Vol 48. No. 5 by Australian Education Union (SA Branch)

Vol 48 I No.5

Official publication of the Australian Education Union (SA Branch)

August 2016

AEUJOURNAL SA

The campaign continues... INSIDE: u Environment:

Schools taking action

u Effective

PACs: Every school needs one

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FEATURES PRESIDENT’S VIEW

AEU UNION JOURNAL TRAINING

Environment Action pages 8 – 9 We can contribute to sustainable practices in schools and community.

It’s everyone’s PAC

pages 12 – 13 With Gonski at risk we must redouble our efforts to secure needs-based funding.

pages 16 – 17 Port Augusta Secondary School in profile.

If you do, then you might be outraged that the TRB, a Statutory Authority, sent out the TRB Buzz 45 on the eve of the election to every registered teacher in South Australia containing such an article featuring the Liberal Party and local Liberal Senate candidate Simon Birmingham. Using our money in this way – and registration fees are not cheap – is surely questionable. n Ken Case Retired Teacher

September 21

#7 October 21

November 9

Printing: Lane Print

The campaign continues...

I have some questions. Do you expect the Teachers Registration Board (TRB) to act and be seen to act non-politically? Would you expect the TRB to be especially careful in this regard during an election? Would you regard an article that draws attention to one political party on Monday of the last week of an election campaign and explicitly refers to positive actions of one candidate as having the potential to be seen as politically partisan?

Publication Dates

#6 September 2

Cover: Craig Greer

PACs: Every school needs one

Dear Editor

Deadline Dates

ISSN 1440-2971

u Effective

LE TT E R TO TH E E DITO R

AEU Journal is published seven times annually by the South Australian Branch of the Australian Education Union.

Print Post approved PP 531629/0025

INSIDE: Schools taking action

Australian Education Union | SA Branch 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 Telephone: 8272 1399 Facsimile: 8373 1254 Email: journal@aeusa.asn.au Editor: Craig Greer

Subscriptions: Free for AEU members. Nonmembers may subscribe for $33 per year.

The campaign continues... u Environment:

Advertise in the AEU Journal. Reach over 13,500 members across South Australia.

8272 1399 journal@aeusa.asn.au

LEADE RS

Principals take action on health and wellbeing

ast year’s Australian Principal Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey found that “sheer quantity of work and lack of time to focus on teaching and learning are the biggest contributors to stress.” The 2015 report showed that only 10 per cent of principals believed they were being supported by their employer and that principals are exposed to increasing levels of violent and bullying behaviour, and that this contributes to the stress of the job. Among other concerning findings the survey revealed that 80 percent of principals reported that inadequate school budgets and resources impacts on their effectiveness as a principal, while 79.8 percent reported that high workloads impacted on their effectiveness.

The 2016 Principal Health and Wellbeing Survey is now underway and the participation of AEU member principals is vital in ensuring a strong representative sample is collected to inform solutions to the various challenges faced in the sector. Media attention after the release of last year’s report was extremely high and the issues raised by the study were widely reported. Recently, the Tasmanian State Government has agreed to enact all the recommendations from last year’s survey report and strong participation from members in South Australia may result in a similar outcome. n To participate in this year’s Principal Health and Wellbeing Survey go to:

8: www.principalhealth.org 3

2016 NATIONAL SUPPORT STAFF WEEK August 15–19 Additional Hours

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GET SUPPORT STAFF ISSUES ON THE AGENDA

Convene a special union meeting of Support Staff at your site. Negotiate with your PAC to inservice Support Staff. Talk to your Support Staff colleagues today about joining the union. Go to:

Conversion to Permanency

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Celebrate the week at your site! Email us your photos and stories about your activities for publication on our Facebook page or in the AEU Journal at:

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Toileting Allowance

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FREEDOM EARLY CHILDHOOD EARLY CHILDHOOD CONFERENCE 2016

FRIDAY 14 OCT. | 9.15am - 3.30pm Dinner: THURS 13 OCT @ 6.00pm Venue: THE ASTOR, 437 Pulteney St. Adelaide

Australian Education Union | SA Branch

163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 : www.aeusa.asn.au email: aeusa@aeusa.asn.au phone: 8272 1399

Authorised by Jack Major, AEU Branch Secretary, Australian Education Union | SA Branch, 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 © 2016 Authorised by Jack Major, AEU Branch Secretary, Australian Education Union | SA Branch, 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 © 2016

Australian Education Union | SA Branch For For further further info info or or to to register register8: www.aeusa.asn.au > Events & Courses or or for for further further information information email: email: training@aeusa.asn.au

Anti-Poverty Week in 2016 starts on Sunday 16th October and ends on Saturday 22nd October. The UN’s International Anti-Poverty Day is Monday 17th October. The Week focuses on poverty around the world, especially in the poorest countries but also in wealthier countries such as Australia. Its main aims are to strengthen public understanding of the causes and consequences of poverty and hardship around the world and within Australia, and encourage research, discussion and action to address these problems, including action by individuals, communities, organisations and governments. Involving children and young people through school activities is an essential part of Anti-Poverty Week, and as many schools as possible are encouraged to do something, however small it may be.

There are three main ways your school can get involved in Anti-Poverty Week: 1 You could organise an activity as part of Anti-Poverty Week. Example of activities run by schools in previous years are on the Anti-Poverty Week website.

2 Anti-Poverty Week is an ideal opportunity to bring poverty into the school curriculum. You could use the week as a focus to teach children about poverty, its causes and consequences and ways it can be prevented or resolved. The campaign website has resources which include a Teacher’s Toolkit to assist!

3 You could use the Week to launch a program at your school

sion Review’ to identify areas where those students might be excluded. For information and ideas, see the booklet ‘Social Inclusion at School: How to Help Low-Income Families’. Also available on the website is information on financial inclusion and schools.

to ensure that students who are experiencing poverty or hardship are able to fully participate in all aspects of school life. This might include, for example, performing an ‘Inclu-

: www.antipovertyweek.org.au/organise-an-activity/ how-schools-can-get-involved

PRESIDENT’S VIE W

The AEU is driving investment in education AEU President Howard Spreadbury writes ...

he recent federal election has demonstrated the significance of education funding in the minds of voters across Australia. Exit polling clearly identified education as the second most important area after health. Subsequent polling regarding the future federal commitment to the Gonski funding model indicated that 64% of those polled stated that the incoming government should commit to the full six years of need-based funding to all schools. This is an important message to the Turnbull government with its slender majority in the lower house and the presence of a new and complex composition in the Senate. In South Australia, the importance of education as a focus of government funding was reflected in the targeted electorate of Hindmarsh where exit and post election polling indicated that voters responded to the AEU message which was asking people to vote for a party that supported Gonski. This translated into the outcome which was the re-election of Steve Georganas who, in a previous parliament, was the first MP to speak in the House about the importance of needs-based funding and that support for the Gonski recommendations was the best way to deliver for those students who need the additional resourcing to support their education. The AEU appointed a targeted seat coordinator through our federal office and SA Branch organisers worked to support the engagement of school principals, staff and parents in a campaign based on the difference the early fund-

ing is already making to those students who would not have qualified for additional support through existing fun ding measures. The AEU expresses our appreciation to members and parents who volunteered their time in a range of community activities in the months preceding the election. Our collective work really made a difference.

State Budget The recent State Budget has delivered some additional funds which include the state’s $230 million commitment to the full six years of the current Gonski funding agreement. It also includes $250 million over three years to build and upgrade science, technology, engineering and maths facilities at 139 schools, $10.6 million over five years to modernise the delivery of the SACE and $38 million for preschool staffing to meet the adult/child ratios based on staffing on enrolment. Members have raised questions about the number of STEM funded schools and the rationale for the identification of those schools and the AEU has put those questions to Minister Close for a detailed response. Whilst STEM subjects are important to many students who will take up positions in the associated future workforce, the government must demonstrate a continued commitment to the Arts and ensure that students who seek their future in those fields are supported through the necessary infrastructure in schools. There must also be an equal focus on the current and future teacher workforce ensuring that the profession is qualified and supported to deliver these subject areas, particularly in rural and remote locations.

PAC Training Negotiations continue with DECD to ensure schools and preschools are equipped to most appropriately allocate new resources which have been delivered through the Enterprise Agreement. In schools the PAC is critical in ensuring

“… all members of the PAC are urged to participate in the spirit of a partnership as described in the Enterprise Agreement.” that those resources which are provided to address leader and teacher workload are delivered in ways which do just that. A new online component of PAC training is almost complete and discussions with DECD are in the final stages for a revised face-to-face component. Once the training schedule is available, all members of the PAC are urged to participate in the spirit of a partnership as described in the Enterprise Agreement. Similarly, in preschools, workgroups need to meet to determine the best ways to deliver their additional resources.

