2009 News Archive
February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November
More PD opportunities for staff
Oct 06 | Each term, Education Views publishes a calendar of upcoming professional development events and activities for teachers, school staff and public servants.
Smiles all round for science education stars
Oct 06 | Education and Training Minister Geoff Wilson presented the 2009 Peter Doherty Awards for Excellence in Science and Science Education to some excited teachers and students at a ceremony at the Customs House in Brisbane on October 1.
Teaching graduates invited back to Mount Gravatt
Oct 06 | Griffith University's Mount Gravatt campus will celebrate 40 years of teacher education on October 12 and past teaching graduates are invited back as part of the festivities.
Innovative teaching no game for Microsoft winner
Oct 06 | A Toowoomba teacher with a passion for game development has been recognised by software giant Microsoft as one of Australia's leading information and communication technologies (ICT) teachers.
Redlands students jump the competition to claim gold
Oct 06 | A group of primary school students from the Redlands area have skipped their way to international success in the recent Junior Olympics.
Townsville educators create a climate for change
Oct 06 | As heads of state were gathering in New York ahead of the recent UN Climate Summit, some of Townsville's leading educators were hosting their own sustainability event.
Literacy and numeracy results show improvement
Sept 17 | Efforts to improve Queensland's literacy and numeracy results appear to be working, with the number of Queensland students meeting national benchmarks on the rise.
Turnaround teams and audits to lift standards
Sept 15 | Teams of experienced teachers will be deployed in schools located in our most disadvantaged communities next year in an effort to boost school performance.
Touring the arts
September 15 | Queensland Arts Council's Ontour inschools program promises to take students' imagination to new and exciting places with the launch of its 2010 season.
Summer schools to support literacy and numeracy
Sept 01 | Students needing extra help in literacy and numeracy will attend summer schools during the September holidays as part of a Federal-State Government partnership.
Vacation PD for teachers
Sept 08 | Over the next three years all state school teachers in Queensland will have the opportunity to build their literacy, numeracy and science teaching skills during the September and Christmas vacation periods.
Online reef resource
September 15 | Teachers can download a whole term's work on biodiversity and the Great Barrier Reef thanks to a new Queensland Museum online science learning resource.
Preserve and protect
September 15 | A new online education program has been launched to teach primary school students how to preserve and protect the environment.
Boys achieving success at Bundaberg school
Sept 15 | Bundaberg's Kepnock State High School has found an innovative way to tackle truancy and bad behaviour among boys.
Our top eLearning teachers take a bow
Sept 08 | Twelve teachers have been recognised for their excellence in teaching and learning using information and communication technology (ICT).
Taking the lead
Sept 08 | Three schools are leading the way as finalists in the Queensland University of Technology Showcase Award for Excellence in Leadership, Rebecca Perry writes.
Designs for life inspire teacher's US trip
Sept 08 | From rebuilding communities after Hurricane Katrina to sparking new ways of schooling, a Queensland teacher has been using design to tackle real-world challenges in the US.
Science stars shine at parliament
Sept 08 | Queensland's best and brightest science education stars have been recognised in the Peter Doherty Awards, including a Far North Queensland teacher with an eye for astronomy.
August
State finalists to share in Showcase prize
August 18 | Twenty-four of our best state schools have shared in $120,000 as finalists in the 2009 Showcase Awards for Excellence in Schools.
Consumer confidence
Aug 24 | Queensland students can show off their consumer and financial skills by entering the Buy Smart competition 2009.
Healthy competition
Aug 24 | The State Government and Cherish the Children Foundation have joined forces to reward outstanding programs that promote participation in physical activity and/or healthy eating within Queensland schools.
Dive into new reef game
Aug 24 | A new online game has been launched to help bring the underwater world of Australia's coral reefs into the classroom.
National trial to tackle cyber bullying
August 04 | The Federal Government has announced a $3 million national pilot project aimed at addressing cyber bullying in Australian schools.
July
Clear a space in your diary for PD
July 27 | Each term, Education Views will publish a calendar of coming professional development events and activities for teachers, school staff and public servants.
Clear a space in your diary for PD
July 27 | Each term, Education Views will publish a calendar of coming professional development events and activities for teachers, school staff and public servants.
New science program seeks school lab rats
July 06 | Former Australian of the Year and the scientist who developed of the world's first cervical cancer vaccine, Professor Ian Frazer, is the brains behind a new program to spark students' interest in science.
