New Director of Planning and Regulation to steer Tweed into future

Denise Galle has been appointed to head Tweed Shire Council’s Planning and Regulation unit at a critical time for the growing region.

Ms Galle was appointed to the role following a competitive recruitment process conducted by an external agency, with the selection panel including a representative from the NSW Department of Planning.

She replaces longstanding director Vince Connell, who recently stood down from the role after 15 years at the helm to take up a position in the private sector.

The role is a key member of Council’s Executive Leadership team, working with General Manager Troy Green and three other directors.

Born in the Tweed before moving to the Central Coast as a child, Ms Galle undertook her studies at the University of New England in Armidale. She returned to the Tweed to undertake work experience as a young student at Tweed Shire Council. After graduating, she learned the ropes of town planning at a private planning frm in Sydney, Design Collaborative and in government, working in roles at Ballina Shire Council and Woollahra Municipal Council in Sydney.

Ms Galle returned to the Tweed in 2002 to take up a role as a junior town planner at Tweed Shire Council, working her way up through the ranks to the position of Manager Building and Environmental Health, where she has led a unit of more than 40 people since May 2020.

“I acknowledge the excellent technical experience of our existing planning staff and look forward to working with them towards strengthening Council’s relationship with the wider community,” Ms Galle said.

“This is a critical time in the development of the Tweed Shire and it is crucial we strike the right balance between managing unprecedented growth in the housing sector, ensuring we get the right mix of development including affordable housing, while maintaining positive outcomes for the environment we value so dearly.”

General Manager Troy Green congratulated Ms Galle on her appointment.

“I was really pleased with the feld of candidates who applied for the position,” Mr

Green said.

“Through a robust, four-stage process undertaken by an external Queenslandbased recruitment frm, Denise stood out as the leading candidate. I would like to thank all of the candidates who put themselves forward and expressed interest in the role.

“I welcome Ms Galle to the role of Director of Planning and Regulation. This is a key position within our executive leadership team and one which is often under continuous pressure and confict. Denise was able to demonstrate she would be able to work collaboratively with all parties to achieve positive planning and development outcomes in accordance with the NSW Environment Planning and Assessment Act, as well as other strategic and regulatory processes we work within, in addition to Council’s own policies and strategic documents.”

Ms Galle will begin work in her new role on Monday 31 July.

Navigating life with a child that is struggling in a mainstream school: Stories from our MSA families

Written by Ashlee Thomas

Kids attend school during an important part of their development. A time when they are learning the necessary skills to socialise, learn and receive feedback.

Many kids struggle to fnd their place, worth and value as they attend school. They try to connect with their peers, develop their sense of self and enhance their intellectual ability in the schooling environment. If they feel lost or misunderstood in one of these areas, their whole world can feel like it is falling apart. Kids can become stressed, anxious, fearful, and emotional, which therefore encourages them to disengage.

Robyn has a 12-yearold son with dyslexia.

In years three and four, her son developed a facial tic, which started because of his nerves about his ability within a classroom.

Her son’s dyslexia affected his confdence and self-worth as students and teachers made him feel like he was unable to learn.

Robyn’s son said, “I sometimes felt embarrassed about my spelling, and the teachers at my old school never listened to me.”

Robyn would frequently advocate for her son. However, she was constantly let down by teachers that did not care or understand what her son needed in the classroom.

Robyn said, “Every year I would write a letter and then go into the school speaking to the teachers saying what [my son] needs and what he does not respond well to, and every year nothing would change, and he would be forgotten.”

As a parent, it can be exhausting to advocate for your child against a system that is not as supportive as it needs to be. Robyn knew she had to fnd a better school that could support her son, as she feared she would end up with a child who would not want to leave the bedroom.

“I could see that in school both his confdence and happiness were slipping away, and I just thought I was going to end up with a kid that won’t do anything and won’t leave his room,” Robyn said.

So in 2021, Robyn enrolled her son at Mastery Schools Australia (MSA). A decision that was hard to make, but they are yet to regret.

Robyn’s son said, “I used to struggle to see the words ‘still’ on a page, they would keep moving, and I couldn’t read them right. Now there is less moving, and it’s easier to focus on the words since being at MSA.” Will also lost his nervous tic within the frst few months of attending MSA.

At Mastery Schools

Australia students are made to feel worthy of an education and safe enough to want to invest in their learning. If your child is disengaged or struggling in a mainstream school, get in contact with us today by contacting (07) 5551 4080 or visiting our website https://msa.qld. edu.au/contact-us/