Science Education News (SEN) Journal 2017 Volume 66 Number 4 December 2017 | Page 4

President’s Message
Depth studies have been a new focus for many of our teachers
in their planning for the new Year-11 science syllabuses. Lots of
great ideas have surfaced as STANSW took “Diving Deep into
Depth Studies” to 23 schools around NSW. It has been a huge job
for the STANSW Office to coordinate this project to build support
Margaret Shepherd
President STANSW
for regional and rural NSW, and they deserve our gratitude.
The new Year-12 syllabus will be implemented in 2019, so next year
STANSW will provide workshops at the Subject Conferences so
all Delegates can work collaboratively to unpack and understand
their content. BEEINS will be the first Conference in 2018 and will
be held at Macquarie University on the 19th March. Get in early
so you don’t miss out on registration.
Well, the year is close to an end and we are feeling tired but
hopefully pleased, and in some cases delighted. Our students
have had another year of learning, and we have actually engaged
them in science. Some of our Year 12 students have achieved
excellent learning growth, whilst some have hung in even when
life was a bit tough for them. It is certainly a privilege to be part of
these young people’s lives at such an important part of their life!
In 2017 STANSW Member, Science teacher, and SEN contributor,
Neil Bramsen, won the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in
Science Teaching, K-6! Our own STANSW former Councillor, and
Executive member, Brett Mackay, won the Prime Minister’s Award
for Excellence in Secondary Science teaching, as well as the
Premier’s Award for Science Teaching. Ann Hanna was awarded
It is a year when STANSW sadly lost two of its finest, former
President Margaret Watts and long-term former Councillor and
tireless contributor, Peter Roberson. We will always remember
them with fondness. It was the year that the dispute between
STANSW and two of its most trusted employees was finally
decided by the Copyright Agency after 23 years, very positively
for STANSW, but with little reward after so long. A huge thank you
to George Pinniger for his tireless work sorting through years of
paperwork to come to an understanding of what occurred. Thank
you to all the other STANSW members who have worked with
George to support our side of the dispute.
an Outstanding Service award at the Professional Teachers’
Council Annual Awards night for her work on the Young Scientist
Committee over the years. All these teachers are well-deserving
of the recognition given to them by their peers.
I wish to thank the outgoing STANSW Councillors, Aaron Cook
and Olivia Belshaw, for their leadership and support during their
time on Council. We appreciate everything they have done for
NSW science teachers, and wish them well into the future. Both
are outstanding practitioners who contributed their wisdom to
many STANSW events.
Congratulations to STANSW Young Scientist team for their tireless
work. This year, the STANSW Young Scientist of the year went to
a group project by Jade Moxey and Macinley Butson. Macinley
also went on to win NSW Young Australian of the year. What an
amazing achievement! Macinley loves STEM, and will be one to
watch into the future. The STANSW YS award program gave her
an avenue to grow independently, and she ran with it – all the
way to the top! Well done to all the science teachers who have
volunteered their time over the years to help mark these student
projects. Macinley presented her first project in Year 3, so we
have been marking her work for many years, and the feedback
has worked amazingly well. Moreover, Macinley Butson, was the
first Australian to be awarded a First-Grade Grand Award in the
U.S., and has been named NSW’s Young Scientist of the Year!
For the first time, STANSW held an electronic election because
we had six nominations for four positions for STANSW Council for
2018- 2019. We were thrilled at our easy the process has been,
and by how much our costs to run the election this way have
been reduced.
In 2018 STANSW will have a new home. We are moving to new
offices in Lidcombe in order to be in close proximity to MANSW
and ETA, and to the PTC as well. We look forward to the new
opportunities that may arise once we are in this collaborative
situation.
So a great year now passes, with lots of learning, new friends,
and new challenges for us all. We will take time and be back
For your information, we are currently in discussion with NESA
about the band-6 descriptions, for physics and chemistry in
particular. We believe that our top science students should not
find it so hard to achieve a band-6 and should certainly have as
much an opportunity to achieve a band-6 as in any other subject.
Stay tuned for more information over the next year.
again next year to make a difference in the lives of thousands of
young Australians.
Look forward to seeing you in 2018.
Merry Christmas to all
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 66 NO 4