REGISTRATIONS NOW CLOSED
The Queensland Teacher’s Union is back with its biennial conference for the leaders of our great state schools in Queensland.
This two-day event takes place at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in South Brisbane on Monday 25 March and Tuesday 26 March.
In a fast-changing education landscape, knowledge is everything to today’s school leader. Our conference, which is titled “United Leadership”, has a focus on both the professional and industrial aspects of leadership in schools. It will provide you with a deeper understanding of current issues and offer an update on the latest developments at the state and national levels.
In addition to the conference itself, we are staging a special pre-conference event featuring one of our guest speakers, Ruhee Meghani, a leading voice in shaping inclusive wellbeing. This is to be held at the QTU’s Milton Office from 3.00pm to 5.30pm on Sunday 24 March (Cost: $100 Inc GST*)
Registration* has now closed for QTU members, who can attend the whole 2 day conference or any one day.
- $400 Inc GST for the two days (pricing includes full two-day program plus welcome reception on Monday afternoon)
- or $250 Inc GST per day (Monday afternoon welcome reception included in this price)
* You must be a financial QTU member to register
More information about the special pre-conference event as well as conference sessions and the 20 workshops can be found below.
Last updated: 15 February 2024
Special pre-conference event
The QTU is holding a special networking event at The Teachers’ Building in Milton From 3.00pm to 5.30pm on Sunday 24 March.
The focus of this special event will be a presentation by Ruhee Meghani, a leading voice in shaping inclusive wellbeing.
“Reclaiming your wellbeing and overcoming burnout”
This talk is designed for those facing the challenges of high-stress
environments and seeking effective strategies to promote a balanced,
healthy work-life for themselves and their teams. Ruhee delves into the relevant topic of burnout, offering practical solutions and strategies for those grappling with, or on the cusp of, burnout. This session goes beyond merely identifying the signs and symptoms; it delves into the root causes of burnout, its profound impact on individuals and organisations, and the transformative ways to address it. Attendees will learn effective methods for managing and healing from burnout, encompassing self-care practices through the lens of 10 dimensions of wellbeing, stress reduction techniques, and impactful communication strategies. Moreover, the talk will provide valuable insights into fostering a supportive and healthy work environment, pivotal in preventing burnout.
Ruhee’s presentation will be followed by refreshments and networking.
Cost: $100 Inc GST*
* You must be a financial QTU member to register.
Keynote speaker announcement
Frank Durante - Principal, Notre Dame High School, City of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
What is reassessment and how does instructional leadership support teachers through a mindset change?
Instructional leadership focuses on the ability of leaders to guide, mentor and support teachers to deliver high quality instruction that includes strong assessment and reassessment procedures.
The ultimate goal of reassessment is providing students with opportunities to improve their understanding of previously taught concepts or outcomes to achieve mastery of learning, and it often results in grade improvement. This process involves teachers working alongside students to support them through the learning process and is an integral part of classroom culture to foster student success.
Supporting assessment and reassessment opportunities is essential for educational leaders, whether they are school principals, department heads or other administrators, as it is fundamental to strong teaching and learning practices. As instructional leaders, Frank believes we must participate in the procedures of reviewing and adjusting evaluative practices to improve student learning, encourage professional conversations and provide stakeholder accountability. He will discuss his journey in supporting reassessment and how to make it more manageable for teachers. By providing guidance, resources, professional development and supportive cultural practices, instructional leaders can help teachers change their mindsets around assessment.
Adam Voigt – “The Grown-Ups in the Room” is a practical, hilarious and actionable look at staff cohesion. It’s about communication, cohesion and a staff of educators in your school who are mobilised fully behind your vision. Sounds ok … Am I right?
Adam Voigt is first and foremost a skilled classroom practitioner and highly successful Principal. Earning his first Principalship at the age of 35, Adam has personally led full school turnarounds and also the design and establishment of a brand new school as its inaugural Principal.
Adam’s experience is peppered with lessons and case studies from a career spanning more than a quarter of a century. What Adam doesn’t know about making the magic of learning happen in schools … is possibly not worth knowing.
Adam is a real leader who walks the talk. His speaking offerings are filled with stories, messages, tools and hope developed from years of successful School Leadership as a Principal in some of Australia’s most challenging locations. Adam is a leader & speaker who has genuinely ‘been there and done that’.
Adam is now connecting with leaders and educators locally and internationally with bias for long-term Partnerships that sustain change. His determination to impact and empower all leaders with this message is endless and this shines through each and every presentation.
He has a passion for empowering as many dedicated leaders and educators as possible with the tools, skills and attitudes necessary to build meaningful, productive relationships wherever they are. And for these relationships to be leveraged for a new level of performance and leadership potential.
Adam is now taking his message about schools and leadership to a new level and also providing high quality interactive training for School Leaders and Teachers through Real Schools.
Conference sessions
Our sessions cover a huge range of issues and subjects, and include:
- “Let’s talk all things state education”, QTU General Secretary, Kate Ruttiman and Deputy Director-General, People, Information and Communication Services, Megan Barry
- “Comprehensive Review of School Resourcing” QTU Project Officer Review of School Resourcing, Cindy Freier and DoE School Supervisor, Chris Capra
- “EB11 – Education Leaders Think Tank” QTU Senior Officers, Leah Mertens, Brendan Crotty and QTU Assistant Secretary – Education Leaders, Paige Bousen
- "School Leaders and the Law" Rachel Drew, State Managing Partner, Holding Redlich
Workshops
A choice of 20 workshops addressing professional, education and industrial issues and skill development.
Some of the workshops available are:
- “Recruitment and selection – implementing the new directive”
- “Connectedness and culturally responsible leadership”
- “A partnership of improvement”
- “Strengthening safe systems to meet WHS duties”
- “Trust us – building trust as a leader”
- "Education Futures Institute presentations"
- “If systems drive behaviour, then how do you manage a school as a QTU leader”
- “HR 101 for school leaders”