Welcome one and all to our August Newsletter for 2021. The latest Lockdown restrictions are having a very serious effect on our daily lives, so we do hope you are managing to cope with the confinement especially for those in the Red Zone areas. The message seems to be very clear: get vaccinated asap. We continue to be
amazed at the wonderful work of our health workers and volunteer services as they endeavour to maintain a safe environment for all Australians.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
A big thank you to all who have renewed their 2021 membership. A big welcome to our most recent new members:
Cheryl Binns, Jan Partridge, Margaret Foott, Laraine Rylance and Jeanette Grinham.
We look forward to the opportunity of meeting with you at a future event and being part of our retired colleagues Network.
Our Kirribilli Lunch: Our 2nd Lunch event for the year took place on Thursday 3 June at the Kirribilli Club.
Given the concerns around travelling during the COVID 19 we were very fortunate to have 34 members and
friends join with us for a very delightful get together and a very enjoyable 2 Course Lunch with wine provided.
It was a great pleasure to have Margaret McMillan (wife of John), Lorenza Powyer (wife of Brian) and Lorna
Collins, accompanying member Brian, joining with us for the occasion.
FUTURE LUNCH EVENTS:
Emperor’s Garden Lunch CANCELLATION
Unfortunately with the COVID Lockdown continuing and in the interests of health, safety and certainty the planned ARPP Lunch at Emperor’s Garden Restaurant set down for 1st September has had to be cancelled.
Newcastle Lunch at Adamstown
This has been rescheduled for Thursday 23 September Full details will be circulated at a later date.
Christmas Lunch at Epping Club
At this stage we are proceeding with our planned Annual Christmas celebration to be held at the Epping Club on Thursday 2nd December. Be sure to lock the date in to your diary. Full details will be provided closer the event.
Unfortunately lunches planned for other centres on Central Coast (Woy Woy) and South Coast (Dapto or
Kiama) will now be deferred to our 2022 program due to the current lockdowns and uncertainty regarding future restrictions.
Visits to regional areas such as North Coast, Bathurst/Orange or Mudgee will also be deferred until
2022.
We look forward to being able to resume such occasions which enable us to meet up with many of our
country retired colleagues not previously involved in Association activities.
ARPP WEBSITE
The development of our upgraded Website has progressed and our Webmaster, Aman Yadav, is making further modifications to enable all current financial members access to all sections of the site. We are currently working on aspects such as Managing Retirement, Keeping in Touch, Retirement Options,
Working in Retirement, staying Up to date.
We are in the process of developing information for the various Topics, and we look forward to member contributions as the site becomes available in the form of stories and reflections.
The new site domain name is rppa.com.au and the access password will be provided to all financial members when the List of Members has been confirmed.
WELFARE UPDATE
Since our last Newsletter members and friends have reported the following sad news which we have provided through Notices to the membership.
VALE:
Peter Rogers – Former Principal Blacktown West PS
Barry Hubbard – Former Principal Orchard hills PS
Kay Masters – Former Principal Widemere PS See attached Obituary Notice provided by our Welfare officer, Chris Worthington.
The deepest sympathies of all members have been extended to all families.
PLEASE LET US KNOW of any members or former colleagues who are ill and have major health issues.
Contact our Welfare Officer, Chris Worthington on 0414 603 603 (Phone or text) so that we can contact the person.
REMOTE TEACHING SUPPORT
Member Dean Files (now living in Qld) is coordinating a support strategy for several remote teaching principals in NSW, in particular, those who have no access to casual teachers.
The concept of the initiative is to enlist retired principals or teachers to travel to the remote schools and teach for a week block enabling the teaching principal time off class to for planning & professional learning.
The participants would be paid as either a teacher or an Educator (if they no longer have Approval to teach).
We are very supportive of the initiative that could be made a statewide project and be promoted by the
NSWPPA.
For further details refer to the attachment with this Newsletter.
STEWART HOUSE
COVID Restrictions have made the provision of a normal program over the past 18 months next to impossible. However, apart from the lockdown periods, we have still been able to support some 800 children from our most needy families. The physical. Social and emotional wellbeing programs have been modified and the plan was to gradually return to pre-COVID conditions from the beginning of term 3.
Stewart House is celebrating its 90th birthday this year. Over those years it has made a remarkable contribution to supporting “at risk” youth from public schools across NSW & ACT.
