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| New South Wales Primary Principals Association
State Council Report |
| Term: 3 |
| ARPP – Association of Retired Primary Principals 31 Aug 1st Sept 2023 |
| Observer: President Tom Croker
Email: mtcroker@bigpond.net.au Executive Liaison: Vice P Trish Peters |
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Thank you for the opportunity to present our Report and of the acknowledgement of the role our Association can play in supporting NSWPPA and public education.
DEVELOPMENTS Our Focus for 2023 continues to be:
ARPP Communication Networks · Promotion of our website, as we endeavour to make the site more responsive to the various needs of our members. A reminder that the site domain name is rppa.com.au
Promoting our Membership which continues to strengthen · A big welcome to our most recent new members Cheryl Buckley, Diana Reynolds and Allan Schirmer.
Promotion of our Area Retirees Gatherings · Through the network and lunch meetings organised through our Area Contacts across the state to support the broadening of our membership base, especially Rural members.
Expanding opportunities · For our members with special interest and background in issues & policies to support & respond to initiatives, issues, and policies on behalf of ARPP.
· The provision of news & articles of interest by way of keeping in touch with current trends. · Expressions of Interest to apply for the positions that are available to our retired members · Maintaining our support for public schools and equitable funding
Recent Events · Thursday 3rd August 28 members and colleagues attended the annual Newcastle ARPP Lunch held at the Gates hotel in Adamstown. · A big thank you to Brian Collins the ARPP Hunter District Organiser who coordinated the day which provided everyone with the opportunity to share great memories during a wonderful lunch · A special thanks also to our events coordinator Maurie Bird who assisted with the arrangements for the day. We also raised $245 in a raffle for Stewart House with the prize donated by Brian. We also decided to hold all future Newcastle lunch events on the first Thursday of August each year. · Our central coast lunch has been planned for Thursday 19 October to be held at the Bayview hotel WOY WOY. Our thanks to Geoff Buckland and Noel West, our Central Coast Organisers for organising the day. Full details will be advised closer to the day · Members were also invited to attend the retired Illawarra Principals RIPEL Lunch held at Wollongong Golf Club 19 July
Our next lunch event is the Emperor’s Garden on 7th September. The invitation and details have been sent out. If you know any retirees who would like to attend please ask them to contact Maubird@ozemail.com.au
Stewart House Report Throughout the year the Board of Directors continued to review advice from government agencies to enable management of the Stewart House program in order to reduce the potential risk of Covid 19 Transmission and to ensure a gradual and safe return to full operations.
Consequently, the Board adopted those restrictions still prevalent within the NSW health-care and aged-care systems including but not limited to insisting on full vaccination of adults entering the site and offering placements only to children who had received two doses of the COVID-10 vaccine. The Agencies enable management of the Stewart House program in order to reduce the potential risk of COVID 19 transmission within the broader NSW community and to ensure a gradual and safe return to full operations. The Board remains resolute to return our services to pre-pandemic operations in 2023. These include:
· select up to 1,600 public school children from New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory annually for 12 days care in a safe environment at no cost to their parents or caregivers; · provide these children with dental, optical, hearing, medical and wellbeing screening and treatment; and · involve these children in educational programs and excursions designed to develop their social and emotional skills, build self-esteem and improve their overall well-being.
Our Vision for an Integrated Facility
In 2022, the Board called tenders from prospective developers to assist in achieving a vision of a fit-for-purpose integrated residential , health and education facility on the Carrington Parade site Stewart House will receive a new fully funded state-of-the-art facility. The Stewart House Board is experiencing an era of renewal with very high calibre replacements.
Cecilia Wilson who brings with her property and school infrastructure skills
Zoe Robinson is the NSW Children’s Advocate who reports directly to parliament on all issues relating to child wellbeing. Colin Gair Wheeler Accounting and an iconic and well respected Northern Beaches Accounting Firm David Baker who is the Executive Director derivative sales for Goldman Sachs Of course the usual suspects still provide their considerable expertise and historical perspectivees. Barry Johnson Tom Croker Jan McClelland Julie Kennedy Ken Dixon
Salary Sacrifice Video Promotion Dear Colleagues, A video to support salary sacrifice is now available, in its entirety for distribution.
You can access the video via a YouTube link on our website: https://www.stewarthouse.org.au/stewart-house-salary-contribution-scheme-strategy/. A copy of the file has also been sent to you via WeTransfer for download.
ARPP would love to know how this video is being used to assist with tracking for Stewart House Board.
Other Stewart House news: Stewart House Staff Over the past three years we have experienced an unprecedented 58% turnover of staff. The global pandemic and our long shutdown meant key long term staff retired or sought different fields of work Patron of Stewart House It is pleasing to announce that the honourable Margaret Beezley Governor of NSW has accepted our invitation to be the patron of Stewart House.
Friends of Stewart House Report FOSH is alive and well again with a new Committee that will continue to drive the fundraising for Stewart House. Congratulations to Kerryanne Knox – President, Tom Croker- Vice President, Alan Laughlin – Secretary, Robyn Graham- Treasurer and Committee members – Sandra Palmer, Jean Mclean, Lloyd Hogg, Heather Causley, Bill Hamilton, Barry Pecar and Ray Gentles. Chris Worthington There are many retired principals in this list so we thank them for their involvement.
We have some interesting plans ahead that do not always rely on a fundraising activity. This is also becoming difficult and when we experienced COVID the fundraising side was very hard. We thank all of the Principals who drink wine and supported the wine drives as this was a successful way to raise money!!! We will keep you all informed in the future of new options and of course, any fundraising support at events will be appreciated. If you want to rejoin or you haven’t joined yet, please go online at https://www.stewarthouse.org.au/friends-stewart-house/ and be part of this very friendly group.
REGIONAL EVENTS · Our recently appointed Regional Contact are planning Events & Get-Together Meetings for 2023. They include Newcastle, Mudgee, Gosford, Wagga Wagga & Wollongong.
· To assist our Regional Contacts, Executive Committee Members have been assigned to each Region to provide advice and support.
OTHER INFORMATION
· Membership Drive – We continue to seek your support in promoting our organisation as a strong advocate for our schools · ARPP Leaders & NSWPPA are a continuing voice for public education. ARPP keeps an interest in public education and supports our school leaders and schools. 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 but they are still eery interested in supporting public education. · 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 for any membership or involvement, please inform Kerryanne Knox at kknox@bigpond.com, President Tom at mtcroker@bigpond.net.au.or Geoff Scott at geoff.scott@det.nsw.edu.au.
ANNUAL GOLF DAY · This will now be held on 13th October at Massey Park Golf Course, Concord
Keep well stay safe and good luck with all of your future endeavours
Tom Croker for the Executive committee
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