TAFE Enterprise Agreement imminent TAFE Divisional Council has determined to recommend to members that the latest revised offer from government for a new TAFE Enterprise Agreement be accepted in a ballot of TAFE employees. This will conclude a protracted period of negotiation with TAFE and the state government to settle a new Agreement which will provide salary increases until October 2018. With enterprise bargaining now finalised across the AEU membership, members in all sectors can focus on delivering high quality public education to children and students in preschools, schools and TAFE. The AEU will continue its work to ensure recognition of our profession is of the highest priority and that this remains in focus as we progress toward the next round of enterprise bargaining. n In unity, Howard Spreadbury 5

AEU INFORMATION UNIT

SPECIAL NEEDS

Questions from the workplace

I have a child with dyslexia

he is amazing – bright, funny, caring and courageous with very high expectations of herself. She also lacks self-confidence and at times can be angry, hostile or defensive as a result of feeling inadequate. Unfortunately, she wasn’t diagnosed until the end of Year 4, as we incorrectly thought dyslexia couldn’t be diagnosed below age 9. By this time she had built an amazing number of coping mechanisms into her daily life to try and “fit in” – but deep down she knew that there was something different. This was (and continues to be) incredibly isolating for a child intelligent enough to realise they aren’t getting the same results as their peers no matter how hard they try. As parents, we noticed inconsistencies: she was articulate but behind in reading, she could answer any maths problem we threw at her verbally yet struggled with her much simpler written homework, her vocabulary was good and her spelling atrocious, she wanted to learn and tried so hard and yet often just couldn’t get it. We googled, read books, and spoke with many teachers, specifically asking if they thought she could be dyslexic. Every teacher we asked advised us that she was not dyslexic. Here is what I wish the teachers had told us instead:

If I have another job or intend to apply for another position besides my job with DECD, do I have to notify DECD?

AEU Information Unit | Weekdays | 10:30am – 5pm |

% 8272 1399

Under the Code of Ethics, all public sector workers must seek approval from their Chief Executive before “engaging in any outside employment or remunerative activity”. General voluntary, unpaid activities and paid recreational activities, such as sports coaching, do not need approval. If unsure, ask a line manager as individual considerations regarding roles and responsibilities are taken into account. Some outside activities are endorsed by the government even though they may conflict with your public sector duties. Examples include participation in the army defence reserves, call-out for emergency services duty and participation in some elite sporting events. Any member who is unsure should contact the AEU Information Unit. Our advice is usually to submit a Request for Approval to Work Outside DECD (Form VL198). The purpose is for DECD to reassure themselves that there is no real or potential conflict of interest arising from any paid or unpaid activity outside of DECD. This requirement applies to all people employed in the public sector on either a full-time, part-time or temporary basis. It applies to work out of hours, including weekends. Failure to seek approval from the Chief Executive (or his delegate) may constitute a breach of the Code of Ethics and result in disciplinary action. The AEU has had several calls from people engaged by SACE for moderation. AEU advice is to submit a VL198 to seek approval as this is not listed in examples of Government endorsed activities (as shown above). Approvals should be sought initially if you are or intend to be engaged in paid or unpaid employment outside of DECD and then annually or sooner if the circumstances of your outside employment change. n Anne Walker, AEU Legal & Information Officer

Parent Bronwyn Hardy asks schools to support Dyslexia Empowerment Week

• We are not trained or qualified to identify dyslexia • Should you have concerns, please seek independent advice (and hopefully they could have assisted in pointing us in the right direction)

• We are noting inconsistencies and your daughter is not performing to the standard expected • We will work with you to understand this, and help her succeed. Our whole family is benefiting from an amazing teacher this year. She has done wonders in assisting to rebuild my daughter’s self-esteem, and making appropriate accommodations in an inclusive way. The most important difference has been acknowledging my daughter’s efforts. Dyslexia is a genetic condition in which the brain processes information differently. Whilst you can learn coping strategies, it cannot be cured. It is believed to effect up to 1 in 10 people to varying degrees. That means that there are likely to be 2-3 children impacted IN EVERY CLASS. I appreciate that there are many and varied challenges in teaching, of which dyslexia is only one. However, I hope that you may consider supporting dyslexia empowerment week in your schools this October. I would love to see all schools encouraging young people to believe it is ok to be different and helping them acknowledge that they can still be clever, even if they struggle with our highly reading oriented curriculum. n

Dyslexia Empowerment Week

yslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterised by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Second-

ary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge. n

Dyslexia Empowerment Week runs from 16 – 22 October 2016. More information at:

www.dyslexiaempowermentweek.com.au

VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Being a member: it’s not all about the terms and conditions AEU Vice President Dash Taylor Johnson discusses our work in the community. “I believe that education unions are among the strongest pillars of democracy, not just in classrooms, but in larger society. They embody the right to education, as well as the practice of democracy, enabling the full range of human rights, they embody the struggle for equity and social justice, at home and abroad.” Fred van Leeuwen, General Secretary Education International Unions, like education, commerce and industry need to be relevant, to move with the times, in order to best meet the needs and expectations of their members. Protecting and enhancing core terms and conditions will always be the basis for advocacy and action but now more than ever, we have a responsibility to provide so much more. Advents in technology continue to overwhelm us with connectivity; the world is only a click away. And while there is irony in the isolation that screens bring (at least the Poke’mon Go hunters are outside), information, regardless of bias and ulterior motive is ubiquitously accessible. Fear, the great emotive tool is a go-to strategy for many as so adroitly demonstrated in the high profile campaigns of politicians worldwide, and sensationally splashed across front pages or leading news bulletins. All feature versions of truth crafted to capture attention, to shock, to cause heads to shake in amazement, be transfixed with helplessness or hang in shame. There are undeniables though, and while people perpetrate atrocities, it is also people who effect change; our environment, our reconciliation with the

First Nations people, our treatment of refugees and immigrants is in our hands. The AEU SA Branch hands are working harder than ever. The essence of any union is the engagement of its membership. It is you who ask the important questions and challenge common understandings and practice. As a result, the Environment Action Group (EAG) was formed, International Educators have a voice and members can express their concerns about the treatment of refugees and the impact on families (stay tuned for a Teachers for Refugees event that Branch Executive have endorsed). During the winter break (July 15) the first major EAG conference was held in Bridgewater at Arbury Park Outdoor School. Showcasing the resources that this DECD site provides, the theme of “A Spotlight on Environment Action in Schools and Preschools” was delivered through collaborative activities, focussed workshops and a closing forum; members left exhausted but environmentally stimulated to continue their work in sites across the state. Apart from building practical knowledge and understandings about how to be more environmentally active, a key outcome was the building of an educator network with the potential to continue this growth and importantly provide a forum to share the good practice occurring in sites. Any member can send an email to be part of this (see email address below 5). A real strength of the conference was

1 Members at the recent 2016 EAG Conference discuss strategies for sustainable practice in their schools. the way that AEU presenters (Marika Marlow, Mount Barker PS; Mary-Alice Williams, Allenby Gardens PS; Ian Tooley, retired principal), DECD and government officials (Jacob Potter, Asset Services; Matt Cattanach, Natural Resource Management) and business leaders (Stuart Cameron Gifford, Sarah’s Sisters Sustainable Café; Celeste Lustosa, Media Consultant) plus an inspirational senior secondary student (Madison Turley, Victor Harbour HS) all combined to send the core message of sustainability. This is a message that has ever-increasing relevance as the SA Government consultation on the nuclear debate and specifically, becoming the host for international high level nuclear waste, is taking place. We have begun, and it is important we continue to advocate for those in need. As an industrial body we have identified a six-part vision for our future, a vision that states: “The Australian Education Union (SA Branch) will: 6. Support human rights, social justice and environmental sustainability. We will achieve this through: • Developing links with community organisations active in the human rights, social justice and environmental arenas (2104 – 2017 Strategic Plan).”

TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG!

8: green-aeu-join@members.aeusa.asn.au

Be part of the network. Email us at:

RUNNING ??????? COUNTRY HEAD CONDITIONS

AEU ENVIRONMENT ACTION CONFERENCE 2016

Hey, what about the country?

Sustainability education: growing our kids and communities

AEU

members working in country locations have raised concerns about their lack of access to quality professional development. As most professional development is offered in Adelaide, they are seeking that DECD put in place strategies to address the costs of travel and accommodation, to provide adequate release time to attend professional development, and to ensure that there are adequate numbers of TRTs and PRTs to enable teachers to be released. The AEU Country Conditions Standing Committee has been researching the adequacy of the T&D (Training and Development) grant. Results of a survey conducted in Term 1 show that the current T&D grant is inadequate to provide access to the training sought. A number of schools have reported that the T&D funding provided is so inadequate that they do not have the resources to send one staff member to Adelaide for Training and this is without calculating TRT release.

