Office of the Education Registrar eNewsletter

A Message from the Director, Education Regulation

Hello Everyone

I hope you have all had a wonderful start to the new year, 2023 is set to be a very busy one indeed.

I would like to share with you all that I have recently been appointed Director, Education Regulation. This is a new role which will oversee the contemporary regulatory regime and the three regulators:

Office of the Education Registrar
Teachers Registration Board and the,
Office of the Tasmanian Assessment, Standards & Certification

I would like to congratulate Jo Spencer who has been appointed Acting Registrar, Education for a period of six months. Jo has displayed excellent leadership skills in her role as Assistant Registrar over the last two years, I have full confidence that Jo will only continue to excel in her role as Acting Registrar, Education. Well done, Jo!

I would like to finish this message with a big thank you to the home education community, for placing your trust in my leadership as the Registrar, Education over these last five years. I will always do my best to advocate for the best outcome for the OER and for home education in Tasmania.

Warmly

Katharine

Acting Registar's Welcome

Hello Everyone

Welcome to our first newsletter for 2023. I hope you have all enjoyed a warm, sun-filled summer with your family and friends.

I would like to formally introduce myself to you as the Acting Registrar Education. I have worked in the OER since it began in 2017. During the past two years I have taken an active interest in home education and have learned about the many and diverse ways of educating children.

I wish Katharine every success in her new role as Director, Education Regulation and would like to thank her for her endless guidance, support, and mentorship over the last five years.

In February, THEAC and the OER co-ordinated two online diverse learning needs seminars. The seminars held were by Speech Pathologist, Catherine Silcock and Occupational Therapist, Alison Hopwood. We received a lot of registration interest for these seminars which was fantastic to see! I would like to thank Denise Cox, Chair of THEAC, for her work in bringing these together.

I look forward to working closely with the home education community as the Acting Registrar, Education and continuing to learn and grow together.

Warm regards

Jo Spencer

NAPLAN Expressions of Interest 2023

The Office of the Education Registrar facilitates the voluntary participation of home educated students in the NAPLAN assessment program.

Thank you to everyone who expressed interest for their child/children to participate in NAPLAN for 2023, your organisation in meeting the EOI deadline was very much appreciated by the NAPLAN project team.

For those who expressed interest you should have recently received further information regarding the next steps for participation. This communication is sent to home educating families by the NAPLAN team not by the OER.

If you have not received this, please make contact with NAPLAN Helpdesk via email at naplan@decyp.tas.gov.au or phone 6165 5914.

We wish your child all the best for your NAPLAN assessment!

Tasmania Reads Week - Libraries Tasmania

Tasmania Reads Week!

Celebrate books, reading and storytelling with Libraries Tasmania.

Between 5 – 11 March, libraries, business and communities across the state will be celebrating Tasmania Reads week and you can too.

Join in with the events already planned or host your own event, or simply curl up with a good book and enjoy some quiet reading time.

Please view the below Tasmania Reads Magazine to find out some more information about what's happening around the state in Tasmania Reads Week!

Tasmania_Reads_magazine_Summer_2023.pdf

Diverse Learning Needs Seminars

Two online diverse learning needs seminars were held in February, hosted by Occupational Therapist, Alison Hopwood and Speech Pathologist, Catherine Silcock. We would like to say a big thank you to Alison and Catherine for sharing their expertise and knowledge with the home education community.

Thank you to all who registered for the online seminars with Alison and Catherine, we hope you found the sessions to be of great value to your learning toolbox and home education journey.

A recording of the seminar hosted by Catherine Silcock has been sent to all those who registered for the event, this will remain available to you for two weeks.

We are working to retrieve the recording with Alison Hopwood and hope to have this to all registrants as soon as possible.

THEAC welcomes any feedback you may have about the sessions, if you wish to provide feedback please do so by sending it through to registrar@oer.tas.gov.au

YNOT - Tasmanian Youth Forum

YNOT is proud to present the Tasmanian Youth Forum (TYF) a free annual youth event for young Tasmanians aged 12-25.

Each year, TYF provides a space for young people to have their say on topics that are important to them and the changes they want to see happen.

In 2023, TYF will explore mental wellbeing and resilience as their topic.

Young people will have an opportunity to access resources, supports and the information available to them while providing feedback about what they think could be missing in this space.

This is a great opportunity for young Tasmanians to share what mental wellbeing and resilience means to them and how we choose to move forward as a society to create greater access and awareness for everyone.

Event Details

When: Friday 2 June 2023

Time: 10:00am-2:30pm

Where: Tailrace Centre, Riverside, Launceston

Cost: FREE, lunch and snacks included. Transport support available.

To register for the event please click on the link- https://TYF2023.eventbrite.com.au

If you would like to find out more about the event please click here - TYF2023 - Mental Wellbeing and Resilience | Youth Network of Tasmania (ynot.org.au)

Tasmanian Association for the Gifted Inc. - Event for Parents and Educators

The Tasmanian Association for the Gifted Inc. (TAG) are hosting an information session for parents and educators with Professor Nicholas Colangelo.

The topic for the evening is Acceleration: An intervention that meets the academic and social needs of gifted students.

Professor Nicholas Colangelo will touch on the following themes:

Acceleration has strong research evidence
Acceleration has been misunderstood
Acceleration has many forms to meet the needs of gifted students
The Belin-Blank Center offers information and support for TAG

Event Details

Date: Saturday, 25 March 2023

Time: 12:00pm

Location: Online Delivery

Cost: TAG Members $5, Full-time education students at UTAS $5, Non-members $25

To secure your place for this event, please click here - https://www.trybooking.com/CGCHV

Tool Skool - Woodwork for Kids

Tool Skool offers kids a fun and educational activity, suitable for kids aged between 4 - 14 years. During this fun hands-on woodworking session, kids create their own wooden toy which is theirs to keep and enjoy.

Woodwork allows children to use their hands and minds together. Their imagination to design and solve problems and their strength and coordination to manoeuvre the tools. It develops self- esteem and confidence and fosters a ‘can-do’ attitude.

Tool Skool is fully mobile and provides all the materials and tools for kids to create their own wooden toy.

Suitable for girls and boys, aged 4 - 14 years.

For more information contact Asher Cooper.

February Newsletter 2023