Tasmanian School Administrators’ Association (TSAA)

State Report for Australian School Business Leaders Association (ASBLA)

June 2022

Like other states Covid has continued to impact our everyday operations and delivery over the past twelve months. Our focus has been in our schools and supporting colleagues through these tough times and liaising with DoE Business Units to promote strong relationships, strengthen connections, promote opportunities for input, feedback and communication. Our Executive have continued to meet regularly via TEAMS along with involvement in DoE stakeholder groups and regular meetings with our DoE Corporate Business Units.

Planning is underway for our state-wide annual conference, to be held 8 and 9 September at Country Club Launceston, our 2022 Theme – ‘Shaping the Future – the New Normal’. Our program will include a dinner on day one. We are expecting around 130 delegates. Interest from sponsors has been strong with a good number signed up. Keynote speakers are Claire Madden, social researcher and media commentator interpreting social trends and implications of generational change along with Rachel Williams, local media identity and businesswoman as MC and keynote. DoE Corporate Business Units will present over the two days sharing new processes, relevant topics and operational procedures. Day two commences with our AGM. We look forward to coming together to network, re-connect, meet new people and support each other.

Our Association will be reflecting and reviewing our values and mission statement as we feel this is no longer relevant and not in line with what we now do. We will be asking our members for input – What do they want from our Association, how can we support them in their roles? Members will be given an opportunity to brainstorm and share ideas at our conference.

For many years, our Association has offered a Mentoring Program for newly appointed SBM’s and those who are returning to the role following an extended absence. This is an important transition time in people’s careers, the availability of advice and support from a buddy can make a huge difference to a new SBM’s confidence, competence and effectiveness especially in the early days of their new role.  Members have attended training and a data base maintained to match Mentors with Mentees. The aim of our program is to compliment and support the DoE Business Operations Advisors, DoE SBM Induction Program. Whilst our program has been very popular amongst our SBM cohort, our Executive have felt continued weight and influence from DoE to ensure we are not offering system training or blurring the lines between our buddy / mentor program and the DoE managed induction training program and online resources. After much discussion, our Executive have made the difficult decision to dissolve our Mentoring Program, with a shift towards the DoE Business Advisor Team fully coordinating and supporting all mentoring, training and induction to new employees.

Tasmanian schools, like our colleagues in other states are continuing to review and manage our Covid safety plans in consultation with Public Health and DoE. Just this week the mask wearing rules have been relaxed in our schools, wow, how nice it is to see facial expressions and share emotions with our colleagues.

We look froward to continued relationships and working with ASBLA as our affiliated National Association in the coming year.

Cynthia Pearce

Chairperson