10:00 - 10:30am

Speaker: Dean Delia, Director for Young People, The King’s Trust Australia

Future-Proofing Youth: Mastering Enterprise Skills for the Evolving Workforce

It’s pretty clear that we are entering a time of great economic, social, and environmental change. Research tells us that young people will need to develop new mindsets, skills, and capabilities to succeed in a rapidly changing world of work. The King's Trust Australia’s Director for Young People Dean Delia will share insights from their ground-breaking work which led to the Achieve framework being created and discuss how collectively, we can support the next generation to not just survive but thrive in fourth industrial revolution.

The Achieve framework is an inquiry-based framework that engages young people in learning through careers education and ‘enterprise skills’ development. In this interactive workshop you will take part in the activities we've created in co-design with young people and educators across Australia.

10:45 - 11:15am

Speaker: Jean Yates, Director of Education, Cybernetic Shield

Saving Minds, Saving Lives: What needs to be done to arrest the rate of student suicide in response to online trauma.

In the modern world students are required to have access to devices to enhance their education. Yet in doing so, we are inadvertently arming them with a potentially lethal weapon. Unlike previous generations, today’s children are regularly exposed to cyber bullying, sexting, doxing, identity theft, deep fakes, radicalisation and sextortion, without the knowledge and support to deal with them. Jean Yates, Director of Education Cybernetic Shield, will provide an insight into some of the key issues experienced by young people online, and the impact these are having on their mental health. The session will outline what you need to know, how to deal with traumatic situations and how to access the support needed to arrest the devastating harm to our children and its tragic consequences.

11:30 - 12:00pm

Speaker: Lisa Kelliher, Head of People and Culture, Be Challenged

FACED Leadership

In traditional educational paradigms, young students are delivered both implicit and explicit messages labelling them as ‘leaders’, or as ‘non- leaders’. From the moment we provide them with a title, or pin a badge to their uniform, they are categorised in these polarised ways – and very often their future mindset and behaviours reflect this categorisation to a great extent.

Designed to provide students with the skills, knowledge and confidence to embody a leadership mindset leveraging their own personal strengths and to take actions to lead in a range of contexts with confidence, the Be Challenged FACED Leadership Model guides students to the development of a strong understanding of their individual and collective strengths, as well as a knowledge of how to leverage these strengths to communicate with confidence, empathy and respect.

12:30 - 1:00pm

Speaker: Ros Lugg, Educational psychologist & Dyslexia specialist, StepsWeb

Understand the neurological aspects of literacy development - and learn to meet all the needs in your classroom

This session will cover the neuroscience behind transitioning from conscious decoding to genuine reading fluency. It will examine why some students struggle with this transition and how to utilize correct methodology and modern teaching tools to help them succeed. Participants will be introduced to an online tool which allows teachers to track a student's progress towards fluency using the Visual Word Form Area of the Brain. There will also be an opportunity to trial this tool with their own learners.

1:15 - 1:45pm

Speaker: Anthony Cavanagh, CEO, Ganbina

Ganbina: Australia’s Most Successful School-to-Work Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.

Ganbina delivers Australia’s most successful school-to-work program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, Jobs4U2. The Jobs4U2 model has been in operation since 2004 and has resulted in 88.7% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people on average completing Year 12, which is .2% higher than the national Indigenous Year 12 completion rate.

It is now available to Queensland schools.

2:45 - 3:15pm

Speakers: Dr David W Cramb, School Principal, School and Regional Reviews (SRR), Department of Education

Student engagement for the future- it's all about pedagogy!

Many people bring various perceptions about what 'future classrooms' will look like. Are they about AI, digital devices, interactive boards or more? In this presentation, David will challenge your thinking around the basic requirements to engage students now and into the future focusing on quality teaching and learning, in an inspiring, supportive classroom environment. He combines his 30+ years of educational experience and his own doctoral research findings to present a simple, evidenced-based framework encouraging teachers to reconsider what engagement really looks like in the classroom today, and beyond.

