday morning, only to be directed by other teachers to a blackboard outside the Head Techer’s office.  Each class had been tested in spelling while I was away, and the class percentages were listed on the board to be seen by all in the school, plus any visitor who happened to call.  Every class except mine had gained over 85%.  Mine showed 24%.  I waited in dread to be summoned to the office to explain the shameful marks.  Nothing happened.  I learned at that moment how to teach to the test, and the following year I was given Grade Seven.

Goodna was a reception school for migrants who were housed temporarily at Wacol.  I often, therefore, had two or more children in my classroom who could not speak a word of English.  The poor kids would spend each day sitting at their desks, doing nothing.  When others in the class stood, they would rise also.  When the bell rang, they would line up.  I felt extremely sorry for them, but I had 35 or more English speakers to teach also, and I had no idea how to help non English speaking pupils.  All the other teachers did the same thing, as there was no assistance or guidance.  I have spent all of the intervening years regretting my lack of action.

The Inspector visited the school each year to ensure that we were educating the children in a satisfactory manner.  Because of the poor academic results, I was terrified I would be asked to resign.  Thankfully, this never happened.  I was asked, however, at the end of the inspection carried out in my second year, if I would like to be transferred to a “nice little one teacher school”.  I had not enjoyed my time at Goodna.  I had arrived there as a new teacher, ill-prepared for classroom reality, and no-one every attempted to help me.  The Head Teacher only visited my room to deliver messages or examine the pupils.  If I had learnt anything, it was bad habits, like spending playground duty time swimming in the school pool with the other male teachers, or threatening misbehaving boys with the cane, which had somehow managed to find its way into my room.  However, I did not want to be transferred away from my friends, my cricket, or my football, so of course my answer was NO.  Thus, the scene was set for my next teaching adventure.

David Ham - Patron

Hello everyone of you fabulous leaders of combined sector schools, a sector which is so rewarding for everyone involved.

Since the last newsletter I have been reading and thinking about the media reports of school life, for students and for staff. Despite schools being recognized for the outstanding work they do and the achievements of students, our media focusses on staff stress, staffing difficulties, student violence and bullying, and the disrespective behaviour of parents.

I was rather concerned the other day to listen in a meeting where a principal of a school specifically focused on support for disengaged students, reported the attrition and lack of attendance from enrolled students. This on its own was not my concern, as I think schools throughout the nation have cohorts of young people who find school unattainable or irrelevant. What concerned me was the almost diffident acceptance of this.

As a principal in our more remote combined sector schools, I was always most impressed with the way in which staff and community members would persist in finding a way to engage and support these very needy young people. They were genuinely valued, despite the challenges and extra effort required. And the reward of course was when these young people graduated, were contributing members of community, engaged in employment and/or further education.

I really wanted to say to that young principal, think again, reflect, discuss with colleagues and staff, explore every avenue to ensure these young people are not another statistic.  There is a solution to almost every issue, we just need to be creative and open to finding it.

I wonder if we have become accepting of the national and state data about disengaged young people, and the fact that the disengagement is occurring earlier and earlier.  I do hope our schools never accept this as normal, that you continue to work with children, with parents, staff and community to ensure every young person finds a positive pathway to their future.

Thank you for all you and your staff do for every young person in our schools.

Robin Rayner - Patron

Special Items/News

VACANCY - Tambo State School - Science / Maths Teacher 

While we are all very mindful of the staffing challenges many schools are currently facing, our new secretary, Sarah Taylor, has asked me to share a unique opportunity. If you know of a Science and/or Mathematics teacher seeking a new challenge or adventure, please connect them with Sarah.

Tambo State School is a vibrant and welcoming community where teachers enjoy the chance to teach across year levels, disciplines, and subjects. The school offers teacher housing, significant rural incentives, and the kind of rich professional and personal experience that only a rural placement can provide.

If you have someone in mind, please email Sarah at stayl380@eq.edu.au. 

QACSL Shirts

Order your QACSL shirt today – Professional button-up shirts embroidered with the QACSL logo are now available for members. Just $80 (tax deductible). Represent our association with pride!

We are excited to share that QACSL Executive have decided to introduce professional, button-up shirts embroidered with the QACSL logo. These high-quality shirts not only look sharp but also provide us with a unified and professional image when representing our association at events, meetings, and in our schools.

The shirt order is available to all members for $80 each, and as they are work-related attire, they are tax deductible. More importantly, they are a great way to showcase your pride in being part of QACSL and the important work we do together across Queensland.

Men's and Women's sizes are available to purchase. To order, please email your size (sizing chart below) to Kassandra - admin@qacsl.org.au, or Paul - president@qacsl.org.au, and we will provide the QACSL account details to organise payment. 

https://rbsellars.com.au/pages/size-guide

Contact Us

Email: admin@qacsl.org.au

Mail: PO Box 102 Calen Qld 4798