VISION & VOICE: SYMPOSIUM SESSIONS

The Vision and Voice symposiums bring together panels of educators with expertise in school and system leadership and educational research. Each symposium will explore and generate insights in one of the conference themes;

  • Vision: Learning space - from architecture to pedagogy
  • Vision: Curiosity and innovation
  • Voice: Transforming practice through understanding context
  • Voice: Empowerment and agency.

This is a great opportunity to hear from experts in research or practice and take part in in-depth discussion around the conference theme of Vision and Voice.

 

Vision: Learning space - from architecture to pedagogy

In this session, panel members will discuss how the definition and design of "learning space" has changed in classrooms/schools, and the impact of these changes on students and teachers. They will also discuss ways in which educational leaders support teachers to adapt their pedagogical approaches to enable student learning.

Sinan Kerimofski - FACILITATOR

President ACEL WA; Principal, Vasse Primary School

Sinan Kerimofski is the Principal of Vasse Primary School, an Independent Public School, situated in the southwest of Western Australia. He is also the "CAPES" region Network Principal. Sinan has worked in rural, regional and metropolitan schools in Western Australia over the past 26 years. His focus has been to ensure the school is well resourced with a strong positive culture through focussing on fostering positive relationships. He is also passionate about engaging students through creating flexible, adaptable and stimulating learning environments.

Dr Kirk Zwangobani

School Leader, Dickson College

Kirk Zwangobani is a school leader at Dickson College in Canberra and an early career researcher. Kirk's teaching career has spanned both college and high school sectors in the ACT. His areas of leadership include leading wellbeing/social and emotional learning, school and system curriculum development, and teaching and learning. He has also held significant roles in policy and project development in the ACT Education Directorate with a particular focus on student engagement and voice (K-12). His current research interest focusses on the growing impact of cultural diversity on schools and systems. Kirk is a member of ACEL’s AEL Editorial Committee and Executive member of the ACT ACEL Branch.

Jayne Harrison

Founder, JDH Architects

Jayne Harrison has over 25 years experiences as a successful architect, designer and entrepreneur. Jayne founded her own award-winning Sydney based practice, JDH Architects, in 2004. Her holistic approach to engagement and in-depth understanding of pedagogical practice has given rise to a uniquely innovative architectural firm that specialises solely in educational design. Through Jayne's leadership, strategic thinking and pioneering vision, JDH Architects has successful completed over 150 projects across all sectors of education. This award-winning body of work has afforded JDH Architects a reputation as one of Sydney’s most innovative, creative and dynamic educational design firms. She relentlessly challenges conventional thinking to inspire bold and exciting designs that focus on ingenuity and innovation. The cornerstone of JDH Architects is founded on a commitment to her mission, bringing together people, pedagogy and place, to create beautiful learning environments that enable people to shine.

Kathy Powzun

DoE Director, School Operations & Performance

Kathy Powzun is a passionate educational leader with a proven track record of achieving school improvement. She has a strong commitment to working collaboratively with educational leaders, maximising the achievement of high expectations for learning and achieving excellence at both a local and system level. In 2014, after 11 years as a principal at both Heckenberg and Liverpool West Public Schools, Kathy took up the position of Director, Public Schools NSW, serving in the Campbelltown Principal Network and then in Strathfield. Kathy is now working as the Director, School Operations and Performance, driving innovative, efficient and evidence-based practices across the system of 2200 schools in NSW. Kathy employs agile and resourceful processes for progressing extensive system reform and change. She is committed to collaboration at all levels to ensure students are at the centre of all educational decision making.

 

Vision: Curiosity and innovation

In this session, panel members will draw on their experiences to provide insights into the strategies they use to create new ways of working to support educators to achieve the best outcomes for their students. This session will provide insights into the importance of curiosity and innovation for educational leaders.

