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- And we're back, but will it ever be the same?
- World Teachers' Day Friday October 29
- Return to school parent survey
- 5 ways parents can help children adjust to being at school after months in lockdown
- 10 lockdown learning tips to get you through until they're all back in the classroom
- President's blog: Why questioning history should part of the curriculum
- eSafety's parent guide to digital technologies and mental health: Free webinars
- Parents and Guardians Guide for School Leavers
- New 'How to help your child find Vocational Education and Training Opportunities' Podcast
- VET case studies and career planning videos
- Healthy Lunchbox Week - 6-12 Feb 2022
- Become an APC friend
Hear that? That's the sound of a collective sigh of relief from parents who've been coping with kids in lockdown and managing home learning.
Finally, kids are back, or almost back. School at school is on again after various length lockdowns in NSW, Victoria, and ACT, and sporadic closures in other states.
It's been a challenge. It has been up to families to do a lot of the heavy lifting in lockdown. Many of us have struggled at times keeping all the balls in the air, but thankfully that juggle is about to get a lot easier.
There's also a collective sigh of relief from most kids as life returns to more normal learning and socialising alongside their friends in the classroom and beyond. It's been really hard on them.
But we hope we can now enjoy some time without disruption. High vaccination rates and lockdown fatigue have brought us to this point, and we can again begin to look forward.
There are still a few hurdles in the way. This year's Year 12 cohort have had so much to deal with over the past 18 months, many sitting delayed exams...the usual rites of passage disrupted or abandoned. And we know that we are only beginning to realise the mental health impacts on all kids. We've included some advice in the newsletter on how to support children as they transition back to school.
The relationship between home and school has changed forever. Parents have been far more engaged in what kids are learning and have come to understand their kids as learners better. The support of teachers and parents has been vital in keeping kids on track, and the support of parents and teachers will help kids deal with the anxiety many of them are experiencing.
If COVID has taught us anything, it's that teachers and parents working together benefits kids. Keeping the relationships built over the past few challenging months, will help kids settle back into school and life post-Covid.
Teachers, schools and the whole education community have done a remarkable job during remote education. The professionalism and dedication of educators has shone through. World Teachers' Day next Friday (October 29) couldn't have fallen at a more apt moment this year. It's a chance for everyone to celebrate our wonderful teachers and build an even stronger bond between parents and teachers.
Good luck to all the students, teachers and parents transitioning back to the classroom.
Jenni Rickard,
APC President
World Teachers’ Day will be celebrated across Australia on Friday 29 October 2021, a bit later than the international day due to our school holidays. It’s a chance to celebrate teaching and for communities to thank teachers. After the last couple of years there's a lot to thank them for, and parents and teachers have worked closer together than perhaps ever before. So, let's go big this year in formally recognising just how important teachers are to families and the community.
AITSL has produced a free downloadable World Teachers’ Day Celebration Kit (ZIP 20MB).
They've also put together a list of '10 easy ways to thank a teacher on World Teachers’ Day' to make it super easy for you (or your child) to thank a teacher.
1. Thank you note/drawing
A short note, email or drawing from you or your child will be sure to make any teacher smile. Try thinking of something the teacher might have done recently to make it more personal.
2. Personalised card
A personalised card/digital card is another easy and thoughtful way to say thanks. The Celebration Kit includes World Teachers’ Day thank you cards to decorate and add your note to.
3. Badges
Check out the badge templates in the Celebration Kit. Print out and create a badge for the day. Or if your child is learning remotely, use them as virtual stickers to copy into the online learning space for a virtual and easy thank you on the day.
4. Small gift ideas
Chocolates, tea, or even a packet of native plant seeds are popular small gifts for teachers. Use the gift tags in the Celebration Kit to add a personal touch. If your school’s teachers are teaching remotely, maybe a coffee voucher from a local business (it will help the local business too).
5. Get involved with school celebrations
Ask the school leadership team or other parents/carers if there’s anything being planned for the day. You might be able to help organise a morning tea, or some thank you messages for teachers. Or perhaps propose some ideas if nothing is planned.
6. Show your support on social
The Celebration Kit has graphics for Facebook and Twitter. Tag other parents/carers online and encourage them to show their support.
7. Share with other parents/carers, friends and colleagues
Spread the word either in person or on social media. Use the posters in the Celebration Kit to promote the day in your office, or if you’re working remotely, use the World Teachers’ Day virtual meeting background in the lead-up to World Teachers’ Day.
8. Post a photo in your sunglasses
Thank teachers by posting a photo in your sunglasses using #BrightFuture and @aitsl. The Celebration Kit includes fun sunglasses templates you can make with your kids or visit worldteachersday.edu.au from 14 October for our virtual photo booth. We’ll even provide the mask and sunglasses as props in the booth!
9. Give a virtual ‘happy’ apple
We’re aiming to share a million virtual apples with teachers to let them know they’re appreciated. Visit worldteachersday.edu.au from 14 October to add some virtual apples to our collection as a super easy way to say thanks.
