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Newsletter Posts 2025

Newsletter, VASSP Conference 2025

INFORM Newsletter

VASSP Conference 2025 Edition

President's Report

Colin Axup

VASSP President

The 2025 VASSP Conference was an outstanding success. Over three days we brought school leaders together to learn, to reflect and to connect. The calibre of our speakers, the richness of the conversations and the generosity of sharing from colleagues reinforced the strength of our profession.

Below I share my opening remarks, a reminder that our leadership matters, our voices are powerful, and our collective efforts continue to shape the future of public education.

Transforming Education through School Leadership.

We meet here today as leaders of Victoria’s public secondary schools, diverse in context, united in purpose. Each of us works at the frontline of a system that serves the young people who will inherit not just our economy or institutions, but our society.

Secondary school is the critical bridge between childhood and adulthood. It is the place where identity is shaped, pathways are chosen, and possibilities are either opened or constrained.

As principals, we are entrusted with a profound responsibility: to ensure that every student who walks through our gates is seen, supported, and empowered to thrive.

And that is the very essence of transformation; not just structural change, but human change. And it doesn’t begin in policy; it begins in leadership.

This conference is not simply about sharing good ideas; it is about reclaiming the agency we have as leaders. In a time when the challenges are large, workforce pressures, wellbeing needs, system demands, and the persistent call for equity, we must remind ourselves: we are not powerless. On the contrary, we are deeply powerful. The choices we make, the culture we shape, and the voice we bring to our profession have never been more important. We are the experts in education and we should be listened to.

Across Victoria, principals are already leading transformation; through inclusive practices, values based education, student voice, community engagement, and a relentless focus on learning and wellbeing. Today is an opportunity to listen not only to our guest speakers but also our colleagues and their stories, to share our own, and to imagine together what is possible.

Education transforms lives. But it is leadership that transforms education.

Conference Video

Thank you to EWS (Education Web Solutions) for producing this video of the conference.

Chief Operating Officer’s Report

Amy Rashid

Chief Operating Officer

Our conference brought together a diverse range of speakers who inspired delegates to reflect deeply on leadership, resilience and innovation in education. Through powerful storytelling, practical strategies and lived experience, the keynote presentations offered insights that connected directly to the challenges and opportunities of school leadership today. Complementing these sessions, the VASSP Conference Lightning Talks provided an important platform for leaders on the ground to share their own experiences, ensuring the program reflected both system-level perspectives and the realities of daily practice in schools.

Speakers - Day 1

Mark Carter

Education Leadership and Innovation

As the opening speaker, Mark Carter set the foundations of historical leadership by exploring the central role of human connection. His full sensory presentation, delivered with magician-like flair, kept delegates immersed from start to finish. At one point he described the intensity of Contiki training, creating an almost anxiety-inducing moment that underscored the stakes of high-pressure environments. Through this, he reminded leaders that in a climate of rapid change and complexity, it is the quality of relationships that sustains teams and enables performance. He called on leaders to place connection at the heart of decision-making and daily practice.

Key takeaways:

Relationships are the foundation of effective leadership, shaping trust, morale and performance.
Connection must be intentional, with leaders creating opportunities for dialogue, feedback and shared purpose.
Investing in connection increases resilience, collaboration and collective problem-solving.
Schools thrive when leaders balance technical skills with the human skills that build enduring trust.

Alison Shamir

Unmasking Imposter Syndrome

Alison Shamir invited delegates to reflect on the masks we wear at work and in life. While masks can help us step forward, they also hide authenticity and fuel imposter experiences. She challenged leaders to identify where these patterns began and how they can be reframed, both personally and within school cultures.

Key Takeaways:

Masks are shaped by early experiences and continue to influence how leaders present and perform.
Around 70% of people experience imposter feelings at some stage. Recognising this prevalence helps normalise the experience and reduce stigma.
The imposter cycle of doubt, overwork and short-lived achievement drains energy and wellbeing.
Breaking the cycle requires naming the mask, challenging the belief behind it and reframing with evidence of strengths.
Authentic cultures reduce the need for masks by valuing vulnerability, learning and collective growth.

Ciara Lancaster

Reimagine Change

Ciara Lancaster explored the challenge of leading through relentless transformation. She described change fatigue as the hidden villain draining energy and enthusiasm in schools. With initiatives multiplying in volume, variety and velocity, she urged leaders to be intentional about how they sequence, support and communicate change.