June
Text messaging better off-road
June 22 | A new guide has been launched to inform young drivers of the dangers of text messaging while driving.
Pictures tell the story of state school spectacular
June 15 | State Education Week 2009 culminated in spectacular style with Creative Generation - State Schools Onstage and we have the pictures to prove it!
Opera no longer a 'what if' experience for distance students
June | What would happen if about 100 Queensland students, including several who studied via distance education, came together to write and perform their own operas?
Nominate an outstanding teacher
June 22 | School communities are encouraged to nominate their outstanding teachers in the Queensland College of Teachers' (QCT) Excellence in Teaching Awards.
Youth film fest sparks to life
June 22 | Teachers and students with a taste for quality cinema can get their fill at Cine Sparks 2009, Australia's leading film festival for young people.
Fresh praise for tech teaching duo
June | They're the apple of the eye at one of the world's best known technology companies, but for Glenda Hobdell and Jennie Jahnke, grasping how best to incorporate technology into the classroom has been an ongoing learning experience.
Youth film fest sparks to life
June 22 | Teachers and students with a taste for quality cinema can get their fill at Cine Sparks 2009, Australia's leading film festival for young people.
Online Queensland history lesson
June 22 | Teachers and students can enjoy a unique history lesson thanks to Becoming Queensland, a new virtual exhibition that looks at Queensland's first 50 years.
Drive for students to enter road safety awards
June 23 | High school students are being encouraged to draw on their artistic talents to help reduce the number of road deaths in Queensland.
Student writers rule
June 23 | Young Brisbane writers have been invited to tell the world how it would be if they were in charge and win prizes for themselves and their school.
Schoolyard wildlife warriors challenge
June 22 | Students keen to protect the environment can take part in the Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors Schoolyard Warriors Conservation Challenge.
Queensland Rail work experience
June 15 | Secondary students can now explore careers in the state's rail industry through work experience in Queensland Rail (QR) workshops.
National search for inspirational educators
June 22 | The National Excellence In Teaching Awards (NEiTA) 2009 Australian Scholarships Group (ASG) Inspirational Teaching Awards are now open for nominations.
International recognition for schools
June 16 | Nominations for the 2009 Queensland Education and Training International Awards for Excellence (QETI Awards) have opened, with a number of categories for schools and students.
Latest human swine influenza update
JUNE | The campaign to protect state school students and staff from H1N1 Influenza A (Human Swine Influenza) moved to a new phase last week with the precautionary closure of Warwick and Cairns state high schools and Ferny Hills State School.
Swine flu school closures
JUNE | Two more Queensland state schools have been closed as a precaution after students at the schools were confirmed as having H1N1 Influenza A (Human Swine Influenza).
Behind the scenes of creative stage spectacular
JUNE | This Saturday, June 6, more than 2000 of our most talented state school dancers, musicians, singers and performers will take to the stage at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre for Creative Generation - State Schools Onstage 2009.
May
Feature: Celebrating education | State Education WeekQueensland's 150th anniversary is a chance to celebrate our past while honouring history in the making - and festivities will be in full swing during State Education Week in June.
Brighton's big win
MAY | A whale of an effort netted Brisbane's Brighton State School a $10,000 grant and first place in a national competition.
School at cutting edge
MAY | Ipswich State High School has shown it's a cut above the rest.
Online tourism tutor
MAY | Tourism Queensland has developed a comprehensive, classroom-ready online educational tool for high school teachers and students.
Education news delivered to your computer ... as easy as ABC
MAY | With the click of a mouse, teachers can now subscribe to an online radio program about education.
Students taught to say no to drugs
MAY | A drug awareness program at Everton Park State School teaches students about the effects drugs can have on the body.
Anzac spirit lives on in Jim's Chookhouse
MAY | Greenslopes State School's Anzac assembly this year honoured former pupils who had served Australia in conflict, celebrating the memory of one veteran whose legacy included his love of feathered creatures.
Conference draws arts teachers
MAY | More than 180 teachers from throughout the state gathered in Brisbane in April for the Primary Arts Network's (PAN) annual state conference.
The rewards of volunteering
MAY | To mark National Volunteer Week from May 11 to 17 Craigslea State High School social and community studies teacher Andrew Blight is asking teachers to encourage students to discover the educational and social rewards of volunteering.
PD coordinators share success stories
MAY | Queensland's 12 regional professional development coordinators (PDCs) came from all corners of the state to meet in Brisbane in May for planning sessions and to share their success stories.
