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the focus is changing to lifestyle

 book reviews for ages 4-adult ,

healthy and delicious easy recipes


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In Brief, Awards & Events

Student Volunteer Experience

Volunteer Experience Crucial for Students and Graduates

Whilst employment rates are historically higH, students without experience still need to stand out from more seasoned candidates. 

One study suggests that 75% of managers responsile for hiring staff agree having that volunteering experience is an advantage in a job interview.

Up to 85% of employers believe volunteering is just as credible as paid work, with 92% of employers saying that relevant volunteering experience gives a candidate an edge in an interview.

National Student Volunteer Week 2023 (#NSVW23) which is hosted  Volunteering Queensland is a celebration of student volunteers and an avenue to inspire volunteerism among students and young people across Australia. You will find hepful information about volunteering on Volunteer Australia's website.

Sydney Writers’ Festival Student Sessions

When: 22 May 2024

Where: Carriageworks, Everleigh, Sydney


The Sydney Writers’ Festival Student Sessions brings some of Australia’s top writers and creatives to senior English students


Text Focus sessions feature creatives who wrote or adapted HSC prescribed works. They will share expert insights on the work, informed by their creative approach. 


Book up to 3 sessions. Student tickets cost $10 per student, per session. For more information and to book go to the Student Sessions page on the Sydney Writer's Festival webstie.


NAPLAN 13 - 24 March 2024

NAPLAN tests this year start on 13 March and run until 25 March. NAPLAN is an assessment that helps teachers, parents and carers see how students are progressing in literacy and numeracy over time. ​NAPLAN tests what students have been learning every day in the classroom in their previous years at school and is linked to the Australian Curriculum: English and Mathematics. Find out more about NAPLAN

WriteOn Competition

a acyp video about consultations with young people about vaping .

WriteOn, an annual writing competition open to all NSW primary students in Years 1 to 6.


The annual WriteOn competition gives students the opportunity to become published authors and develop skills in writing to express their ideas.

The competition is for students in Years 1 to 6 who are using NSW syllabuses, including home school students. Students compose an imaginative text of up to 500 words, using an image as the stimulus.


See the WriteOn website for more inforamtion and how to participate

Challenging conspiracy and fake news

agent C the word fake is written on white dice on a yellow background .

Agent C is a new project led by All Together Now focusing on online conspiracy theories and fake news. 


The aim of Agent C is to develop specialised training with and for young people in order to challenge divisive and hateful conspiracy theories and fake news. This includes but is not limited to far-right extremist conspiracy theories and fake news narratives. 


The aim is  to enhance the confidence and capacity of young people aged 14-21 to unpack and critically engage with hateful conspiracy theories and fake news and to have stimulating conversations with their peers encouraging critical thinking.


 For more information and participation visit the All Together Now website

Something New is Coming...

agent C the word fake is written on white dice on a yellow background .

Do get fed up with trying to think of healthy meals to make that are delicious and easy to prepare?


I have been creating healthy and delicious meals for many years and so many people ask me for the recipes. So now, I am going to share a few here, togther with inofrmation about health, nutrition and living well,


Make sure you are in the loop and I will send you a note once it's up and ready to go. Simpy click on this link to join my email notifications. That's it!

Adolescents Distraction at Bedtime 

turning around hating school to loving school .

As most people are aware there are several warnings and thoughts about the overuse of mobile devices before going to bed. So how many of us can relate to this new research from Flinders University in Adelaide, which has shown that using a mobile device can be a helpful distraction from negative thoughts positively affecting teenagers’ ability to get to sleep? Continue reading

Special Days in March

January has some rather special days, some with a fun twist and traditional days. Check the dates here to help you plan for school and home - click Read More


3 March - Ckean Up Australia Day and

World Wildlife Day

8 March- International Women's Day

17  march - National Close the Gap Day

20 March  -Natioal Day of Happiness

21 March - Harmony Day

21  March - National Day of Forests 

22 March- World Water Day

28  March  -Earth Hour 


* school holiday dates begin on varying dates in each state, pleae check the School Terms page here in schooldaysmagazine. 


