DIRECTORS' MESSAGE

Welcome to the June edition of TA Talk! 

This month, we are excited to share an extraordinary milestone of one of our member schools. Kinross Wolaroi School in NSW has recently renewed their membership with ATA for the tenth consecutive year! This is the first school to reach a full decade of continuous membership, and it's a testament to their unwavering commitment to the professional growth of their education support team. Congratulations, Kinross Wolaroi School - what an inspiring achievement!

A special mention also goes to Sacred Heart College in Geelong for their incredible dedication to professional development. Since December 2024, 32 staff have been making great use of our member PD library to complete an impressive 232 professional learning resources. That’s an outstanding effort and one well worth celebrating!

We are excited to be part of the National Education Summit conferences in the coming months. You’ll find us in Brisbane on 31 July and 1 August, and again in Melbourne on 28 and 29 August. Kim Nuske will be presenting a Spotlight session focused on the benefits of the Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards (ATAPS) and how they’re supporting the growth of teaching assistants across the country. If you are attending one of these conferences, please take a few minutes to visit us at the ATA stand and say 'hello'.

Finally, a gentle reminder that today is the last day to nominate a teacher aide or TA team for this year’s Australian Teacher Aide of the Year Awards. If you're a teacher or school leader and this is still on your to-do list, now's the time! Nominations are open until midnight tonight, so there's still time to shine a spotlight on your amazing support staff.

Wishing you all a safe, restful, and well-deserved mid-year break.

Warm regards

Stella and Mandy

FINAL HOURS TO NOMINATE

Nominations Close Midnight Tonight

Nominations for the 2025 Australian Teacher Aide of the Year close at midnight tonight.

If you know an outstanding teacher aide or teacher aide team making a difference in the lives of students, now is the time to shine a spotlight on their work.

Head to our website for all the nomination details and help us celebrate the vital role of teacher aides in schools across Australia. 

Thank you to everyone who has already submitted a nomination; we love reading your inspiring entries!

Keep an eye on our website, as nominations will be published on 10 July.

SPOTLIGHT ON ATAPS IN ACTION 

The Sycamore School, QLD

Congratulations to Ros and her team, who officially launched ATAPS with their Education Support Officers last term! Through hands-on workshops, the team explored the standards, mapped their professional growth, and began setting SMART goals for professional growth. This inspiring work is already shaping future school-wide professional learning and strengthening collaboration between teachers and ESOs.  

Could ATAPS support your school’s improvement agenda? Now is the perfect time to start the conversation. Discover how the ATAPS framework can elevate the work of your support staff. 

UPCOMING EVENT

The Interaction of PDA and ADHD: Traits and Strategies

Tuesday 8 July 3.30PM AEST

We’re delighted to welcome back Sarah Lovett, accredited social worker and founder of Our PDA Kids, for another powerful session on supporting students with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA).

Sarah brings a unique combination of professional expertise and lived experience as a proud autistic woman with a PDA profile. In this webinar, she will explore the complexities of PDA and ADHD—and how these profiles can intersect in the classroom.

Join us to learn more about:

• the interaction between PDA and ADHD
• approaches that can better support neurodivergent students
• what students' brains are seeking
• the brain chemistry behind ADHD and Autism

Whether you’re new to PDA or continuing your learning journey, this webinar will offer practical insights to support your role as a teacher aide.

 NEW RESOURCE

Supporting Students in Science-Based Reading and Spelling Instruction

Are you looking for effective ways to support student reading in your classroom?

In our most recent video resource Karyn Fua, Director of The Literacy Collective, explores high-impact phonics activities and instructional strategies that support both decoding and encoding; key components of reading success.

You’ll learn how these essential skills help students move beyond simply recognising words on a page to confidently tackling more complex texts.

This video is packed with practical ideas you can start using right away to support your learners.

UNDERSTANDING ATAPS - ONE STANDARD AT A TIME

Standard 5 - Contribute to assessment and provide feedback on student learning.

