EChO (Early Childhood Organisation SA)

Congratulations to our 2024 EChO Award for Excellence recipient Andrew Plastow from Ngutu College for receiving the SA Citizen of the Year award for 2026!

𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 💙🤎🖤

Last night, Kamilaroi man and our Head of College, Andrew Plastow, was honoured at Government House as the Australia Day in South Australia 2026 South Australia Citizen of the Year – State Recipient, presented by a representative from Flinders University alongside Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC.

Being selected as the state winner from 68 council recipients is an extraordinary achievement and follows Andrew’s recent recognition as the 2026 City Of Charles Sturt Citizen of the Year. Ngutu College celebrated its 5 year anniversary this month.

This award reflects Andrew’s exceptional contributions to education, cultural understanding and community wellbeing. It also reinforces the value behind Andrew’s vision: to re-design education to be culturally safe and genuinely hold children at its heart. His work continues to create meaningful and lasting impact across South Australia.

We also acknowledge and congratulate the dedicated and deserving South Australian nominees who contribute so much to the wellbeing of their communities. Our state is fortunate to have such remarkable individuals driving positive change.

On behalf of the Ngutu College Board and community, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Andrew on this exceptional and truly well deserved recognition 👏🏽

✨ 𝑨𝒕 𝑵𝒈𝒖𝒕𝒖 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒆, 𝒘𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏, 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚. 𝑾𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑨𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒖𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅-𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈.

𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒖𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 👉🏽 https://ngutucollege.org.au/connect/supporting-ngutu/

Are you passionate about the first year of a child’s school learning journey? Do you want to share your experience, wisdom and advocate for continuity of learning throughout the early years of education?

Educators SA are collaborating with the Department for Education to enable opportunities for early years educators from the Dept to gather, explore the resources and share their thinking.

Three FREE engagement options, just for you – choose the timeslot that works for you! Registration links below…
Saturday 21st February, 9.30-12noon, F2F at EDC https://events.humanitix.com/thriving-in-reception-have-your-say

Wednesday 4th March, 7-8.30pm, ONLINE https://events.humanitix.com/thriving-in-reception-have-your-say-4th-march-2026-online

Thursday 5th March, 4.30-6.30pm, F2F, EDC https://events.humanitix.com/thriving-in-reception-have-your-say-5th-march-2026

Let’s lean into this amazing invitation and make sure they hear your Dept Early Childhood voices loud and clear!

Thriving in Reception – Have your say! - 5th March 2026 Register now! on Humanitix - Thriving in Reception – Have your say! - 5th March 2026 hosted by Educators SA. Education Development Centre, Education Development Centre, Education Development Centre, 4 Milner St, Hindmarsh SA 5007, Australia. Thursday 5th March 2026. Find event information.

Are you looking to connect and join a group of likeminded peers in 2026?

EChO are on the hunt for new Committee Members!

To find out more or register your interest, email us at [email protected] [link in bio]. All Committee Member appointments will occur at our AGM on Monday 23 February, book via https://events.humanitix.com/agm-twilight

We are thrilled to invite you to our opening professional learning event for 2026...

⭐️ EChO AGM Twilight ⭐️
📆Monday 23 February
⏰5pm-6.30pm
📍EDC, Hindmarsh

https://events.humanitix.com/agm-twilight 👀

Join EChO for our FREE event as we launch our 2026 year and being exploring the theme Connections that Shape Belonging, with special guest Meg Scott from Flinders Uni Child Care Centre.

Tonight we gathered at St John Bosco School, Brooklyn Park for our final Members Network of 2025. Together we explored learning in, with and from nature guided by provocations from the transformation of the schools courtyard and with Outside the Box Learning.

We look forward to continuing our free network events next year and walking alongside our EChO Members and Member Sites in 2026 🌿

We look forward to celebrating our 2025 EChO Award for Excellence recipient next month!

Congratulations Caterina, thank you for all you do 💫

Sustainability in the classroom and beyond! 🍃👀

🌿 Calling all teachers, Green Adelaide Educator's Forum is back in 2025! 🌿

Join us for a full day of inspiring talks and hands-on workshops dedicated to bringing sustainability education into schools and preschools.

🗓️ 9 October | 9am–4pm
📍 Adelaide Botanic High School
🥗 Fully catered + PD certificate included

Connect with educators, explore nature-based learning, and discover practical classroom actions from local and interstate experts.

Early Bird Tickets are on sale now!
$90 General (usually $130)
$65 Student/Low Income (usually $80)
Limited spots — don’t miss out!

👉 Get your ticket today & stay tuned for the full program. https://www.greenadelaide.sa.gov.au/get-involved/sustainable-schools/2025-sustainability-in-the-classroom-and-beyond-educators-forum

We spy some familiar faces here! 📸

🌸 Bringing colour, laughter, and good vibes to your weekend with some Saturday Smiles! 🌺
We love celebrating the amazing people in our community ✨

EChO Members check your inboxes for details and links to register for our Term 3 Members Network!

Not an EChO Member but want to join? Visit http://echo.asn.au/join or follow the link from our website.