Everyday is book day here and We have plenty of books here on schooldaysmagazine to help you read, grow and inspire - check the menu at the top of the page.


Did we miss a special day? Let us know.

NSW Premier's Teachers Scholarships

The NSW Premier's Teacher Scholarships provide $10,000 or $15,000 for a 5-week study tour, either within Australia or abroad.

The scholarships support teachers to explore best practice in their chosen subject area. Teachers can conduct formal study at tertiary education institutions, or research and observation visits to schools and relevant organisations.  

A wide selection of scholarship areas is availabl.

THere is moer informarion available on the NSW Dept of Educaton's website.

Turning around hating school to enjoying it

turning around hating school to loving school .

Imagine hating going to school or having a phobia attending to school. According to this article this is a growing trend but one school in Melbourne is changing this around and changing lives. It's a good news story. Kaylee was 'drowning' at school and hated going, but now she loves it. Welcome to the academy designed for the disengaged, click here to read on the ABC

Queensland Study Hub

A ground-breaking initiative founded by Oliver Barr-David, a first-year engineering student at the University of Queensland, is transforming the academic journey of Grade 11 and 12 Queensland ATAR students. The interactive and collaborative student platform, dedicated to supporting academic success, is quickly gaining recognition for its dynamic approach to knowledge-sharing and community engagement.


In his senior year of high school, Barr-David recognised the need for a supportive and collaborative space where students could come together to excel academically.


At the heart of the Queensland Study Hub is its commitment to academic growth and achievement. The platform also features access to accredited tutors specialising in various subjects, providing students with valuable insights and expertise to excel in their studies. For more infoation and how to join pop onto Queensland Study Hub


2024 HSC minimum standard tests open

Teachers can prepare for minimum standard tests on Schools Online


  • Student test nominations are now open on Schools Online > Online Testing.
  • Practice tests open on Monday 12 February.
  • The updated Test Administration Handbook and test resources are  available in Downloads > Memos and Documents > Minimum Standard Administration and Conduct.
Connecting STEM with Steam, Puffing Billy Railway

Expanding its curriculum-aligned education program, Endless Discovery,  the Puffing Billy railway in Victoria now invites students from Foundation to VCE on board the discovery train with the addition of three new programs and a virtual excursion experience. 


The programs are designed for student’s learning journeys in engineering and technology, encouraging young minds to learn outside the classroom through the unique history of a century-old heritage steam railway. 


Honing students’ skills in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and Humanities, the new programs aim to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and inventors through the steam locomotive, a mode of transport which gave the world many of the technological advances we benefit from today. 


The three new guided programs offered include:


  • Maths in Motion – Year 5 – Year 8
  • Puffing Billy Railway Pathways – Year 9 – Year 10 
  • Sustainable Tourism at the Railway – VCE (Year 11, Geography)

You will fnd more information on these STEM opportunties on the Puffing Billy website.

5 Tips to Help  Transition to High School

The transition to high school means there are big changes a coming for your teen. 


You can help ease any worries your child may have by preparing them before Term 1 begins. Dr Selina Samuels, Chief Learning Officer at Cluey Learning shows you how. Read More 

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Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize 2024

It's time for students with a knack for communicating, and budding filmmakers with an interest in science, to pull out their cameras, presented by the University of Sydney.


For information and to enter visit the Sleek Geeks page on the Australian Museum's website.

What Food Is Good for Your Memory?


Can what we eat affect how well our memory works. Your friend’s address. A family holiday as a child. The name of that lady you see at work every day. Memory is our ability to recall information from the recent or distant past. But can what we eat affect how well it works? Continue Reading on the BBC 

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Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Awards

Matt Orchard from Apollo Bay P-12 College was announced the winner of the 2022 Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award. Congratulations Matt! The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) announced this year’s Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award winner in partnership with Telstra, and proudly supported by The Song Room. 