Nominate for Reconciliation Awards for Business
MAY | Schools are urged to consider nominating for the 2009 Reconciliation Awards for Business which close on May 25.
New classification structure
MAY | A new classification structure for Queensland state school teachers and school leaders was introduced at the start of the 2009 school year.
Minister's first day in portfolio
APRIL | Education Minister Geoff Wilson visited Mabel Park SS to talk about NAPLAN preparation.
Early childhood education conference
MAY | How do we ensure kindergarten children are prepared for success in a global world?
Have your say on the future of education
MAY | Teachers are encouraged to make a submission on Professor Geoff Masters' recommendations for lifting educational standards in primary schools before the consultation period ends on May 29.
Different schools, similar Yr12 outcomes
MAY | Dysart and Pacific Pines state high schools are in some ways as different as chalk & cheese.
MAY | The Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation (QATSIF) invites secondary schools to apply for funding to support students starting Year 11 in 2010.
Competition for students of Mandarin
MAY | Students of Mandarin, the modern standard language of the People's Republic of China, are encouraged to enter the 2009 Shanghai Cup Chinese (Mandarin) Language Speaking Competition.
Calling all student singers and dancers
MAY | Do your students want to sing and dance in front of up to 10,000 people in the state's biggest variety show at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in June?
Call for disability awards nominations
MAY | The Federal Government is encouraging people to nominate students and teachers for a National Disability Award.
Hot foot it to school
MAY | Teachers, students and parents are urged to put their best foot forward in May for national Walk Safely to School Day.
April
Fifteen minutes with the Minister
April 23 | New Education and Training Minister Geoff Wilson's primary school days recently caught up with him.
One-on-one with the Director-General
April 09 | Many staff members may recognise the friendly, familiar face at the helm of the Department of Education and Training (DET) after the recent machinery of government changes.
Feature: Top class relief effort | Fundraising State Schools
Queenslanders were shocked by the devastation and loss of life caused by the bushfires in Victoria and the destructive flooding created by Cyclone Ellie in our state's north earlier this year. Generous school communities across the state rallied to help, donating more than $33,000. Even those isolated in the flood zone were quick to offer support, raising money for fire victims, becoming evacuation centres or being students' link to the outside world.
Creative Generation artworks on show
APRIL | Schools are being urged to nominate their talented visual artists for Queensland's top student art and design awards program as the 2008 participants' artworks go on display in Brisbane.
Principals give PPP schools tick of approval
APRIL | The state's largest principals' association has welcomed the Queensland Government's first schools public private partnership, which will establish seven new schools in south-east Queensland.
Forums focus on national curriculum
APRIL | Principals and deputy principals are invited to attend the Queensland Studies Authority's free 2009 Principals Forums running from April to June across Queensland.
Minister's first day in portfolio
APRIL | Education Minister Geoff Wilson visited Mabel Park SS to talk about NAPLAN preparation.
Cowboy talks horse sense
APRIL | Rugby League star Matt Bowen has endorsed a reading program for primary school students about the importance of treating animals with care and understanding.
Acting against bullying
APRIL | Balmoral drama students will use "enhanced forum theatre" to introduce primary schoolers to anti-bullying tactics.
APRIL | What's blue, has 1326 legs and likes to huff and puff? The West End State School fit4fun team.
Great teachers inspire medallists
APRIL | Great teachers and passion helped two outstanding Year 12 graduates win a TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and a $10,000 scholarship.
Straight from the horse's mouth
APRIL | A new equestrian program on the Darling Downs is teaching students about everything from showjumping to equine dentistry.
Reading matters
APRIL | It's the time of year again for primary school students around Queensland to find a good book and start reading for this year's Premier's Reading Challenge.
Creating online world a challenge
APRIL | Creating a virtual world that would connect with students throughout the state has been a steep learning curve for a Brisbane teacher.
Strategies closing the gap
APRIL | Josh Mallet, a 1st-year Education undergraduate at the University of the Sunshine Coast, was 1 of a record number of Indigenous Year 12 students enrolled in Queensland in 2008.
Minister's first day in portfolio
APRIL | Education Minister Geoff Wilson visited Mabel Park SS to talk about NAPLAN preparation.
Schools urged to enter Anzac competition
APRIL | Bli Bli State School has been selected to represent south-east Queensland at the Anzac Day Commemoration Ceremony for Students in Brisbane on April 23.
