New Policy to Put Teachers in Classrooms

BY OLIVIA DILLON

The state government has introduced a new pathway, which could see aspiring Hunter teachers walking into the classroom after just twelve months.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said under the new policy, the time to complete a masters degree for post-graduate students will be halved from two years to one, after the length of the course was seen as a deterrent for would-be teachers.

Since 2011 almost 100,000 teachers have joined the force, however the policy comes as part of a continued attempt to combat teaching shortages across the Hunter and the country.

The pathway will be available from 2024, and is expected to help build the teaching force with more mid-career professionals. 

The streamlining of the course will only be available to those studying to become a secondary teacher, with a revamped primary teaching course to be available by 2026.

Gillieston Public School scores at least $25 million for major upgrade

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Gillieston Public School will get between $25 million and $75 million for a major redevelopment, after concerns were raised in a public inquiry into school infrastructure.

Parents and community members raised the alarm on the school, which lacks a boundary fence and town sewer connection.

Most classrooms at the campus are demountables, and it's understood the school is struggling to keep up with local demand.

The school was promised just $1.7 million in the June budget, but Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison says she's met with the Treasurer and Education Minister, and understands the much higher amount has been allocated in the forward estimates.

It's unclear what the final budget might look like until contracts are awarded.

Image credit: Jenny Aitchison.

University of Newcastle promised more spots in Labor budget

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Federal Government has allocated 967 additional university places to train teachers, nurses, and engineers at the University of Newcastle.

It's estimated to cost $28 million locally, part of a $485 million scheme to train 20,000 new students across the country.

The places will roll out over 2023 and 2024.

It's hoped the commitment will both level the playing field in terms of student equity, as well as help address staff shortages in critical sectors.

Labor MPs keen to build new trains in the Hunter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Labor MPs are promising big things for the Hunter, with a swathe of policy announcements at the party's state conference over the weekend.

The Prime Minister has locked in a $500 million commitment to get started on a high-speed rail link from Sydney to Newcastle, including securing the corridor between the cities and across the Central Coast.

State Labor Leader Chris Minns also unveiled new plans to deliver a new fleet of trains, manufactured in New South Wales, if the party wins government next March. 

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp says he's optimistic the Hunter will have a role to play.

"Newcastle's got a proven track record," he said. "We're very well-positioned to manufacture these fleets, so I'd love to see some local companies in the mix when tenders open."

"Labor's committed to local goods, local jobs, reviving local manufacturing, and this will be the signature piece running up to the election."

"Build the Tangaras here in New South Wales."

Mr Minns told the conference he was again further privatisation, and criticised the controversial commitment deeds restricting the Port of Newcastle from container traffic. 

There's hope, a commitment to recruit 1,200 new nurses and 500 new paramedics will help alleviate staff shortages in the healthcare sector, while a plan to convert 10,000 temporary teachers to full-time is hoped to do the same for Hunter schools struggling to find hands. 

"Insecure work makes it harder to get a mortgage or a car loan," Mr Crakanthorp said. "Hard to lay down roots in a community."

"Job security goes a really long way, and I know that 10,000 casuals and part-timers coming onto permanency will be a great incentive for those people to stay teaching and not look for other jobs."

Hunter school buses to be fitted out with seatbelts

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Selected school bus routes in the Hunter will be equipped with seatbelts, as the State Government extends the $237 million program to the region.

100 school buses across Cessnock, Singleton, Maitland, and Port Stephens are being fitted out, after studies of roads with higher-risk ratings.

Regional Roads Minister Sam Farraway says it's important to keep kids safe on their way to and from school.

"This program has already ensured a safer trip to and from school for more than 200,000 students who often travel long distances on dirt roads," he said. 

"This will deliver improved safety for school buses travelling long distances on unsealed roads and on roads outside urban areas with a speed limit of 80km/h and above."

"And of course, it will give parents more comfort knowing their kids are better protected when  travelling to school."

35 buses in the Upper Hunter were retrofitted earlier this year, in addition to 37 brand new buses.

Works begin on Muswellbrook South Public School upgrade

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The sod's been turned at Muswellbrook South Public School on Wednesday morning, as a major upgrade of the school gets underway.

