
Assessment: What’s the Fuss All About?
ArticleBy Mary Coverdale, Executive Director at The Learner First Australia.
The COVID-19 pandemic has perhaps unwittingly created a sliding doors moment in education. One consequence has been a global awareness of the scale of educational inequality…

Goldendale School District: A Commitment to Connection
ArticleBy Ellen Perconti, Superintendent of Goldendale School District in Washington State.
The 2021-22 school year is off to a great start, and our staff and students are enjoying being back together daily for learning and growing. Our focus in…

Profile: Murgon State School
ArticleMurgon State School in Queensland, Australia partnered with The Learner First to engage students, teachers, staff, and the broader community in a community-wide journey toward deeper learning. The school adopted the lens of its “least-served…

Student Ambassadors for Contributive Learning
ArticleBy Dr. Tina Marcoionni, Director of The Learner First (TLF) Australia
In my first weeks partnering with Murgon State School in Queensland, Australia, we were working through School Capability #1—understanding your school, your learners, and…

Profile of a Principal in Liminal Times
ArticleBy Mary Coverdale, Director of The Learner First, Australia.
It’s becoming common to use the anthropological term “liminal” to describe the period of time we are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. It means the space and time between…

Time’s Up For Domestic and Family Violence
ArticleBy Kym Amor, Foundation Principal, Foxwell State Secondary College. Originally published by Queensland Association of State School Principals (QASSP).
The morning of 19 February 2020 is a day I will never forget. Sitting in my office with…

The First 125 Hours
ArticleLate January 2020 saw the final countdown to the opening of the newest State Secondary College for the Gold Coast region of Australia, Foxwell State Secondary College. It had been a nine-month journey since my appointment as principal when I…

Thanks for All You Do
ArticleBy Mary Coverdale, Director of The Learner First, Australia.
As we celebrate Anzac Day here in Australia, I pay tribute to the army of educators who have become first responders in this time of COVID-19. Their ability to adjust and adapt to…

From Mission to Practice (Part 1): Change the Game
ArticleAt first glance, it would be easy to see me as a poster child for our current education system. I have made a career of working in schools, and I am currently a principal of an elementary school in a high-performing school district considered…

Success in School vs. Success in Life: An Action Plan to Bridge the Gap
ArticleThis is the third post in a continuing series by Ellen Perconti, Superintendent of Goldendale School District in Washington State.
What is success? Over the last few months I've realized that this question is much more complex than…