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Welcome to the November issue of your Qld Branch Briefing. Please share with members.

I am sure you all join us in congratulating the Mitchell-Tomoo ICPA Branch on a fantastic effort hosting conference. Thank you to the branches that attended, and brought their concerns to Mitchell. ICPA operates because you bring your issues for discussion and action.

Conference dinner was a special event for Mitchell-Tomoo, as Mrs Christine McLean was honoured with Branch Life Membership for her contribution to ICPA.

Welcome to the members who have expressed a commitment to ICPA by accepting tasks in our organisation. Thank you to those Councillors who have left our circle, and congratulations to those who have assumed new responsibilities.

President: Mrs Lorraine McGinnis
Vice Presidents: Mrs Pam Crothers & Mrs Heidi Flint
Secretary: Mrs Di Selby
Treasurer: Mrs Ellen Finlay
Publicity Officer: Mrs Lynise Conaghan
Past President: Mr Peter Powne
Assistant Secretary: Mrs Kate Webster
Councillors: Mrs Christine Stanford, Mrs Kim Donaldson,
Mrs Ann-Maree Proud & Mrs Therese Sevil
Fundraising Officer: Mrs Fiona McConachy

38th Annual Qld ICPA Conference:
Will be held in Winton on the 9th and 10th September 2009

Mid year meeting will be held with the ABC Branch. Thank you to the branches who invited us to visit.

One Children’s’ Hospital:
Qld Council are very keen to hear from families who have used, or are using the Brisbane Children’s Hospitals. Council would like to receive feedback on the proposed change to having one Children’s Hospital at the Mater site.

If you have any information on this topic, please send to:
Kate Webster
Phone: (07) 4655 4948 or
Email: AssistSecretaryQld@icpa.com.au

Risk Management:
Branches are asked to complete and submit their Risk Management form to the Risk Management Officer and Treasurer, several weeks prior to a function. The forms are user friendly and they are essential for insurance purposes.

PEDALS deadline is November 15.
Please email items to Raelene PedalsEditor@icpa.com.au

RESULTS 2008 - ART UNION:
1st Prize: Winning Ticket No: 4001 - Mrs Pam Tyres – Morningside, Qld.
2nd Prize: Winning Ticket No: 3501 - Mrs Camilla Rogers – Richmond, Qld.
3rd Prize: Winning Ticket No: 2633 - Mrs Jane Gloster – Nairne, SA.
4th Prize: Winning Ticket No: 8456 - Mrs Cheryl Gilmore – Deception Bay, Qld.
5th Prize: Winning Ticket No: 5922 - Mrs Edwina Kavanagh – Emerald, Qld.
6th Prize: Winning Ticket No: 7615 - Vicki Norman – Toobeah, Qld.
7th Prize: Winning Ticket No: 6968 - Mrs Mary Emmott – Longreach, Qld.
8th Prize: Winning Ticket No: 3826 - Mr Spud Thomas – Richmond, Qld.

Invitation to Participate in a National Research Project:
We are a collective group of teacher education researchers from around Australia, who are seeking to identify the nature of successful teacher education and recruitment strategies that make rural teaching an attractive and long-term career option, for new teachers. We are currently undertaking a survey of pre-service teachers to gain this information.

We would therefore like to investigate schools and communities in Queensland further, and we are writing to ask if your community or area has a school, or schools, that are able to attract and retain quality teachers that you are willing to nominate, and who represent the good work being carried out in your region. When we receive your nomination/s, and if the school/s are willing to participate, we will then visit the school/s and invite them to participate in a focus-group discussion to identify the aspects of school/community life and conscious support strategies, that they believe contribute to their successful teacher retention rate.

We will also conduct follow-up interviews with the Principal/s, and any interested teachers in the school/s. Neither you nor the schools will be identified in any publication from this study, unless permission has been granted at community, school and system levels.

We will be very happy to answer any questions about the study, and can communicate with you by email.

Please contact Professor Jo-Anne Reid joreid@csu.edu.au or telephone (02) 6338 6150 if you would like to talk about this invitation, or if you would like to be put in contact with any of the other team members.

Recipes Needed:
Mary Killeen has offered to compile a Recipe Book for the benefit of ICPA Federal Council. Members who are keen to have their favourite taste bud tantaliser, or a recipe or two included, please complete the Recipe Sheet attached to this month’s BB, and send it to Mary Killeen.

For more information contact:
Mary Killeen
Phone: (07) 4657 5563
Fax: (07) 4657 5552

Bush Christmas:
A reminder to branches that Bush Christmas is on 21st - 30th November in Toowoomba. The participants in Bush Christmas are wonderful supporters of Qld ICPA, so if you wish to purchase a special item for Christmas visit them during the last week of November, or use their online facility.

Any members who could assist Stanthorpe Branch by selling tickets, please contact Kate Webster.

QCPCA Survey:
It was brought to the attention of delegates attending Mitchell conference, that the third QCPCA survey will be distributed to school P&C Associations this week. Previous surveys have given parents with prep students enrolled, the opportunity to provide feedback about the implementation of prep and its impact on prep students. It is the understanding of ICPA that this third survey will enable all parents to comment upon the impact of prep to their school.

Parents will also have the opportunity to comment upon the distribution of aide time to prep students, and whether additional aide hours have been purchased for prep students. Additional space will be provided for comment, so this is an opportunity for parents with children in rural and remote schools to tell it like it is!

Young Athlete Assistance Program:
In response to a motion put forward by Winton Branch last year, the department of Local Government, Sport and Recreation had been approached to increase the assistance available for travel and accommodation costs for students living in rural and remote areas. Currant funding allocates $200 to successful applicants for assistance in attending regional championships. Funding may only be applied for once every two years. Distance and cost of fuel is increased for families from rural and remote Queensland, and fundraising opportunities are often limited in small communities.

Advice from the Department of Local Government, Sport and Recreation is that community and school groups should submit letters requesting a funding model that caters for the distances travelled by rural and remote students to attend regional sporting events. Groups such as P&C Associations, CWA, Agforce, shire mayors and community sporting groups are also encouraged to respond.

Letters of support may be posted to:
Mrs Lynise Conaghan
P O Box 19
Marlborough QLD 4705

Act Smart – Be Safe:
The transition from adolescence to adulthood can be a difficult period for teenagers and parents. The Act Smart - Be Safe website provides useful tips for students on how to deal with situations involving violence, drugs or alcohol. Parents can also find out information on technology and safely monitoring its use, as well as tips and links on how to safely host parties for teenagers.

For more information Click Here

Resourceful Schools:
Is a terrific resource to help parents in both state and non-state schools find information on everything from family Centrelink payments, to grants for school and parent groups. This guide, which was previously called "Finding Funds for your School Community" has new entries, useful websites and contacts to assist users.

For more information Click Here

Australian College of Educators:
The Darling Downs Regional Group which extends all of SW Queensland runs an annual program of Awards for Excellence in Education, and we would welcome nominations of outstanding teachers or innovative programs from schools in rural areas in the region from ICPA. Next year’s awards will be officially launched in May next year, with nominations closing at the end of July – but it’s never too early to start thinking about possible nominees!

For more information Click Here

Branch AGMs:
Secretaries: Please forward your new executive contact detail sheets, minutes and president’s reports to the Assistant Secretary, after you have held your AGM.
Treasurers: Please send the State Treasurer your audited/checked end of year financials, and when sending in your member’s affiliation fees to the State and Federal Treasurers, please have them in lphabetical order.

Until the next edition.

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