2019 Conference Welcome from the President.

Welcome to the 2019 SASSAOA Annual Conference - Navigate Embrace Engage.

The overarching theme of this year’s conference focuses on our department’s 10 year ambition to build world-class public education by 2028, and our system's commitment ‘to stay the course’ while doing so. To achieve this aim every child and each school in our system needs to achieve growth at a greater rate that ever before. Schools have developed 3-year improvement plans and we are all working to modernise our services and the way we work. Department for Education Strategic Plan

Key priorities to achieve this are the guiding principles behind the messages from our presenters across the conference. The delivery of the conference program draws upon the expertise of system and local leaders, and external presenters.

To assist us to engage with this plan and stretch our thinking outside current embedded practice I challenge you to explore and research global and national education perspectives and influencers to connect our South Australian context and achieve our communal aim to reach world class excellence in education systems.

The conference kicks off with networking and Sponsors’ function late Sunday afternoon, at the Hilton Hotel Adelaide, concluding in time for delegates to make private arrangements for dinner if they wish.

Day one begins with a plenary session and official conference opening and the AGM. This is followed by a series of Rapid Upskill Workshops.

Quality Leadership and School Improvement

Masterclass workshops constructed for experienced Business Leaders and Managers to stretch thinking, consolidate departmental objectives, business leadership principles and strategies for excellence in culture, funding and finance, performance, and site improvement. This higher level stream has been initiated as a result of feedback from our valued members.

A second stream for aspiring business and finance managers has been developed. Our members come from a diverse platform of experience and we are aiming to deliver programs meeting a wider range of need. This stream contains Rapid Upskill workshops focussing on skills and capabilities that support development of high quality leadership. Workshops will cover process based functions and  include administration, finance, and performance themes.

The formal dinner is at the Intercontinental Hotel (buses will be arranged for delegates).  DJ Jaki J will provide both background music and a range of dancing tunes. Department for Education corporate staff and Life Members will attend the formal dinner, along with the Principals’ associations representatives.

Day two brings plenary sessions that include the introduction of the new committee, updates from Department for Education and sector colleagues focusing on site improvement strategies for non-teaching staff. The conference will conclude with a keynote presenter and President’s concluding remarks.

Administration Seminar

Due to resounding success with exceedingly positive feedback from attendees and members about the administration staff seminar in 2018, we will again be delivering a program for non-members on the second day of our conference. We have common break times to allow for networking and sharing of practice.  The program for the administrative seminar will include customer service, reflection of performance, ICT updates and site improvement information. Tiffany Murray will MC and present a keynote.

We value the feedback our members give, and are looking forward to this improved conference format that is aimed at meeting a wider range of our members’ professional development needs and encouraging wider networking.  

Our sponsors are equally valued. Without sponsors, our conference would not run at such a heavily subsidised cost.  We sincerely appreciate and thank our sponsors. Their fiscal contribution is important, but equally so their commitment to delivering quality education products and services. Please allow plenty of time to visit our sponsors and strengthen positive relationships with them.

We also acknowledge the financial support from the Department for Education, which has allowed us to maintain the 2018 conference 50% subsidy for all delegates and continue to run the administrative seminar.

Please make the most of your time spent at our annual conference as an opportunity to network, meet and share best practice with colleagues, stretch your thinking, learn and grow.

Navigate, Embrace and Engage the future!

Julie Heddle
President, SASSAOA
July 2019