Ann McIntyre - FACILITATOR

President ACEL NSW

Ann McIntyre is an experienced principal, superintendent, and NSW state policy leader who is internationally recognised for the rigor, innovation and efficacy of her work in quality teaching, leadership, and school and system improvement. Ann is the Australian researcher for the International Teacher Policy Study with the University of Stanford. As the Director of Professional Learning and Leadership in NSW, she designed system innovations and reforms that significantly enabled teacher and leader quality. Ann is the NSW President of the Australian Council of Educational Leaders, advisor with the AITSL School Leadership and Teaching Expert Standing Committee and International Expert in leadership development for the NSW Department of Education.

Michelle Michael

Principal Education Officer, STEMShare Community Program, NSW DoE, Information Technology Directorate

Michelle Michael has held senior leadership roles at Taronga Zoo, Climate Change, Arts Education and NSW Department of Education. A recognised thought leader in her field, Michelle has appeared as a subject matter expert at multiple conferences and events. A flagship program of the NSW Department of Education, the STEMShare Community Project assists teachers and students to implement STEM into classrooms.

Bek Duyckers

Head of Imaginarium, Perth College Anglican School for Girls

Bek Duyckers is Head of Imaginarium, an initiative unique to Perth College, catering specifically for gifted girls from any school in Western Australia. It is a place where minds can expand and soar – where innovation, curiosity and creativity are encouraged. Positive Psychology underpins course content, supporting the positive development of gifted girls’ self-efficacy and self-concept, enhancing their overall state of wellbeing. The initiative continues to expand, and currently caters for gifted girls aged four to sixteen years old. Bek has two Masters degrees, specialising in Gifted Education and Learning Difficulties; her doctorate will be complete at the end of 2019. Bek is a member of the ACEL WA Branch Executive Committee; an Editorial Committee Member with the Australian Educational Leader (AEL) journal; a New Voice in Educational Leadership Scholarship recipient (2018); was featured on The Educator’s Hot List 2018 and is a finalist for the Australian Education Awards Head of Department of the Year (2018, 2019).

Mark Rohald

CEO, Cluey Learning

Mark Rohald is an education entrepreneur and experienced executive with a successful track record of building, operating and growing large-scale education enterprises across four continents. Over the last thirty years, he has focussed on identifying unique education opportunities and developing iconic education brands, including Educor, Think: Education Group and, most recently, Open Colleges. Mark has significant Board experience, having served as an Executive Director on the boards of more than 25 public and private education companies globally. He is currently a co-founder and Director of Quartet Ventures, a specialist Venture Capital and Private Equity business, and a co-founder of Cluey Learning, an edtech company focussed on supporting school-based learning.

 

Voice: Transforming practice through understanding context

In this session, panel members will discuss policy and practice and the ways they use data and research to generate new ways of working to improve student outcomes. Panel members provide insights into what they are learning and how they are learning, within their diverse contexts.

Dr Deb Kember - FACILITATOR

President ACEL QLD; Director, State Schools Division, Queensland DoE

Deb Kember has dedicated her career to improving school education for young people in Australia and New Zealand as a teacher, school and system leader, university staff member and professional association leader. She began her teaching career in Queensland as Head of Department Sport, Health & Physical Education and Geography. Deb is currently a Director in the State Schools Division of the Queensland Department of Education, working on systemwide, evidence-informed improvement. Establishing the State Schools Evidence Hub and supporting common languages and processes is a career highlight. Her other career highlights include establishing the Australian Institute for Teaching & School Leadership in Brisbane; working on the first draft of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers; contributing to the establishment of the Learning Place, DET’s eLearning environment; and working with the Queensland University of Technology oz-Teachernet team who pioneered teaching and learning using the internet.