Some examples School A has 25 teachers and 14 ancillary staff and from their DECD T&D budget provision they could fund 1.5 trips to Adelaide per year. At this funding level access to T&D could be a once in a career option! School B has 16 staff and their DECD T&D budget is so limited it could only provide 0.6 of a trip to Adelaide, meaning training options are virtually non-existent. Many country schools are having to redirect funding from other education programs just to give their teachers access to T&D that many city-based teachers take for granted. On top of this, country teachers are paying out of their own pocket the costs of accessing the professional development that they need. The AEU Country Conditions Standing Committee is developing a campaign to advocate for provision of quality T&D to n country teachers. 8

Golden Grove High School teacher Kirsty Denison shares her school’s eco story

rbury Park School, wow, what an amazing site! On Thursday 14th July, three members of our Environmental Action Team (EAT) made the drive up full of excitement about getting to learn and share ideas about implementing even more sustainable practices in our school, Golden Grove High School (GGHS). We were not disappointed. Sitting around the camp fire, roasting marshmallows and sharing stories of both positive engagement in sustainable learning and frustrations about common barriers was the perfect start to the conference and a great way to make connections with other enthusiastic sustainability ‘warriors’. At GGHS we already have a well established and effective School Environmental Management Plan (SEMP). This outlines all our strategies that are implemented at our site in order to work towards being a more sustainable school, and to ensure that authentic sustainable learning is incorporated in all our classrooms. Our vision is to have an educated and informed school community that recognises they have a moral responsibility for the environment, both personally and collectively, that motivates action through knowledge and respect for the environment around us. We strive to engage not only our students, but the wider school community, in working towards a more environmentally friendly future. As part of our SEMP we produce and distribute an electronic newsletter based solely on good news stories about sustainability projects at the school. It also includes handy sustainability hints that can be used at home or within the wider community. For example, we share methods

“We are constantly looking for new ways to increase awareness and promote sustainability programs both in school and in the broader community.” for using chemical free cleaning agents in the home and direct readers to where they can purchase the brands we recommend as being environmentally friendly. We are constantly looking for new ways to increase awareness and promote sustainability programs both in school and in the broader community. Due to this, the session at the conference on getting the environmental message out through ‘stories’ for different communication channels was extremely beneficial for us. It was fantastic to gain further knowledge and understanding of how we can more effectively use social media and media coverage to promote our message and share it in an engaging way. To expand on what we are already doing, we would love to make stronger connections with other community businesses and work with them towards environmental action. At the conference, the workshop run by Stuart Gifford, which explored the connections between Sarah’s Sisters Sustainable Café and a primary school in the area, was truly inspirational. It made us question and look deeper at how we could strengthen our current Land Care program, offered at Year 9, by forming meaningful ties with the local community to work collaborativecontinued over page 3

ly, not only towards curriculum goals, but to contributing to local success in an environmentally and economically sustainable way. In this way, the conference really gave us some insight into how we can further actively work towards our goal of intra-generational equality; ensuring future generations benefit from our efforts in engaging with sustainable practices. Another true inspiration on the day was Madison Turley, a student from Victor Harbor High School, who actively runs an educational program about the impact of waste in our oceans and runs her own Facebook page, Don’t Waste Our Wave. At GGHS we strive to embed in students an ability to use the knowledge we give them to be critical, creative and reflective learners who make ethical decisions about environmental and social/cultural needs of the future. We run monthly challenges related to sustainable practices at our site, such as ‘Plastic to Landfill in May – No Way!’ to get students involved. We can’t wait to share Madison’s story to help motivate students on our EAT. n Kirsty Denison HASS and Sustainability Coordinator Golden Grove High School

1 Group shot of members at the recent 2016 EAG Conference in the formation of Australia!

Sarah’s Sisters Sustainable Café Semaphore Stuart Gifford, Manager & Marion Prosser, Head Chef • Opened in 1978 • Reducing footprint by 50% • Passive eco building design - north facing, adjacent to a garden, using breezes for cross ventilation • Strong focus on recycling, everything is used again where possible • Has used fresh, local and seasonal ingredients since 1978 – no storing of food • Reducing food miles to an average per ingredient of 5 – 10 miles, as opposed to the global average of 2000 miles • Working with Alberton Primary School in a number of ways including the purchasing from the school of tomatoes, basil and other fresh foods • Working with Blair Athol North PS and its Stephanie Alexander Garden and Kitchen – to help educate students around sustainable food prac-

tices, purchases food grown at the school • Works with four schools now involved in a Garden School Cluster. n 9

MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING

Ask your colleagues, are they okay? Sue Fenwick discusses how depression and anxiety can be identified and supported in the workplace. “Hi, how are you?” A polite response is required: “Good thanks, and you?” We may be able to say “Got a bit of a cold actually, don’t get too close!” Or “A bit tired actually, had a bad night, how are you?” How likely is it that someone will say, “I’m seriously depressed.” Or, “I was so anxious about facing the class today that I couldn’t sleep?” If something seriously limiting or debilitating was happening in your life, maybe a broken leg or flu, you’d be pretty sure to let people at work know. You would be confident they would understand why you can’t be at work or you have limited capacity for a while. Getting through a day in the classroom on crutches takes significant physical and emotional energy, so by the time Friday afternoon drinks comes along, everyone understands why you just need to get home. Colleagues help you with your bags. They ask you if there is anything they can do to help. Close friends might bring in lunch for you or 10

cook up a big pot of soup to take home. And yet, it is much more likely that someone you work with will suffer from depression and/or anxiety than a broken leg. It is the leading cause of disability worldwide. In a year, Beyond Blue, the national initiative to raise awareness of anxiety and depression, says one million Australian adults suffer from depression and two million from anxiety. 1 in 5 women. 1 in 8 men. 1 in 6 people. That’s 3 or 4 people in a workplace of 20 staff.

What is it? Depression is not just being sad or feeling low from time to time, says Beyond Blue. That’s just being human! It is about feeling this intensely for long periods of time (weeks, months, years) and often without any apparent reason. Similarly, anxiety is more than just feeling stressed or worried in response to a situation or event. Anxiety is when these anxious feelings don’t subside – when they’re ongoing and exist without any particular reason or cause. Jill Cavanough, AEU Work Health and

Safety Organiser, AEU Journal November 2015, “Psychological Health Surveys a WHS Catch 22” writes, “DECD pays out $14 million plus annually for psychological injury claims.” And this is likely to be the tip of the iceberg due to under reporting and workers compensation laws that make it harder for claims of this nature to succeed. Depression and anxiety can have work related causes: e.g. excessive workloads; work-family conflicts; violent and abusive behaviour; dealing with the mental health issues of students and staff and as Jill says, Work Health and Safety legislation requires that: “every identified hazard, such as excessive workloads, must be taken seriously.” There may be other causes, like domestic violence, loss of a loved one, and financial stresses. Often there is no apparent cause at all.

How can you tell? Unlike trying to traverse the busy playground on crutches, depression and anxiety are hidden, right? I can’t know what someone is suffering or how I can help if they don’t tell me. I don’t want to intrude on something that is private. It is this view, that a mental illness is private whereas a broken bone is not, that stigmatises the conditions and often stops people from beginning the process of getting help. To be supportive of someone with depression or anxiety, it is important to remember: 1. There are signs. 2. It’s OK to ask someone if they are OK! 3. There are things you can do to support a colleague or friend.

Signs Heads Up, a website resource developed by the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance and Beyond Blue, suggests that learning about depression and anxiety is a good place to start. You may have noticed a colleague behaving differently. They may be: • turning up late to work, often off sick or taking unexplained days off • finding it hard to make decisions, manage multiple tasks or meeting deadlines • losing confidence and having negative thought patterns • struggling to concentrate continued over page 3

“The Beyond Blue website has checklists and other tools for potential sufferers that then lead to how to get help.”

Thurs

• avoiding colleagues – either socially or in group situations such as meetings. They may have stopped going out, or become withdrawn from close friends and family. They may be finding it hard to do tasks that they would normally have no problem doing. They may seem irritable, frustrated or indecisive and sick or tired all the time. You may notice panic attacks, quick breathing, restlessness, excessive fear or worry, or obsessive thinking and behaviour. As depression and anxiety affect people differently and often occur at the same time, these are just some of the signs you may notice. The Beyond Blue website has checklists and other tools for potential sufferers that then lead to how to get help. Learning as much as you can about these conditions will really help break down the barriers to getting appropriate treatment.

How is “Are you okay?” different than “Hi, how are you?” Headsup says: “Having a colleague show concern can often be a turning point, encouraging them to seek support.” Headsup takes you through how to have the conversation, encouraging you to think through the approach you take such as finding the most appropriate time and place, creating a level of privacy and safety, being clear about what you can and are willing to do.

What can I do? Just as we don’t need to be an orthopaedic surgeon to help someone cross the playground by walking with them or carrying their bags, you don’t need to be a mental health professional to be a good friend or supportive colleague. No one is expecting you to fix the fracture or the depression or anxiety. Persistent, complex conditions require appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Of course there are many don’ts, like saying, “Snap out of it” or “Cheer up!” or diagnosing, judging or breaching

RUOK

COUNTRY CONDITIONS

Relief teacher shortage is starting to bite

Day

day, 8 Sep Join i temb n at y er our s ite! confidences. But many of the ways we already know to help are appropriate in these circumstances too. Listening. Checking in. Feeding! Laughing. Offering to do a troublesome task e.g. mow the lawn or prune the roses or cook dinner. All the normal stuff of friendship and community.

