The premier event, The Sydney Morning Herald Schools Summit returns to Sydney on 14 March 2024 at the ICC.
This exclusive gathering will bring together Australia’s foremost educators, thought leaders, and policy-makers for insightful conversations. Join the opportunity to delve into the lessons learned, the common challenges confronting teachers and students today, and the evidence-based strategies that can be put into action at both policy and grassroots levels to enhance student outcomes.
Register your interest to be amongst the first to receive early bird discounts, the first speakers announced and the agenda released!
Speakers
The Hon Prue Car MP
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning
Murat Dizdar PSM
Secretary,
NSW Department of Education
Carey Wright
Interim State Superintendent of Education, Maryland, USA
The Hon Jason Clare MP
Minister for Education
Paul Martin
CEO,
NESA
Dallas McInerney
Chief Executive Officer, Catholic Schools NSW
Margery Evans
Chief Executive, Association of Independent Schools of NSW
Eddie Woo
Leader, Mathematics Growth, NSW Department of Education
Kerrie McDiarmid
Principal, St Mary’s Cathedral College
Phillip Heath AM
Head, Barker College
Scott Dinham
Principal, Grafton High School
Jeanie Brown
Principal, Riverbank Public School
Paul Sheather
Principal,
Balgowlah Boys
Iris Nastasi
Principal,
Rosebank College
Belinda Bristol
Principal, Windsor South Public School
Henry Rajendra
Acting President,
NSW Teachers Federation
Dr Sarah Golsby-Smith
Head of Learning & Teaching,
PLC Sydney
Matthew Esterman
Director Innovation and Partnerships, Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta; Teaching Fellow, 2023 Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards
Ross Fox
Director of Catholic Education, Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
Dr Tim McDonnald
CEO, the Y WA; Subject Matter Expert, The Engaged Classroom Initiative, AERO
Mike Hennessy
Chief Research & Insights Officer, PeopleBench
Joanne Jarvis
Director, School Leadership Institute, NSW Department of Education
Danielle Cronin
Director, Education Policy,
Catholic Schools NSW
Darryl Buchanan
Associate Chief Executive, Leadership and Learning Oversights, Association of Independent Schools of NSW
Lucy Carroll
Education Editor,
The Sydney Morning Herald
Prof Matt Bower
Interim Dean,
Macquarie School of Education
Dr Paul Wood PSM
Executive Director,
NSW Department of Education
Agenda
Thursday 14 March 2024
7:50
Registration and Morning Coffee
8:20
OPENING | Opening remarks from the Chair
THE FUTURE OF SCHOOLING IN NEW SOUTH WALES
8:30
State Government Address and Fireside chat |
The Hon Prue Car MP, Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning, NSW
9:00
Departmental address |
Murat Dizdar PSM, Secretary, NSW Department of Education
9:20
International Keynote Address| Mississippi’s incredible school turnaround program
- How Mississippi became one of the fastest improving states in both literacy and numeracy whilst also closing the racial achievement gap
- Changing the culture and raising expectations
- Creating the strategic plan to take Mississippi from the worst performing state in the USA
- Settling on 6 achievement goals
- Proficiency growth
- Graduating students from high school
- Early-childhood education
- Capacity building for teachers and leaders
- World-class data systems
- Making every school and district meet a basic bar
- Effective communication of the goals and supporting districts to achieve them
- Using data for continual improvement
- Focussing on the social and emotional well-being of teachers, leaders and students
Carey Wright, Interim State Superintendent of Education, Maryland, USA
9:50
Panel Discussion | Principals’ Panel – Addressing the key challenges in running a school today.
- Addressing teacher supply issues
- Adapting to the new curriculum and a changing world
- Engagement, Wellbeing, and behavioural management issues
- Appeasing the parents
Kerrie McDiarmid, Principal, St Mary’s Cathedral College
Phillip Heath AM, Head, Barker College
Scott Dinham, Principal, Grafton High School
Jeanie Brown, Principal, Riverbank Public School
10:20
Morning tea
SCHOOL FUNDING
10:50
Federal Government Address and Fireside chat |
The Hon Jason Clare MP, Minister for Education
11:20
Panel Discussion | Sector response to the NSRA and other major reviews
- Ensuring the transparency and accountability of school funding
- Improving outcomes for equity groups
- Attracting and retaining teachers
- The use of data to enhance student outcomes.
Henry Rajendra, Acting President, NSW Teachers Federation
Margery Evans, Chief Executive, Association of Independent Schools of NSW
Dallas McInerney, Chief Executive Officer, Catholic Schools NSW
BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT AND SCHOOL TURNAROUND
11:50
Keynote Address| An evidence-based approach to classroom management
- The engaged classroom initiative
- De-escalating misbehaviour and conflict
- Maximising students’ learning time
Dr Tim McDonald, CEO, the Y WA; Subject Matter Expert, The Engaged Classroom Initiative, AERO
12:10
Panel Discussion| School improvement and turnaround
- What were we trying to address and how did we go about it?
- Generating teacher, student, and parent buy-in
- What we learnt along the way
- Plans to maintain this success and for further elevation.
