Transcript SHELLHARBOUR/ WOLLONGONG PPC MITTAGONG

Jim Cooper
President
NSW Primary Principals Association
The Succession Challenge – ACEL Macquarie University, July 27, 2011
The Role of the Principal according to
Australian Institute for Teaching and School
Leadership (AITSL)
 The train that’s headed our way



Leading Learner or Manager – the ideal/ the
reality
The State of Play in NSW



The role of the principal of a school in the
twenty first century is one of the most
exciting and significant undertaken by any
person in our society.
Principals help to create the future.
Principals are responsible and accountable for
the development of children and young
people so that they can become ‘successful
learners, confident creative individuals and
active informed citizens’


Principals believe in ‘the power of education
to make a difference to the lives of
individuals and to society’ now and in the
future.
Principals are the leading educational
professionals in the school. They inspire
students, staff and members of the
community to continuously enhance the
learning of all.


Principals network and collaborate with a
wide range of people to secure the best
possible learning outcomes and wellbeing of
all students.
Principals are skilled at establishing and
maintaining professional relationships and
structures.


Devolution, empowerment, autonomy . . .
Principals should be solely in charge of their
school, with the power to do as they see fit;
in the unique circumstances that arise;
determining how resources should be used;
chasing up their own staffing; setting their
priorities; determining how their schools
speaks to and relates to its community; a
school sailing on its own sea with its own
captain (Denis Fitzgerald Vice Pres. TFed)
LEADING AND MANAGING THE SCHOOL – NSW DEC Key accountabilities for Principals
The principal is accountable for:
 An annual budget and annual school financial
statement
 Plans to maximise the operation of the school
within available physical and financial resources
 Appropriate application of existing resources to
identified areas of need including school buildings
and grounds
 Financial management practices which meet
Departmental and legislative requirements
 Identifying occupational health and safety issues
 Maintaining appropriate records in accordance with
Audit requirements.
A few facts and figures:
 As of March 2011 - 36% of our Primary Principals
will
reach retirement age in the next three years
(based on 55 yrs for females and 60 yrs for males)
 As of June 30, 2010 – 52.6% of Primary Principals
are
females and (naturally) 47.4% are males

The average number of applicants for Principals
across the ten regions in 09/10 ranges from 5 to
13.

The state average number of applicants was 9.

The Professional Learning and Leadership
Development Directorate.

Individual Principals identifying aspirants and
supporting at a school level.

Regional initiatives through School Education
Directors and School Education Groups.
The Professional Learning and Leadership Development
Directorate offers a variety of key programs such as:
 Executive induction
 Executive Leadership Development
 Principal/ Deputy Principal induction
 Principal Preparation
There are also over one hundred specific skill development
programs for all school leaders. Examples include:
 Developing your leadership capabilities
 Leading change in schools
 Expert decision making
 Leading quality professional learning
1. What traits would you look for when trying to identify an
aspiring leader on your staff?
2. What role should the DEC play in identifying aspiring leaders?
3. Things are looking good, you’ve found one and you tell them
they have many of the traits you’ve just discussed.
4. What part, as their Principal, do you play next?
5. What role should the DEC play in developing their leadership
skills?
6. What’s their level of responsibility in developing their
leadership skills?
7. Should the NSWPPA have an active role in this process?
Current Leadership programs are aligned to:

NSW DEC School Leadership Framework

NSW DEC Leading and Managing the School

NSW Institute of Teachers and Professional
Teaching Standards
AITSL National Professional Standard for
Principals

Leadership programs may include such initiatives as:

attendance at courses

online learning toolkits and learning modules

shadowing

mentoring

coaching
A couple of definitions (Growth Coaching
International):
Mentoring – based on an expert – novice relationship
and the giving of advice and information by the
mentor to the mentee.
Coaching – asking the right questions and believing
that the ownership of an the solutions to the clients
goals are within the client. The successful coach has
the highly developed capacity to help the client
achieve those personal goals.
Your turn again. . .
1. Based on the definitions provided i.e. expert-novice
Who should be a mentor for an aspiring leader?
2. Is there a currency issue in a mentor/ mentee scenario
if a
retiree is used?
3. Who could be a coach?
4. Is there a place for a coach working with an aspiring
leader or is it more appropriate to work with a
Principal?
5. Is there a currency issue for a coach?
According to Dean Fink, we have a number of challenges to
address:
‘Ensuring the right person is in the right place, at the right time
and for the right reasons.’
And in the case of our ‘millennials’ . . .
‘The succession challenge is to rethink our notions of
leadership and of leadership development designed “for another
time” to invite, prepare and sustain newer generations to
assume the mantle of educational leadership.’
Today I have planted the seed . . Let’s ensure that we provide
and apply the nutrients that will guarantee a bumper crop.