Principal – Range 3

Organisation: Department of Education and Training

Job Title: Principal – Range 3

Word Limit: 500 words per criterion

Location:  Bundarra Primary School

Technical Leadership
Demonstrated capacity to effectively optimise the school’s financial, physical and human
resources through sound management practices and organisational systems and processes that
contribute to the implementation of the school’s vision and goals
As a current representative on the School Council at Bundarra and a member of the Leadership
Committee, I am familiar with the school’s management system and the general oversight of its
financial, physical and human resources. My experience in several recent and current positions has
equipped me with the necessary skills for the management aspect of the role of principal.
These include –
 Current position of Acting Principal at Dartmoor Primary School
 Member of the Leadership Team and a member of the Finance sub-committee at Bundarra
Primary School
 Student Achievement and Engagement Leader at Bundarra Primary School
 Two terms as Numeracy Coordinator, which included controlling the numeracy budget and
purchasing resources to reflect AIP goals
 Co-coordinator in implementing a Parental Engagement program (LLEN)
 Team Leader of the senior team at Bundarra Primary School
In these roles, I have been actively engaged in the implementation of the school’s vision and goals.
As a member of the Finance sub-committee, I have demonstrated the capacity to understand the
school’s financial resources and ensure their optimal utilisation.
Additionally, I am proficient in the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT), including
the Ultranet, eduSTAR programs, Excel, Publisher, PowerPoint and Quick Vic Reporting. My ICT
skills put me in an excellent position to research and implement appropriate student management
and organisational systems.
A practical example of my ability to take on the responsibilities of Principal occurred during my
current tenure as Acting Principal at Dartmoor Primary School. On arrival, I discovered that the
Annual Review was incomplete for last year, apparently due to some technical issues at the school
during Term 1. In order to compile and complete the Annual review I was required to analyse a
large amount of data, including financial reports, school performance and assessment data and
the school survey information. This information then needed comparison with the school’s Annual
Improvement Plan for 2015, with which I was unfamiliar due to not being at Dartmoor during that
year. On completion of this analysis and review along with the essential task of familiarising myself
with a school environment I had not previously worked in, I was then able to compile and submit
the Annual Review to the Department. I successfully achieved all of this within just one week.
My proven skills in organisation, time management, data analysis and resource management make
me well suited for a role that involves a significant administrative and management component.

Human Leadership
Demonstrated ability to foster a safe, purposeful and inclusive learning environment, and the
capacity to develop constructive and respectful relationships with staff, students, parents and
other stakeholders
Developing positive, respectful relationships with everyone involved in the school community has
been an essential ingredient in my success as a teacher and Team Leader. I have a demonstrated
ability to foster an inclusive and collaborative environment within the teaching group and it has
always been my focus as a classroom teacher to provide students with a positive and supportive
learning environment. Equally important is the relationship with the parents and caregivers of our
students. I make it a habit to practice active listening, so that I clearly understand communication
from others and that I am clearly understood in return.
One example of my human leadership skills has occurred in my current deployment as Acting
Principal at a local primary school. Initially, there was some feedback filtering through to me that
the parents as a group were feeling frustrated and disempowered in their children’s education. In
order to address this issue, I immediately instituted an open-door policy for both parents and
teachers. Making myself available to speak with parents and teachers when and as needed has
quickly helped to make the school feel and actually be, more collaborative. When appropriate, I
also invite parents into the staff room to sit and talk. While not always convenient to myself, this
policy has been necessary to overcome any residual negativity and has resulted in a much more
positive and welcoming environment.
As a Senior Team Leader at Bundarra Primary School, I am part of the Leadership Committee. In
this role I work closely with both the Middle and Senior Teams, working together to map
curriculum for the school. Working as a team, we have been able to develop and implement
effective programs. Additionally, I have worked and continue to work closely with the graduate
and less experienced teachers within the school, mentoring and assisting them to improve their
teaching strategies and learn new skills.
My emphasis is always on building positive relationships and one way I have done this is through
implementation of the You Can Do It! program. This program aims at a collective effort to optimise
the social, emotional, and academic outcomes of all young people by identifying the social and
emotional capabilities that all young people need to acquire in order to be successful in school and
in life. This program has contributed significantly to student wellbeing and I am passionate about
implementing innovative and creative programs that help our students reach their potential in
every respect.

