The information in the Weekly Wrap is aggregated from other news sources to provide you with news that is relevant to the education sector across Australia and worldwide. Each paragraph is a summary of the subject matter covered in the particular news article. The information does not necessarily reflect the views of CompliSpace.

AUSTRALIA

Prime energy drink sold by KSI and Logan Paul banned from Australian schools

ABC News reports that schools across the country are banning students from bringing a super-caffeinated energy drink to school, after a campaign by social media influencers created a frenzy around the beverage. Prime energy drinks – founded by the influencers in January last year – contain almost double the legal limit of caffeine per 100ml, and are not available in stores in Australia. However, they can be bought on resale websites and it is believed that students are gaining access to them online. Several schools in Queensland and Western Australia have already issued warnings to parents and banned the drinks following health industry advice that they contain dangerous levels of caffeine for children. Professor Ben Desbrow, a sports dietician at Griffith University, believes that schools that ban the drinks are doing their duty in protecting young people from "the addictive substance".

eSafety training for National Student Wellbeing Program (NSWP)

The eSafety Commissioner is providing live, free, webinar-based professional learning for Student Wellbeing Officers (SWOs) and chaplains. eSafety's professional learning funded through the National Student Wellbeing Program provides evidence-based, targeted advice on preventing and responding to cyberbullying. Student Wellbeing Officers and NSWP chaplains are required to complete the professional learning every 2.5 years under the Federation Funding Agreement NSWP Schedule. The professional learning program includes a two-hour live webinar and an online quiz. Participants who complete the program will receive a summary of the key learnings and a certificate of participation.

Vaping increasing among young Australians, as risks confirmed

E-cigarette use among young Australians has increased “alarmingly” in recent years, as a major peer-reviewed study led by The Australian National Univeristy (ANU) confirms the health risks that vaping poses. Published in the Medical Journal of Australia, the study builds on a 2022 ANU report on e-cigarettes, with additional peer-review and evidence from more than 400 studies and reports. Lead author Professor Emily Banks, from the ANU National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, said that the review confirms multiple risks of e-cigarettes, particularly for non-smokers, children, adolescents and young adults. “The evidence supports Australia’s prescription-only model for e-cigarettes, which aims to avoid use in non-smokers and young people while targeting use for smokers seeking to quit,” Professor Banks said.

“In crisis for years”: The struggle to fix Australia’s worst classrooms

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that school teachers and principals nationwide say that Australia has a problem that nobody wants to talk about: a behaviour crisis in the classroom. Submissions to a Senate inquiry into the increasing disruption in Australian classrooms published this month say that the causes of bad behaviour are complex but several make one thing clear – teachers need more support. “Australian classrooms have been in crisis for years and nobody has taken responsibility,” deputy principal and education researcher Greg Ashman wrote in his submission to the Senate inquiry. To lift behaviour standards in classrooms, he said that schools must develop structures to support teachers. “In challenging schools, teachers need to know how to call for help when needed, what that help will consist of and that they will not be blamed or undermined for using that system,” he said.

Apply now: NSW University Developed Board Endorsed Courses (UDBECs)

According to the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), applications for a University Developed Board Endorsed Course (UDBEC) commencing in 2024 close on Friday 12 May. UDBECs allow universities to partner with schools to extend the HSC curriculum and develop a customised course for high-achieving students in Year 11 and/or Year 12. Schools should make contact directly with the university providing the course if they would like further information or to enrol students.

Admin tasks undermine teacher morale, Victorian survey finds

According to Independent Schools Victoria (ISV), the vast majority of teachers at Victorian independent schools are satisfied with their career choice, but excessive administrative tasks and the unreasonable demands of some parents risk undermining their passion for teaching, a new survey has found. The survey records the responses of 270 teachers in 103 schools who were asked for their reasons for teaching, what they found satisfying in their jobs and what they found least satisfying. While work in the classroom is what is most satisfying, teachers said that they were burdened with non-teaching tasks including administration and accountability requirements which take them away from their core function. When asked what support would assist them in their role as a teacher, the majority (78 per cent) indicated that they would like fewer non-teaching demands on their time.

Victorian independent school registration briefing

According to the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA), on Thursday 30 March 2023 the VRQA will hold a briefing for organisations that want to apply to the VRQA for registration as an independent school. The briefing will cover important information for applicants including registration requirements and the registration process, as well as briefings from Independent Schools Victoria, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) and the Department of Education. This includes school governance and not-for-profit requirements, Child Safe Standards, minimum standards for school registration, the role of Independent Schools Victoria and funding available to independent schools, VRQA registration and VCAA authorisation to deliver senior secondary or foundation secondary qualifications, and Victorian Government support for independent schools.

Working With Children Check now digital for all Victorians

According to the office of the Premier of Victoria, securing and using the Working with Children Check has been made more accessible, with Victorians now able to apply for and display a digital version of the card on the Service Victoria app. It also means that people can easily and securely apply for, update and renew their clearance through the app. The Check is a vital tool for assessing people who work with or care for children in Victoria – ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children across the state. Organisations can scan the QR code on the digital card on the Service Victoria app to see if the Check is valid, showing the person’s status in real time, although clearance holders can continue to use their physical card if preferred. If you are a current clearance-holder and wish to obtain a digital Working with Children Check card, go to service.vic.gov.au or download the app at the App Store or Google Play Store.

