At the 2025 ACEL National Conference I was set a big challenge. Wrap up the three days of conversations and learning. Sounds easy, but there was a catch. I only had 20 slides, and 20 seconds per slide. A total of 6 minutes and 40 seconds.

Here's my presentation - if you usually listen on apple, head over to YouTube to see the video.

Dear Stardust was presented live, at the 2025 Australian Council for Educational Leaders National Conference.

To launch Dear Stardust, I read my letter to the audience in Sydney, Australia, and have stitched together the amazing threads that I have received so far.

Do you ever feel judged by your tribe?

Adam Kuss, an exceptional leader in a variety of contexts, takes us inside his view on the tribes that have shaped him, and looks towards a future in 2040 with a new tribe that brings out the very best in all young people.

Adam works in leadership development as a special advisor and a pedagogical leadership consultant. He is currently completing his PhD at the University of Queensland.

We start with Adam's letter, which is particularly relevant in grand final week, before moving onto a song titled "Sudanese" by The Bedroom Philosopher. We then talk tribes, learning, and tensional analysis before wrapping up with some paraphrasing of Homer Simpson.

In what ways is our future shaped by the hands of our past?

In this letter to Stardust, Anita Zocchi, an exceptional Principal, educator, and learner, shares how the hands of her parents and their experiences in Australia, have shaped how she guides the development of generations of young people.

Anita is the Principal of University Senior College, and she shares her belief that everyone has the capacity to learn, and to do great things, and maintains a gaze both on what is in front of her, and also at the world that is emerging.

What does it mean to chip a mark? A character?

Professor Phil Cummins, Hooke Family Professor of Practice in Educational Leadership at the University of Sydney.

Phil presents "Traces" his contribution to Dear Stardust, and leaves gorgeous marks on us with his letter and his work.

In his letter and our gorgeous conversation, we talk history, future, marks, character, and fine silk scarves.

Shout outs to:

The Cummins family - for welcoming us into their lives

Mrs Lemon - for her sheer enthusiasm and belief

Marcus Edwards - for leaving an endearing gorgeous mark on Phil’s life

Eva the school secretary - for being strong and leading with conviction to help Phil be his best

Sydney Character Initiative - for helping speak about character education with an Australian accent

Leonard Cohen - for giving us beautiful words to describe character

Geoff Richards - for lifting up Phil when he felt small in the world

David Thomas - for teaching Phil from 1982 still to today

Game Changers Podcast - for showing us the way and helping us take steps forward and up, and for shining a light on bold pioneers

Bill Gaynor from Mercedes College - for having the same impact on me through actions and deeds

Wayne Cotton - for being an all round good guy who shines a light on good teachers not just good teaching

Tim Allender and Jonathan Dallimore- for shining a light on the relationship in the classroom

Jay Leno - for suggesting that the car liberated the horse, and giving the hint that perhaps the science of learning could be used to liberate the educator

a School for tomorrow - for making marks on the landscape in Australia

Circle education - for advancing meaningful education

The University of Sydney and the Hooke Family - for their bravery in selecting and supporting Phil in his professorial debut

Eddie Woo and Scott Sleep - for being incredible colleagues and teachers

Anne McAllan - for joining Phil in introducing historiography into the NSW curriculum

Australian character education alliance, Sandra Milligan and Jim Togilini, University of Melbourne, the SACE board, and Learning Creates, Nicole Dyson, Janette Cheah (HEX) - for their work in broadening what it means to flourish

The Smith School and Lawrence Wainwright at Oxford University - for giving us meaningful education in the world of sustainability

Adriano Di Prato - for, amongst many things, challenging binary thinking

Ray Swann from Brighton Grammar School - for supporting young men to interact positively with the world

David Atkinson from Dr Challanon's Grammar school - for putting some of this work into words