The works include 13 new permanent learning spaces, an outdoor learning centre, as well as a sports court.

The upgrade will also see 18 learning spaces refurbished, alongside general landscaping and new seating.

Demountable buildings are expected to be cleared in time for Term One in 2024.

Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell says it's about keeping a country school up to scratch with local growth, and staff and students are looking forward to the facelift.

Dave Layzell MP with Muswellbrook South Public School Upgrade Project Director Robert Ghaly, Project Manager Michael Trajkov, School Infrastructure Project Officer Mina Ibrahim and Matt Tuttle, Project Manager for construction contractor FKG Group.

Big promises for Hunter schools in latest state budget

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter's welcoming a cash splash on local schools in the Treasurer's latest state budget.

Matt Kean handed down the spending commitments on Tuesday afternoon, with big focuses on families, women, as well as skills and emerging industries.

The Newcastle Education Campus project has been allocated $16.6 million in the next budget, although only $862,000 of last year's $5.6 million allocation was spent.

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp is welcoming the commitment for a much-needed update at Newcastle High School, but says he'll be keeping a close eye on the project to see the results.

Meanwhile, Hunter River High School will receive $5.6 million for major refurbishments, with Irrawang High School receiving a similar $5 million.

In Maitland, Gillieston Public School has been promised $1.7 million toward a major redevelopment, following lobbying by parents, carers, and Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison, as well as a visit from a parliamentary committee and Upper House MP Mark Latham.

Ms Aitchison says it's a welcome move, but it's disappointing it's taken 12 years for the school to score a "drop in the bucket".

She says she's hoping to see more details on the extent and timeframe of the redevelopment works.

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp has raised concern Newcastle High School is in need of serious refurbishment.

Newcastle Education Campus moves forward with business case

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The business case for the Newcastle Education Campus is moving forward, now seeking approval to proceed from the NSW Treasury. 

The State Government says the project will be located on the main Newcastle High School site, with masterplanning for the site already completed.

It'll include upgrades to the existing high school and expanded facilities suitable for shared use with the community. 

Space has been allocated for a new primary school in the future, subject to enrolment demand. 

The preferred option in the business case includes new flexible learning spaces to support future student enrolment growth, a new hall and library, new science laboratories, kitchens, canteen and student facilities and new support class facilities. 

Hunter teachers gathering steam ahead of Tuesday strike

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Local MPs and councillors have rallied behind Hunter teachers this morning, ahead of the sector's first 24-hour strike in a decade next Tuesday.

The Hunter is set to join 60,000 teachers and principals across New South Wales in walking off the job in protest of critical teacher shortages.

NSW Teachers Federation Regional Organiser Jack Galvin-Waight says teachers are at the end of their tether.

"Teachers are striking on Tuesday, because we have to," Mr Galvin-Waight said. "We've exhausted every available option."

"The teacher shortage in New South Wales and the Hunter is crippling our schools, they're crippling our students."

"Irrefutable evidence, including an independent inquiry, says the reason we have teacher shortages is uncompetitive salaries and excessive workloads."

Pay rises for teachers have been stuck at a cap of 2.5 percent for the past ten years, which has been described as an effective pay freeze.

Hunter Workers Secretary Leigh Shears told reporters we all need to stand in solidarity with teachers.

"We support our teachers right across our region and the State," Mr Shears said. 

"They're fighting the save the future of their profession, and for quality education across New South Wales."

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp, Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison, Cessnock MP Clayton Barr and Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes joined union members at a Hunter Workers event earlier today.

Mr Crakanthorp says our teachers deserve our support. 

"Our teachers get a raw deal," Mr Crakanthorp said. "Our teachers do so much more than teaching."

"Our teachers are unofficial sports coaches. Our teachers are unofficial nurses. Our teachers are unofficial counselors."

"When our kids walk through those gates at school, our teachers will do anything for those kids to get them through."

The strike is the latest in a series of actions undertaken by teachers across the Hunter over the year.

Mr Galvin-Waight says it's now or never for the teaching sector.

"The State Government's documents, in their own words, have said we're running out of teachers, we're going to run out of teachers in five years, and again in their own words, they've lied," Mr Galvin-Waight said.

"We're saying this to Mr Perrottet. If you don't care about the teacher shortages, you don't care about our kids."

