Doing a monthly message as a form of communication is great but then, what do you write about? This is something I have been thinking about and in some respects struggling with. When I’m on the road, which I am doing a lot at the moment, from home to Hobart, or around the state doing Community Empowered Schools Workshops, Education Act Forums, and meetings, it gives me a lot of time to think, about what we are doing, and where we need to be going as an organisation. I am always drawn back to the importance of having strong foundations at a grass roots level, the ability to connect and build relationships and partnerships with our school associations. Doing the Community Empowering Schools Workshops and Education Act Forums has given us the opportunity to meet, further develop and create connections with school association members in a positive and productive way. During fourth term we’ll be on the road again doing more forums. Keep an eye out for those forums or if you would like us to hold one at your school please don’t hesitate to contact TASSO.
I would like to take this opportunity congratulate Helen Richardson on her re-election to President of the AEU (TAS). Like TASSO they are a key organisation in Education. We try and meet regularly with the AEU, other organisations and people, including but not limited to the Secretary of the DoE, Learning Services and the Principal’s Association. We discuss a range of topics like Gonski, resourcing, teacher’s education, staffing including support and relief staff, curriculum, and more recently the implementation of the new Education Act. Having discussions, within the framework of our policy and constitution, gives us a greater understanding of each other’s views and biases. We are all working together for the betterment of our schools and more importantly our children’s education.
As the old saying goes it takes a village to raise a child and when it comes to our children’s education the same thing applies. It takes us as parents to work in partnership with our schools to achieve this. There are no bad schools, as parents we need to bring our knowledge and along with teachers, we can combine all this expertise, by working together, we can truly make big difference to our children’s futures. Equity in our schools doesn’t always have to be about dollars, as parents our own investment in our schools also brings value. Every child’s outcomes will be different but giving them the ability and opportunities to reach their full potential is paramount.
-Lisa Gillard, TASSO President