What could DECD be doing? While students often have onsite resources through school counsellors and pastoral support, DECD has contracted out its Employee Assistance Program to a private company. Neither DECD nor workplaces themselves have appropriately trained professionals available on site for staff. The AEU thinks this needs addressing. Staff working in public education need dedicated support from within the Department, after all it’s the employers responsibility to ensure adequate services are available. n

Resources you can access Beyond Blue BeyondBlue support & information service: W: www.beyondblue.org.au T: 1300 22 4636 E: infoline@beyondblue.org.au

Headsup W: www.headsup.org,au

Lifeline W: www.lifeline.org.au T: 13 11 14 [from anywhere in Australia 24 hours a day]

www.aeusa.asn.au>Your AEU> Interest Groups>Country

RUOK Includes resources for supporting students. W: www.ruok.org.au

The flu season is here and many country regions are reporting shortages of TRTs and PRTs. Frustration is growing as the employer has failed to implement strategies to address the shortage, and previously negotiated programs have stagnated. To country schools, TRTs and PRTs are worth their weight in gold, but many TRTs and PRTs feel that DECD could treat them better. For example, TRTs can’t access Government employee housing, country incentives, locality allowances and travel allowances and Non-instruction Time. At the same time, permanent and contract teachers are becoming fed up with having their NIT cancelled to teach a relief lesson or having to teach split classes. The AEU Country Conditions Standing Committee is seeking answers from the DECD executive as to why this problem has not been addressed, and will be putting forward a range of solutions to address the problem. Country teachers are encouraged to know their rights in regard to the taking of relief lessons above their face-to-face teaching load. This information can be found on page 29 of the Enterprise Agreement. If you are asked to take a relief lesson and it would put you above your maximum teaching load, it must be negotiated with you. This means you can say no and not take the lesson. If you agree to take the lesson, this clause provides for NIT to be repaid in an agreed time or payment to be made. If your worksite is experiencing these issues, the AEU Country Conditions Standing Committee would like to hear from you. A poster was included in the Term 3 mail-out to all country worksites and includes the names, sites and email addresses of the committee members. Members of the committee encourage you to email them directly (see poster) or go to Country Focus on the AEU website:

Alternatively, provide information via the AEU general correspondence email address: aeusa@aeusa.asn.au n 11

COVER STORY: NEEDS-BASED FUNDING

Gonski campaign continues Malcolm Turnbull will remain as Prime Minister but his huge drop in support at the election has changed Australia’s political landscape writes AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe.

he Prime Minister’s failure to commit to needs-based Gonski funding was a key factor decline in the decline of his popularity and the tight election result. Two things are clear: firstly that opposition to Gonski cost the Coalition votes. Second, that the Coalition has no mandate to end Gonski.

We will continue our campaign for proper, needs-based funding of our schools, because we have made too many real gains for our students to give up on an issue which is vital for Australia’s future. The election result was the culmination of a year of hard work in marginal seats by our branches, our local Gonski coordinators and thousands of Gonski supporters and volunteers who have ensured that Australia understands how important Gonski needs-based funding is for our students. Across every state and territory the “I Give a Gonski” campaign has taken the fight to local MPs and many Coalition MPs who refused to give a Gonski have now been voted out. Parents, particularly in states where Gonski is going directly to schools, are now aware of the difference it is making and will not accept less than the full six years of Gonski, and recurrent funding 12

beyond that. We will keep campaigning because there is no alternative to Gonski funding on the table. We still don’t know the details of Malcolm Turnbull’s alternative, how it is to be funded or whether funding will be needs-based. No State Government has supported it, and the Catholic and independent school sectors both support Gonski. The Coalition will need to change the Australian Education Act to end Gonski, and it will need the support of minor parties and independents in the Senate to do so. We will continue to build on the momentum our campaign has generated. During the election campaign we had many principals willing to tell parents, through newsletters or leaflets, the facts about what Gonski was doing, and what their school would miss out on without the full commitment to funding. Teachers and school support staff joined parents in standing up and fighting for their students. Our campaign has helped our members to understand what needs-based funding is, and how it impacts on the issues they deal with daily in the classroom.

“We will keep campaigning because there is no alternative to Gonski funding on the table” We can’t and we won’t lose momentum. It is vitally important to maintain those connections in every school community because if we need to, we will mobilise them to secure Gonski needs-based funding. We will also keep campaigning for the long-overdue increase in funding for students with disability, which has now been pushed out by the Coalition until 2018. And this had a significant effect on July 2nd. The Federal Electorates of EdenMonaro and Lindsay, winning Labor candidates have specifically mentioned schools as a key issue which saw them win their seats. Of our other target seats, the Coalition also lost in Hindmarsh (SA), Longman (Qld), Dobell (NSW) and Macquarie (NSW). Several others recorded bigger-than-average swings away from the Coalition. We ran targeted TV advertising in Tasmania and the NT, where Malcolm Turnbull’s budget actually offered a continued over page 3

COVER STORY: NEEDS-BASED FUNDING

“A Sky News exit poll found that 61 per cent of people named education as an important issue, only slightly behind 72% naming health.”

1 Around the booths on election day: AEU members and parents were out in force to convince the public to vote for Gonski and public education.

cut to funding for public schools. The Coalition lost all three of their seats in Tasmania and their one seat in the NT.

This is largely due to the public recognising that he would continue the Abbott agenda of cuts to public services such as health and education which was driven home by strong campaigns.

A Sky News exit poll found that 61 per cent of people named education as an important issue, only slightly behind 72 per cent naming health. Both education and health rated ahead of economic management at 51 per cent. Our campaign has lifted awareness and public support for Gonski. AEU polling in NSW marginal seats just before the election found that: • 61.6 percent of voters supported Gonski, compared to just 17.4 percent who opposed it (21 percent undecided). • A clear majority of 63.4% of voters prefer investment in schools to Malcolm Turnbull’s cuts to company tax (36.6%). • 51.5% of voters were “very aware” of Malcolm Turnbull’s plans to cut Gonski funding after 2017, and another 29.8% were “somewhat aware.” This is a great base to build on. We have also made big gains in getting support for Gonski amongst political parties. This year, Labor locked in their support for the full six years of Gonski needs-based funding with their policy announcement in January. The Greens locked in their support for Gonski and several independents

including Nick Xenophon and Jackie Lambie did the same in the lead up to the election.

dents. It is the only way students who attend disadvantaged schools will be able to get the support they need.

We know that PM Malcolm Turnbull’s public support went from stratospheric last October to subzero on July 2nd with a huge loss of seats for the Coalition.

We cannot have a return to the old days where funding was not based on the needs of students. Gonski funding is delivering real improvements in schools across Australia and failing to fund it in full will fail our students.

Gonski funding remains vital for the future of our schools and their stu-

We can be proud of what our campaign has achieved so far and we will keep fighting for our members, for our schools and for every student who needs support at school. n

Members and communities come through for Gonski Despite the election outcome, our campaign has been a success writes Craig Greer.

here’s absolutely no doubt, we gave the federal election one hell of a crack. AEU members and parents from schools in the electorate of Hindmarsh, our target seat, were resolute in their efforts to elect a government that supports the Gonski schools funding model. And as the old footy saying goes – we played the ball and not the man. Our campaign focussed strongly on achieving bipartisan support for a better, more equitable needs-based funding model for schools. We might not be there yet, but our goal of giving every child a better chance of reaching their potential clearly has enough public support to swing elections.

More than twelve months ago, AEU Federal Executive identified a number of federal seats around the country which would become the key battlegrounds for a Gonski schools funding campaign. The seat of Hindmarsh in Adelaide’s western suburbs would be the focus of our campaign in South Australia. With a target seat coordinator appointed and support from AEU members and staff, we began the task of lobbying the sitting member Matt Williams and, eventually, ALP candidate Steve Georganas. We knew Steve Georganas would be on board; he had been a strong supporter for Gonski in the past, strongly advocating for for the needs-based funding continued over page 3 13

COVER STORY CONT.

NAPLAN

model in the lead up to its eventual introduction in 2013. Convincing sitting Liberal Party member Matt Williams, however, proved to be impossible. It’s clear his lack of support and inability to even discuss the issue with AEU officers and members ultimately cost him his seat. The support for the AEU Gonski election campaign from Hindmarsh school communities both in the lead up to and on election day was rock solid; educators and parents understand the immense benefits the full Gonski funding will deliver to schools and they were prepared to give up their time and energies to make it happen. A number of forums, events and rallies were held over the course of the campaign in order to build support on the ground. By the time July 2 rolled around, the general consensus from political analysts favoured a Coalition victory, despite its refusal to back the Gonski funding model. Nevertheless, AEU officers, members and local parents were optimistic and created an imposing presence at booths throughout the electorate, handing out thousands of “How to Vote for Gonski” cards and having conversations with voters of all political persuasions. As we now know, the federal election outcome was far from unanimous, and our efforts in Hindmarsh were rewarded with a victory to a candidate who stood firmly in support of public schools and their students. Some will ask, what difference does this make if in the end the Gonski model is cut by the Turnbull government? The answer is ‘plenty’. As those with an interest in political history will know, few campaigns are won easily and many take years and even decades to achieve. As our Federal President states in her piece on page 13, we have to keep going. We know the impact our campaign is having on public opinion and ultimately we will prevail. It’s up to all of us to redouble our efforts and find new ways to convince those holding the purse strings that our kids have limitless potential, we just need to make the investment. Congratulations to all involved in our Hindmarsh election action and to everyone who continues to support the I give a Gonski campaign. Onward and upward! n 14

NAPLAN response predictable and misguided Craig Greer says real investment in education will drive results, not standardised tests

t’s a bit like Groundhog Day, isn’t it? Every year NAPLAN results are released to the media and every year the public is led to believe schools should be doing more, showing improvement, not falling behind or, god help us all, “plateauing”, the ACARA-coined term used by many a politician reacting to this year’s results. If I was a groundhog I’d be tempted not to stick my head out at all next year. Who knows what choice turn of phrase will be used to once again cast aspersions on schools, their hard-working staff, and of course, their students. This narrow focus on the results of a one-off standardised, homogenous test comparing all students in Australia regardless of background is frustrating, if not just a little bit crazy. Imagine if football teams were judged as harshly on one performance on one day of the year; one suspects there would be few coaches with a job at the end of the season. Yet, those who claim to be leading our nation and setting the education agenda can’t help but leap to all manner of conclusions about the performance of schools, based on the results of just one test, during one week, once a year.

