Welcome to the new school year! We hope you had a relaxing break, and that you are refreshed and inspired to make 2025 your best year yet!
Our team has also taken a well-earned break and we are back, energised, and ready to continue our mission, to empower educators to help students succeed.
This year, we have stepped things up another notch with the introduction of the Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards (ATAPS). After 3+ years of research and development, we have published the ATAPS Framework along with a range of supporting resources. Early feedback from schools indicates that ATAPS provides much needed structure and clarity for teaching assistants and their professional growth.
If you are keen to implement the ATAPS framework at your school, but you're not sure where to start, we have a solution! Kim Nuske, ATA Teacher and ATAPS Facilitator, will be presenting an exclusive series of workshops throughout 2025, specifically for school leaders of member schools to support the successful implementation of the Standards. You can read more about the school leader workshops below.
We also have a brilliant line up of live web events this year, starting in February with Introducing ATAPS: A professional growth framework for teaching assistants, also presented by Kim. This event is a very practical introduction to the Standards for all educators. You will find a complete list of our 2025 events on our website. We invite you to download our events flyer, and share these unique professional learning opportunities with your colleagues.
It was encouraging to receive a letter from the Hon. John-Paul Langbroek, Queensland Minister for Education and the Arts, acknowledging the importance of ATAPS, along with our contribution to a set of (draft) guidelines to support the optimal deployment of teaching assistants, a response to Action 21 of the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan (NTWAP), written by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). Minister Langbroek also acknowledged the similar themes that have emerged across these two important pieces of work, the guidelines and ATAPS.
Lastly, whilst ATA is an established and respected leader in professional learning for education support staff, there are also accreditation options and NSW TAFE has asked us to let you know that they still have openings for enrolments in School Based Education Support in Semester 1, 2025.
Our best wishes to you, @{aspediacrm-person-firstname}, for a successful school year.
Warm regards Stella and Mandy |
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GETTING AROUND THE ATA WEBSITE |
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| If you haven’t visited our website in a while, now’s the perfect time to check out the updates! We've made some exciting changes, including our updated Web Events calendar, so you can easily stay on top of our upcoming professional learning opportunities.
Plus, our FAQ page includes key dates for this year’s Awards and Appreciation Week, so you won’t miss any important events. Take a moment to explore and get ready for an amazing year ahead! |
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AUSTRALIAN TEACHING ASSISTANT PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS ARE NOW AVAILABLE! |
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Are you a teaching assistant ready to step up your professional learning this year? Or are you a school leader looking to improve the professional growth for your teaching assistant team? Either way, the newly published Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards (ATAPS) are for you! ATAPS is designed to support the performance and professional growth of teaching assistants in all school settings. Further, the standards give greater role clarity, and facilitate teachers and TA’s working together more effectively. With a range of supporting resources, ATAPS is an excellent launching pad for schools to take the next step in improving the professional learning journey of education support teams. |
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ATAPS PARTNER SCHOOL LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS |
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| Be sure to register for one of our upcoming 2-day workshops designed to help school leaders successfully implement the Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards (ATAPS) at their schools.
ATA member schools have an exclusive invitation to nominate their school leaders for the ATAPS Partner School Leadership Course, which will be delivered in March, May, September, and October. This course, designed to support the smooth integration of ATAPS in any school setting, is available through ATAPS Partner School Membership, and will provide valuable insights on using the ATAPS framework to support the professional growth of teaching assistants, and integrate ATAPS into the school's performance and professional growth framework.
Don’t miss this opportunity ... sign up today! |
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| Introducing ATAPS: A professional growth framework for teaching assistants 3.30pm Tuesday, 11 February 2025 |
We’re excited to unveil the Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards (ATAPS) – the first framework created specifically for teaching assistants across Australia! This innovative resource is designed to guide professional development, empower education support workers in their roles, and provide a clear path for growth.
We encourage teaching assistants and other educators to join this upcoming webinar to explore the ATAPS framework, learn practical strategies to enhance knowledge and practice, and understand how ATAPS will support ongoing professional learning. Whether experienced or new to the education support field, this webinar provides valuable tools for advancing professional journeys for teaching assistants, and leaders alike.
We can’t wait to see you there! |
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OUTSTANDING PARTICIPATION IN ATA PROFESSIONAL LEARNING |
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| Congratulations to the following schools for achieving most highly, over the past month, in their professional development journey: Boronia Heights State School QLD Browns Plains State High School QLD
St Patrick's School - Tongala VIC Kedron State School QLD |
Keep up the great work, everyone! |
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DON'T FORGET TO USE OUR JOB BOARD |
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| POSITIONS VACANT
Charlton Christian College, Hunter-Central, NSW has a contract position available for a Learning Support Aide - Junior School and a Learning Support Aide - Senior School. |
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WHAT'S TRENDING ON THE ATA FACEBOOK PAGE |
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| | We want to hear from YOU! What’s the most rewarding part of being an education assistant? |
We loved hearing all the reasons our followers are passionate about working in education. There were so many inspiring responses! But the number one reason? Without a doubt, it’s seeing that unforgettable “light bulb” moment on students’ faces – when everything clicks and they realise they’ve learned something new! It’s the magic that makes it all worth it. 3,522 views 6 reactions, 23 comments and 1 share |
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Leaders in Professional Learning for Schools |
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