Welcome to the final edition of Registration Buzz for 2024.

Firstly, it has been a very busy year for all in the education sector and I would like to thank all educators in South Australia for their dedication and the positive impact they have on the lives of young people and their families in our state.

This year was filled with challenges, excitement and progress on significant projects addressing key initiatives for the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia.

Community-wide sessions into developing a South Australian focussed Code of Conduct for teachers and special authorisation holders continued, including consultation on a set of Guidelines to support explanation of future requirements. I am encouraged by the level of support by teachers in developing the code and guidelines for all teachers, regardless of setting. It is hoped they will provide many benefits for the profession as a whole including recognition of the standards teachers aspire to.

I sincerely thank all who participated in the extensive community-wide consultation (over the past two years) which underpinned and informed the creation of the Code and Guidelines. The Code is an important part of both supporting teachers and recognising excellence as teachers comply with the professional expectations clearly set out.

Acknowledging the work from the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care, significant reform into the way Early Childhood Teachers are registered in South Australia occurred. While all registered teachers appear on the same public register, teachers working in Birth-to-5 education settings, with a completed Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) qualification, (primarily at higher education bachelor level), can now be employed in early childhood settings. This can be achieved by use of an appropriate condition of registration.

This reform, together with the acceptance of like qualified teachers from interstate, and locally trained persons, will contribute to increasing the number of teachers and supporting the Government’s commitment to the introduction and delivery of 3-year-old universal pre-school in South Australia between 2026 and 2032.

Improvements to remove regulatory burden on teachers continued through improved registration practices, and by removal of duplication requirements for teachers to produce proof of completion of individual mandatory notification training on a regular basis over their teaching life. These changes do not impact teacher obligations to report or to receive ongoing training, but ensure national consistency, reducing the need to re-supply the same documentation to an employer and registering body. This change was widely welcomed by the profession.

Continued progress on the development of a modern, responsive, and agile registration process, with technologies to support it, continued. Work was also undertaken to build staff understanding of community feedback to identify areas for improvement and to resolve complaints. Further work will continue into 2025 with streamlined processes being embraced by Board staff.

On a lighter note, renovations of the Board office at 70 Pirie Street began. Providing attractive and confidential meeting rooms for teachers and the public to meet with Board staff, was a priority with a vision of providing efficiencies on completion.  

I thank and acknowledge the work of Presiding Board Member, Carolyn Grantskalns, for her commitment to Board members and staff throughout the year, as well as her ongoing leadership to promote the teaching profession in South Australia.

Finally, over the holiday period, the TRB office will be closed from 5pm on the 24^th of December until Thursday the 2^nd of January 2025.

We wish you all a safe and happy holiday period and an enjoyable start to the new year in 2025.

Almost 51 years ago, on the 16th of November 1973, the Board met for the very first time for one special purpose - to ensure that teaching was held in the highest esteem as a profession. We celebrated the 50th anniversary last year and began a new tradition of celebrating through awards that recognise a graduate teacher and a long-standing teacher.

Many representatives from across the education sectors gathered at our recent awards ceremony held at The Adelaide Town Hall where we were thrilled to recognise two amazing teachers. Firstly, an early career teacher who has overcome a challenge to complete their studies and become a graduate teacher. Also, a teacher with longer teaching experience who has reflected on their many years of practice and how they have supported their learners and engaged as a teacher over their workspan.

Early Career Teacher Award winner

Congratulations to Tai Yang for being awarded the Minister’s Graduate Achievement prize.

Tai Yang is an international student and moved to Australia with limited experience of Australian schools, education processes and the values held by our state education system. She was proactive in developing her understanding and adapting her craft to ensure she achieved the outcomes expected of professional teaching practices in South Australia. 

Tai has demonstrated collegiality, diplomacy and maturity in the face of challenging professional experiences and successfully navigated her final teaching placement with a mentor teacher who challenged her values and philosophy of teaching.

Following the experience, Tai shared her insights with her peers by leading workshops to provide support and advice to other pre-service teachers, to prepare them for any challenges that they may face when on a teaching placement. Tai is a highly successful student with an outstanding GPA. Tai was nominated by Rachael Hedger, lecturer of Flinders University.

Minister’s Graduate Achievement Prize recipient, Tai Yang, with Minister for Education, Training and Skills, the Hon Blair Boyer MP.

Teachers Registration Board Service Award Recipient

Congratulations to Cassandra Neller for being recognised as the 2024 Teachers Registration Board Service Award recipient.

Cassandra’s line manager and nominator for the award, David Price, (Deputy Principal, Urrbrae Agricultural High School), expressed that he found all aspects of her professional work exemplary. He described Cass as a collaborative, collegiate, adaptable and resilient educator, who has successfully developed effective and positive relationships with students, colleagues, parents/caregivers and members of the wider community.