School garden unites community
APRIL | The Jandowae Prep-10 State School has received a $60,000 grant from the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation.
Singers vie for spot in variety show
APRIL | 85 singers from 35 state schools across Qld descended on the Old Museum in Brisbane early last month to secure their place in Creative Generation - State Schools Onstage 2009.
March
Feature: Outside the square | Year of Creativity
Creativity has often been considered the domain of dancing, drawing and drama - but what about its place in other subjects such as science or sport? As REBECCA PERRY discovers, creative thinking, a crucial skill for students and teachers, will remain on the agenda well beyond the 2009 Year of Creativity.
Students impress 'ideas man'
MARCH | QACI students spend a morning with Queensland's inaugural Innovator in Residence Prof. Carlo Ratti.
Down-to-earth teacher wins platinum
MARCH | A North Queensland teacher whose love of earth sciences was born during a childhood marked by camping trips with his parents in the English and Welsh countryside has won a prestigious teaching award.
Nominations open for national teaching awards
MARCH | Nominations are open to celebrate the work of outstanding teachers, principals, support staff and schools at the Australian Awards for Teaching Excellence.
Prep teachers in national roll-out of the AEDI
MARCH | Queensland Prep teachers will soon take part in the compilation of a comprehensive picture of early childhood development throughout Australia.
Students take swipe at stopping dengue fever
MARCH | Research by Cairns SHS students is helping to stop an epidemic in the Far North.
Riding the wave of success
MARCH | Glenview State School teacher Graeme McIntyre has just competed in the 2009 Australian Masters Surf Life Saving Championships at Scarborough Beach in WA.
Arterial - your highway to the arts
MARCH | Teachers now have a one-stop shop to easily access key arts programs, projects, partnerships and professional development opportunities.
Time to vote for Queensland icons
MARCH | Current state school students are being urged to have their say in selecting Queensland's top 150 icons.
A+ for 100 blood donations
MARCH | A Department of Education, Training and the Arts employee is doing her bit to help those in need, recently making her 100th blood donation.
Nominate top science teachers
APRIL | Australia's Chief Scientist has encouraged nominations for the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science, saying the nation's leading scientific researchers and teachers should be as highly regarded as its top athletes.
Go with the grain
MARCH | Queensland students can learn more about grains through the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries' Schools Plant Science Competition.
Online game sends smart safety message
MARCH | Young Sunshine Coast students have learnt how to be safety smart with the help of an online computer game.
Ecology project for backyard explorers
MARCH | The Queensland Museum is encouraging students to become backyard explorers and take part in an online habitat study of their local area.
At the coalface
MARCH | Queensland teachers and students can get an insight into the resources sector at the new Blackwater International Coal Centre.
PAN conference to boost creativity
MARCH | A state-wide group of primary teachers who volunteer to help other teachers engage more students in creative pursuits will meet in Brisbane in April.
Fight fire fascination
MARCH | Young people often have a natural curiosity about fire, but when that curiosity turns to inappropriate behaviour the student is at risk, as well as peers and property.
Get moving
MARCH | Health and physical education teachers are invited to apply for funding to attend an international physical education conference later this year.
Tips to improve student inclusiveness
MARCH | Blind and vision impaired students have another resource to help gain equality with sighted students.
Training for success in Indigenous communities
MARCH | Some 140 teachers starting jobs in remote Indigenous communities this year have hit the ground running after completing Remote Area Incentives Scheme (RAIS) induction training.
Students make a move for Youth Week
MARCH | Students from across Queensland are invited to join in the spirit of Youth Week 2009 by entering the Make a Move online creative competition.
Youthful exuberance strikes a chord
MARCH | One of Queensland's leading music teachers is embarking on an international musical odyssey including the study of an unusual approach to teaching classical music.
Countering student absences
MARCH | Schools in Cairns and Bundaberg are extolling the virtues of the Every Day Counts campaign.
State-wide SATs review
MARCH | Training Ombudsman Peter Ruhanen is conducting a state-wide review of the school-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SATs) system in line with the actions of the Queensland Skills Plan 2008.
More computers for our schools
MARCH | Another 363 Queensland secondary schools will receive funding for new computers.
Time is running out to win
MARCH | There are only two weeks left for students to enter the Our State, Your Stories writing competition.