Key Takeaways:

“Change fatigue is the arch nemesis of all positive change.” – Change saturation is real, with many schools experiencing multiple major initiatives at once.

The human impacts of change must be addressed alongside strategy, including workload, training and wellbeing.
Leaders need to differentiate their responses to resistance, anxiety and apathy, rather than applying a single approach.
Sharing progress stories and small wins helps to sustain optimism and resilience through long periods of change.

Speakers - Day 2

Sami Mäkeläinen

GenAI Redefining Possibilities

Urging delegates to look beyond both hype and fear in conversations about AI, Sami Mäkeläinen framed generative AI as a tool with real benefits but also real risks, requiring pragmatic adoption in schools. Leaders were encouraged to target immediate efficiencies while preparing for deeper curriculum and ethical challenges.

“With generative AI, we are struggling with metaphors — all models are wrong, but some are helpful.”

Key Takeaways:

Treat AI as a capable assistant that produces high output but lacks context, so human oversight is essential.
Anticipate challenges such as misinformation, deepfakes, cyber security and data leakage.
Recognise that over-reliance and rejection are both risks; strike a balance by making deliberate choices about where AI adds value.
Focus adoption first on repetitive or low-stakes tasks such as drafting, summarising or generating templates.
Use time saved from automation to reinvest in high-value work with students, staff and school communities.
Revisit assessment practices to address issues of authenticity and originality in an AI-enabled environment.
Ensure ongoing ethical and curriculum conversations, recognising that today’s pragmatic choices shape long-term system impact.

James Castrission

Uncharted Ice

In an immersive presentation, James Castrission took delegates through real expedition-style challenges, asking groups to make difficult decisions under pressure. He used these scenarios to highlight how different definitions of success, whether glory, records or survival, change the way teams respond in moments of crisis. His message was clear: leaders must agree on their measures of success before the storm hits.

“What if your team achieves the objective, but you don’t come back as friends, is that success?”

Key takeaways:

Success must be defined collectively and explicitly at the start, not left to assumption or crisis.
Different measures of success such as records, completion, safety or relationships lead to very different choices under pressure.
Decision-making models need to be clear and agreed upon, including how to resolve deadlocks.
Practising scenarios before the storm builds resilience and trust when real challenges arise.

Dr Jana Pittman

Finding Your Inspiration - Your Why?

Jana Pittman reflected on her career as a world champion hurdler and Olympic bobsledder, sharing lessons about fear, resilience and the choices we make in pursuit of goals. She urged leaders to confront the obstacles in front of them with courage, discipline and perspective.

Key Takeaways:

Fear often presents as “false evidence appearing real” and needs to be separated from true risk.
Training the response to fear through small, controlled challenges builds confidence for bigger moments.
Sharing personal stories of fear and resilience normalises struggle and builds collective strength.
Leaders must choose their battles wisely, pursuing challenges where the learning return outweighs the cost.

Lightning Talks

The VASSP Conference Lightning Talks are a valued part of the program, designed to ensure that the voices of those working on the ground are heard alongside keynote speakers. These short, focused sessions give school leaders the opportunity to share practical insights, challenges and innovations from their own contexts. By highlighting lived experience and frontline perspectives, the Lightning Talks connect theory to practice and ensure our collective learning remains relevant, authentic and closely tied to the realities of leading schools today.

Thank you to our Lightning Talk presenters for sharing their expertise and experience with colleagues across the state.

Gathering staff voice and school culture through the GENOS High Performing School Culture Survey
TORI MULLIGAN, MANOR LAKES P-12 COLLEGE

We stopped students coming to Wellbeing… and it improved their mental health
STEVE MACPHAIL, DAYLSEFORD COLLEGE

Futures Backed by Data: Supporting Stronger Pathways to Work, Industry and Study
LEWIS GUNN, MILDURA SENIOR COLLEGE

NGSC GRO: Whole School Approach to Differentiation
SARAH BRIDGES & BRAD HEADLAM, NORTH GEELONG SECONDARY COLLEGE

Distributing Leadership to Increase the Capacity of Others and Self
GEORGE PORTER, BANNOCKBURN P-12 COLLEGE

