Featuring:

Hosted by Sally Webster and featuring Dr.Mark Williams OAM, Karen Robertson, Daniel Payne and Nikki Bonus

When:
29th July
6:30pm AEST


Where:
Online via Zoom — register using the form on the right

The Signals We Miss: Early Identification, Student Voice and the Science of Learning

Most schools want to support students before they reach a crisis point. The harder question is whether they have enough visibility to identify who is beginning to struggle before disengagement, distress or attendance concerns become visible.

National Check-In Week is built on a simple but important premise: prevention depends on visibility. Schools cannot respond to what they cannot see, and too often the first signs that attract attention are declining attendance, behavioural concerns, wellbeing referrals or academic underperformance. By then, many students have already been struggling for some time.

This session explores what it takes to identify students earlier by bringing together student voice, wellbeing insight and the science of learning. Hosted by Sally Webster and featuring Dr.Mark Williams OAM, Karen Robertson, Daniel Payne and Nikki Bonus, this webinar examines how schools can strengthen their ability to recognise emerging concerns before they become entrenched patterns of disengagement.

Together, the panel will explore the relationship between learning, emotion, regulation and belonging, and why these factors are often the earliest indicators of a student's capacity to engage, participate and thrive. The discussion will examine how student voice and real-time wellbeing data can help schools move beyond reactive responses, creating greater visibility into student experiences and enabling earlier, more targeted support.

As schools continue to face growing complexity around student wellbeing, engagement and attendance, there is increasing recognition that traditional indicators alone do not provide the full picture. Understanding how students are feeling, coping, connecting and learning offers an opportunity to identify risks earlier, strengthen protective factors and create conditions that support both wellbeing and achievement.

What this session will explore
  • what early identification looks like in practice
  • the connection between learning, emotion, regulation and engagement
  • why belonging is one of the strongest protective factors for student wellbeing and success
  • how student voice can provide earlier insight into emerging concerns
  • the role of real-time data in supporting prevention rather than reaction
  • what the science of learning tells us about readiness to learn and student engagement
  • how schools can identify patterns before they become attendance, behaviour or wellbeing issues
  • what it takes to move from reactive intervention to preventative support

This session is for school leaders, teachers, wellbeing teams, system leaders and decision-makers who want to strengthen early identification, improve visibility across student wellbeing and create more proactive approaches to supporting young people.

Because the most effective wellbeing strategy is recognising the signals early enough to prevent disengagement from occurring in the first place.

Register here

Nikki Bonus

CEO and Founder of Life Skills GO

Nikki Bonus is an Australian founder, educator, keynote speaker and education technology innovator who has spent more than two decades working inside Australian schools to ensure every child is seen, safe, heard, connected and capable — regardless of background, identity, postcode or circumstance.

She is the Founder and CEO of Life Skills GO, an Australian-built, AI-powered early identification, engagement, learning and school improvement platform. Life Skills GO gives schools and the support networks around them real-time visibility of what may be preventing students from attending, participating, belonging and learning — automatically surfacing the right evidence to the right person at the right time, without adding to educator workload.
The platform's purpose is clear: to connect information, reduce unnecessary burden on schools, and equip educators and decision-makers with the evidence they need to act earlier. Because earlier action changes outcomes. Belonging drives engagement. Engagement drives attendance. Attendance drives attainment.

Dr. Mark Williams OAM
Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Author of “The Connected Species”

Mark is an internationally recognised neuroscience professor with over 25 years’ experience conducting behavioural and brain imaging research focusing on our social skills and how we learn. He has received numerous awards for teaching and research, taught the fundamentals of neuroscience to everyone from kindy kids to adults, published more than 70 scientific articles, and worked at MIT (USA) and multiple universities in Australia. Mark draws on his extensive scientific background to work with schools and organisations to develop evidence-based practices using neuroscience to improve learning, productivity, innovation and mental health. Mark’s new book “The Connected Species” is a #1 Best Seller and his work has been highlighted in the media including, The New York Times, Forbes, The Economist, and New Scientist.

Karen Robertson
CEO of Life Education Australia

Karen Robertson is CEO of Life Ed Australia and Vice President of the Australian Parents Council, with more than three decades of experience in education leadership, policy and program innovation. She is a recognised voice in children’s health, wellbeing and digital safety, contributing to national policy discussions, Senate inquiries and global education networks. Karen is passionate about translating evidence into action and building partnerships that create meaningful, lasting impact for children and young people.

Sally Webster

Chief Operations, Strategy & Growth Officer at Life Skills GO

Sally Webster is a senior education, technology and policy leader, and Chief Operations, Strategy & Growth Officer at Life Skills GO. She has held senior leadership roles across the NSW Department of Education and Amazon Web Services, shaping digital learning strategy, education policy, EdTech procurement, AI in education, system transformation and cross-sector partnerships.

Known as a connector and translator between educators, technologists and policymakers, Sally brings deep experience in governance, global education advisory, crisis response and high-impact digital transformation. Through National Check-In Week, she is committed to elevating student voice and helping educators, leaders and policymakers use meaningful data to better support every child.

 

Daniel Payne

Assistant Principal Stage 3, Shortland Public School

After almost 20 years in Public Education, Daniel Payne, Assistant Principal at Shortland Public School, has been instrumental in fostering a positive and supportive school environment across various NSW public schools. At Shortland Public School, the school has embraced Life Skills GO, as a tool that has significantly reshaped their vision for student well-being and development. Life Skills GO has been incorporated seamlessly with the whole school wellbeing strategy to enhance emotional intelligence, resilience, and student voice, aligning with the school’s commitment to nurturing the whole child. This partnership has empowered both staff and students, creating a more inclusive, mindful, and well-rounded school community.

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