Organisation: Ingham State High School
Job Title: Principal
Word Limit: 2 page limit
Location: Ingham
Demonstrated leadership of a curriculum, teaching and learning environment, leading to the
achievement of quality learning outcomes for all students
While being in a Principal leadership role for many years, including at Ingham State High School as
Acting Principal for over a year, I have successfully implemented improvement practices resulting
in a clearly articulated school improvement agenda that meets the needs of the students and
community as a whole. The results of my visible instructional curriculum leadership include
increased staff (especially classified officers) participation in targeted professional development
(PD) directly related to teaching and learning, expertise within the school more widely utilised to
deliver PD, and targeted intervention and the creation of sustainable meaningful relationships
between school, regional and central support staff and other schools. All faculties delivering
curriculum guided from relevant strategic documents and relevant data now have processes to
ensure consistency in respect to curriculum delivery, assessment, monitoring and feedback. I have
promoted and maintain personal responsibility and realistic accountability for the learning
outcomes of all students and ensure that classified officers have distinct curriculum
responsibilities that are clearly known within the school. Currently, there is a general acceptance
and adoption of agreed teaching and learning practices where resistance previously existed. This
has resulted in a greater rate of reduction in gap between GSHS Indigenous and non-Indigenous
mean-scale scores for all NAPLAN strands.
Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated capacity to develop and sustain
productive relationships within and beyond the school community
As a result of my communication skills and my commitment to mutually beneficial and productive
relationships, students at risk or not achieving to their potential are linked with the appropriate
support services. Regionally and centrally-based State Schooling staff are now knowledgeable of
the local improvement agenda and are actively engaged by it to directly support and influence
local actions to ensure alignment with best practice. There is an increased school-based support
network for all members of leadership. Furthermore, the motivation of staff to investigate and
share innovative ways to better cater for all students has increased. Specialist programs for high-
performing students have been introduced. Parents of ‘challenging’ and/or disadvantaged
students are becoming more supportive of school processes and procedures. Due to my activities
in this particular area, the effective use of teaching and non-teaching staff such as Teacher Aides,
Youth Support Coordination, Guidance Officer, School Based Youth Nurse for example, is now in
the provision of curriculum delivery, targeted intervention and student support. There is also an
increased quality and frequency of school-to-parent communication (eg text service, Facebook,
website, newsletter).
Demonstrated strategic thinking and analytical skills and the ability to use those to influence the
educational agenda for state schooling
My strategic thinking and analytical skills have resulted in a clearly articulated school improvement
agenda aligned with evidence-based research, state and regional strategic directions, thus
ensuring local needs are accommodated for and a structural differentiation or academic balance in
Year 8-10 classes are based on informative data. The school’s strategic direction is to target areas
of greatest need, and/or greatest potential gain and to include external and internal professional
development that is strategically organised in response to ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ data. This has resulted
in the development of a clearly defined improvement agenda that reflects wider strategic
directions and school needs, along with the creation of distinct teams to address areas of need,
such as data, curriculum development, literacy and higher-order thinking. School-wide leadership
opportunities are no longer restricted to only those in recognised leadership positions. I have
positioned the strategic direction of the school to target these in need areas, such as specialised
intervention for U2B students, due to a recognised decrease in relative gain for students in
extension classes. By the development of a clearly defined improvement agenda and local
strategic documentation, results are reflected by an increased culture of improvement and
accountability and appropriate distributed leadership. By maintaining clearly defined roles,
responsibilities and accountabilities, including a line management, ensure that the improvement
agenda becomes systematically embedded in practice.
Demonstrated ability to manage effectively human, financial and physical resources to deliver
high quality organisational outcomes
My skills in this area are demonstrated by the introduction of an infrastructure to support the
‘Flying Start Initiative’ at GSHS, which exceeded standard allocation for the school. In cooperation
with regional facilities staff and $34,000 from P&C, two large classrooms plus a 600m² undercover
area were created, as opposed to an original option of a two-room demountable. Converting
unused physical spaces within the school resulted in the addition of collaborative and individual
learning and office spaces. By the modification of school policy the school became more
accommodating of young people, whilst simultaneously creating structures of higher supervision
and the development of a safe and supportive environment. Ancillary programs such as NAPLAN,
QCS or literacy-based programs have been integrated, and are complementary to the core
curriculum. Physical spaces and organisational culture have become further aligned to current
leadership beliefs and the improvement agenda. Ensuring that resource allocation now occurs in a
manner to best directly impact student learning in a positive manner, has resulted in the
development of focus groups that operate productively with a clear understanding of accountable
expectations.
Demonstrated capacity to develop and maintain an organisational culture based on ethical
professional and personal behaviours and corporate values
This is achieved through best practice, interpreting the national and state strategic values,
investigating areas for improvement, by engaging with students, teachers, parents and the wider
community. Additionally, by using feedback to assist in the investigation of improved reforms,
utilising informative data, leadership behaviours and enacting those reforms to positively
influence others through active involvement at the school, district, regional and state level. My
continual self-reflection and purposeful behaviour have allowed me to operate in a strategic
manner, resulting in a better learning environment for all students. My involvement in ‘Take the
Lead’ assists me in continuing to review my actions, relevant data and all operations of the school
community. At all times, I use the findings of my analysis to ensure that my future decisions and
actions, and that of the school, positively contribute to the learning of all students. Openly
conveying my passion for high-quality State School education in a respectful and professional
manner, I align my personal purpose and actions with that of the locally contextualised greater
systemic strategic direction. I encourage and support the Principal to actively engage the wider
community in discussions to address areas of need by always operating with upmost levels of
honesty, transparency, respect and intent to serve Ingham State High School. Consistently
ensuring that my attire, conduct and presentation is befitting that of a Principal, I endeavour to
remain professional at all times. I am passionately engaged in personal development in a range of
areas, openly sharing with others what I learn about motivation, leadership, systems
improvement, time management, curriculum and pedagogical development and work and life
happiness. In addition, I make a point of challenging fellow staff to become personally accountable
for the outcomes of the students and I source, negotiate and facilitate quality professional
development by overcoming logistical and financial constraints.