In order to protect the most vulnerable of our students and to provide a healthy & safe workplace for all staff, COVID and Flu vaccinations have been adopted as mandatory for all Stewart house employees.
The projected operating costs for Stewart House have now reached $5m per year. Unfortunately, the level of contributions from teacher salary contributions has fallen from 12,000 contributors in 2016 to a little over 9,000 in 2020. Clearly Stewart House needs ongoing and greater support in the future. Please consider your personal commitment and contributions to Stewart House
FOSH
The Annual General Meeting was held (finally) and a new team elected to take FOSH into the next year.
Many of our retired principals are in the committee and we are really grateful for their commitment. Last year we raised $19 000…..even in lockdown…… so we are thrilled that we continue to provide financial support to Stewart House.
If any retired member would like to join us it is only $20 annually ($50 for three years) and it is an easy way to support a very worthwhile charity, that many of us have supported since our early teaching days and even before!
BSB : 812-170
Account Number : 263444. (Add S1 if you are transferring from your Teachers Mutual Bank a/c)
Account Name : Friends of Stewart House
Just remember to add you name as a reference.. or…a cheque made payable to “Friends of Stewart House” and send to Assistant Treasurer Robyn Graham PO Box 32 Miller 2168
We have a couple of functions (normally) throughout the year and we are looking to a Christmas dinner this year, a Hundreds Club and a Hunter Valley Wine deal.
THE HUNTER VALLEY WINE deal will be a Christmas Wine Order offering a great selection of wines at a very reasonable price that will help raise much needed funds for Stewart House as well as an ideal Christmas gift for friends & relatives. Member Brian Collins, well known as a Connoisseur of quality wines, will be coordinating the
Orders. Full details will be circulated to all members early in September.
Kerryanne Knox Secretary FOSH
NSWPPA UPDATE
• Public Education Awards – Congratulations to the recipients of the Proudly Public Award for students’ years 3-6. The Awards are provided by the NSWPPA and the recipients receive a 12-month Scholarship.
The winning students for 2021 came from: Gunnedah PS, Smithfield PS, Bennett Road PS and
Emerton PS.
• Due to the current restrictions & Lockdown, the Annual State Conference (Time to Star Together
Theme) will now be conducted as a virtual Conference with registrations commencing this week.
While there will be no Life Members event an invitation will soon be sent to Life members to join in the Virtual Conference for the NSWPPA Awards Ceremony. May we offer Kylie Donovan,
Conference Chairperson and her Committee best wishes for a successful event during these very difficult times.
• One of the major issues being discussed by the PPA relates to the proposed new Student Behaviour
Guidelines and Policy (Behaviour Strategy). For those of you who may be interested I have attached a copy of the Policy and also a copy of the response from the Peak Organizations relating to their concerns with various aspects of the Policy. One issue relates to ‘Managing Challenging Behaviour’ on page 16
• Friday 6 August was Australian primary Principals’ Day and it was pleasing to note the recognition expressed by PPA President Robyn Evans. In her words “ Thank you for investing in your role as you do with great clarity, professionalism and expertise. Never underestimate the value of investing your heart into the principalship – your leadership and your vision grows your colleagues, students and communities for the future”.
• Another matter that is currently a focus for the NSWPPA is Principal Classification and the
Association is working with the NSW Secondary Principals’ Council and the NSW Teachers
Federation on a submission to the Education Minister and DoE Secretary. The aim is to have an improved system in place that recognizes the diversity within the Principalship across the State.
MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
We continue to search for recent retirees and to encourage them to join with us as new members in our
Association. We have reached out through the Principals’ Networks & Area Councils to assist us in identifying future members.
We would like to keep as many retired principals as possible in contact, if only to provide news of what is happening through email and to maintain a communication network around the state. We are expanding opportunities for our retirees and although it has always been primarily, a social connection, we are looking for other ways to engage our colleagues.
We continue to seek your support in promoting our organisation as a strong advocate for our schools,
Leaders & NSWPPA and a continuing voice for public education. ARPP was established to provide an avenue for retirees to keep in touch and to be able to meet and share their life in retirement.
All retirees whether they are metropolitan, or country can be involved through the various groups as they meet during the year. If there is anyone whom you would like to contact, please inform Kerryanne Knox on kknox@bigpond.com or President Tom on mtcroker@bigpond.net.au.
Keep well, stay safe & enjoy the good life.
Tom Croker
President & Executive Team