Cass is viewed as a fabulous role model for the schools’ female students and has been selected to train to become a technical studies teacher. She currently teaches English, Humanities and a year 11 SACE subject, concerned with native animals and food production. Her previous experiences include teaching at schools on the APY Lands, in metropolitan and country schools, in both primary and secondary settings. This year Cass established and co-ordinated literacy intervention opportunities for students requiring extra support.

In the past Cass has contributed to professional learning of other teachers through her presentations of literacy programs, such as Accelerated Literacy and Fresh Start.  The implementation of these programs into several remote and country schools resulted in the establishment of targeted and differentiated student learning support, which increased student attendance and engagement with their learning.

Her remarkable career and dedication to her students and the broader community have truly set her apart as an outstanding educator, and her commitment to excellence and promotion of learner engagement is remarkable.

Teachers Registration Board Service Award Recipient, Cassandra Neller, with Board Presiding member, Carolyn Grantskalns.

The night was a wonderful opportunity to come together in celebration of the profession. The Board continues to reflect on our teachers’ achievements, and we show gratitude for all of the hard work and devotion that has been undertaken by those trailblazer teachers and reformers before us.

Hats off to Teachers!

Today, and every day, we acknowledge and celebrate the dedication and hard work of our educators.  

World Teachers’ Day is a chance to come together for some celebratory fun and hat making, and our staff managed some interesting creations.

We might be wearing our hats in these pics, but we take them off to all of the teachers, and those who support the work of teachers, in South Australia and around the world.

Educators play an important role in our classrooms and in our communities. World Teachers’ Day was an opportunity to celebrate, acknowledge and thank them for all that they do and contribute.

South Australian and Tasmanian high school students have demonstrated a passion for global unity and technological innovation at the First International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) in Burgas, Bulgaria. With AI becoming an integral part of modern life, these talented students showcased their potential to shape the future of artificial intelligence and coding on the world stage.

As artificial intelligence transforms industries and daily life, expertise in this field is becoming increasingly vital. The Australian National Team, comprised of three students from South Australia and one from Tasmania, proved their knowledge and skill in this emerging field, impressing judges and fellow participants with their AI-driven projects that emphasized global harmony and international understanding.

The team, selected through a rigorous national competition, trained intensively for three months leading up to the Olympiad. Under the guidance of the Leading Coding school in Adelaide, experts from the Australian Institute of Machine Learning and the University of South Australia, the students sharpened their skills, preparing for the international challenge ahead.

The Australian national team students (from left to right: Oscar Zhou, Florence Fang, Darcy Sutton, Jayden Yue) with the Team Leader (middle: Louis Fang )  in IOAI official team photo.

During the five-day Olympiad, the students participated in multiple rounds of competition, attended lectures, and took part in a workshop led by Google senior staff member, Parisa Haghani. These sessions allowed them to refine their technical expertise and gain insights into advanced AI techniques. The students’ performance reflected the Australian team’s core values of teamwork, curiosity, a love of learning and embracing challenges.

In the practical competition round, the Australian team used AI to create both an image and a video based on a song by Bulgarian singer-songwriter Maria Ilieva. Their submission was unique and impressive, which offered a powerful interpretation extending personal emotion to a broader message of global peace.

The Australian national team’s artwork in the Practical Round, symbolizing global love and international outlook.

The team leader as well as the Australian AI National Training Camp curriculum coordinator, Louis Fang, explained the students’ ideas of the work, saying:

“The artwork was rich in symbolism, featuring two chess pieces representing opposing sides connected by puzzle pieces, symbolizing how love and understanding can unite people across the world. A dove, symbolizing peace, soared in the sky, while a setting sun and tranquil sea provided a serene backdrop. The fluttering red rose petals signified the spread of love and hope, underscoring the team’s commitment to global unity.”

As the world moves towards an AI-driven future, nurturing young talent in this field is essential. Thanks to the efforts of the Leading Coding school in Adelaide, South Australia is well-positioned to foster the next generation of AI and coding experts who will shape a more ethical and connected global future.

Congratulations to all of the award recipients who attended the Educators SA World Teachers’ Day Awards 2024. There were 66 awardees who were honoured for their excellence and their service at the event held at Adelaide Oval.

It was a privilege to finish a fabulous World Teachers’ Day with some of SA’s driven and inspiring educators and a fantastic night was had celebrating a great profession and all that educators do to contribute to our children and young people.

The deserving winner of the Teachers Registration Board Early Careers Mentor of the Year was Stephanie Morbidelli (HaSS Association of Australia). We congratulate Stephanie for inspiring us all with her dedication and leadership. Stephanie has set a remarkable example as a mentor for early career teachers, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to honour her achievements in this area.

