Minnis Journals

ET News Digest

Your Weekly Education Newsletter

Independent schools concerned about SES review
Out of all the metrics applied to schools the SES score is among the most important and any changes to the way it is calculated will have significant on flow effects. With a review of the SES methodology underway the Independent Schools Council of Australia is keen to have its say. Read more

National PJ Day fundraiser launched by Asthma Foundation
The Asthma Foundation is urging schools to get behind its PJ Day fundraiser by organising a day when students and teachers wear their nightwear to school to raise awareness and funds to help children with asthma.
Nearly 500,000 Australian children aged 0-14 have asthma, it's the top reason children visit Emergency Departments and a leading cause of school absence Read More

Moral development begins with mum
A team from the University of Queensland School of Psychology examined moral reasoning in children aged 10 and under and it's good news if you’re mum or a chicken but not so much if you’re a baddie. Teachers and police are a bit meh.
The researchers asked 151 children how much they cared about 24 items including humans, animals, nature and inanimate objects.   They were instructed to put the items they cared about most in the inner circle. Read more

Expanding MyRoad program for Year 10-12 girls needs more mentors
Now in its second year, the MyRoad program is growing and needs more mentors willing to conduct two-hour mentoring sessions for girls in Years 10-12 wanting to know how make the most of their career opportunities after finishing their secondary education.
The online program connects young women across the country with representatives from diverse industries and occupations to offer guidance and help students transition into meaningful employment. Read More

Chinese student nationalism questioned
Australia has a conflicted relationship with China, we rely on their largesse while harbouring a little suspicion regarding their intentions.
A common trope is that Chinese influence is spreading within our universities and political life but whether that’s justified is yet to be determined.
What isn’t controversial is that in 2017 more than 600,000 Chinese headed abroad to university, four times the figure a decade earlier. Read more

Video competition to combat online nastiness
A new competition seeks to address the worst parts of the online world and through video projects impress on the bullied that they are not alone.
Youth suicide has reached a ten-year high in Australia according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Suicide is responsible for the loss of about eight young lives per week – more than those killed in car crashes. Read more

Promethean awards $50,000 worth of technology to ANZ schools
Promethean has awarded over $50,000 worth of their ActivPanels to 11 ANZ schools.
To win the Promethean Grant, schools were asked to submit creative entries as to why they deserved to receive a Promethean ActivPanel, the front-of-classroom interactive screen.
The Promethean Grant competition ran from 26 July to 8 October 2017, and in total had over 75 entries. The 11 winners were notified on 31 October. Read more

$15.6 million high school for Preston

Students in Preston will soon have the first-rate classrooms and facilities with the $15.6 million Preston High School replacing the former Preston Girls’ Secondary College on Cooma Street.
The former school’s central heritage building will be converted into state-of-the-art classrooms and a STEM centre. Read More

Camp Australia’s cold weather activities
This year Camp Australia will launch of its winter E-magination holiday program with a range of activities for kids and parents to choose from.
“We have some fantastic activities incorporated into this winter holiday program that have been ‘approved’ by our kids throughout the term. We like to test any activity we have planned with our kids and make sure they give the tick of approval," said Tom Dusseldorp CMO of Camp Australia. Read more