On the grapevine
MARCH | If you could bottle success, what would it look like? Red, white and sparkling, judging by the vintages being produced at Stanthorpe's Queensland College of Wine Tourism where REBECCA PERRY finds an innovative education venture overflowing with achievements.
Schools receive mozzie repellent
MARCH | All schools in Cairns and Townsville will receive free insect repellent to help prevent the spread of dengue fever.
Beginning teachers given a flying start
MARCH | This year, more than 1000 graduate beginning teachers will take up their first positions in a Queensland state school.
A billion dollar boost for school facilities
Queensland schools will share in $14.7 billion worth of infrastructure funding
Once-in-a-lifetime performance
MARCH | More than 3500 state school students are gearing up to take centre stage as part of Queensland's biggest birthday party and every teacher and student is invited to attend.
Showcase star still shining
MARCH | The residential campus at Spinifex State College in Mount Isa has become a second home for students from some of Queensland's most remote communities.
Switching off for climate change
MARCH | Schools and their communities are being encouraged to participate in Earth Hour 2009. The World Wildlife Fund initiative aims to raise awareness of climate change and makes it possible for individuals to take action and reduce greenhouse emissions.
Lollipop scheme still saving lives
MARCH | Queensland school communities are encouraged to celebrate 25 years of the Lollipop School Crossing Supervisor Scheme.
Celebrate our pioneering women
MARCH | Queensland schools are invited to join communities around the world to mark International Women's Day (IWD), celebrated each year on March 8.
More funding for Asian languages
MARCH | Queensland students will have more opportunities to learn an Asian language with the start of a $62.4 million national languages program this year.
More enrolments mean more teachers
MARCH | Queensland teachers and students can get an insight into the resources sector at the new Blackwater International Coal Centre.
Chop Chop
MARCH | Queensland teachers and students are invited to colour or shave their hair for the Leukaemia Foundation's World's Greatest Shave from March 12 to 14.
In training for a win
MARCH | Rohan Greer's goal of becoming an electrician was sparked as a curious toddler tinkering with his toys.
In the future
MARCH | Schooling in Australia has a new blueprint for the future with the release of the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians.
Spinal safety message inspires students
MARCH | A spinal awareness program is inspiring Queensland students to practise safe behaviours and think about the consequences of their actions.
Practice tests to lift student achievement
MARCH | Queensland state schools will use practice tests to prepare their students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 for this year's national tests, and to help assess their literacy and numeracy levels.
Aspiring teachers awarded scholarships
Bid O'Sullivan Teaching Scholarship & The Pearl Duncan Scholarship
February
Provisional schools
FEBRUARY | Provisional schools are an important part of Queensland's education history. One of the earliest references to provisional schools by Queensland's education department was in a report in 1869.
Connecting the dots
FEBRUARY | Rockhampton teacher Wayne Real remembers introducing technology into his classroom three decades ago.
Creative thinking
FEBRUARY | The year will celebrate creativity in our classrooms and give teachers and students new opportunities to develop their creative skills.
Schools score an A for war effort
FEBRUARY | In 1943, Prime Minister John Curtin's plea to children did not fall on deaf ears.
One teacher schools
FEBRUARY | Since the 19th century, many young Queenslanders in remote areas have been educated in one-teacher schools.
Indigenous reflections
FEBRUARY | Times have changed since Penny Tripcony was a student at East Brisbane State School in the 1940s.
Teaching across the great divide
FEBRUARY | In 1922, the Primary Correspondence School in Brisbane was established, heralding a more productive and efficient way of teaching children in remote areas.
Distance no longer a tyranny
FEBRUARY | Historian Geoffrey Blainey suggested in his book, The Tyranny of Distance, that distance shaped Australia's history.
Milking the system
FEBRUARY | The mention of the 'free milk scheme' often prompts vivid images to flood back for thousands of former Queenslands primary school students.
Indigenous reflections
FEBRUARY | Pearl Duncan, the 1st tertiary trained Indigenous teacher in Australia believes investment in education has yielded the best results.
Teaching lessons lasting a lifetime
FEBRUARY | In classrooms across Queensland there are a lot of people called Isabelle - currently one of the most popular girls' names - but only one who is aged 80 and working as a teacher.
New schools go green
FEBRUARY | Environmental sustainability, wireless internet and al fresco dining areas would have been beyond the comprehension of students and teachers at Queensland's first state schools in the 1850s and 60s.
School on the move
FEBRUARY | Since the 19th century, many young Queenslanders in remote areas have been educated in one-teacher schools.
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