The TRB Early Careers Mentor of the Year Award recognises an individual who has used, developed or implemented professional learning to mentor and/or support early career educators in their career development.

Be sure to check out the Educators SA website for all the photos and upcoming videos from the event over the coming weeks.

https://educators-sa.sa.edu.au/.../world-teachers-day-2024/

Award Winner, Stephanie Morbidelli with TRB Registrar, Leonie Paulson and Matin Westwell, Chief Executive, Department for Education.

The Festival of Music runs an annual conference for Choir teachers from affiliated Department for Education schools. 

The conferences are run over 3 days (6 & 7 February, Term 1, and 2 May in Term 2).  The aim of the conferences is to learn the repertoire ready to teach the choir students for the current year. There are also sessions around conducting/administration and the Australian Curriculum.  The 3 days are all held at Seaton Christian Family Centre, Frederick Road, Seaton.

TRT Affiliation is offered in Term 4 for the following year – the TRB will be sponsoring 4 places for this.

Please fill in the form to register your interest for Festival of Music TRT work in 2025. The registration cost is $90. Payment details are on the form. 

For more information, visit:

https://festivalofmusic.org.au/schools/conferences

Under the new 5-year term of registration teachers may choose to pay the full 5 years fees upfront or annually. If your current financial date is 31 January 2025 and you wish to continue teaching in South Australia from 1 February 2025, you will need to pay for at least one additional annual year fee before 31 January 2025 via the teacher’s portal.

You will receive a payment reminder email from the Teachers Registration Board approximately two months before payment is due and again one month before payment is due, however you can pay for additional years at any time on your teacher’s portal.

Once you have updated your fees, you can print off your Statement of Teacher Registration from your teacher’s portal which shows the date your annual fees are paid to. You can use this statement to provide evidence of your financial status to your employer.  A new registration certificate is not issued each time you update your fees.

It’s important to note that if your fees are not paid by 31 January 2025, you will be non-financial, your registration will lapse, and you will not be able to teach. If you become non-financial, there will be outstanding annual fees as well as a late payment penalty. As it is the responsibility of all teachers to be financial, please note the dates to ensure it does not lapse.

When a teacher in a school or early childhood service (ECS) is preparing to transition from Provisional Registration to (full) Registration, the school or ECS should support early career teachers with their transition.

The transition from Provisional Registration to (full) Registration is a critical step in the professional development of educators.

What are the requirements for a teacher Transitioning from Provisional to (full) Registration?

1. Ensure the service requirement of 200 days of service as a teacher has been met within the past 5 years, evidenced by a Statement(s) of Service from your employer(s).
2. Collation of a portfolio of evidence showing how the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) are met at the proficient career stage. This portfolio is shared with an evaluator who will also observe your teaching practice at your site. A Summary Record of Evidence, (available on the TRB website), will detail your evidence and also serve as a reflection of your teaching practice.
3. Submission of a completed application form, endorsed, and signed by a leader(s) at your site who is fully registered or who can endorse your application. In Early Childhood Services, this may include a modified endorsement process with project officers at the TRB.

What does this mean for you and your school or early childhood service?

The Provisional to (full) Registration process is teacher driven and ideally supported by a mentor, an evaluator, and a site leader.

The transition from Provisional to (full) Registration should ideally be a collaborative and supportive process. Site leaders play a vital role in supporting provisionally registered teachers through this transition to ensure that provisionally registered teachers receive the necessary guidance and resources to meet the (full) registration requirement.

The evaluator must be a Registered teacher and in a line management role to the transitioning teacher. If the director of the early childhood service is not a registered teacher, the transitioning teacher will need to complete the Summary of Evidence document mentioned above. Once signed, this can then be sent to the TRB.

If there is more than one provisionally registered teacher ready to transition, the process could be formalised at your site by creating a collaborative and supportive community of practice. This would involve establishing shared schedules for observations, feedback, and portfolio evaluations.

Resources and forms are available at https://www.trb.sa.edu.au/Maintaining-Registration/transition-from-provisional-to-full-registration.

The TRB is always here to help, so if you need assistance, please contact our office on 8253 9700 or email us at professional.standards@trb.sa.edu.au

Do you have an upcoming Professional Learning session you’d like to add to our online calendar?

The Board are always looking for great sessions on offer that we can share with the teaching community. If you have an upcoming session you’d like us to list on our Professional Development Calendar, please send it to communications@trb.sa.edu.au

The KS:CPC is a child safety and respectful relationships curriculum for children and young people from 3 years of age to students in year 12. It is mandated in all Department for Education and Catholic Education sites and used in independent schools and other approved organisations.  Teachers must complete the full day Educator course prior to delivering the curriculum to children and young people.  For more information see:

• About the KS:CPC
• KS:CPC Educator course
• Approved organisations