2020 has been another busy year for Parents Victoria. We wanted to bring you a snapshot of our achievements for the year.
Major Events
- Parents Victoria (October) 2020 online conference – “Brave New World”
- November Careers Webinar in partnership with Myfuture (Education Services Australia).
Who we worked with
- Department of Education
- Australian Council of State School Organisations (ACSSO)
- Victorian Institute of Teaching – including Parents and School Council Organisations (PaSCO) quarterly meetings
- Commission for Children and Young People
- Victorian Qualifications and Registration Authority
- Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
- School Governance Network
- Victorian Student Representative Council
- Victorian Council of Social Service
- Australian Education Union
- Victorian Principal Associations (APF, VPA, VASSP)
- Several Victorian Universities – including work with Deakin and Monash on a Partners in Parenting Expert Advisory Committee
Communication
- 11 Parents Voice Newsletters
- Website (being upgraded early 2021)
- Social Media platforms – Facebook and Twitter
- Responding to media opportunities
The PV website and social media platforms were used extensively in 2020 to provide families with the most relevant and up to date information-at-a-glance, in relation to COVID-19.
Advocacy
We advocated on behalf of parents on a range of school-related topics including:
- Attendance
- Bullying
- Disciplinary (including suspensions & expulsions)
- School Council
- Teacher/Principal
- Student Wellbeing
- Support for students with additional needs
- Cybersafety
- Career Education
- School Selection
- Naplan
- Support for Principals
- Student Safety
- School zones and boundaries
- Covid-19
We also advocated on a range of Parent Club-related topics including:
- AGMs
- Constitutions
- Formation/reformation of clubs
- Relationship with school
- PV membership
- Finances
- Registration of members
- Office bearers
- Managing volunteer groups.
In 2020 Parents Victoria’s support of Parent Clubs has pivoted to online support via zoom and via our regular email and phone support.
Governance
- Parents Victoria Strategic Plan – 2021 – 2024
- Parents Victorian internal Governance training session
- Working with DET to review and promote policy in support of School Councillors
Relationship Based Education
Parents Victoria promotes the importance of relationships and communication at every opportunity.
- Working with John Hendry OAM (Relationship based Education and Parents Victoria’s website platform – to support and provide resources for schools and families)
- Working with Dr David Moore (Relationship Reparation)
- Working with Universities – especially to promote the importance of relationships and communication for Initial Teaching Educators and Students
- Melbourne University and University of WA on a research project re how schools engage with parents to inform school decision-making processes
Parents Victoria’s Strategic Goal Number 5 is “Successful Relationships”:
We promote relationship based education (RbE) because this is how we teach our children and the whole school community to build healthy relationships, resilience and confidence. We believe that modelling respect, positive attitudes and behaviours is how you bring about an exemplary school culture and improved student outcomes in schools.
We do this by working with all education stakeholders to influence policy and implementation and embed the concepts of RbE in education.
Submissions & Feedback
- DET Safety Guidelines for Education Outdoors
- Parliamentary Inquiry into Managing School Infrastructure
- Australian Education Amendment (Direct Measure of Income Bill 2020)
- DET Review into vocational and applied learning pathways in senior secondary schooling
- DET Consultation on proposed school council consolidated Ministerial Order
- Joint NSW, Queensland, Victoria and ACT Review of Naplan
- National Architecture Review Taskforce
- DET review of Naplan
- DET – VCAL and VET Review Consultation
- Senate Select Committee Inquiry on COVID-19
- Engage Victoria – Education State : Lessons from Remote and Flexible Learning
- Skills for Victoria’s Growing Economy
- PAEC Inquiry into the Victorian Government’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- PAEC Panel Hearing for the above
- DET Complaints Resource
- DET Family Engagement Resource
- Rural Inspire program consultation (Country Education Project)
- Office of Women (experience of and opportunities for women, given learnings from the Pandemic)
- DET Review and Update of the Improving School Governance training package for 2021
- Victorian Teaching Profession’s Code of Conduct consultation draft
- DET re Camps and School Excursions funding extension
- LGBTIQ Engage Victoria (Youth strategy)
- DET Exemption from School (support documentation review)