10. Join the celebrations on the day
Join the celebrations by saying thanks to teachers on the day. Tag and follow #BrightFuture and @aitsl if you post on Twitter or Facebook and you’ll be part of all the action.
Read LessJenni's Blog 
I am the daughter of a soldier who served 42 years in the Australian Army, enlisting to serve in the Vietnam War. I am the granddaughter of a soldier who served in Vietnam, I am the granddaughter of a soldier who served in WW2 and I am the great niece of the sailor Teddy Sheean VC, who made the ultimate heroic sacrifice in WW2 and has only just been recognized for his courage and bravery.
I am very proud of our military history and as the President of the Australian Parents Council believe in our education system and we strongly support the curriculum review amendments. We do so from a place of understanding that educating our children NOT indoctrinating our children is at the core of a quality education.
I am privileged to have experienced a full education where I learnt that the foundations of our nation can be built on the tears of First Nations people AND the pride of soldiers’ valiant efforts. I learnt that historic racist policies AND the melting pot of multiculturalism that we now celebrate co-exist in history and that we have grown from our history.
Intrinsically underpinning education ARE contested ideas and it beggars belief that the Education Minister, does not understand the skill and professionalism with which our teachers guide our young people to this understanding. Without harm to the nation’s identity. It is vital that the nations curriculum framework allows, encourages and empowers this discovery to occur. It does not dictate, nor should it dictate conclusions. That is only for the student to learn. I am only saddened by the fact I learnt this at university, at a level of education that not every child is given the opportunity to experience.
Studying war needs to be a contested idea. If we take it back to the shores of Turkey, the soldiers on the high ground of Gallipoli had a very different understanding to the soldiers in the water on the shores. Yet over 100 years later Australians and Turkish still stand together at dawn to commemorate.
Kill or be killed at its very nature is contested, this juxtaposed with law and religion, even further opposed. Whilst I would never advocate for year 9 and 10 students to understand what this feels like consideration to the moral dilemma this poses to humans is vitally important in raising empathetic kind humans.
As parents we teach our children that life can be tough and it is ok to make mistakes, life is about learning. We also teach them that the lesson is that we learn from this. Our curriculum should be no different.
I am still a proud Australian despite the resentment I feel that I attended a welcome home parade 10 years after my father and grandfather returned from war. I am still a proud Australian knowing that the fight to get Teddy Sheean’s Victoria Cross was not realized in his siblings’ lifetimes. I cannot speak to the pride of Indigenous Australians or immigrant Australians. But I am hopeful it is there. If not, I am sure that these adjustments will go some of the way to ensuring it starts.
The Your Career Parents and Guardians' Guide for School Leavers summarises the resources and information available to help you explore all the education, training and work options available to your child.
Parents and Guardian’s Guide for School Leavers (PDF 851KB)
Parents and Guardian’s Guide for School Leavers (Word 426KB)
The Parents and Guardians' Guide has also been translated into additional languages.
The School Leavers Information Kit contains more detail and is designed for your child to help them navigate their post school options.
If you have a child with a disability or special education need who is a school leaver, you can also contact the School Leavers Information Service for tailored support or guidance for your child. Call 1800 CAREER (1800 227 337) to speak with an Information Officer.
Healthy Lunchbox Week is an initiative of Nutrition Australia.
It aims to inspire Australian families to create healthy and enjoyable lunchboxes.
Did you know children consume around 30% of their daily food intake at school?
Most of this comes from the contents of their lunchbox. What children eat during their day at school plays a crucial role in their learning and development.
Occurring at the start of Term 1, it provides timely information for families as they return to the routine of daily lunchbox packing and it supports schools and teachers to share healthy lunchbox messages within their school community by:
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inspiring healthy lunchbox ideas and recipes
- informing a healthy lunchbox balance across core food groups
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awareness of lunchbox food hygiene and safety.
Do you have Australia's healthiest lunchbox?
Win one of six $250 Woolworths e-Gift cards by sharing a picture and explanation of your healthy lunchbox creation with Life Education.
Entries close 12 February 2022.
Read LessWe're very happy to invite you to become a friend of the Australian Parents Council. You can join us as an individual, a school or an organisation. You don't have to be part of a particular school sector and can come from anywhere in Australia. The single most important qualification for becoming a friend of the APC is that you are passionate about education.
As an organisation, we believe that active and empowered parents and carers can, and do, make a significant difference to children’s achievement. We have a proud tradition of supporting and advocating for parents going back to 1962. We are not-for-profit, non-denominational and non-party political, funded by parents and supported by government. We are not controlled or appointed by a school sector, although we do work closely with government and education providers. We are fiercely independent, as we believe this enables us to provide an authentic parent voice.
We provide a genuine parent perspective on education issues, and we are widely consulted.
We advocate at a national level for:
- school choice
- parent voice
- equity in access and funding
- quality education for all students.
Friends will go onto our mailing list to receive all our newsletters, and other publications like media releases and reports. We will also invite our friends to share their insights and feedback on a wide range of issues affecting school parents.
We always want to hear from parents and encourage you to get involved. We can also provide advice, information and links to specialist help on all sorts of education issues. We offer a number of support programs, training, and resources.