Highlights 2004-2005

July 2004

Southern Branch’s Real Learning Real Futures program won an award for outstanding achievement at the 2004 National Awards for Quality Schooling.
A mobile play bus was launched in the Derwent Valley to offer geographically isolated families with young children access to playgroup services.
The statewide assessor network received a Learning Together Award for its program, which assists teacher aides to gain a nationally recognised qualification.
The School Administration Learning and Recognition Framework received a Learning Together Award for assisting school office employees to further develop their careers.
Kempton Primary School held Doorways to the Past Day, inviting parents and grandparents to participate in a whole-of-school learning event.
As part of the Tasmanian Bicentenary celebrations, the Ogilvie High School Senior Concert Choir performed with the Derwent Symphony Orchestra and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra at the closing ceremony of Working with Women, the 24th triennial world conference of the Associated Country Women of the World.
Statewide testing of literacy and numeracy skills in Year 9 was completed.
The community event We Value... was held in Burnie. Local school students conducted hands-on activities with the general public to provide an understanding of how learning occurs.
Lenah Valley Primary held an Essential Learnings expo where every child in the school contributed work that demonstrated their thinking skills.

August 2004

Bellerive Primary School celebrated their work in the Essential Learnings element Designing and evaluating technological solutions, with their display presentation Tripping the Light Fantastic.
Claremont College held a camp to train students as peer supporters for other students.
Statewide testing of literacy and numeracy skills in Years 3, 5 and 7 was completed.
The statewide professional learning program for in-school mentors (ICT) was launched.
A world leader in the development of web-based learning activities ran Webquest, a professional learning program for teachers.

September 2004

Wesley Vale Primary School won a national Literacy and Numeracy Excellence Award. The $10,000 prize was awarded to the school for its approach to improving student reading and writing outcomes that had resulted in above-average improvements.
Bandwidth for Rural Tasmania was completed, having supplied broadband data services of 2MB to 56 schools.

October 2004

Rosetta Primary School held an exhibition of student work called Toorittya Trail, the result of two years of curriculum development based on Aboriginal perspectives and the Essential Learnings.
Assessment tasks for Being literate, Being numerate and Inquiry were completed by students in a number of schools. This student work is used to validate the curriculum standards.
Campania District High School held its Celebration of the Arts Evening, displaying and offering student works for sale.

November 2004

The $20.4 million Community Health and Well Being program was announced, to provide increased school and community access to facilities for physical activities. This included the Playground Blitz initiative.
Taroona High School’s redeveloped general learning areas were opened.
New Town Primary School held an arts expo that included over 400 paintings, poetry and story writing, musical events and drama productions to celebrate the opening of the new art room.
South Hobart Primary School launched its breakfast program, available for all students, every school day in 2005.
A series of moderation (Qmap) forums were held around the state to gather feedback from teachers about the assessment support they needed.
An honour wall was opened at Railton Primary School to provide continuing inspiration to students to strive to excel throughout their lives.

December 2004

The Laptops for Teachers program began, which will supply all of the department’s teachers with a laptop by July 2007.
The cross-sectoral assessment group (CSAG) was established to oversee the issuing of the new Tasmanian Year 10 Assessment Reports.
Partnership agreements were signed by 29 school communities.

January 2005

Cosgrove High School established an Indigenous garden in partnership with Glenorchy Council and Green Corps.
School Associations were established under amendments to the Education Act 1994 to provide formal representation for students, parents, school staff and the broader community.

February 2005

The new school year marked the implementation of the department’s revised administrative structure, with three branches comprising 27 school clusters replacing the previous structure of six districts.
Outside school hours care and family day care schemes were for the first time licensed under the Child Care Act 2001.
Penguin High School was one of 10 Tasmanian schools to adopt a No Dole program for its Year 10 students of 2005.
For the first time, secondary education was provided on Cape Barren Island.
The Brighton Early Years Project was launched in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services. The project supports five primary schools in providing services for young children and their families.
The construction of new facilities and extensive redevelopment works at Mowbray Heights Primary School was completed.
A redevelopment of accommodation at Springvale Hostel was completed, providing accommodation for up to 70 students from rural areas in southern Tasmania.
Infostream commenced distributing information (‘Jobs Notices’, ‘Departmental Notices’, ‘General Notices’ and ‘Management Notices’) to its target audiences.

March 2005

The Essential Learnings Assessing Guide was distributed to teachers.
All schools completed their annual reports showing progress towards the targets in their partnership agreements.
The Student Assessment and Reporting Information System (SARIS) was developed for use by teachers in all schools K-10.
Professional learning for K-10 teachers to support the implementation of SARIS in schools began.
Hagley Farm Primary School’s redeveloped early childhood centre, library and general learning areas for students in Years 3 to 6 were opened.
Oatlands School’s redeveloped music and performing arts facilities, community library, and Online Access Centre were opened.

April 2005

In Hobart, the department hosted 258 Tasmanian, national and international delegates and speakers at the 2005 Australasian conference of the Council of Education Facility Planners International (CEFPI).
Child care centres began operating at Miandetta, Bowen Road and Waimea Primary Schools under the state government’s Child Care in Schools program.
Bridgewater High School introduced a phone home program to improve school attendance.
An agency-wide organisational health survey was undertaken to measure staff satisfaction and motivation.

May 2005

The child care centre co-located with Burnie Primary School under the Child Care in Schools program began operating.
Assessment tasks to support teachers’ moderation of Maintaining wellbeing and Inquiry standards were trialed in schools.
Redevelopment works at Ulverstone Primary School and Latrobe High School were completed.
A child care centre at Norwood Primary was completed, the last under the Child Care in Schools program.
A series of five breakfast sessions in inclusive practice for principals and school leaders commenced with presentations from leading professionals.
Redevelopment of the administration area at Mountain Heights School was completed.
A statewide Enhancing Pedagogy program was held to enrich student learning through ICT.

June 2005

A graduation ceremony was held for 31 teachers and school leaders who had completed nationally accredited postgraduate qualifications.
The North-East Schools Cluster Council established an International Education Cooperation program with Linyi School District in the Peoples’ Republic of China.
Panels of teachers gave feedback on student assessment tasks for Acting democratically, Reflective thinking and Being information literate.
Redevelopment works at the Port Dalrymple, Rose Bay High and Youngtown Primary Schools were completed.
Construction of a new community performing arts building on the Scottsdale High School site was completed.
Two, four-day, statewide learning programs on inclusive practice were held for teachers to provide assistance in teaching and assessing students with high needs.