 

New equipment for animal care courses at Kurri Kurri TAFE

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Kurri Kurri TAFE is set to receive $27,598 for new learning tools and equipment for animal care.

The money will cover a new blood analyser machine, a hydraulic table, and other medical and animal grooming equipment.

The investment hopes to help the sector meet a skills demand, with courses for veterinary nurses, pet groomers, and animal attendants. 

It's part of a $100 million investment by the State Government.

TAFE NSW Animal Care and Management Head Teacher Susanne Turnbull says the new technology will help students be ready for the workplace.

“The medical equipment enables students to undertake safe and realistic hands-on practise of core vet nursing skills from blood tests to dental scaling and polishing,” Ms Turnbull said.

“Thanks to this new equipment, TAFE NSW Kurri Kurri can now look to offer new courses such as pet grooming and the Diploma of Veterinary Nursing in the future.”

Digital sit-in hoping to raise awareness of casualisation at the University of Newcastle

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The National Tertiary Education Union is hosting a digital sit-in from 7AM to 7PM on Monday, protesting casualisation and insecure work at the University of Newcastle.

There's concern casual staff are being treated unfairly after having their requests to move to ongoing employment rejected.

Union Secretary Damien Cahill says a digital protest shouldn't be underestimated.

"In higher education, in universities, casualisation is out of control," Mr Cahill said.

"About forty percent of all university workers are casual, and we know that there are other industries across the country, like hospitality, where casualisation is also out of control.

"We're trying to spread the message."

The sit-in is being livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube, with a number of speakers and senators set to address audiences throughout the day.

Mr Cahill says the University of Newcastle was a shining example of where casual conversion laws fail.

"Out of about 2,300 casual staff at Newcastle Uni, only five have received offers of ongoing employment," Mr Cahill said. 

"Casual staff are outraged, they're sick of being in precarious work.

"They believe their work is ongoing, and they should be given ongoing contracts."

New primary school put on the backburner for Newcastle Education Campus

BY DAKOTA TAIT

A new primary school is set to be included in planning for the upcoming Newcastle Education Campus, but construction could be on the backburner.

The project is slated to include a new high school in addition to the primary school, but a timeline, budget, and other specifics are currently unclear.

Department of Education School Infrastructure NSW Chief Executive Anthony Manning told budget estimates on Tuesday the school was not needed "immediately".

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp says it needs to happen "sooner rather than later".

"The numbers that are projected for primary schools in the city, as you can see with all the apartments being built, are going to go sky high," Mr Crakanthorp said.

"It's better to build it now, rather than say oop, we've hit the number threshold, now let's build it, and that'll take some years."

Budget estimates heard from Mr Manning, the school would be able to happen quickly when the need crystallised. 

But Mr Crakanthorp said there needs to be a commitment now.

"I'll keep pushing it, so it will happen," Mr Crakanthorp said.

"But you know, the fact that they're saying they're going to put the primary school off and just do a few repairs initially in the first stages, simply is not good enough."

Online workshops to prepare Newcastle students for an innovative city

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Newcastle students will have the chance to take part in online workshops next month, learning about sustainability and innovation for the city's future.

The City of Newcastle Sustainnovation Challenge is set to connect students with industry and community in a pair of two-day workshops, exploring solutions to issues such ageing communities, plastic waste, and smarter living.

Students from nine secondary schools will take part, including Newcastle High, Lambton High, Hunter School of the Performing Arts, West Wallsend High, Merewether High, St. Philip's Christian College, Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College, and Big Picture Education Cooks Hill Campus.

Project Director Duncan Burck says it's a first-of-a-kind learning experience for young people with the potential for "showcasing potential career pathways".

"You've got to go through a sort of journey of discovery, because the key thing in innovation isn't so much how you make something work, it's how you really get in and understand the problem and get to the point of really loving the problem," Mr Burck said.

"Once you're at that level, you're going to get much more creative in coming up with ideas."

It's hoped the ideas with the most smart city potential could be developed further and even implemented.

Mr Burck says it was great to see the City of Newcastle get behind the project. 

"From being an industrial powerhouse, to being an internationally recognised smart city," Mr Burck said.