Aderyn Chatterton

President ACEL NT; Executive Director of School Improvement and Leadership

Aderyn Chatterton has been the Regional Director of Darwin schools for the past four years. Prior to that, she had 13 years’ experience as an assistant principal, teaching principal and principal in urban and remote schools in Queensland and the Northern Territory. Throughout all stages of her career she has remained passionate about identifying, supporting and challenging aspirant and emerging leaders. Most recently, this commitment has translated into the development of an innovative high-potential leaders program that is about to be launched in the Darwin Region. Aderyn has been a member of the NT branch of ACEL for the past four years. Aderyn is an ACEL Board member.

Dr Peter Goss

School Education Program Director, Grattan Institute

Peter Goss joined Grattan Institute in 2014, and has focussed on how education systems and data can help schools and teachers adapt and improve their practice. Prior to joining Grattan, Peter spent more than 10 years as a strategy consultant, most recently with the Boston Consulting Group, and worked with Noel Pearson to improve education outcomes for Cape York Primary School students. Peter trained as a biologist, with a focus on understanding complex systems.

Associate Professor Mark Rickinson

Associate Professor, Monash University

Mark Rickinson is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. Mark’s work is focussed on understanding and improving the use of research in policy and practice. He is currently leading The Q Project (Quality Use of Evidence Driving Quality Education), a new five-year initiative with the Paul Ramsay Foundation to improve the use of research evidence in Australian schools. Other recent projects include: "Getting Evidence Moving in Schools" (with Evidence for Learning), "Understanding School Engagement with Research" (with Catholic Education Melbourne) and "Use of Evidence in Education Policy" (with the Victorian Department of Education and Training).

 

Voice: Empowerment and agency

In this session, panel members will discuss strategies to enable empowerment and agency to promote productive learning relationships with students, teacher’s parents and the community.

Coralee Pratt - FACILITATOR

Training President ACEL VIC; Senior Education Improvement Leader, VIC DoE

Coralee Pratt is an educational leader who has worked in a diverse range of settings and communities across all regions in Victoria and in Queensland. She currently works for the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET) in the role of Senior Education Improvement Leader (SEIL) in the Bayside Peninsula Area, South East Victoria Region, and works with 30 schools in the Beachside Network. Coralee has been an executive board member of both the ACEL Queensland and Victoria branches since 2013, and is currently the President of ACEL Victoria. Coralee has been principal of three large schools and has had broad leadership experience at system level. Participation in the Harvard University Graduate School of Education program enabled her to play an influential role in leading educational change at school and system level, and has supported her work in leading the design, delivery and evaluation of a comprehensive suite of professional learning and leadership development programs.

Dr Belinda Gasston-Holmes

Head of Student Services, St Andrews Lutheran College; ACEL New Voice Scholar 2018

As an associate of Leadership Research International, Dr Belinda Gasston-Holmes has worked with middle and senior leaders to collaboratively develop a shared sense of accountability for building capacity for quality teaching and leading for learning. In addition, Belinda's work involves leading teachers to self-assess their professional growth using the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. She has also led over 10 government-funded research projects aimed at building capacity of middle leaders to lead learning within schools and building teacher capacity to enhance student outcomes. Belinda was a recipient of two awards in 2018: ACEL New Voice in Educational Research Scholarship and ACEL QLD Inspiring Leader – Research in Educational Leadership and Management Award.

Clinton Milroy

Manager, AITSL

Clinton Milroy is Manager of Quality Teaching at the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). His work is focussed on teacher professional learning, beginning teacher induction, and teacher certification against the Highly Accomplished and Lead career stages of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Clinton was a secondary teacher for eight years and has a Master in Education.

Gail McHardy

Executive Officer, Parents Victoria

Gail McHardy has long been one of Victoria's leading advocates for parents of students in Victorian government schools. Gail's introduction to the education sector was as an active volunteer at her own daughters' school Parent Clubs. She is currently the Executive Officer of the statewide, peak public school parent organisation, Parents Victoria. Gail has had many opportunities to share her extensive knowledge, professional commitment, experience and energy with many school communities, future teacher graduates, governments and other stakeholders across all education sectors.