Teaching Assistants use a variety of assessment methods when monitoring student progress, and these should always be agreed upon with the student's teacher first. Teaching Assistants also need to understand how to give effective feedback to students on their learning, as well as communicating assessment observations and results back to teachers.  

Standard 5 details the professional practice teaching assistants require in their roles: 

• Focus Area 5.1 - Use agreed assessment methods to monitor student progress and provide feedback to teachers.  
• Focus Area 5.2 - Demonstrate effective feedback strategies used with students to support learning.  

Here are a few resources to help enhance your assessment strategies and practice: 

• Modifying Assessments for Students with Disability and Additional Needs 
• eTAPS Module 3 – How to Give Feedback to Students 
• eTAPS Module 4 – How to Give Feedback to Teachers 

ATA IS A BUSINESS FOR GOOD

Together, we're creating more impact

Your membership is helping change lives!

At Australian Teacher Aide, our mission has always been to support the professional growth of teacher aides. Thanks to your support, that impact is reaching even further.

When you, your school, or your organisation join or renew a membership, you're also contributing to something bigger: supporting educational access, providing vital resources to children in need, and offering opportunities for communities to thrive.

Together, we've now achieved an incredible 4,168 impacts through our giving program!

Thank you for being part of this remarkable journey.

MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY NEEDS YOUR VOICE

Your voice can make a difference in autism education

Do you support students with autism in your classroom or learning space?

Researchers from Macquarie University want to hear from you!

A new study is being conducted to better understand the knowledge, experiences, and professional learning needs of teacher aides working with students on the autism spectrum across early childhood, primary, and secondary settings.

Teacher aides are invited to take part in a quick 8–10 minute anonymous survey that includes multiple-choice questions only.

At the end of the survey, you can choose to express interest in a follow-up interview, and if selected, you’ll receive a $100 gift voucher as a thank you for your time.

Your insights can help shape future professional learning and support for teacher aides across Australia.

OUTSTANDING PARTICIPATION IN ATA PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

Congratulations to the following schools for achieving most highly, over the past month, in their professional development journey:

Newbury Primary School VIC
Marian College - Sunshine West VIC
Denison College of Secondary - Kelso High Campus NSW
Catholic Regional College - Caroline Springs VIC

Keep up the great work, everyone!

OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CHAMPION SCHOOLS

10-year Professional Learning Champions
Kinross Wolaroi School NSW

9-year Professional Learning Champions

Kolbe Catholic College VIC
Rosella Park School QLD

St Michael's School - Traralgon VIC

8-year Professional Learning Champions

Deniliquin South Public School NSW
Park Ridge State High School QLD
Pine Rivers Special School QLD
Robina State School QLD
TAFE Queensland QLD

Wyndham Central College VIC

7-year Professional Learning Champions

Beerwah State High School QLD

Benaraby State School QLD

Byford Secondary College WA

Forest Lake State High School QLD

Isis District State High School QLD

Maroochydore State High School QLD

Middle Ridge State School QLD

Petrie State School QLD

Tropical North Learning Academy QLD

6-year Professional Learning Champions

Al-Taqwa College VIC

Blaxland High School NSW

Carlisle Adventist College QLD

Charleville State High School QLD
Chinchilla State High School QLD

6-year Professional Learning Champions
Cleveland District State High School QLD
Craigslea State High School QLD
Darnum Primary School VIC
Gumdale State School QLD

Hume Central Secondary College VIC
Islamic College of Brisbane QLD
Lakes Entrance Secondary College VIC

Malanda State High School QLD
Mater Dei School - Camden NSW
Moorebank High School NSW
RMIT University VE VIC

