Vol.49 November 2015
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Vol.49 November 2015 4 Autonomy and Accountability Go Together 22 ASBA (Vic) and STA Field Day 2015 7 Chairman’s Commendation Awards 24 Gender Equity – how does our profession rate? 8 Why do Boards Exist? 29 Dunlea Centre Re-builds 10 Reviving Graythwaite 31 Personal Learning Devices (PLDs) Empowering Students 14 Imaginations Soar with the New TAS Science Building 34 Project Zero Sydney conference | March 2016 17 Beaconhills College Solar ‘one of the largest’ 36 Chart Your Course to ASBA 2017 18 Introducing the Knox Senior Secondary Academy 38 Financial Health is in your Hands 20 ASBA 2015 Conference – Embracing Diversity Published by the Association of School Business Administrators ASBA Update From the Chair PROFILE Kathy Dickson with Michael Burgess (WA Conference Chair) Kathy Dickson was elected Chairman of ASBA in April 2014 following a period as Deputy Chair and Director of ASBA Ltd. Kathy is the Bursar at Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore) and is currently on the NSW Chapter Committee and the ASBA 2017 Conference Committee. was delighted to catch up with Executive Officer Pip Jones, presented a The Board unanimously endorsed future so many of you at the ASBA 2015 very comprehensive review of the ASBA directions that will place ASBA Ltd as IPerth Conference. This professional Ltd Constitution. This review came about the leading professional organisation for development event was attended by as part of our governance framework school business administrators promoting over 650 delegates. The WA Committee discussions as the Board addressed and driving improvement and business put together an outstanding business both relevance and compliance issues excellence in Australasian schools. and social program to celebrate the that were impacting on our ability to meet If you have not already logged onto the diversity in our roles as school business key strategic objectives. The outcome ASBA website and updated your details, administrators, our schools and our of the discussions at the July meeting I encourage you to do so. Over the next nations. resulted in the finalisation of a series of few weeks, presentations from the ASBA On behalf of all ASBA members, I wish proposed changes tabled at our Board 2015 Perth conference will be uploaded to thank the 2015 Conference Committee meeting on 27th September 2015. The to the site. If you were unable to attend, for their outstanding effort in preparing the Board carefully considered the proposed you will find the conference papers useful conference program for us. Their attention recommendations and they will be resources. Use the member search to to detail, their ability to secure sponsorship presented for adoption at the ASBA Ltd contact your new acquaintances from and exhibitors to support the conference, 2016 AGM. The changes will align our Perth and share news from your school as well as what must be a record delegate Constitution with best practice corporate or the bulletin board for that piece of attendance is a testament to their governance documentation and current information that might be at someone willingness to get involved, tenacity in governance best practice standards. On else’s finger tips – just not yours! working as a team and most importantly, behalf of the Board, I would like to thank We have all had a very busy year and I their ability to embrace diversity. Ross, Leanne and Pip on their outstanding trust it has been a rewarding one for you. The Board has met twice since our effort in untangling some complex Best wishes for a productive term last Associate edition with a clear focus constitutional issues and presenting the 4 as we wind down for our end of year on strategic direction, governance results in a concise and professional activities, festivities and our well-earned and constitutional matters. At our July manner. summer break. meeting Directors Ross Cardiff and At the July meeting we also finalised Leanne Sparkes with assistance from our the next chapter in our strategic plan. Kathy Dickson National Chairman, ASBA Ltd ASBA Executive ASBA Executive Officer and Editor of the Associate Chairman Philippa Jones Kathy Dickson Association of School Business Administrators Blue Street, North Sydney, New South Wales 2060 PO Box 4694 Toowoomba East QLD 4350 Tel: (02) 9956 1111 Fax: (02) 9922 2689 Tel: (02) 9431 8682 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] ASBA Members as at November 2015 Association of School Business Administrators (NSW) Inc Treasurer Association of School Bursars and Administrators (VIC) Inc Mr Ian Foster Association of School Business Administrators (QLD) Inc The Knox School Association of School Bursars and Administrators (WA) Inc 20 Burwood Highway, Wantima, South Victoria 3152 Association of School Business Administrators (SA&NT) Inc Association of School Business Administrators (TAS) Inc Deputy Chair Association of School Business Administrators (ACT) Inc Jenny Self Association of School Bursars and Administrators (NZ) Inc The Hutchins School 71 Nelson Rd, Sandy Bay, Tasmania 7005 Cover photograph: Knox Grammar boys collaborate NOVEMBER 2015 3 ISCA Update Autonomy Valued by Non-Government School Sector - Autonomy and Accountability Go Together In 2014 the Australian Government announced the Independent Public Schools initiative, committing $70 million over three years to assist government schools to have more control of local decision making and to help encourage stronger links between schools and local community. In effect, the Government wants government schools to be more like the non- government sector. nderlying this approach is a accountabilities such as implementation Much of the international research on concept that represents a key of the national curriculum, and autonomous schools has focused on the Ustrength in the non-government participation in national assessment and long running Charter Schools movement school sector in Australia; greater reporting programs. in the USA and the more recent UK autonomy. The Independent Schools In the 2007 OECD Education working academies program. Each of these Council of Australia (ISCA) constantly paper School Accountability, Autonomy, models has produced mixed results, promotes both the role autonomy plays in Choice, and the Level of Student demonstrating wide differences between delivering positive educational outcomes Achievement: International Evidence schools in their performance. On in non-government schools and the need from PISA 2003, the authors noted that average, Charter Schools do not perform “these results suggest that the incentives to ensure it is allowed to continue. very differently from public schools with created by parental choice of private Autonomy is valued by school leaders similar student populations, but there is schools work particularly well if (private and school communities for the flexibility great variation in their performance, as and public) schools in the system have it gives to respond to the particular there is in their design, establishment autonomy to respond to the parental needs of their students in their specific and environment. UK academies initially demands. In such systems, privately education setting, particularly through the also showed considerable variation in operated schools face particularly strong performance but that has recently given selection of staff suited to the school’s incentives to perform well”. way to more positive assessments of needs. Principals and teachers welcome It is likely that more time will be their contribution to student achievement. the freedom and flexibility to adapt required to fairly judge the impact of Neither model shows a direct causal teaching strategies, create a classroom government initiatives to boost autonomy relationship between autonomy and environment, monitor learning and in public schools. In Western Australia improved performance. Evaluation respond to their student body in order to and Victoria, both with longer histories improve their own school’s performance. of self-managing schools, the evidence studies of these schools show the need They share a commitment to getting suggests that principals welcome to look carefully at contextual factors, the best outcomes for their school and greater autonomy, particularly in relation particularly the quality of leadership, students across the full range of goals of to determination of the staffing profile approach to teaching and accountability schooling, to understand their students of the school, selection of staff and to families and the system. International analysis of several PISA and to establish strong links to their decisions about curricular and extra- cycles demonstrate a strong association community. curricular offerings. They expect it to between schools having more The autonomy of non-government lead to improved learning outcomes but independent decision-making powers schools is balanced by the series recognise a need for strong leadership support and understand the complexity and stronger education outcomes; of accountabilities that come from of the relationship between the many showing that in systems where schools commitments to the fee-paying parent factors influencing student outcomes. The have greater autonomy over what is body and from acceptance of public evidence suggests that the longer the taught and how students are assessed, funding, which requires compliance experience with autonomy, the stronger students tend to perform better. Analysis with financial, safety and personnel the impact on student