The post-NAPLAN response from the likes of Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham and those with both feet firmly in the “throwing money at schools isn’t the answer” camp was, quite predictably, one of criticism, suggesting stagnation and underperformance and that the results just aren’t good enough. “Plateauing results are not what we should expect or assume from our education systems,” Mr Birmingham said. What most of this year’s crop of armchair critics failed to recognise was that longitudinally there have been significant improvements across a number of subject areas and year levels. For example, reading results for Years 3 and 5 have improved significantly since 2008, as have spelling, grammar and punctuation results in Year 3. And numeracy results for Year 5 have also seen significant improvement. Of course, while educators know there is more to learning and assessing outcomes than successful completion of a one-off test, there are things to be learned from NAPLAN. The information it provides, is no doubt valuable for some educators when making professional decisions

continued over page 3

VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT around the needs of their students. If only politicians looked at the results in much the same way – as an opportunity to provide support to the profession. Instead, Minister Birmingham has been using the results to justify its stance on schools funding, i.e. to not fund Gonski and to claim there have been no improvements despite what he describes as record investment in education from his government. But how much of the current spending is going where it’s needed most? Since the introduction of the Gonski funding in 2013 there’s no doubt we are seeing some extra funds distributed to some of those in need, but the real investment (two thirds of the overall Gonski money) that is meant to come in Years 5 and 6 of the Gonski Better Schools funding model and beyond, is at risk. Responding to comments made by the federal government, AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe made the union’s position clear. “NAPLAN results should not be used by the Turnbull Government as justification for its plan to abandon Gonski needs-based funding.” “The lesson we must learn from the schools that are achieving outstanding results with Gonski funding is that properly resourcing schools is a prerequisite for lifting performance,” she said. Ms Haythorpe said the Federal Government is putting politics before the interests of the nation’s children by using the NAPLAN results to justify Tony Abbott’s 2013 decision to abandon Gonski funding. “What the Coalition is planning to do is to deny schools and students the vital resources necessary to lift results and instead go back to a system where funding was not delivered according to need.” Indeed, the Coalition’s own budget shows it plans to cut funding to public schools in the NT and Tasmania where student needs are greatest. While some Gonski money has rolled out to schools in SA and other states, the bulk of the investment is yet to come, and in the two years prior to this year’s NAPLAN tests, schools in Victoria, WA and the NT received no Gonski funding at all. Perhaps Minister Birmingham might look to look to the real reasons some cohorts of students are struggling with literacy and numeracy – it’s not poor performing schools or teachers, it’s the under-resourcing clearly identified in the groundbreaking Gonski report. “No-one in their right mind thinks that denying schools the resources needed to meet the needs of all students is a strategy that will lead to better results. You can’t end inequitable outcomes in education with inequitable funding,” said Ms Haythorpe. I imagine David Gonski agrees. n

You’ve won it, make sure you get it! AEU Vice President Jan Murphy says workload can be reduced via the SLD grant As a result of the actions of AEU members during Enterprise Bargaining, to assist in addressing workload associated with teaching students with additional needs, the Students with Learning Difficulties (SLD) grant will be increased by $4 million per year for 2016, 2017 and 2018. That’s an increase of 27% on 2015 figures. SLD grants are provided to schools to support students with additional needs who are not eligible for disability funding. Schools will have already received the increased allocation for 2016 in their May RES (Resource Allocation Statement) where SLD funding is listed as a separate line under ‘Improved Outcomes for Students with Disabilities – Special Education – Students with Learning Difficulties’. “The SLD funding and other Tier 2 funding allocated to the school to support the learning of educationally disadvantaged groups can be used in a variety of ways to support student learning and to ensure teachers have a reasonable and fair workload.” (DECD) Tier 2 funding includes targeted funding for students verified under the disability policy (e.g. A, D or I levels) and the SLD grants.“Disability funding must be used to support student learning and ensure that teachers supporting these students have a reasonable and fair workload.” (DECD) “The Principal in partnership with the PAC may utilise Tier 2 funding through the following workload reduction strategies: • Reduce class sizes for teachers with the students with additional learning needs • Employ additional teachers and/or leaders to work collaboratively with teachers to support assessment for learning and identify adjustments for learning for these students • Provide funding for TRT salaries or additional release for teachers to develop, monitor and review individual learning plans and adjust learning programs for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities • Employ SSOs to assist teachers in their classrooms • Provide additional release time for a

leader or mentor teacher to support others with students management • Combination of the above.” (DECD) Throughout EB consultation, the writing and reviewing of NEPs and other individual education plans and adjusting learning programs for students with disability or additional needs was identified by AEU members as creating excessive and unreasonable workload. The SLD grant and targeted funding for verified students can be used to provide release time for teachers to undertake this work.

How will you ensure that this funding is used to reduce workload that’s associated with students with additional needs? Call a sub-branch meeting to develop a proposal for your AEU PAC rep to take to the PAC outlining how this funding can be best utilised to support students and to address your workload. Decisions on the use of the SLD grant must be recorded in the PAC minutes so that the use of the funding is clear and accountable. The potential is there to decrease the workload for many members in this area of your work. Work with your sub-branch and reps on your PAC to get the most out of what you’ve won.

What about children with additional needs in preschools and the workload of their teachers and leaders? Another outcome of EB is that Preschool Support Program (PSP) funding will be increased by $1 million per year. The AEU is in negotiations with DECD around changes to two aspects of this funding to alleviate Director and teacher workload and to ensure PSP funding gets to where it’s needed, when it’s needed. The AEU has put to DECD that the funding allocation should be made directly to preschools. This would mean the money would be available to preschools earlier and eliminate the need for preschool directors to ‘apply’ for the funding through Support Services. We are also seeking that preschools, like schools, have the flexibility to utilise this type of funding to not only support children with additional needs but also their teachers with workload associated with providing additional support. n 15 15

SBS PROFILE

PAC

BELINDA MCINERNEY Teacher | Stirling North PS JOURNAL: Why did you choose to be a school teacher? BELINDA: I really love children and helping them learn. I started off in childcare and then did a placement at a preschool and decided that I wanted to teach young students. I’m a Reception teacher and I get lots of enjoyment seeing the children progress. It’s my passion. JOURNAL: How long have you been an AEU rep? BELINDA: I was a union rep for a few years at my previous site, Willaston, where I worked for ten years. All up I’ve been the rep for around seven years. I’m really passionate about making sure members are informed about their rights and conditions. We’ve fought hard to gain the conditions we have so it’s important to make sure we’re accessing them. JOURNAL: How often does your subbranch meet? BELINDA: With so many meetings these days it can be hard for everyone to get together regularly. But I make sure I distribute important information by email and we meet when there are important things happening like an EB campaign, for example. Staff know that I’m always available to discuss any issues or provide information. If I don’t know the answer off the top of my head I’ll refer to the Enterprise Agreement, the PAC Handbook, Merit Selection Handbook or wherever I need to go to confirm the accurate information. JOURNAL: How effective is your PAC? BELINDA: Our PAC works well. It meets every few weeks and the agenda and minutes are distributed. The EB has strengthened the PAC over the years and I think that’s led to more consultation. Our Principal is really good at consulting with staff and the PAC is a good example of that. JOURNAL: Why should staff working in schools be in the union? BELINDA: Well you never know from one day to the next if you will need support from the union so you would be silly not to have that support behind you. Members are the union and it’s up to everyone to contribute to improving our conditions. n 16

1 from left back: Simon Owens, Sam Kondraciuk and Alex Spalding. From left front: Pat Collins and Angela Hancock

It’s everyone’s PAC

An effective Personnel Advisory Committee makes for a well functioning school with great morale, writes Craig Greer

he recent strengthening of the Personnel Advisory Committee (PAC) clause in the 2016 Enterprise Agreement is one that should ensure all staff play a significant role in schoolbased decisions. The wording of in the new Enterprise Agreement says: “the PAC will act in accordance” with the PAC Handbook, not simply “with regard to the PAC Handbook”, as in the previous agreement. This change in wording may seem innocuous to some but industrially it is a significant change and reinforces that the PAC is a partnership and that site-based decisions around deployment of human and financial resources are to be taken in consultation with staff, represented by members of the PAC. In recent years the AEU has received many calls from members raising the issue of poor consultation between leadership and staff at the site level. This is unfortunate and while no official study has been undertaken, anecdotal evidence suggests that sites where consultation is poor often have low levels

of staff morale and job satisfaction. However, it must be stressed that there are many sites that operate within the industrial parameters of the Enterprise Agreement and the PAC Handbook, and will no doubt embrace the changes in the new Agreement. The AEU Journal recently visited one of these sites, Port Augusta Secondary School (PASS), to talk to PAC members and the AEU Subbranch Secretary about how their PAC works.