9:15 - 9:45am

Speaker: Dr Ian Hunter, Company Founder, Writer’s Toolbox

Now I can Write! How AI, Neuroscience, and the Science of Writing can Transform Student Performance

What happens when you connect Educational AI, Neuroscience, and the Science of Writing? Using the world’s largest case study on writing intervention using Educational AI, former university professor and AI patent holder Dr Ian Hunter explores the profound impact on student performance, joy, confidence, and self-belief that is possible. For any school or school leader concerned about school underperformance in writing, or low student engagement or self-belief around writing, this session is a must see. For those wanting to understand the evidence-backed impact of Educational AI in the classroom and what an effective digital journey in education might look like, this session provides compelling insights and practical applications.

10:00 - 10:30am

Speaker: Nicole Alder, Business Development Executive, Trailblazer Tours School Camps

Eco Sustainability & Wellness on School Camps

Hear from Nicole from Trailblazer Tours School Camps; “I would love to meet you and present what I am super passionate about: students learning environments and gorgeous, fantastic school camp destinations.  It is proven that school camps are a vital key of what will assist students greatly in school, learning, social skills, bonding of peers, teachers, and developing friendships that can last a lifetime.  Trailblazer Tours takes students out of their everyday comfort zone and places them into an experiential learning environment ‘Our ultimate outdoor classroom’.  We provide School Camps destinations are the most sought after in Southern Queensland all situated in World Heritage listed and well-known National Parks.

10:45 - 11:15am

Speaker: Kim Nuske, Teacher & ATAPS Facilitator, Australian Teacher Aide

Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards – A performance and professional growth framework for schools

In this session, Kim Nuske will introduce you to the Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards (ATAPS), an evidence-based framework that supports the performance and professional growth of teaching assistants in all Australian schools. ATAPS aspires to recognise and value the work of teaching assistants as integral members of teaching teams, and their significant contribution to education and the school community. The ATAPS framework defines the professional knowledge, practice, and engagement teaching assistants require to effectively support learning and teaching. The framework embeds inclusive practices, and is underpinned by research on the effective deployment, preparedness, and practice of teaching assistants to maximise student outcomes.

11:30 - 12:00pm

Speaker: James Adcock, Partnership Impact Director, Future Finances

Australia’s Financial Literacy Epidemic: How Financial Education Can Enhance Student Wellness

We will explore the impact of financial literacy on student well-being. With insights from his work at Future Finances, James will discuss how financial education not only empowers students to make informed financial choices but also builds their confidence, reduces stress, and sets them up for a healthier financial future.

12:30 - 1:00pm

Speaker: Ash Curmi, Teacher and Digital Creator, Education Queensland

Classroom success plan: actionable techniques beneath the surface

Whether you're a seasoned educator or recently graduated, this session explores an authentic approach to classroom management from experienced educator Ash Curmi. Having taught various year levels in the classroom, PE and in mentoring roles, his philosophy is to foster a supportive and safe learning environment where students embrace mistakes with a resilient mindset. Expect 'beneath the surface level' actionable techniques to help create a classroom success plan that empowers students to achieve their goals both academically and behaviourally.

2:00 - 2:30pm

Speaker: Darren Rackemann, Head of 5 – 12, Hillcrest Christian College

Not all classrooms need four walls

This session will unpack why Hillcrest Christian College established a campus for Year 9 students in the middle of a shopping centre opposite a beach. Learning has been re-imagined with students now engaged in "real" real-world learning through the support of local businesses and universities while serving and volunteering across the local community.

We believe that true leadership extends beyond personal growth, it involves giving back to the community that nurtures us. As part of the Rise Program, students engage in meaningful service projects that directly impact our local community.

Through a dynamic blend of student choice, teamwork, and real-world impact, we equip our students with the skills, mindset, and passion needed to thrive in an ever-changing world. Together, we Rise!