Teachers at a Victorian primary school investigated over shocking allegations

According to the Herald Sun, five teachers from Rosewood Downs Primary School are being investigated following the broadcast of an offensive video at a school staff farewell which poked fun at children with disabilities and contained sexual innuendo. In a separate incident, another teacher allegedly locked a student in a classroom while he was distressed. It comes after it was revealed that the school’s welfare co-ordinator Carly Pinwill, who was suspended on an interim basis by the teaching regulator on 31 January, was allegedly involved in making the “highly offensive” and “distressing” farewell video for outgoing principal Julian Growcott. The video, shown to more than 20 teachers at last year’s school staff Christmas party, contained several sexual innuendos and unsolicited photos of children with disabilities and their families used without permission. The Department of Education has confirmed that their investigation at the school relating to the video is ongoing.

U-turn: Queensland state schools to embrace ChatGPT as learning tool

According to The Courier Mail, after adopting a hard-line approach and banning ChatGPT, the Queensland Department of Education has softened its stance and will help state schools to harness the new technology to support teachers. It comes as more private schools integrate ChatGPT into classes, choosing to embrace the power of the artificial intelligence revolution, rather than trying to outlaw it and prevent students from using it to do their assignments for them. An updated version of ChatGPT was released earlier this month. “In response to this rapidly evolving technology landscape, ministers agreed to develop an evidence-based, best practice framework to guide schools in harnessing AI tools to support teaching and learning,” a Department spokesperson said. Meanwhile, in the private sector, Hillbrook Anglican School has developed a course on generative AI to educate their teachers on the positives of the AI technology.

Resilience Project teaches vital life skills to students in flood-hit school in rural South Australia

ABC News reports that a rural South Australian school is teaching students lifelong skills of resilience at an early age. Swan Reach was heavily affected by the recent flood that hit the Riverland and Murraylands region. Swan Reach Area School is now teaching its students resilience and wellbeing as a part of a three-year program. The new program is a part of a national initiative, The Resilience Project. Principal John Robertson said that the school's involvement in the new project was well timed. "It couldn't come at a better time when we talk about the impact of the floods," he said. Mr Robertson said that the project was a logical choice, as it empowered the whole school community, not just the students. The Resilience Project chief executive Ben Waterman said that the project consisted of three key principles – gratitude, empathy and mindfulness.

Katrina Munting's abusive teacher given option to resign rather than face investigation, Tasmania’s Supreme Court hears

ABC News reports that a high school teacher who sexually abused one of his students was given the option to resign, rather than face further investigation, a court has heard. Katrina Munting was a 14-year-old high school student at Hobart's Rose Bay High School when she was sexually abused by teacher Marcus Pollard in 1998. Abuse also occurred in 1999. The now 66-year-old Pollard was convicted in 2020 of persistent sexual abuse of a young person. Ms Munting is now suing him and Tasmania's Education Department for damages. The court heard that, after Pollard's resignation from his teaching job, he went on to work at the University of Tasmania's science department, where Ms Munting became a student in 2002. Mr Munting said that his wife was "very stressed" while she was at university because of the potential that she would come across Pollard, "even though there was a non-contact order … in his contract."

INTERNATIONAL

“Heartbreaking”: Nashville school shooting leaves six dead, including three children (United States of America)

SBS News reports that a 28-year-old killed three children and three staff at a private elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, before being shot dead by police, in the latest outburst of gun violence to shock the United States. Armed with at least two assault rifles and a handgun, the shooter entered the Christian Covenant School from a side door before opening fire, Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron told a press conference. Officers were on the scene within about 15 minutes of receiving the first emergency call, engaging the shooter who returned fire before the shooter was shot dead. The shooter, identified by police as a 28-year-old from Nashville, fired multiple shots advancing through the school, Mr Aaron said. There was no initial indication of a motive for the shooting. Legislation tackling gun violence has met with deadlock in Washington despite the public uproar over high-profile massacres such as the one at Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut in 2012.

US school principal resigns following complaints from parents that she showed students “pornographic” art (United States of America)

According to The Project, a principal at a Tallahassee school has been forced to resign after parents complained that she showed students “pornographic” art.Hope Carrasquilla was teaching a sixth-grade class about Renaissance art, which included Michelangelo’s famous “David” statue and the “Creation of Adam”. Carrasquilla was principal at Tallahassee Classical School for almost a year when she was told to resign or risk getting fired, by the board chair Barney Bishop. She resigned during an emergency board meeting. “He was more concerned about litigation and appeasing a small minority of parents rather than trusting my expertise as an educator for more than 25 years,” Carrasquilla stated. The board passed a new rule last month, mandating that parents will be notified two weeks in advance before any “potentially controversial” curriculum is taught, allowing parents to have a look over the content and photos connected to it.

Supreme Court unanimously rules for deaf student in education case (United States of America)

PBS News reports that the United States Supreme Court has ruled unanimously for a deaf student who sued his public school system for providing an inadequate education. The case is significant for other students with disability who allege that they were failed by school officials. The case that the Justices ruled in involves Miguel Luna Perez. Perez’s lawyers told the court that for 12 years the school system neglected the boy and lied to his parents about the progress that he was making, permanently stunting his ability to communicate. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in an eight-page opinion for the court that the case “holds consequences not just for Mr. Perez but for a great many children with disabilit[y] and their parents.” Perez’s lawyers say that the school system failed him by providing an aide who was not trained to work with deaf students, did not know sign language and in later years left him alone for hours at a time.