Andrew Blair
- Published: 08 December 2008
Andrew is President of the Australian Secondary Principals Association and also President of the International Confederation of Principals, which is a worldwide federation of principals' associations.
He graduated with a BA in Education Visual Arts from Melbourne University and taught Art & Craft in a number of High Schools and Post-Primary Colleges before taking up the role of Principal at Murrayville Secondary College is 1989 and at Mt Eliza Secondary College from 1994 to 2002. Andrew taught the Graduate Diploma of Teaching Secondary Art / Craft at Monash University from 1980 to 1988, was Convenor of the Maryvale Art Foundation and participated in group and solo exhibitions throughout Victoria.
Andrew was President of the Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals from 2002 - 2006 and is a Fellow and Immediate Past President of the Australian College of Education. He is a Board member of Teaching Australia, the Asia Education Foundation and Principals Australia and a Council member of the Australian National Council for Drugs. He was involved in the National Reference Groups for the Indigenous Youth Leadership Program, Summer Schools Programme and National Review of Visual Arts Education. In 2007/2008 Andrew was involved with the Victorian Department Education in the Design of the Development Programs for Aspirant School Leaders. In 2007 he developed the Coaching of Experienced Principals Program in Victoria and the Mentor for Principals - Technical Leadership Program in 2008.
Sr Stanislaus Kennedy
- Published: 08 December 2008
Click Here to view Sister Stanislaus Kennedy's address to Conference
Sister Stanislaus Kennedy was born in the Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry and was educated in the Presentation School, Dingle, UCD and the University of Manchester. She is a Religious Sister of Charity and one of Ireland's best-known social innovators. She helped establish Kilkenny Social Services in the 1970's. In the 1970's, she also co-founded the National Federation of Youth Clubs, CARE, and the School of Education in Kilkenny. In the 1980's she founded Focus Ireland of which she is Life President. In the 1990's Sr. Stan founded and is Director of The Sanctuary. In 2001, she founded Social Innovations Ireland out of which she founded The Immigrant Council of Ireland and Young Social Innovators; she is Director and Chairperson of both organisations. Sr Stan is a Board member of the Community Foundation for Ireland. She is also a writer and some of her books include: Now is the time: A Bundle of Blessings; Gardening the Soul and Seasons of the Day and most recently Stillness through my prayers.
Sr Stanislaus has received numerous awards and tributes for her outstanding work for the marginalised in society and some of those are as follows:
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1981 'Kerry Person of the Year'
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1982 Honorary Doctorate in Laws from Trinity College Dublin
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1993 University of New York Special Honour for commitment to the disadvantaged in Ireland
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1996 The Lord Mayor of Dublin's Award
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2003 Honorary Doctorate in Laws from the National University of Ireland
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2004 Meteor Awards prestigious 'Humanitarian of the Year'
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2005 Honorary Degree of Doctor of the Open University.
Jim Spinks & Mícheál Rea
- Published: 08 December 2008
Click here to view Jim M Spinks' presentation
Click here to view Mícheál Rea's presentation
Click here to view Micheál Rea's School Resourcing Project documnet
Jim M Spinks is the Director of 'All Across the Line' educational consultancy specialising in research and development projects to identify and cost the strategies necessary to ensure success for all students in all settings irrespective of circumstance. Jim is based in Melbourne and undertakes projects across Australia and internationally.
Prior to his current appointment in 2000, Jim was a K-12 principal in Tasmania for 27 years. During this time he was a leader in the development of the concept of school self-management and undertook consultancies both nationally and internationally.
Jim is co-author with Prof Brian Caldwell of the highly successful trilogy - The Self-Managing School (1988), Leading the Self-Managing School (1992) and Beyond the Self-Managing School (1998). Their latest book, Raising the Stakes (2008) explores the required alignment between intellectual, financial, social and spiritual capital and governance to ensure success for all students in all settings irrespective of circumstance.
Micheál Rea is from a country area outside of Mitchelstown, Co.Cork with Kildorrery being his home GAA club. He graduated from Mary Immaculate College in 1995 and started his teaching career in St. Oliver Plunkett N.S. in Navan. He moved home to CBS Primary in Mitchelstown in 1998 and then moved to Scoil Mhuire Lourdes BNS in 2003. In January 2006, Micheál was appointed Principal of Walterstown N.S. in Cobh, Co Cork, a rural school of 121 pupils, 5 classroom teachers, 2 LS/RT and 2 SNAs. The school has a part time secretary and caretaker. Micheál is married to Sylvia and they have three boys aged 6, 2 and 6 months.
David McWilliams
- Published: 08 December 2008
David McWilliams is one of Ireland's most widely respected broadcasters and commentators, appearing on radio and TV as well as writing a weekly opinion column. His latest book the Generation Game has recently launched along with a three part documentary on RTE 1.
David was nominated one of the Young Economic Global Leaders 2007. This honour is bestowed each year by the World Economic Forum to recognise and acknowledge the top 250 young leaders from around the world for their professional accomplishments, their commitment to society and their potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world.
David currently writes a column for the Sunday Business Post and is author of the best selling book 'The Popes Children' - a unique and brilliant survey of Ireland today. He has a tremendous ability to chair or facilitate any event - using experience, humour and knowledge to capture any audience.
David has interviewed some of the most influential and thought-provoking characters of our age. From Henry Kissinger on America's place in the world to Mikhail Gorbachev on love and loss, Rudi Guilianni on crime and to Hillary Clinton on the "great right-wing conspiracy".
Olivia O'Leary
- Published: 08 December 2008
Olivia O'Leary has presented television and radio programmes for the last three decades for RTE, the BBC and ITV. She presents the Between Ourselves discussion programme for BBC Radio 4, and does a weekly political column for RTE Radio One's Five Seven Live. 2 collections of her columns, 'Politicians and Other Animals', and 'Party Animals' have been published by O'Brien Press. She has co-written, with Dr. Helen Burke, the authorised biography of former President Mary Robinson, published by Hodder and Stoughton.
