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November 24: School Governance Weekly Wrap

23/11/16

AUSTRALIA 

Unvaccinated students forced to stay home during disease outbreaks under proposed changes

ABC News reports that NSW students who were not vaccinated may be required to stay at home during disease outbreaks under proposed amendments to the Public Health Act. Year 12 students would need to prove their vaccination history and a school ban would occur in certain circumstances. Director of Communicable Diseases with NSW Health, Dr Vicky Sheppeard said that the proposed rules would only apply in "very rare instances". The principal of St Luke's Grammar School believes that the proposed two-week ban would be disruptive.

Why learning Chinese should be compulsory in Australian schools

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that educators are stressing the importance of Asian literacy. China is Australia's biggest trading partner. However, the number of year 12 students undertaking Chinese in VCE has dropped over the last few years. In 2005, 1500 students studied Chinese, in 2015 this number had dropped to 832. Just over 150 students were non-native speakers. Statistics show that over 90% of non-native students drop the language by year 10.

Back to basics phonics test to be rolled out in Australian schools

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Simon Birmingham, the Federal Education Minister is set to introduce a phonics screening check across Australia. Literacy levels would be measured by the test as well as how effectively teachers are teaching phonics. The Teachers Federation, however, said the screening test was not allowing teachers to have oversight over their own classrooms. Australian literacy levels are comparatively low when analysed alongside our English-speaking counterparts.

Children who attend preschool more socially and emotionally mature, study finds

The Herald Sun reports that children earn higher literacy and numeracy scores and develop emotional maturity when they attend preschool. The national study which uncovered these results revealed attendance levels have not grown since 2008, with poor attendance rates coming out of disadvantaged and indigenous communities and those from multi-culturally diverse backgrounds. Currently, only 73 per cent of five-year-olds are enrolled in preschool.

Lifting the grade: tough new standards for Victorian teachers

The Age reports that  ATAR scores for year 12 students heading into the teaching profession will go up, with the bar set at a minimum ATAR of 65 in 2018, to rise to 70 in 2019. Some ATAR requirements this year were as low as 30. James Merlino, Education Minister for Victoria unveiled the plans to attract "the best and brightest" teachers to Victorian schools. Not only will the ATAR requirement be higher, but prospective students will also be required to sit a new compulsory test on non-academic learning and personal development skills.

INTERNATIONAL

US: Six children killed in school bus crash

Ten News reports that a bus driver in Tennessee has been charged with five counts of vehicular homicide, reckless endangerment and reckless driving charges after he ploughed a school bus into a tree killing five children immediately and a sixth student in hospital later. According to Police the driver lost control of the bus and swerved out of control while speeding well over the 30-mile speed limit. The students on the bus were aged between five and 10.

NZ: Kaikoura schools in limbo, unable to reopen until facilities returned

Stuff NZ reports that Kaikoura schools did not open after the earthquake as they waited for the Ministry of Education to undertake a structural assessment of their buildings. Katrina Casey, the Secretary of Education said that she was grateful, "to find most of the schools have come through relatively well". The Principal of St. Joseph's School, Mary Gray, said that her school appeared "structurally sound" but due to health and safety concerns she had not entered the properties.

NZ: Changes to special needs education letting parents down

Scoop reports that New Zealand First are calling for major reform to special needs education. Tracey Martin, the Education Spokesperson for New Zealand First believes that the New Zealand Government "refuses to listen". “Also, this group of parents and students should have access to the full range of educational options and this would include single-sex residential schools, such as Salisbury School in Nelson, which the Minister is threatening to close,” says Ms Martin.

 

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