Presented at AGM  October 2024

 During the past 12 months, we have made significant strides, including accrediting Middle Years Schools of Excellence and partnering with schools to utilise the Middle Years School Diagnostic and Improvement Tool. This tool fosters reflective, evidence-based conversations about current practices, prioritises opportunities for improvement, and helps devise action plans to implement change. Committee representatives Kirsty Hanson, Jacquie Bourne, and Kathryn Gray are currently undertaking training in the implementation and leadership of the Middle Years Diagnostic and Improvement Tool, enabling us to expand our management of this service.

Middle Years School Diagnostic and Improvement Tool and The Middle Years Schools of Excellence

The "Middle Years Schools of Excellence" program endorses schools that exemplify our Position Paper's principles and align with the work of Donna Pendergast, Katherine Main, and Nan Bahr in their text Teaching Middle Years: Rethinking Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment. The program acknowledges schools with well-established middle years practices, programs, and strategies. We announced the four prestigious 2024-2026 Middle Schools of Excellence:  Hillcrest Christian College - Reedy Park (QLD).  Padua College – Kedron (QLD).  Redlands College – Wellington Point (QLD).  St Francis College – Edmondson Park (NSW).

Applications for schools to become Middle Years Schools of Excellence (MYSOE) for 2025-2027 are now OPEN. Debra Evans' leadership in working with these schools is highly valued and appreciated.

Webinar Series

We appreciate the continued participation and support of our community and extend our gratitude to our moderator, Anj Dillon, and our presenters for their invaluable insights and contributions to the global educational community:

• Setting Yourself Up for Success as a Middle Years Teacher: Debra Evans

• Behaviour Strategies for Middle Years Students: Anjuli Dillion

• Engaging with Middle Years Students and Their Parents: Lisa Roper

• Supporting Middle Years Students Suffering from Trauma: Jasmine Kelly

• Differentiated Instruction: Designing and Scaffolding for Success: Gerard Alford

• Neurodiversity in Middle Years Students: Jasmine Kelly

• Increasing the capability of Middle Years learners: Josh Noye

• Engaged & Empowered to Learn – Strategies for Middle Years learners and their teachers: Donna Pendergast

Adolescent Success continues to welcome nominations for future webinar topics from colleagues, agency professionals, or individuals for the 2025 series. Registering interest can be done via email to Jess Serra, our Executive Administrator at executiveofficer@adolescentsuccess.org.au

Podcast Series

Our podcast series delved deeply into the realms of middle school excellence and innovation. This series explored a wealth of strategies, insights, and stories designed to inspire and guide educators in creating enriching learning environments for adolescents. Special thanks to Steven Kolber for his support and collaboration in facilitating this series. Our presenters - Liz Benson, Debra Evans, Donna Pendergast, Andrew Fuller, and Darren Rackemann, provided evidence-based and practical advice on working within middle years communities. The series explored these topics through the lens of the Adolescent Position Paper, which serves as the guiding principles for the association and focuses explicitly on the middle years.

Events

Unfortunately, the Townsville Day Conference was cancelled for 2024 due to a lack of insufficient registrations. As we plan our 2025 International Conference and continue our webinar series, moderated by Anjuli Dillon, we remain committed to addressing key topics identified by all teachers and leaders to support their professional success.

Executive and Management Committee

I thank the following committee for their expertise and advocacy during their years with Adolescent Success and acknowledge outgoing Executive and Management Committee members who have stepped down, returned as General Committee members, or are taking leave:

• Angela White - Secretary

• Catherine Hives – NT Rep

• Sue Webb – Assistant Journal Editor

• Matt Jensen – Marketing and Social Media

• Rachel McKay – Marketing and Social Media – (continuing as a valued General Committee member).

Executive and Management Committee Appointments:

Secretary

I am delighted to announce that Anjuli Dillon will be joining us as the new Secretary. Her enthusiasm and fresh perspective will be an asset to our committee. I would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Angela for her outstanding work as Secretary. Her wisdom and dedication have been instrumental, and we are fortunate to have her continue as a valued General Committee member.

General Committee member: Candice Byrne – SA Rep

Professional Learning and Events Coordinator: To be announced.

Marketing and Social Media: Debra Evans

We are excited to have you onboard as we enrich learning for middle years educators and their students.

Communication

Other communications through our monthly ENews – Succeed - as well as through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X, continue to inform and grow our membership and community. Sue Webb, our Assistant Journal Editor, will be stepping down from the committee following the release of our journal this coming Nov/Dec. Adolescent Success has been grateful for Sue’s expertise and commitment to our Association in partnership with Lead Editor, Tim Smith. The Association will look to recruit new Assistant Journal Editors for 2025.

Membership update

Membership for 2024 has grown slightly, and this will continue to be an important priority moving forward. Building our middle years community is key to further growth, with an emphasis on our Institutional and Pre-Service Teacher Memberships.

Ambassadors

We also acknowledge and thank our ambassadors, Donna Pendergast and Andrew Fuller. Their incredible support and expertise are exceptional.

As we move forward, let us remember that “education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire” (William Butler Yates). This powerful sentiment highlights our mission at Adolescent Success.

Our goal is not merely to impart knowledge but to ignite a passion for learning and foster a sense of curiosity and innovation in our students. By working together, sharing best practices, and continually striving for excellence, we create engaging learning environments for our adolescent learners.

Thank you,

Kia Sheidow

President of Adolescent Success