It’s about genuine consultation Staff rep Alex Spalding is the EO rep on the PAC and says it’s all about making sure the PAC is on the same page and consulting with staff. Alex enjoys his role on the PAC and says its given him a good insight into how a school runs. “You get to see a different perspective of schools which is really good. Obviously the training you do is very good, you learn how staffing is done and how decisions are made to ensure a continued over page 3

IN SHORT school can run as well as possible. We have a very transparent process – we send out minutes and they’re discussed at every staff meeting. We talk regularly with Sam, our union rep, and there’s a lot of logic and reasoning around the decisions we make and always through the appropriate process.” AEU PAC rep Angela Hancock agreed that the PAC works closely with the Sub-branch Secretary and that it’s important to do so. “Sam and I will discuss the minutes and any actions arising from the minutes on a regular basis. Often that’s with respect to panels and other staffing processes and decisions. Because we send out the minutes and there’s an ongoing agenda it’s a really transparent process.” “It’s not that hard to consult and to ensure everyone knows what’s happening,” says Deputy Simon Owens, who sat in our discussion. “Emailing everyone to ensure they know what’s happening and have a chance to provide input isn’t difficult. It’s a matter of good communication and making sure people are aware they have an opportunity to engage in decisions via the PAC,” he said. AEU Sub-branch Secretary Sam Kondraciuk says one of the strengths of the PASS PAC is what they call the Personalised Load Model (PLM). The PLM regulates workload and makes sure teachers are still getting the right amount of NIT time but also that they’re being deployed in class in such a way that staff and teachers are all getting support. Staff know that this is a consultative process so they feel very positive about it. Importantly, they know what their working rights are,” she said. Deputy Simon Owens says the PLM was set up in response to secondary timetabling needing more flexibility to ensure it’s equitable across the staff. “We’ve redeployed some staff to support other teachers, such as early career teachers or teachers with students with special needs, and it all fits in with the SSO timetable and ensures we’re utilising staff effectively.”

Support staff must play a role The AEU’s National Support Staff Week campaign for SSOs is specifically designed to ensure SSOs are part of whole school decision-making and this

“We have a very transparent process – we send out minutes and they’re discussed at every staff meeting.” is a feature of the PAC at PASS. SSO staff rep Pat Collins says that SSO voice is strong at the school and needs to be. “It’s not just about teachers, it’s about support staff as well and the school doesn’t run without us,” she said. “It used to be that SSOs were only brought into PAC meetings when a decision was seen to be specifically about SSOs, and asked to leave when other matters were discussed. It felt like a waste of time being a rep, often decisions were made that affected support staff but I wasn’t included. When Paul Billows, our current Principal, started here, he insisted that I was at all the meetings and made it clear that I had to have a say on everything on behalf of support staff. I’m always given time to raise support staff issues which is how it should be. He’s a very consultative Principal and it makes the school a fantastic place to work.”

School culture starts at the top Principal Paul Billows was on leave at the time of our visit but the AEU Journal subsequently caught up with him to discuss why he thinks the PAC is working well at PASS. “Our school is very complex and I think that can bring people together; you’re often dealing with challenging issues and working well together leads to innovative solutions. Our PAC is a group of people really wanting to do the right thing by the school and they’ve gone really deep to make things work.” Paul says an amalgamation of two sites a few years ago provided an opportunity to look at the way things were being done and he was strongly focused on making sure people had a voice. “We really made it a priority to do things inclusively,” he said. “I think the PAC is working really efficiently and has put in place processes that make things that people value happen quickly. I’d say we’re at a point where people can see the right things are being done for the right reasons and much of that is down to the way the PAC runs,” he said. n

Do the Kokoda Trek in 2017 Interest is building for schools to participate in the August / September 2017 Reconciliation Trek on the Kokoda Track. Schools that wish to apply in a competitive process to be part of this Trek are encouraged to attend an information session near you. Participating schools will send four people each on the Trek. This will include one Aboriginal and one nonAboriginal Year 10 or 11 student.

Craigmore High School

7:00pm, 22 August Craigmore High School (North), Jamieson Road, Blakeview

AEU Information Session

6:00pm, 29 August First floor conference room (enter SE door at the back of building off the car park), 164 Greenhill Rd, Parkside.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel College

7:00pm, 30 August Our Lady of Mount Carmel College (West) 33 Newcastle St, Rosewater Some selected country sessions will also be offered and advertised independently. To register for an information session please contact Samara on: E: samara@reconciliationsa.org.au or T: 8463 5525. Samara will send out room details upon registration. Whilst attending one of these forums will be helpful, application forms will be available at:

www.reconciliationsa.org.au

SSO: DID YOU KNOW?

2016 AEU SSO CONFERENCE

Why I’m in the union AEU members attending this year’s SSO Conference talk about their roles and why they’re in the union The SSO Conference held in the Term 2 holidays included a fun activity involving a range of industrial questions for participants to answer. Members requested that we reprint these in the AEU Journal, so here’s the first batch! We’ll print more of these frequently asked questions in upcoming issues and post the full list to our website.

Who considers your application for reclassification? The Site Human Resources Consultant (DECD) considers an application for reclassification before making a recommendation to the Assistant Director, Workforce Management. If an application for reclassification is unsuccessful members can contact the AEU to seek support.

AEU Information Unit | Weekdays | 10:30am – 5pm |

Who recommends permanency conversions? The Principal in partnership with the PAC in accordance with the Human Resource Plan makes a recommendation to the Assistant Director, Workforce Management, to convert a temporary SSO to permanency. (Note: An SSO may put in a written request for permanency conversion to the PAC). Refer to page 6 of the ‘Procedure for the recruitment & selection of ancillary staff in schools and preschools’ for criteria.

Do all SSOs require a current Job & Person specification? It is imperative that all SSOs have a Job and Person specification. Remember this is not an opportunity for sites to deskill an SSO or to radically change the current duties of the SSO without express agreement. SSOs should contact the AEU Information Unit on 8272 1399 if they are unsure of their rights.

% 8272 1399

Can SSOs be required to work less than 3 hours per day? An SSO can only be engaged for a minimum shift period of three hours unless they agree otherwise. Note: SSOs will not be required to work two or more shifts in any one day. Refer to Clause 6.4 of the SSO Award. n 18

ANGELA SUDOMLAK Blair Athol North PS

The AEU has been really helpful to me personally; I had an issue with another staff member at a former school and got great support. It’s good to have that backup if and when you need it. Also, if it weren’t for the union we wouldn’t have the salaries and conditions we enjoy. I must admit, I do get somewhat annoyed that other staff in schools also receive the same pay and conditions despite not having contributed to the campaign to achieve it. I’ve been coming to AEU conferences and other training events over the years and I’ve really got my money’s worth. When I was younger and just starting in a school I didn’t think union membership was worth it but I’m glad I joined because I realise now how much the union does for its members and public education.

KERENA SIMPSON Lucindale Area School

I’ve been an SSO for around six years and I absolutely love it. I started doing some work at the kindergarten and a job came up at the school and it was more secure so I took it. I mostly work in classroom support with students who need extra help and also in the community library. I love that I get to make a difference. Originally I joined the union because I wanted protection in the event anything went wrong, which can happen when you work with challenging students. The conference has been fantastic. I went to the PAC workshop and got really useful information which I can take back to my site.

HELEN SCHEEL Naracoorte Primary School I really like working with kids one on one and in small groups. It’s not necessarily the students who get funded support but those who are struggling a bit in a

mainstream classroom. It’s great to see those light bulb moments when something clicks and they finally get that thing they’ve been struggling with. I love finding different ways to support kids who might just need to approach a topic or problem in a different way to work it out. That’s my passion, I really love having to be on the ball and working through various strategies to help students learn. I also love working in the library. I come from a union family so I’ve always believed in them. It’s great to have the union on your side. This is my first SSO conference; a friend from another school told me I should come because it’s a great day and she was right.

JILL BOON Munno Para PS I’ve been an SSO for seven years now, starting as a parent volunteer. I really like my colleagues and no day is the same so it’s always interesting. I joined the union because someone told me to. Obviously I’m glad I listened. The union is just a phone call away if you need support and the pay rises and conditions they fight for benefit us greatly.

BEATE KUCHA Underdale High School I joined the union because I thought the support and information I’d get would be valuable and it’s certainly worked out to be the case. Events like this conference are really good. I’ve learned new things today and the Knowledge is Power theme is very appropriate, because I’ve learned things that will help me when I’m back in the school. I attended a great workshop on mental health; it was a real eye-opener. It was extremely brave of the young speaker from Beyond Blue to talk to us about her mental health issues and it was really informative with respect to the different approaches we can take in supporting people who suffer from depression and other mental health issues. n

RUNNING HEAD WOMEN’S FOCUS

8: tchampion@aeusa.asn.au

AEU women “Embrace the F Word”

he 2016 AEU SA women’s conference Embrace the F Word – Feminism started on Friday 24 June with a supper and movie screening of “He Named Me Malala.” This was a perfect way to start the conference with over 40 women attending. The following day, Saturday 25 June, 110 women attended the conference and heard keynote speaker, Senator Penny Wong talk frankly about the looming election, feminism and education. Senator Wong was articulate, entertaining and generous with her time. After speaking for 40 minutes she stayed for a further 40 minutes answering questions and posing for selfies. I got mine! (pictured 2nd from left) The remainder of the day unpacked

the notion of feminism and why we should celebrate the very movement that gave us many of the freedoms we enjoy today. A panel consisting of AEU Federal Women’s Officer, Sally Thompson, Flinders Uni Professor, Mary Heath, Director of the Working Women’s Centre, Sandra Dann and AEU member and Women’s Studies II teacher at Le Fevre HS, Ann Bourke (pictured right) filled in the history pages and shared personal stories and journeys in their own discovery of feminism. All four women spoke passionately about why they willingly and proudly call themselves a feminist and why perhaps many women no longer embrace the label. In the afternoon, Frances Bedford MP wove the ever interesting story of

Adelaide born turn of the century feminist and suffragette, Muriel Matters. While Frances (pictured 2nd from right in full costume) has an extremely soft spot for Muriel and her early 1900s exploits, she mostly sees her story as a vehicle to ensure that we never forget the beginnings of our journey to equality thanks to women such as Muriel. Unfortunately, Frances simply whets the historical appetite of those in the room with many expressing that they would willingly listen to her for hours. She is an amazing storyteller. It was yet another wonderful Women’s Conference thanks to the efforts of the Status of Women Consultative Committee and AEU staff. n

FAQs: Frequently asked questions Pregnant & Permanent?

