The Academy officially opens in Mildura

On Friday September 1, our Academy Mildura centre was officially launched at 97 Seventh St, Mildura. Our state-of-the-art facilities and learning studios are ready to welcome educators in Mildura and the Mallee region, giving local teachers and school leaders access to our suite of professional learning.

The Mildura centre gives the community the opportunity to undergo training and development in the context of their own unique regional circumstances, and without the long travel to Melbourne, which can have an immediate impact on their school and their families.

The centre was officially opened by the Hon. Natalie Hutchins MP, Minister for Education, and we were joined by special guests who welcomed us with excitement and enthusiasm. A welcome speech, delivered by Academy CEO, Dr Marcia Devlin AM iterates the importance of the centre’s presence in the region:

“Opening this beautiful facility in Mildura is another step towards supporting equitable access to high quality professional learning for teachers and school leaders in regional Victoria. Along with the Teaching Excellence Program, the Academy offers leadership programs for our government school leaders."

Craig Warn, principal of Red Cliffs East Primary School expressed his support for the local centre:

“The community relies on positive, professional and personal relationships. Working face-to-face facilitates more productive and genuine professional relationships and ongoing connections, which in turn builds collective capacity within our school system. The way genuine professional relationships are built relies on professional trust, and personal connection through face-to-face learning is vital.

By drawing on local leaders to train to facilitate some of the Academy courses will enable the leadership capacity to grow in the region. School/Regional leaders working closely with teachers from a variety of schools will assist in the goal of growing collective capacity.”

And we could not agree more. Having a physical presence in the regions brings teaching communities together and fosters a collective growth mindset, that is specific to the challenges and context of the local area and surrounds.

1. Craig Warn, principal of Red Cliffs East Primary School; Kara Taylor, teacher and TEP participant, Irymple Secondary College at the new Academy Mildura centre.

2. Dr Marcia Devlin AM, Academy CEO and the Hon. Minister Natalie Hutchins welcome guests at the Academy Mildura centre launch.

3. L-R: Emma Nikolin, Academy strategic advisor; Tracey Smith, President of Business Managers of Victoria (BMV); Dr Marcia Devlin AM, Academy CEO; Mark McLay, CEO of Country Education Project (CEP); Sandra Luitjes, Academy Mildura centre manager; Tyron Paspa, Academy director regional division; Kylie Hart, Academy Mildura participant and program support officer; Craig Warn, principal of Red Cliffs East Primary School; Kara Taylor, teacher and TEP participant, Irymple Secondary College.

Keep up to date with all of our professional learning opportunities available at Mildura here.