01 - Department of Education and Communities - NSW Government

APPENDICESThe National Strategy in Schooling to Prevent Paedophilia andOther Forms of Child Abuse was endorsed by State and TerritoryMinisters in March 1997. The Department has led consultationsto facilitate the exchange of information between educationsystems and authorities across Australia, as well as a nationallyconsistent approach to the development of curriculum, screeningof applicants for employment, training and pre-service education.An electronic link was established with the Criminal RecordsSection of the NSW Police Service to streamline the processing ofcriminal records checks.The Department maintained its commitment to employment andcareer development opportunities for staff in identified groups.Women were the majority of appointees in an initiative topermanently appoint long term temporary staff to schools. Therepresentation of women as principals also increased with particularprogress in secondary schools and large primary schools.The Department continued its support for the NSW ApprenticeshipProgram for People with Disabilities conducted through schoolsand State Office units. The Department also continued to providesupport and assistance to overseas trained teachers seeking toqualify for appointment.The Department implemented several strategies under theAboriginal Employment and Career Development Program aimedat increasing the representation of Aboriginal people at all levelsin the Department. The strategies included the Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Employment Program, the Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Transfer Scheme for teachers, the AboriginalMentor Program and the Aboriginal Teachers’ ShadowingProgram.Stephen Buckley, BA, MACE, Assistant Director-General(Corporate Performance)The Assistant Director-General is responsible for providing highlevel strategic advice on corporate performance to the Director-General and Minister, contributed to performance reportingbetween the Department, State and Commonwealth agencies, lednegotiations and consultation on the Department’s proposed schoolaccountability and improvement program and managed its earlyimplementation. Led and coordinated the Department’sperformance improvement and quality improvement functions andcontributed to the Department’s public reporting on performance.Oversighted the Department’s research agenda, approving andmonitoring all research being conducted within the Department ofSchool Education.As Assistant Director-General (Corporate Performance),responsibilities centred on providing statewide oversight of theintroduction of the school accountability and improvementprocesses with responsibility for providing data, support andtraining required to ensure effectiveness of the process.Through consultation with peak bodies, community members andprofessional groups developed draft guidelines for the processes,sample reports and a series of protocols which formed the basis ofthe self-evaluation process. Provided advice on these processes toschool self evaluation committees and chief education officers(school improvement).Provided programs for school principals, and selected staff andchief education officers prior to the commencement of the selfevaluations.Developed computer templates to facilitate schools production ofthe first annual reports and to simplify analysis of all reports.Arranged lodgement of school reports with the printer via theInternet and negotiated centralised printing and distribution of allreports through the Government Printing Service.From March 1997 responsible to the Director-General for theoverall operation of Tweed Heads/Ballina and Lismore districts,working with district superintendents to ensure the effectiveoperation of the new district office structure, to provide qualitysupport for schools and their communities and to ensure thepriorities of the Department were met.Managed statewide issues of concern through to resolution ensuringthe effective transition from a regional to a centralised system ofadministration. Provided sound strategic advice to the Director-General on policy direction, operational issues and informationaffecting the implementation of the Government’s key policyinitiatives.On 3 December 1997 the government announced the amalgamationof the Department of School Education, the Department of Trainingand Education Coordination and TAFE NSW into a single agency– the Department of Education and Training.Mr Buckley is responsible for the implementation of thegovernment’s decision to combine three central officeadministrations into one, ensuring greater integration andcoordination in the delivery of education and training servicesacross the state, while eliminating waste through the provision ofbetter economies of scale.Kim Fillingham, BA, BEd, MEdAdmin, MACE, AssistantDirector-GeneralEnsure provision of high quality educational delivery andexcellence of education outcomes for all students in the ten districtsof Albury. Batemans Bay, Broken Hill, Deniliquin, Griffith,Shellharbour, Queanbeyan. Taree, Wagga Wagga and Wollongong;providing, as a member of State Executive, advice to the Director-General on strategic direction, policies and operational issuesrelating to system management and the management andperformance of schools and districts; ensuring the effectiveimplementation across ten districts of the programs andcommitments of the Government; management of major grievanceand other appeals and investigate processes effectively on behalfof the Director-General; management of statewide programs,projects and reviews requiring high level internal and externalconsultative skills.Continued provision of strong operational support and advice fordistrict superintendents, school principals and directors in order toensure the effective operation of the district structure. Promotedand represented public education across the southern part of NewSouth Wales. Provided a public face and voice for public educationthrough frequent media appearances and interviews to effectivelydeal with both promotional and contentious issues.136 DSE Annual Report 1997