Q How much paid leave am I entitled to? A 5 years or less service = 16 weeks full pay maternity leave that can be taken at half pay or full pay. More than 5 years service = 20 weeks full pay maternity leave that can be taken at half or full pay. Q How much leave can I take? A You have a guaranteed 12 months (52 weeks – 16 or 20 paid, the remainder unpaid) plus top-up. Top-up leave starts when your 52 weeks ends. For example, you begin your paid leave in April 2016. 52 weeks takes you to April 2017. Topup leave takes you to the start of 2018. Q Can I return part-time? A Until your child turns two, you now have a right to part-time with the fraction of time negotiated with your line manager. Beyond two years you have a right to request further part-time arrangements but no guarantee. Q Can I take the paid leave at half pay? A Yes, the system can pay your maternity leave at half pay for 32 or 40 weeks. For the purposes of entitlements –

incremental steps, long service, recreation and sick leave – you will be considered as having been on full pay leave. Q Do I get paid for the holidays? A You will be paid full pay during the holidays for your base entitlement of maternity leave (16 or 20 weeks). Taking your maternity leave at half pay will not result in half pay holiday payments for the entire time that you are being paid. You will be paid half pay during the term but full pay during the holidays that fall within the 16 or 20 weeks. Beyond that time, regardless of whether you are still being paid at half pay, you will receive no further holiday payments. Q Can I claim the Term 4, week 10 T&D week? A Yes you can. Simply complete the self-declaration if you have completed the necessary hours of training and submit it to your principal. Q Can I also claim the Federal Paid Parental Leave Scheme (PPL)? A At the moment you can. The Coalition have not been clear about what they intend to do with the Federal PPL. They

announced some time ago that public sector employees accessing both their employer scheme and the Federal scheme are effectively “double dipping” and that if re-elected they would put a stop to it. Since the July election, however, they have not outlined their plan for the PPL Scheme. If you are expecting soon –take the Federal PPL asap to avoid missing out. You have 52 weeks after the birth of your child to complete your entitlement to both schemes.

Q What fraction of pay do I get when I work part-time? A Your fraction of pay is a pro-rata of your past 12 months of service. n

Merit Selection

Q If I accept a position can I later change my mind and accept another position? A For teaching positions (Local Selection) once you accept a position that you have applied for you can not change your mind and accept something else. continued over page 3 19

WOMEN’S FOCUS CONT... You can, however, take your time accepting by telling the chairperson that you need time to consider the offer. For leadership positions you can accept any number of positions before you settle on one but it is fairer to the school/ chairperson to not wait too long before deciding as there are always subsequent vacancies.

Q Do you have to be trained to be on a panel? A Yes. The only member of a panel that doesn’t need to be trained is the governing council rep, however, recently parent reps are choosing to undertake the training.

Q How long does the merit selection training last?

ELECTIONENTERPRISE NOTICE UPDATE: BARGAINING 2008

Australian Education Union South Australian Branch

ELECTION NOTICE

Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009

Nominations are called for:

BRANCH SECRETARY WRITTEN NOMINATIONS, which comply with the Rules of the Union, may be made at any time from Friday, 19 August 2016 and must reach me not later than 12:00 noon on Friday, 2 September 2016. Nominations cannot be withdrawn after this time. NOMINATION FORMS are available on request.

A For DECD purposes: the training is

HOW TO LODGE NOMINATIONS

valid for five years but every time you sit on a panel you ignite a further five years of training life – i.e. if you get trained this year and sit on a panel in 2020 (in four years), you get a further five years of valid training accredited to you from that date. For AEU purposes: regardless of how many panels you sit on during the 5-year life of your certificate; you need to do the 2-hour AEU refresher after 5 years. If you were trained any time in 2011 your re-training is due this year. We give you the whole year to undertake the re-train. If you do not undertake the re-train during 2016 you are removed from our system as a valid AEU rep on panels from 2017 onwards.

BY POST: GPO Box 344, ADELAIDE, SA 5001 BY FAX: (08) 8237 6581 BY EMAIL: saelections@aec.gov.au BY HAND: Australian Electoral Commission, Level 9, 1 King William Street, ADELAIDE, SA

The ballot, if required, will open on Friday, 23 September 2016 and close at 10:00am on Friday, 14 October 2016. Changed Address? Advise the Union now. Note: A copy of the AEC’s election report can be obtained from the organisation or from me after the completion of the election.

Jeanette Hill Returning Officer Tel: (08) 8237 6554

27 July 2016

Q How do people get on panels? A CHAIRPERSON = usually the line manager of the position. STAFF REP = by a call for nominations from all trained staff and a ballot. AEU REP = the AEU will appoint the subbranch secretary to the panel if they are merit trained; if they are not trained or decline to do the panel they must call for nominations from trained members and facilitate a sub-branch ballot to determine who will be the AEU rep. PEER REP = obtained from a list of trained panellist doing a same or similar job elsewhere. The peer panellist is determined last as it provides gender representation if needed. PARENT REP for principal and preschool director panels = by a call for nominations of Governing Council members and a ballot. n AEU Women’s Officer, Tish Champion 20

JAMESTOWN HIGH SCHOOL REUNION 2016 Students, Teachers and Ancillary Staff who attended JHS in the years

1974 –1978 or 1973 –1977 are invited to a reunion to be held on the

OCTOBER LONG WEEKEND SATURDAY: A fun filled lunch & afternoon at the Jamestown Races

SUNDAY: An informal BBQ

Enquiries to: LEONIE HUNT T: 0422 618 773 E: leoniehunt61@bigpond.com PAT STACEY T: 0427 655 084 E: stacey@activ8.net.au TONY KERIN T: 0417 809 579 E: akerin@mauriceblackburn.com.au ANNETTE BROUGHTON FARROW T: 0416 188 010 E: annettebroughton1@bigpond.com

AEU TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 2016

E V E N T S & C O U R S E S | Te r m s 3 & 4 AEU Leadership Seminar

Safe Schools!

Thurs 25 Aug 4:30pm – 6:00pm “New Enterprise Agreement and Changes for Leaders” will focus on changes for school leaders arising out of a new Enterprise Agreement. The seminar will allow interaction and open questioning, problem solving and sharing of practical strategies. Open to: All members who are school based principals, deputy principals, senior leaders, preschool directors and coordinators.

9:30am – 2:30pm

CITY Wed 5 Oct

9:30am – 2:30pm

Supporting Gender and Sexual Diversity in Schools. These practical workshops are organised by the AEUSA and members of the AEU SA Branch Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) Consultative Committee to support schools as safe places free from homophobic bullying and harassment. This workshop will be facilitated by David Boots and the AEUSA organiser.

Wear it Purple Day!

Fri 26 Aug All Day A National day against homophobic and transphobic bullying. See Ad on Page 19. Show your support for sexual and gender diversity and your school’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) students, staff and families.

Open to: AEU Members.

Middle Schooling Conference

Tues 11 Oct 9:15am – 3:30pm A one day conference with a focus on student engagement, achievement and the Australian Curriculum for teachers working with years 5 - 10.

AEU Leadership and Team Development Program CITY – SESSION ONE Thurs 25 Aug

PORT LINCOLN Tues 4 Oct

Open to: All working with years 5-10.

4:30pm – 7:30pm

Early Childhood Conference

CITY – SESSION TWO Thurs 15 Sept 4:30pm – 7:30pm

Fri 14 Oct 9:15am – 3:30pm A one day conference exploring issues in early childhood settings. There will be a conference dinner on the evening before the conference.

PORT LINCOLN – SESSION ONE Thurs 1 Sept 4:30pm – 7:30pm PORT LINCOLN – SESSION TWO Thurs 22 Sept 4:30pm – 7:30pm

Open to: AEU members working in early childhood settings.

This program will support leadership teams in developing their understandings of successful leadership and the characteristics of leaders, for ongoing collaborative application at the school level. It will provide leadership teams with the opportunity and impetus to collectively lift their eyes above the daily grind and to link their broader understandings with daily practice. DAVID TONKIN, former Principal of Seaton HS and GARRY COSTELLO, former DECD Head of Schools and Chief Education Officer and former Principal of Mt Gambier HS will facilitate discussion.

Support: Travel and accommodation for country members ONLY.

AEU Aboriginal Members Conference Fri 4 Nov

9:15am – 3:30pm

A one day conference for AEU SA Branch Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members on current educational issues of concern to our ATSI members. There will be a conference dinner on the evening before the conference. Open to: AEU Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Members.

Open to: Whole School Leadership teams. Teams must commit to attend both sessions and actively reflect on content between sessions.

Support: Relief, travel and accommodation for country members ONLY.

All courses are held at the AEU – 163 Greenhill Rd, Parkside, unless specified.

8: training@aeusa.asn.au

For further info email Saniya Sidhwani on

8: www.aeusa.asn.au>events & courses

To register go to

AEU SA Rainbow Cocktail Celebration and Networking Event

Fri 4 Nov 5:00pm – 7:00pm Presented by the AEUSA Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex Consultative Committee – All welcome and in particular AEU LGBTI members, supporters and allies. Come and celebrate diversity within the AEU SA and the achievements and proactive work of the committee. Open to: AEU LGBTIQ members and supporters.

