I hope everyone had a restful and safe holiday break, ready for the beginning of another fruitful school year.
A special mention must be made of the independent schools that performed exceptionally well in the 2013 HSC, dominating the top 200 performing schools list in NSW. We are proud of the student achievements by our many culturally diverse independent schools all around NSW. These students have worked closely with their teachers who in turn have worked tirelessly to get the best out of them. This includes support staff, the backbone of our schools. They ensure our days run smoothly.
The first year of the National Curriculum will bring many challenges for our teachers. I hope that the transition is smooth, backed by support from schools to aid the teaching and learning of these new courses.
VET teachers in AIS schools are still undergoing training that required work being completed during the Christmas break. This is causing much stress as teachers are trying to complete both their VET assignments, portfolios and industry experience, as well as prepare themselves for the beginning of another busy year.
Many of our independent schools will undergo Board of Studies inspections this year, which will create an added burden to their already hectic workload. Schools must put strategies into place to aid teachers cope with all this additional work, so the quality of our teaching and learning is not negatively affected.
Best wishes for a good, yet busy year ahead.