"The more that we can communicate with our young people, the better ideas we're going to get as a city, and they want to see that happen, they want to see more people involved in the sort of innovation and ecosystem, starting at high school."

Image credit: https://sustainnovationchallenge.com.au/

Job Tenders Now Open For School Building Projects Across the Hunter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

A number of tender opportunities for architects, engineers, and builders have opened up across the Hunter as part of a State Government school building initiative.

Jobs are on offer at local projects such as improvements to Hunter River High School and Irrawang High School, as well as the upcoming Newcastle Education Campus.

Across the state, $3.3 billion will be invested in 44 public schools and is expected to generate around 16,000 new jobs.

At least $75 million is also promised for the Newcastle Education Campus. 

Premier Dominic Perrottet says the investment will be a boost to both education and the economy as we learn to live with COVID-19.

"Today’s announcement provides further certainty to businesses and school communities,” Mr Perrottet said.

“For our kids to be the best and brightest they need the bricks and mortar to support them and we’re delivering that in spades.” 

Hunter Teachers Hoping For Priority in Vaccine Rollout

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Independent Education Union is pushing for teachers across the Hunter and the State to be prioritised in NSW's vaccination campaign.

There's concern about the possibility of schools becoming local COVID hotspots, after thousands of staff and students in Sydney were forced to isolate over the past week.

NSW/ACT IEU Secretary Mark Northam says speeding up the vaccine rollout for teachers would be "significant step forward" for keeping schools open.

"Certainly not displacing frontline health workers, we're not suggesting that at all," Mr Northam said. 

"But we are suggesting that teachers should be prioritised and support staff to be vaccinated so that schools can operate smoothly and well in Term 3." 

The Union's also calling on the Government to provide paid vaccination leave for teachers and staff to book their shot in their busy schedules.

"The communities that our members serve, their appreciation of the role and function of a teacher during what's been a fairly tumultuous year in education, schools have achieved magnificent things," Mr Northam said.

"I think it's time for a bit of repayment of the good stocks that teachers and support staff have built up."

New School Bus Routes For Newcastle's Western Suburbs

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Newcastle's western suburbs are set to get new school bus routes later this month, with the hopes to reduce congestion and get kids to and from school more safely.

Families in Wallsend, Maryland, Minmi and Fletcher are likely to be covered by the improved routes.

Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery says she's excited for the plans to get the tick from the Transport Minister.

"We have had reported various accidents over the last few years, near misses to students, which has really worried children and their parents," Ms Hornery said.

"We're hoping to prevent that in the future and I know that the bus companies were really anxious to improve their services as well."

It's hoped the routes will see schoolkids crossing fewer busy roads and less parents on the road.

"We're looking forward to a safer and more efficient bus route for our students to get to school," Ms Hornery said.

Timetables for the new routes are available online ahead of their launch on Tuesday 15 June.

Image credit: Flickr

Researchers Study Stress Levels in the Hair of Hunter High School Students

BY TAYLA LEE

Local researchers have used strands of hair to determine the impact of short, high intensity exercise on stress levels in senior high school students. 

670 students across regional NSW, including from Swansea, Belmont, Lambton and the Hunter School of Performing Arts were involved in the six-month 'Burn 2 Learn' study. 

Two to three 10-minute HIIT sessions were included in their curriculum per week. 

It found exercise led to improved memory, physical fitness and a reduction in cortisol levels, or stress hormones in hair strands. 

"So we actually cut the students hair just at the three centimetres closest to their scalp, and each one centimetre represents one month of growth, to represent their exposure to stress," Lead Author Professor David Lubans said. 

He says they hope the findings push this program to become a compulsory component of senior curriculum in NSW high schools. 

“It can be really tricky to motivate high school students when they’re facing school and exam stresses. As with all of us, commitment to physical activity can slide when life gets busy, which is why we found it effective to lead the sessions as part of our usual lesson planning".

“We also can’t assume every child has equal access to a gym or organized sport outside of school, so the Burn 2 Learn program was a great way to ensure equitable access for all students."

“I truly believe equipping young Australians with the skills to maintain lifelong health and fitness is just as important as subjects like English or Mathematics. 

Study participant and Deputy Principal, Michelle Maher, said “The biggest benefits were increased focus in afternoon sessions, and a very positive impact on stress management from a student perspective".