Super SA Financial Wellbeing Day

Wed 21 Dec 10:00am – 3:00pm A holiday ‘drop-in’ day on financial wellbeing! Questions about your super? Need to speak to the professionals about financial planning, Centrelink entitlements or other related topics? You can do this and more at the AEU/ Super SA Financial Information event. Open to: Everyone! (AEU Members and non-members). To register: www.supersa.sa.gov.au/ seminar_registration/form *Register your interest in this upcoming online and face-to-face program.

The Connected Leader

Are you in a Band B position?

Facilitator and Course Developer Thilan Legierse is a conflict transformation expert with more than 20 years of local and international expertise including as a barrister, lawyer and manager for the United Nations. Thilan has worked for State Government agencies and as a Human Resources Manager, DECD.

TOPICS: Week 1: The Mindset of Great Communicative Leaders. Week 2: The Art to Connect with and Influence Others. Week 3: Initiating Courageous Conversations. Week 4: Transforming Conflict amongst Staff, Parents and Students. Week 5: Handling Difficult Personalities and People. Week 6: Communicating about Complaints. Week 7: Recap and Questions & Answers. Week 8: Face-toFace Workshop to Practise Newly Learned Skills. For further information: Lynn Hall, AEU SA Coordinator, Training & Development email: lhall@aeusa.asn.au 21

COUNCIL DATES FOR 2016

NOTICE BOARD

Branch Council Meetings

Lip reading & hearing loss management tutors required

Saturday, August 27 Saturday, November 19

TAFE Divisional Council Meetings Friday, August 19 Friday, November 11

Seeking promotion? Aspiring Principals, DPs, Senior Leaders, Coordinators

$135

ONLINE PACKAGE

FOR APPLICATION WRITING AND INTERVIEW for all promotion positions in SA government schools FULL SCHOOL SITE LICENCE $399 Tailored to DECD’s MERIT SELECTION processes, this detailed 65 page booklet and PowerPoint shows you how to develop a dynamic résumé and cover letter, as well as many valuable ideas and hints to help you prepare for a powerful interview performance! Available for immediate download at:

www.teachers–resumes.com.au WE ALSO PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE

Teachers’ Professional Résumés T: 0411 245 415 E: teachers-resumes@bigpond.com Serving Australia’s teachers since 1990. ABN: 40 833 718 673

Are you a new educator or student teacher? Join our New Educators facebook group today at:

facebook.com/groups/ NEN.AEU.SA Use your QR app to “like us” on facebook.

Are there any teachers/readers interested in training to become a lip reading and hearing loss management tutor?

This is an interesting volunteer role for retired teachers. You will use your teaching skills and learn a variety of new skills working with adults who are hearing impaired. The course takes about a year over two hours a week but time taken depends on the individual and circumstances. (No Auslan involved)

To find out more contact:

BETTER HEARING AUSTRALIA ADELAIDE INC. Coordinator: Dr. Mary Allen email: admin@betterhearing adelaide.com.au or Tutor: Shona Fennell Phone: 08 8268 4189

email: msfennell@bigpond.com

AEU JOURNAL IS CARBON NEUTRAL If you currently receive a hard copy of the Journal and would prefer to read the Journal online, please let us know by emailing: journal@aeusa.asn.au

The AEU Journal is online at: www.aeusa.asn.au/journals.html

UNION SUBS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE A tax statement confirming membership subscriptions received by the Union from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016 will be forwarded to all members. Members who have advised their email address will have the tax statement emailed to them. The statement is a summary of subscriptions received by the Union for the financial year and is not a request for payment. The statement includes your personal and employment details. Please check your details and contact the AEU Membership section by email at: membership@aeusa.asn.au or phone: 8272 1399 to advise us of any changes or additional information.

SALARY INCREASE & SUBSCRIPTION ADJUSTMENT AEU subscription rates will be adjusted from 1 July 2016 to reflect the DECD Enterprise Agreement salary increases. Please advise AEU Membership staff of any change to your classification, fraction of time, workplace or home address by phone: 8272 1399, fax: 8373 1254 or by email:

updates@aeusa.asn.au

NOTICE BOARD

Member’s Market In order to cater for extra editorial space, the AEU Members

members. T: 0419 868 143 E: foumakis@hotmail.com W: www.victorharborgetaways. com.au

Market now has a reduced space allocation in the Journal.

VICTOR HARBOR HOLIDAY HSE:

Advertisements will be printed at the discretion of the Editor

New, 4 BR, 2 bath, (2 x Qu, 2 x singles, 1 dble bunk), sleeps 8, 3 living areas, 2 balconies, views of hills & Granite Island, A/C, D/W, BBQ, C’pt, 2-storey, quiet location. T: 0400 303 300 (Ian) E: ir211057@internode.on.net

and will not run in more than three issues in succession. KINGSTON NEAR ROBE:

GOOLWA HOLIDAY HOUSE

2-storey on 22 kms of stunning beach stretching down to wineries. Sleeps 8, 2 bathrooms. Or Balcony Suite, 5 RMs. Special from $70/ double, mid-week, off peak, min. 4-nights. T: 0402 922 445 (Judy)

15-mins from beach, shops and river. Sleeps 9, in-ground pool, decking with BBQ, fully equipped, A/C, etc. $100 night. T: 0403 841 031 E: leonday@adam.com.au

SEAGRASS VILLAS AT NORMANVILLE: situated on Jetty

STREAKY BAY HOLIDAY HSE:

Rd, two new 1 BR spacious villas for holiday rental. Luxury accomm. a short stroll to cafes, shops, pub and to the Normanville Beach. Spa in courtyard garden for the perfect getaway, come and treat yourself. Villa 1 is dog friendly – allowed inside. 5% discount for AEU members. T: 0409 400 265 (Lynn) E: lynn.wilson22@bigpond.com

5-min walk to beach, in town, close to shops. Sleeps 13. Fish & boat facilities. New bath & kit; BBQ entertaining area and private spa suite avail. Starting rate $140 p/ night. T: (08) 8626 1539 E: ascaines@hotmail.com

VICTOR HARBOR GETAWAYS: 2 fully self-contained homes. Sleeps up to 8. One with private beach/lake! 10% discount to AEU

SAIT Conveyancers

We offer AEU members: Free advice on real estate queries. Expert advice and professional experience with: • Mortgages, • Private Contract Transfers, • Strata Plan and Plan of Division Lodgments, • Caveats, Discharges of Mortgages, • All facets of conveyancing work. If you are buying or selling or are involved in any real estate matter, either through a land agent or privately, consult us.

Anne Walker

(: (08) 8410 6788

Simon Willcox

8410 6799 Email: anne@saitconveyancers.com.au SAIT Conveyancers

Fax: (08)

located at Credit Union SA

Level 3, 400 King William Street, Adelaide, SA 5000

TEACHING RESOURCES: To give away: Folders hard/soft covered...upper to middle primary ...many topics covered...from retired teacher. Donation to the Smith Family. Interested? T: 0418 834 174 (Jane)

SECOND VALLEY HOLIDAY HSE: 4 BR brand new 2-story house – sleeps 9 plus 2 fold out couches. 5-min. walk to the jetty. Relax for wkend or longer. T: 0407 654 464 E: arthur1966.dellas@gmail.com

OUTBACK TAGALONG TOURS Guided tours in your 4 wheel drive, with your gear loaded on the ‘Big Red Truck’. Hassle Free Outback Touring. Book now for our Spring Tour – Innaminka Races, Coward Springs, Warren Gorge. T: David Connell: (02) 8885 4620 or Lyn Rowe: 0403 594 406 W: www.brtoutback.com.au

Advertise in Members’ Market for FREE! Rent, sell, buy or offer goods and services. Send ads to:

journal@aeusa.asn.au

Wear It Purple Day 2016! A National Day again

st Homophobic and

Transphobic bullying

6 2 t s Augu Wear it Purple is about letting young people everyw here know they have the rig ht to be proud of who they are ! Sex, sexuality or gen der identity does not change this .

Wear it Purple Day is simple wear purple on Augus t 26 to show your suppor t.

…

Supporting sexual and gender diversity and your school’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) students, staff and families. Authorised by Jack Major, AEU Branch Secretary, Australian Education Union | SA Branch, 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 © 2016

For information on what you can do to celebrate go to:

8: www.wearitpurple.org

A fitter card could mean a fitter you

Get a Credit Union SA low rate Visa Credit Card and we’ll give you a Fitbit Flex for FREE! Fitbit Flex

Right now when you take out a Credit Union SA low rate Visa Credit Card (with $0 annual fee especially for teachers^) you’ll also receive a FREE Fitbit Flex. Featuring all-day activity tracking, progress displays, wireless syncing, and much more, the Fitbit Flex can make tracking your exercise goals as easy as our Visa Credit Card makes managing your finances.

Don’t delay—this is a strictly limited offer. For more information or to apply, call 8202 7777, ask a mobile manager, visit a branch or creditunionsa.com. au/cards/teachers-fitbit

Lending criteria, fees and conditions apply and are available upon request. One Fitbit Flex per funded single or joint Visa Credit Card. Available to members of the South Australian education community, and their partners. ^Available during the first six months of membership. The offer is limited and can be withdrawn at any time. Credit Union SA Ltd ABN 36 087 651 232 | AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 241066 | Credit Union SA Centre, Level 3, 400 King William Street, Adelaide SA 5000