Trinity Lutheran College - Ashmore QLD

Vermont Primary School and Kindergarten VIC

Wellington Point State High School QLD
Woodbridge School TAS

5-year Professional Learning Champions

Arbor Grove Primary School WA

Bellarine Secondary College VIC

Bray Park State School QLD

Carinya Christian School NSW

Casuarina Steiner School NSW

Green Point Christian College NSW

Harristown State High School QLD

Keysborough Secondary College VIC

Korowal School NSW

Lake Joondalup Baptist College WA

Mirani State School QLD

Moriah College NSW
Phillips Training Services Pty Ltd VIC
Tallowood School NSW

Young High School NSW

WELCOME TO OUR NEW SCHOOLS AND TRAINING ORGANISATIONS

NSW

All Hallow's Catholic Primary School - Gulgong

Bombala Public School

Cathedral Catholic Primary School - Bathurst Catherine McAuley Primary School - Orange

Central Coast Adventist School
Denison College of Secondary Education - Kelso
Holy Family Catholic Primary School - Kelso James Sheahan Catholic High School - Orange Kingscliff High School
Liverpool Girls High School
MacKillop College - Bathurst
Mount St Benedict College
Nambucca Valley Christian Community School Ngarra Christian College
Penrith Anglican College
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School - Coolah Shell Cove Public School
Shire Christian School
St Brigid's Catholic Primary School - Coonamble St Columba's Catholic Primary School - Yeoval
St Edward's Canowindra - Canowindra
St John's Catholic Primary - Dubbo
St John's Catholic Primary School - Baradine
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School - Blayney
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School - Eugowra St Joseph's Catholic Primary School - Gilgandra St Joseph's Catholic Primary School - Manildra St Joseph's Catholic Primary School - Molong
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School - Oberon
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School - Portland
St Justin's Catholic Parish Primary School
St Laurence's Primary School - Dubbo
St Lawrence's Primary School - Coonabarabran
St Mary's Catholic Primary School - Dubbo
St Mary's Catholic Primary School - Orange
St Mary's Central School - Wellington
St Matthew's Catholic School - Mudgee
St Michael's Catholic Primary - Dunedoo
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School - Lithgow
St Philip's Christian College - Cessnock
St Philip's Christian College - Gosford
St Philomena's Primary School - Bathurst
St Pius X Catholic Primary School - Dubbo

The Assumption Primary School - Bathurst

Towradgi Public School

Youth Off The Streets - Eden College 

NT
St Francis of Assisi Primary School-Humpty Doo

QLD

Alexandra Hills State High School
Brisbane Adventist College
Coomera Anglican College
Darling Downs Adventist College
Josiah College

Russell Island State School

Saint Stephen's College - Upper Coomera
St Andrews Lutheran College
St Mary of the Cross School - Windsor 

SA

Gordon Education Centre
Calvary Lutheran Primary School
Pinnacle CollegePrescott College - Prospect
Prescott College Southern - Morphett Vale

TAS

Taroona High School

VIC

Emmanuel College - Warrnambool
Beaconsfield Upper Primary School
Canterbury Primary School
Carey Baptist Grammar School
Catholic Ladies' College
Christway College
Copperfield College
Damascus College

Girton Grammar School

Healesville High School
Loyola College
Mullauna Secondary College
Neerim District Secondary College
Sacred Heart School - Mildura
St Mary's Primary School - Sea Lake
St Thomas More Primary School
Thornhill Park Primary School
Yarrawonga College P-12

WA

Aquinas College WA
Bunbury Catholic College
Duncraig Senior High School
Kwoorabup Nature School

Meadow Springs Primary School

Salvado Catholic College
St Vincent’s School - Parmelia
Whitford Catholic Primary School

WHAT'S TRENDING ON THE ATA FACEBOOK PAGE

Our most talked-about post this month gave a shoutout to all the teacher aides navigating those "what is even happening?" days ... full moons, Friday the 13ths, and students with extra energy!

Your comments, laughs, and relatable stories remind us that even when the world feels a little topsy-turvy, teacher aides keep classrooms grounded with humour and heart!

14,467 views
82 reactions

Leaders in Professional Learning for Schools

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