The study involved collaborators from the University of Newcastle, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Australian Catholic University, Northeastern University Boston, University of Wollongong, University of Southern Queensland and Deakin University.

Latest Data Shows Hunter Schools Filled to the Brim with Students

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter schools are packed to the rafters, with several coming in above appropriate student capacity, according to recent data from the Department of Education.

Data shows Glendore Public School at 156.4% capacity, Jesmond Public School at 125%, New Lambton Public School at 118.5%, and Callaghan College Wallsend at 113%.

Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery says overcrowding in her electorate was putting pressure not only on schools and teachers, but parents, traffic, and transport systems.

"We see the Department just stack more classrooms into school grounds, without any thought to the surrounding infrastructure and the impact that has on local communities," Ms Hornery said.

"We have seen boundary changes to Callaghan College Wallsend, Lambton and New Lambton Public Schools which has done nothing to ease the overcrowding, but has put stress and strain on the local road network as parents are forced to now drive their children to school."

John Black, Country Organiser for the NSW Teachers Federation, says the overcrowding issue is not a surprise.

"We see it every day in every school that we visit, demountables going up and taking up valuable space and nearly every public school in the state is bursting at the seams," Mr Black said.

"This was backed up in an Auditor-General's report saying that public schools would run out of room in the two years." 

But Education Minister Sarah Mitchell says the Opposition is misconstruing the data.

"What those numbers are, are basically guidelines to our school principals around the polices that they need to put in place if they're looking at out of area enrolment," Ms Mitchell said.

"Over time we've seen some out of area enrolments creep in, and that puts pressure on existing school infrastructure."

Mr Black said the Government "tinkering with enrolment boundaries" was not good enough.

"We need serious investment to meet community demand," Mr Black said. 

"We need to build new schools, build new classrooms, purchase land, look at where development is going and actually have provisional public education and services that meets demand in those areas." 

Calls to Introduce Consent Classes in Hunter High Schools

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The NSW Government is facing calls to put forward $250,000 in funding toward an early intervention program discussing consent and healthy relationships in high schools across the Hunter and the State.

The issue was raised at a NSW Budget Estimates inquiry on Tuesday following reports of alarming rates of sexual assaults of students in Sydney.

Love Bites, a respectful relationships program offered by the National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, requested the funding to help train more facilitators and expand efforts following increased demand from Sydney high schools.

Labor MP Trish Doyle, Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, said communities should not have to resort to fundraising to help get these services off the ground.

"It's important that governments not only provide services to those issues, but that they also invest in primary prevention," Ms Doyle said.

"Let's pump some money into our schools, let's have our young people change this culture of violence and discuss what a healthy relationship looks like and what to do if you're in one that's not." 

New Data Reveals Hunter and Regional NSW to Have Most Affordable Public Education

BY DAKOTA TAIT 

New data has revealed the Hunter and Regional NSW have some of the most affordable public education options in the entire country.

The report, compiled by Futurity Investment Group, found the average cost of 13 years of public schooling to come in at $58,227 in the regions, compared to $90,122 in Sydney.

Private education in Sydney came in at $448,035, while Regional NSW was 70 percent cheaper, at just $133,920.

School fees made up a larger proportion of the cost of an Independent education compared to a Government one, while parents of public schoolers put larger fractions of the cost toward school camps, textbooks, uniforms, and transport.

Parents are also estimated to have spent an extra $808 per child last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Futurity Group Executive Kate Hill said the cost of education has risen at more than double the rate of inflation over the past decade.

“Education costs, including outside tuition, school camps and sports equipment and electronic devices are demanding a far greater share of the family budget than in the past,” Ms Hill said.

“COVID-19 has only exacerbated this financial challenge, with parents required to spend hundreds of dollars extra on unplanned education related expenses at the height of the pandemic."

75 percent of Independent school parents found they were satisfied with their child's schooling during the pandemic, compared to only 62 percent of Government school parents.

Ms Hill said parents who lacked the ability to save in the past would suffer difficult education costs in the future.

“More than ever, the costs associated with education are placing more of a burden on Australian families, who are already stretched by the rising cost of living and stagnant wage growth."