Khalil Khay. From classroom to executive to system advocate, Khalil’s story spans three decades of transformation in NSW public education. He’s currently Principal-in-Residence K–12 in the School Excellence Directorate, previously championed curriculum reform, steered the ConnectED conference for 17 years, and been named to the Educator Hot List in four of the last eight years running. As we close Season 3 and our final episode for 2025, the NSWPPA Educational Leadership Podcast concludes wit...
HALT Reimagined: How NSW Schools Are Recognising Excellence Through the HALT Talent Pipeline In this episode of Professional Learnings for Leaders in Education, host Drew Janetzki speaks with Krystal Bevin, Coordinator of the HALT Talent Pipeline at the NSW Department of Education. Together, they explore how the Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) accreditation process has been completely redesigned, making recognition more accessible, achievable, and aligned to real classroom practi...
What happens when educational leaders face back-to-back crises? How do they support traumatised communities while managing their own wellbeing? Leadership coach Annette Gray takes us deep into these questions, drawing from her powerful work with school principals following the devastating Black Summer bushfires. The principals Annette coached were carrying an extraordinary burden—not just rebuilding physically destroyed schools, but becoming the emotional anchors for entire communities. "The...
In this episode of the NSWPPA Professional Learnings: Leading with Data series, host Drew Janetzki reconnects with psychologist and author Michael Hawton, Director of Parentshop, to explore the evolution of The Anxiety Project. Together they unpack how this whole-school initiative—now reaching more than 113 schools and 47,000 students—is transforming the way teachers, parents and children understand and respond to anxiety. Michael explains why resilience is learned through challenge, not avoi...
A single year to turn around a struggling school. A principal willing to listen, let go, and lead with courage. That’s the spark behind Muriel Summers’ journey at A.B. Combs Elementary: The birthplace of a movement that made student leadership the heartbeat of school culture and the Seven Habits a living language for kids, teachers, and families. We sit down with Muriel to unpack how a community-defined vision—what should our ideal school look, sound, and feel like?—became a focused plan wit...
What if we reimagined education from the ground up? Dr Jason McGrath, recently returned from the OECD in Paris, takes us on a fascinating journey through global education systems that are planning decades ahead while others remain trapped in short-term thinking. The conversation delves into how countries like Wales, Malta, and Finland are transforming education through long-term visioning—creating 20-year workforce strategies and "foresight sandpits" where stakeholders can test innovative id...
The Clarity Learning Suite team introduces their newest initiative, the Clarity Essential Suite, designed to distill powerful professional learning into 12 flexible hours to support school improvement across New South Wales. • Three core components: explicit leading, explicit teaching, and explicit learning • Designed for 55-minute sessions, aligning with NSW Department of Education guidelines • Complete flexibility for schools to implement according to their specific context and needs • Bas...
What does true educational leadership look like when equity remains at its heart for over 40 years? Lila Malarczyk OAM offers a masterclass in purposeful leadership that transforms lives and systems. Growing up in western Sydney from a low socioeconomic background, Lila experienced firsthand how education could open doors—and how prejudice could try to close them. A defining moment came when, as a 17-year-old scholarship student, she confronted blatant discrimination from a university admini...
Anxiety levels among students are skyrocketing, dramatically affecting their ability to tackle challenges and participate fully in school life. Project Lead Rob Walker (Evans River K-12 School) and Trish Peters (Kincumber PS) member of the project leadership team join us to share remarkable findings from The Anxiety Project, a groundbreaking initiative now implemented in 129 schools across Australia, reaching nearly 47,000 students. The project emerged from a critical observation: desp...
Navigating school sports policy doesn't have to be overwhelming. The final episode of our four-part series with the NSW Department of Education School Sports Unit reveals the practical solutions and expert guidance available to school leaders across the state. Meet Lucette King, a Sport Policy Advisor with an impressive 30-year tenure in the School Sports Unit. Her extensive experience has positioned her as a crucial resource for principals seeking to untangle complex policy requirements whi...
The connection between physical activity and brain development isn't just anecdotal—it's backed by compelling scientific research that should revolutionize how we think about sport in schools. When students exercise, their brains produce more BDNF enzyme, which supports memory formation, reduces anxiety, and significantly enhances learning capacity. One study showed students who participated in high-intensity fitness before tutoring improved their test scores by over 20%, compared to just 3.8...
Physical activity isn't just about fitness—it's a powerful tool for learning, inclusion, and creating positive school environments. This compelling episode takes listeners behind the scenes with the NSW Department of Education Sports Unit, revealing innovative approaches that benefit every student. Anthony Moyes opens with a passionate explanation of how the Sports Unit supports students with disabilities through four key programs. Despite one in five students having some form of disability,...
The vital connection between educational leadership and physical activity takes center stage in this compelling conversation with the NSW Department of Education's School Sports Unit. As school leaders navigate competing priorities, understanding the wealth of support available through structured sporting pathways becomes essential for student wellbeing and academic success. Andrew Hooper, who bridges the Primary Principals Association and Primary School Sports Association, reveals how these...
What happens when you gather a group of educators in a room and call them a "team"? Usually, not much. Despite our best intentions, many school leadership teams waste countless hours in meetings without achieving their potential impact - because simply assigning people to work together doesn't make them a team. Rob Stones, with over 35 years of educational leadership experience including 22 years as a principal, shares his transformative approach to building genuine teams in schools through ...
Ever feel like your day is a constant battle to stay ahead of emails, messages, and urgent tasks? You're definitely not alone. In this candid conversation with Robby Stuart, National Learning and Development Manager at Priority Management Australia, we uncover powerful strategies that can transform how educational leaders manage their time, technology, and teams. Robby reveals the game-changing "Four Ds" framework that can revolutionise your decision-making process when facing the daily delug...
What happens when schools go beyond academic instruction to develop the whole child as a leader? In this podcast, Sean Covey, New York Times bestselling author and President of Franklin Covey Education, reveals the remarkable transformation occurring in thousands of schools worldwide through the Leader in Me program. The journey began unexpectedly when an elementary school principal on the verge of losing her job discovered Stephen Covey's Seven Habits framework. Within three years, he...
What if dreaded "difficult conversations" could transform into your most powerful leadership tool? In this enlightening episode, Rob Stones shares his expertise on performance and coaching conversations, revealing how the right approach can dramatically enhance staff engagement and effectiveness. Rob challenges the traditional view of performance management by introducing a framework where every conversation—whether addressing behavior outside acceptable boundaries, providing feedback, or co...
Discover the incredible journey of Michael Burgess, the newly elected President of the New South Wales Primary Principals Association, as he shares his unique path from a childhood rooted in curiosity and learning to becoming a leading figure in education. Michael opens up about the pivotal influences that shaped his career, from early technological exposure to the powerful encouragement of mentors who saw his potential. Listen as he reveals how these experiences solidified his belief in the ...
Uncover the secrets to transforming your educational environment with insights from the incredible Dr. Lyn Sharratt, Sue Walsh, and Maggie Orgham. This episode of the Professional Learnings podcast offers a treasure trove of strategies for implementing and sustaining the Clarity Learning Suite (CLS). We begin with an exploration of the CLS implementation and sustaining guide, revealing how it aligns with New South Wales' educational standards and the vital steps of the pre-implementation phas...
What if the key to unlocking meaningful connections and fostering psychological safety lies in the power of vulnerability and authentic conversations? Join us as we explore this with Mitch Wallis, a distinguished mental health advocate and the visionary behind Heart On My Sleeve. Mitch opens up about his personal battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety, sharing how he transformed his silence into a source of strength and hope for others. Through his groundbreaking book "Real Con...