Overview

The focus of this conference is on the wellbeing of teachers and students with a goal to developing and updating school wellbeing programs.

We know that not only do confident and resilient children with a capacity for emotional intelligence perform better academically, but these skills can also contribute to their ability to create strong social bonds and supportive communities, and to maintain healthy relationships and responsible lifestyles.

Teacher burnout is a major concern for all schools and so we need to develop strategies and plans to support our teachers to put themselves first to ensure they are able to lead a healthy, fulfilled life balance. Before, during and after the pandemic more and more people need support for their mental health and wellbeing. This is an important theme that will grow and evolve each year.

This conference targets those in leadership positions, principals, deputy principals, executive, heads of department, counsellors and a range of supporting positions. This conference will provide delegates with common sense approaches to significantly improve their own wellbeing and mental health.

Target Audience

Those in leadership roles, wellbeing coordinators, learning support, welfare coordinators and classroom teachers.

Tickets

Choose from one or two day ticket options. Tickets include arrival tea/coffee, morning tea, buffet lunch and a Certificate of Attendance (mapped to APST).

Speakers: Peter Johnstone, Manager, Principal Hotline & Conflict Resolution, Department of Education Queensland

Enhancing school wellbeing through better conflict management

The Australian Principal Health and Wellbeing Survey continues to investigate the factors impacting upon the wellbeing of school leaders across Australia. One of the factors that has been identified through this research has been the concerning impact of school-based conflict. Differences of opinion with parents sometimes escalate to create conflicts that impact significantly on the health and wellbeing of school leaders and other school staff. In this presentation, Peter will speak to the department’s systems developed to support school leaders to navigate conflict as effectively as possible. Peter will be joined by experienced Principal and School Supervisor Brett Shackleton who will speak of his own experience of school mediation and the positive results achieved for himself, his staff, parents and student through mediation. He will also speak to his learnings from the mediation process at a personal and professional level.

Speaker: Victoria Psaltis, Support Unit Coordinator, Guided Growth Coaching

Overwhelm to Empowerment: Practical Strategies for Educators

In this engaging workshop, we’ll dive into the three main reasons teachers often experience overwhelm and explore effective strategies to transform overwhelm into empowerment:

1. Uncertainty: Many teachers struggle with unclear goals and lack of direction, forgetting their WHY. I’ll introduce the 3 Most Important Questions (3MIQs) framework, a tool that helps educators clarify their end goals and focus on what truly matters.

2. Too Many Options: When educators are faced with endless to-do lists, it becomes difficult to prioritise. We’ll work through simple systems and frameworks that allow teachers to brain dump everything on their plate, then systematically decipher what’s urgent and important.

3. Lack of Information: Overwhelm often stems from not knowing where to start or how to move forward. In this session, I’ll discuss the power of self-education and habit stacking. I’ll provide frameworks that will help teachers create a manageable 6-month plan for continuous improvement towards a goal or result, reducing the anxiety caused by information gaps.

By the end of this workshop, teachers will walk away with clear, practical strategies to manage overwhelm and increase their professional and personal effectiveness. All handouts will be provided. 

Speaker: Dr Susan McLaine, Director, Bibliotherapy Australia

A creative way to wellbeing

There is a pressing need for support for the wellbeing of our young people and adults in our school populations. It's time to shift our focus and adopt new strategies for stress management, such as connecting with ourselves rather than distracting ourselves. Many seek a deeper connection with themselves and others and a sense of belonging, acceptance, meaning, and purpose. A wellbeing program that integrates stories, drawing from resiliency neuroscience and spirituality, can provide a practical and effective solution, supporting K-12 students and teachers.

Speaker: Maree Comerford, Program Leader Staff Development, and Brendon Willocks, Deputy Principal, St Joseph's College Toowoomba

Empowering Educators: Strategic Approaches to Enhancing Teacher Wellbeing and Retention

The challenges facing the teacher workforce are intensifying, with factors such as workload, recognition, and classroom conditions impacting teacher wellbeing and, consequently, retention within the profession. To address these issues, St Joseph’s College Toowoomba has implemented strategic Staff Development and Engagement Plans over the past two years. Our plans are developed through a consultative community approach and focus on our staff’s professional wellbeing, guided by our three pillars: “You Belong Here, You Are Valued Here, You Can Succeed Here”. Our presentation aims to share our Development and Engagement Plans, our learnings, and our experiences with overcoming challenges to assist other schools in proactively addressing the issues facing the profession and supporting teacher wellbeing.

Speaker: Mariam Zeitouneh Bernard, Deputy Principal, Unity Grammar

Holistic wellbeing - educators, learners and the community

We will look at avenues at communicating wellbeing issues across the whole school from the educators, students to the whole community. The concept is to identify a common language that is utilised across the whole school community to ensure understanding and implementation of wellbeing practices. Using tools to mirror communication methods across all three stakeholders allows for a developed and increasingly understanding whole school community. The takeaways will be tools that teachers can utilise to effectively communicate wellbeing matters.

Speaker: Andrew Oberthur, Principal, St Columba’s Wilston

Strategies for educator well-being in the real world

Participants will hear about practical strategies to manage their workload, as teachers and leaders in schools. The session will give practical suggestions, within the context of the demands of the teaching profession and within the new Rite to Disconnect Legislation. Hence this session will be grounded in the real world.

Speaker: Janet Schneider, Head of Languages & Lucy Gray, Head Of Junior English And Humanities & Michelle Scott, Experienced Senior Teacher of Languages, Brisbane State High School

Unlocking Student Communication: The Key to Teacher Wellbeing

This session is focused on enhancing students' speaking skills while recognising the strong link between teacher wellbeing and student wellbeing, particularly as anxiety around communication continues to rise. As teachers experience higher levels of stress, it’s important to support their ability to guide students in managing their own anxieties, particularly in the context of verbal expression and engagement.

As communication is key in both academic success and personal development, this session will provide educators with practical tools to help students thrive in speaking activities across the curriculum. By prioritising teacher wellbeing and strategic lesson planning, we create a space where both teachers and students can manage anxiety, engage effectively, and develop stronger speaking abilities for the future.

Speaker: Andrew Murray, former Principal, Lumina Consulting

Who Cares for the Carers?

This workshop isn't just about understanding your own well being and burnout; it's about transforming your approach to teaching to create a thriving, sustainable environment. Those that attend will walk away with actionable strategies and tools.

• Reconsider key behaviours including, saying 'yes' to everything

• Identify and Address Burnout Factors

• Address workload and workplace culture including work ethic, alignment of values, recovery and the ability to switch off.

• Focus on Personal Recovery: Emphasise the importance of personal recovery and where your organisational responsibility lies. Focus on your own well-being and recovery.

Speaker: Jaron Winter, Head of Year: Senior, St Hilda’s School

Future-Proofing Student Wellbeing: Harnessing Digital Innovations to help students thrive

Drawing on findings from his recent research project, Jaron will explore how emerging technologies—such as AI chatbots, wellbeing surveys, and closed social media platforms—can transform student support systems. His work highlights the potential for these tools to enhance mental health support, facilitate open communication, and promote a stronger, more connected school community. Jaron’s insights will offer practical strategies for integrating digital solutions into school wellbeing programs, ensuring they remain relevant and impactful for years to come.

Speaker: Leah Grant, Artist and Educator, SA

Creative Wellbeing

Let’s explore three keys to creating a thriving creative education space. How to find room for play, experimentation, mistakes, refinement, and problems solving with the most engaging mediums, clay and aerosol. Why it's essential to provide our students with this opportunity and how we as educators can also create a healthy wellbeing when engaging in the Arts.