Educational Leadership
Demonstrated capacity to lead, manage and monitor the school improvement process through a
current and critical understanding of the learning process and its implications for enhancing
high-quality teaching and learning in every classroom in the school
My focus as an educator is on effective learning. I am dedicated to meeting the individual learning
needs of all my students. My varied experience from early childhood to the senior years has
allowed me to develop my teaching and learning skills and in turn, has allowed me to facilitate the
effective learning of students, regardless of their ability. Always, my teaching is aimed at
motivating, engaging, challenging and extending the students’ learning.
My capacity to lead, manage and monitor the school improvement process is evidenced by the
Progressive Achievement Tests in Mathematics (PAT Maths) project I led at Bundarra Primary
School. It was apparent that teachers were administering the test, but the results were not then
informing their teaching in any way. I developed a comprehensive spreadsheet to map and
analyse the data, colour code the results and highlight minimum standards. While some teachers
were sceptical at first, once shown the results and the clear analysis, they could see how the data
could then be used to develop learning activities that would best fit student needs. Once staff
understood the purpose of the test and the results achievable from informing their teaching
strategies accordingly, this new approach was embraced. The improvement in the school’s results
led to requests that I present the information to other local schools. This resulted in the
development of a workshop to explain the process and implementation of the program, which I
went on to present in the local area.
In 2015, as Team Leader I also introduced Reciprocal Teaching methods to the senior school staff.
This involved discussion as a group of the potential benefits and then my modelling a reciprocal
reading lesson in the classroom while other teachers observed. That teacher would then conduct a
reciprocal reading lesson in his or her own classroom while I observed and provided feedback.
As a Senior Team Leader, I have been assisting the Vice Principal in the ongoing development of a
Guaranteed and Viable curriculum. In my classroom teaching, it is my practice to use learning
intentions with my students, helping them to focus on the purpose of the activity. Other strategies
include having clear and explicit teaching based on Hattie’s Big 4 and Visible Learning principles.
Additionally, I model best practice lessons for graduate teachers to assist them in their teaching
development.
As is demonstrated by the above examples, I am passionate about continually seeking best
practice teaching strategies and collaboratively introducing them into the school to improve
learning outcomes.

Symbolic Leadership
Demonstrated capacity to model important values and behaviours to the school and
community, including a commitment to creating and sustaining effective professional learning
communities within the school, and across all levels of the system
It is a strong belief of mine that learning is a lifelong event and it never stops. The world is
changing more rapidly than ever, as is our way of life and our way of seeing the world. Technology
advances more rapidly with every passing year and the children of today need to have teachers
with the ability to teach them the skills they need for success in in this technological environment.
Ongoing professional development is essential and the key to creating and maintaining teaching
practices and curriculum that can achieve this goal, while at the same time keeping pace with
current teaching initiatives, research and trends.
Commitment to ongoing professional development is something I have always modelled in my
own teaching career, taking advantage of every opportunity to learn and develop as a teacher. For
example, in 2012 I completed four days of professional development and became a qualified
Extending Mathematics Understanding (EMU) teacher. Along with another teacher, I have
coordinated a Parental Engagement program (LLEN) which involved professional development and
investigating, designing and implementing an action plan with measurable goals and outcomes. In
my Literacy program, I have implemented a number of teaching strategies, including independent
reading, guided reading, reciprocal reading, shared and guided writing, gradual release and
spelling activities. Additionally, I make it a practice to seek feedback and observe other teachers in
the classroom to inform my own teaching skills. I believe it is essential to actively model
behaviours and values that you want or expect in others.
My classroom is a friendly, stimulating, caring and safe environment where learning is a positive
and engaging experience. I aim to promote values such as resilience and independence through
investigations and programs such as the You Can Do It! program. Implemented into my teaching
strategy is the development of children’s social and emotional skills, focusing on creating an
inclusive and family-like environment with my students, where they support and care for one
another, working towards each other’s best interests and goals. This philosophy is one I would
bring to the school as Principal.
As someone who genuinely wants the best for students, teachers, parents and other stakeholders,
I am acutely aware of the importance of treating each individual with respect and understanding.
My aim is to consistently demonstrate a cheerful, mature and caring approach when dealing with
others.

