Rachel Dougherty

If fortunate to become QASEL Vice President, my focus will be to support the President as well as lead, connect and continuously learn to enhance our associations success so that we achieve great work for our special education sector.

I have spent my career working across many sectors including, primary settings and special education settings in both NSW and QLD. I have held leadership positions within the special education sector and the state primary sector. I value developing positive relationships and high expectations for all stakeholders and learners. I foster an inclusive culture and awareness of diversity to ensure that students with disability achieve lives of choice not chance.

I am a current QASEL Management Committee member and actively involved in supporting QASEL'S values of Leading, Linking and Learning. I am keen to continue to support this great association. I have had the honour of providing input to position papers and statements on behalf of QASEL and provided feedback for QASEL’s strategic plan. This work is powerful work and to be able to contribute on behalf of QASEL to represent the special education sector in order to influence the highest levels of government and Department of Education has been personally fulfilling.

I provide input, influence and advocacy on behalf of QASEL as well as my special school sector to other Department of Education stakeholders and working parties. These include:

• Respectful Relationships Education Advisory Group representing QASEL

• QEW Survey- Inclusive Design development for students with disabilities- I have been actively involved in the Inclusive design procurement process as a panel member for expert working groups- QASEL

• QASEL Conference planning committee member

• The Inclusive Practices Advisory Group

• The Principals Congress- Metro Region

• Principals Congress- State Schooling- Central Office

• Management committee member- Enterprise Bargaining – Teacher Aides

• Borderless Teacher Recruitment working group- state wide

QASEL and its members are key to ensuring the continued advocacy for students with disability throughout the state schooling sector in Queensland. I absolutely want to continue to value add to this important work as Vice President. My own leadership vision aligns with QASEL’S, Successful Leaders- Successful Learners. As an instructional leader it is our commitment and obligation to inspire our colleagues and stakeholders to achieve the very best possible outcomes for students with disability.

I believe the work around Leading, Linking and Learning are the lynchpins to our continued advocacy and support for all special educators throughout the state and I hope to be a part of this great work into the future.

Thank you for considering my candidacy application for QASEL Vice President.