The ARIA’s were back live and in-person for the first time since 2019, with our four nominees for the music teacher award soaking up all the glamour of the occasion, walking the red-carpet before the big ceremony.


Now in its sixth year, these awards shines a light on the importance of music education and music teachers throughout Australia.... Read More & Vote

How Mud Boosts Your Immune System

Children love getting dirty. They are drawn to puddles like muddy magnets, with no regard for footwear or the colour of their clothing. But getting mucky could have a powerful effect on their wellbeing, too.  Continue Reading (BBC website)

Australian Children’s Word of the Year 

Australian students are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of online privacy and how to protect themselves online, a concern which has been highlighted through their writing, as ‘privacy’ is awarded Oxford Australian 2022 Children’s Word of the Year (CWOTY). 


The topic of privacy is especially relevant in this current environment, given the string of high profile cyber attacks and information leaks which have occurred this year.


Children’s language experts analysed more than 87,117 short stories and over 7.5 million words written by Australian students aged seven to 13 years old as part of Storyathon, Australia’s largest online story-writing event for students. Shortlisted words included ‘impact’, ‘information’, ‘opinion’, ‘pollution’, ‘privacy’ and ‘risk’.


Overall there was a strong trend towards words associated with the internet, data protection and online behaviour this year. Words such as, ‘‘information’, ‘privacy’ and ‘risk’ all experienced a significant uptake from students compared to the previous year. ‘Personal information’ and ‘online information’ were also common phrases that featured in the body of writing. 


Anne Bayetto, Literacy expert at Flinders University, highlighted the usage of the word ‘privacy’ had increased by 397 per cent compared to 2021.


For more information about the Oxford Australian Children’s Word of the Year website


Understanding Your Child's Report Card

Drawing on her experience writing and proof reading end of year school reports, Cluey Chief Learning Officer, Dr Selina Samuels, shares her top tips for deciphering report cards with schooldaysmagazine's readers. Read the article here.

Grant for RIA helps grow school ed reach

The Royal Institution of Australia (RIA) has received a grant from the Government of South Australia, which provides  the stability to grow other partnerships and allow RIA to continue essential, not-for-profit role making all Australians better informed about the science in their lives.


The SA Government’s support means RiA can continue critically important work of fighting misinformation with quality journalism and scientific facts. 


The great thing about science is that there are always new facts to learn and new ways of looking at things. High-quality science education can help students have fun with science and increase their likelihood of choosing careers in science.


RIA's current education initiatives support 6,000 science teachers,  many in remote and regional areas, with curriculum-informed teaching materials. The aim is to extend this support to parents and offer direct support to students themselves, with a focus on middle-school students . For more information and aboiut RIA visit RIA website

Awards for 22 Outstanding Teachers 

Twenty-two outstanding teachers have been recognised for their leadership, innovation and tenacious commitment to their students and communities at the 2022 Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards. In partnership with national charity, Schools Plus, the 2022 Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards celebrates and rewards educators for demonstrating. Continue reading  ... Read More

The Education Profession is Changing

One of the key outcomes of the COVID era is undoubtedly changes to the way that many people work. There are articles in national publications on at least once a week discussing the rise of hybrid working, remote first organisations and the impact of a decentralised workforce on city demographics. 


However, the privilege to choose where and how one works, the silver-lining of COVID for some, is not afforded to all professions. Teaching is one of those professions constrained by time and place.... Continue Reading

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Amadeus Music Education in Sydney Catholic Schools

Sydney Catholic School"s  Amadeus Music Education Program, unique and one of the biggest, most comprehensive and ambitious investment in quality music education ever undertaken in Sydney’s schools. This multi-million dollar program is being rolled out to 33,000 students across SCS’s network of 150 schools as part of the curriculum. For more information visit the Amadeus Music Education Program website.

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