Cultural Leadership
An understanding of the characteristics of Effective Schools and a demonstrated capacity to lead
the school community in promoting a vision of the future, underpinned by common purposes
and values that will secure the commitment and alignment of stakeholders to realise the
potential of all students
My work with numeracy data analysis to effect teaching improvements in the classroom clearly
demonstrates my commitment to accountability and a focus on teaching and learning in the
school. Working with PAT Maths data, I have been instrumental in focusing teachers’ efforts on
areas that required improvement and adoption of different teaching strategies. Using this data,
we have also successfully identified at-risk students and developed individualised learning plans
for these students to assist in their learning and improve educational outcomes.
Within my own classroom, and across the Senior Team, I have high expectations of all learners and
am able to identify specific learning needs of individual students, catering to their learning styles.
An example of this was a student who came into my class with severe behavioural problems. By
developing a relationship with the child, creating a safe place for him to learn and setting clear
expectations for his behaviour and learning, he progressed significantly over the two years I taught
him in Grades 4 and 5. He discovered that he could learn and progressed to graduate from Grade
6, which at the commencement of Grade 4, had been seen as very unlikely.
As a co-coordinator of a significant Parent Engagement program (LLEN) undertaken within the
school, I am very aware of the importance of creating a positive learning community. Parent and
community engagement is essential to enhancing the learning environment of a successful school.
While Team Leader at Bundarra Primary School and Acting Principal at Dartmoor Primary School, I
have seen that providing professional leadership and articulating a clear vision and goals for the
school is vital in ensuring that progress is made and then maintained, toward improved teaching
outcomes. I have a demonstrated ability to provide educational leadership within the school and
broader community.
My curriculum and lesson planning within the classroom and in the senior team considers
AusVELS, student needs, explicit teaching, quality tasks and quality feedback. By encouraging
students to take responsibility for their learning and by providing clear goals for them to assess
their progress, I believe we are creating well-informed, independent thinkers of tomorrow.
Creating a positive classroom environment, which promotes respect, values individuality, sets high
expectations, and develops independent lifelong learners, is a matter of pride for me. I build
valuable relationships with students by learning about their interests and unique qualities, as well
as sharing myself with them. This giving and earning of respect coupled with maintaining a caring
and professional relationship with students, parents and staff alike, results in a stimulating and
secure learning environment.
Having a demonstrated capacity to lead the school community and in understanding these
characteristics of Effective Schools will result in my being able to carry on the school motto of
Learning Today for Life Tomorrow for our students at Bundarra Primary School.

Community Criterion
Demonstrate your ability to work with students, parents, staff and the wider community to
build strong partnerships, enhancing the learning environment and continuing to project the
school in a positive light
The school values of Respect, Teamwork and Support apply equally to students, parents, staff and
the wider community and are vital to building strong relationships that promote a supportive
educational environment.
As co-coordinator of a Parent Engagement program (LLEN) at Bundarra Primary School, I was
instrumental in planning and organising a number of initiatives aimed at improving relationships
with parents and caregivers. This was necessary due to the lack of engagement from parents,
which was mostly attributable to the school’s demographic. We felt the issue needed addressing
in new and innovative ways. This program involved an application for funding, student and parent
surveys, developing an action plan with measurable outcomes, presentation of findings and
implementation of the activities. Some of the methods used in the implementation of the program
included –

 Improved reporting practices
 Special sub-school events
 Information evenings
 Working bees
 Social events
 Newsletters

At information evenings, we held a BBQ and had supervised playtime for children in the gym and
playground so that parents could relax and communicate with the teachers in a caring and
supportive environment. The resulting improvement in parent engagement was beneficial to both
the school and to student learning outcomes.
Showing respect for parents and their concerns is a high priority at all times. As Acting Principal at
Dartmoor Primary School, I have made it a practice to have an open-door policy for parents who
wish to speak with me. This accessibility has contributed significantly toward an improved
atmosphere at the school, where there had previously been a sense of frustration.
As a teacher and Team Leader, I have been working towards the implementation of Restorative
Practices within the Senior Grades. Ensuring that conflict is resolved fairly and consistently is
essential. Building, repairing and maintaining healthy relationships with the students, even when
discipline has been necessary, is a focus for the school and myself in 2016 and one I am committed
to implementing as fully as possible.
Working collaboratively with my team to deliver quality literacy and numeracy outcomes is a high
priority for me. As a dedicated and hard-working school team member, I enjoy working with a
strong team, creating and sharing strategies for student learning and academic advancement.
Openness and a willingness to share ideas and resources and provide support for colleagues at all
times, is my hallmark.