How We Are Together – A journey for a leadership team
KYLIE GREENWAY & BELINDA ANDERSON, BAIRNSDALE SECONDARY COLLEGE

International Teacher Recruitment: From Arrival to Belonging and Beyond
BRENDAN STAPLE, SALE COLLEGE

State of the States and a National Perspective on Secondary Education
ANDY MISON, AUSTRALIAN SECONDARY PRINCIPALS’ ASSOCIATION

Building Your AP Support Map: People, Networks, and Know-How
ROBYN ANDERSON, VICTORIAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE SECONDARY PRINCIPALS

The benefits of VET Delivered to Secondary Students (VETDSS), and the Changing Landscape of VETDSS Quality Standards
TONY LANDER, IVET

Co-designing to Support Regulation, Relationships, and Growth
LIAM WOOD, SAINTS KNOWLEDGE INSTITUTE

Bank First Awards

Congratulations to Patrick Clark, Assistant Principal at Phoenix P–12 Community College, who has been awarded support for his team of middle leaders to work with world-renowned educator Dylan Wiliam. This learning will deepen their expertise in formative assessment – strengthening teaching practice, building collective capacity, and advancing the school’s improvement journey.

Congratulations also to Jodie Parsons, Assistant Principal at Sunshine College, who has received a VASSP Professional Learning Award to attend the International Confederation of Principals Convention in New Zealand. Jodie will return with fresh insights on equity, instructional leadership, and wellbeing, applying them in her school, network, and across the Victorian system.

Toast to State Education

This year’s Toast to State Education was delivered by Brendan Staple, Principal of Sale College. In his address, Brendan championed the role of public education in creating opportunity, equity, and community strength. His words highlighted the commitment of principals, teachers, and leaders across Victoria who dedicate themselves to the success of every young person.

Ben Carroll, Minister for Education

The second day of the VASSP Conference opened with Ben Carroll, Minister for Education congratulating Victorian schools on strong NAPLAN results. He credited the achievement to the work of principals, teachers and departmental leadership.

Key Points

Equity: Gaps remain for First Nations students and those experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. VTLM 2.0 was highlighted as a nationally recognised model.
Workforce: Teacher education enrolments are strong but retention is critical. The Minister emphasised the need for nationally competitive wages, regional incentives and the importance of the forthcoming EBA negotiations.
Principalship: The role was recognised as highly demanding and community-facing. The Department is progressing initiatives to reduce administrative burden, including simplified reporting, streamlined student plans and increased administrative support.
Respect and behaviour: Teachers must be respected, beginning in the home. The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safe and supportive school environments.
Pathways: Reform of vocational and applied learning remains central, with the VCE Vocational Major, Head Start and the Victorian Pathways Certificate positioned to ensure all students have viable post-school options.
VCE: Following last year’s challenges, reforms at the VCAA and strengthened leadership are designed to deliver stability and credibility in this year’s examinations.
Funding: The Minister reiterated Victoria’s position on Full and Fair Funding Agreement and nationally competitive wages, with both the bilateral agreement and the teachers’ EBA due by year’s end.

An exclusive member offer from Atomi

It was great catching up at the VASSP conference, whether you stopped by our booth, joined us for a blue cocktail, or took home a goodie box.

While Atomi already works with over 850 schools nationwide, we’re new to Victoria and excited to extend our support to VIC teachers. We recently finished building our VIC offering, which is specifically designed to help teachers deliver on VTLM 2.0.

As in other states, our goal is to build long-lasting partnerships with VIC schools and support as many teachers as possible, particularly during this time of curriculum change and new T&L frameworks.

We’ve partnered with VASSP to give you a genuine experience of what Atomi can do for your school. Here’s the offer we’ve put together for VASSP members:

$30 per student in 2026 on a Years 7–10 all-subjects package (normally $80/student per year)
Free access for the rest of 2025
Full onboarding for staff and students
A dedicated Customer Success Manager
Nothing payable until Jan 2026

This is an excellent opportunity to get Atomi into the hands of your staff and students and see why most schools choose Atomi. We can also discuss how Atomi works with the other platforms and integrates into your school strategy.

👉 Connect with us to explore your options

*Offer available to new customers only. Exclusive to VASSP member schools. Valid until 19 December 2025. Price is excl GST.