Ross Fox, Director of Catholic Education, Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
Paul Sheather, Principal, Balgowlah Boys
Belinda Bristol, Principal, Windsor South Public School
Iris Nastasi, Principal, Rosebank College
Moderated by Glenn Fahey, Director, Education Program, The Centre for Independent Studies
12:40
Lunch
THE FUTURE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
13:40
Keynote Address| The future of school success
- How best do we measure and report on success within the legislative framework?
- What does transparency mean and what is its purpose?
Paul Martin, CEO, NESA
14:10
Panel Discussion| The Future of Teaching
- Exploring the evolving role of the teacher
- Equipping teachers will the skills and resources to prepare future generations
- The future of Initial Teacher Education
- Solving the supply issue
- What can we do to improve retention rates?
Matthew Esterman, Director Innovation and Partnerships, Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta;
Teaching Fellow, 2023 Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards
Danielle Cronin, Director, Education Policy, Catholic Schools NSW
Eddie Woo, Leader, Mathematics Growth, NSW Department of Education
14:40
Afternoon tea
AI IN EDUCATION
15:10
Panel Discussion| Generative AI and its role in the future of learning and teaching
- Creating a framework for the responsible use of generative AI in the classroom
- How can AI help reduce the admin burden for teachers?
- How are students currently using generative AI?
- Implementing practical policies to enhance the learning experience
Dr Paul Wood PSM, Executive Director, NSW Department of Education
Dr Sarah Golsby-Smith, Head of Learning & Teaching, PLC Sydney
Prof Matt Bower, Interim Dean, Macquarie School of Education
MIDDLE LEADERSHIP
15:40
Panel Discussion| Where are our future Principals coming from?
- Assessing the evolving role, challenges, and competences of middle leaders in today’s schools
- How sustainable is the leadership pipeline?
- Achieving diversity in educational leadership
- Successfully identifying and supporting aspiring middle leaders
- How the Queensland middle leadership trial is progressing
Mike Hennessy, Chief Research & Insights Officer, PeopleBench
Joanne Jarvis, Director, School Leadership Institute, NSW Department of Education
Darryl Buchanan, Associate Chief Executive, Leadership and Learning Oversights, Association of Independent Schools of NSW
16:10
Closing remarks from the chair and networking drinks
Pricing
Packages | Early Bird (Until 19 Dec 2023) | Full Rate |
FACE TO FACE – Schools/Govt/NFP Rate | $795 + GST | $895 + GST |
VIRTUAL Pass – Schools/Govt/NFP Rate | $695 + GST | $795 + GST |
FACE TO FACE – Supplier Rate | $1,795 + GST | $1,995 + GST |
VIRTUAL Pass – Supplier Rate | $995 + GST | $1,195 + GST |
Testimonials
Blog
The structure of Australian schooling needs to change – Prof. Adrian Piccoli
Former NSW Education Minister and Director of the Gonski Institute for Education, Professor Adrian Piccoli, is challenging the status quo of Australia’s school system, in a bid to achieve greater equity for students.
Piccoli believes the existing structure, funding model, and underlying regulatory framework is doing a disservice to low socio-economic status (SES) students… Read more >>
Major curriculum overhaul looking likely
Professor Geoff Masters, the person behind a proposed curriculum overhaul for New South Wales has so far racked up “considerable support” from teachers for his suggested redesign, which is due for finalisation this year. Since the release of his interim report in October last year, Masters has received more than 700 submissions providing feedback on his recommended reforms…. Read more >>
Teachers need more training to help students with special educational needs
Special education’ is a broad term and requires an equally broad set of skills, providers and strategies – not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach – says academic expert, Dr. Kathleen Tait. “Included within a typical education classroom one could find students with a range of intellectual, social and emotional difficulties; children who are gifted and talented; and/or children with learning difficulties… Read more >>
Normalising mental health protocols and intervention in Australian schools
When it comes to physical health, we’re not short of nationally-endorsed protocols that support our wellbeing. From hand-railings on public stairways, to mandatory vaccinations, to the highly-publicised “slip slop slap” sunscreen campaign. The same also applies in school settings. When a child is injured, they’ll receive first aid from an appointed, trained first aider. There will be rules in place to help avoid… Read more >>
Student Engagement & Technology in the Classroom: Igniting the Fire in Young Learners with Eddie Woo
Technology is rapidly transforming the way students learn and teachers teach, a study found that Australia is one of the highest users of technology in schools in the OECD – so how can technology benefit Australian students and what are the costs? What can it do and what can’t it do? Wootube is a prime… Read more >>
Student well-being at Wenona School
Adolescence is a difficult time for most people, but for a growing subset of young Australians, it is more than just an “uncomfortable phase”. Statistics show that one in five 13-18 years-olds will experience a severe mental health disorder; and more than half of people with a lifetime mental health diagnosis will encounter their first… Read more >>
Small group tutoring in NSW – why the need and how will it work?
Next year, students in New South Wales (NSW) will have access to free tutoring for the first time, thanks to a $337 million program as part of the state’s 2020-21 Budget. Under the scheme, an additional 5,500 staff will be employed to deliver small group teaching sessions to all eligible students… Read more >>
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Venue
ICC Sydney
14 Darling Dr,
Sydney NSW 2000
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