Organisation: Beecroft Public School
Job Title: Principal
Location: Beecroft NSW
Demonstrated exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with students, staff and
parents
A clear and confident communicator, as a Principal I demonstrate a collaborative leadership style
with an emphasis on working together to achieve school aims. Using an open and engaging
interpersonal style, I am able to build rapport with and earn the respect of students, staff and
parents. Through application of my highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, I am
able to foster a shared sense of values and purpose in the school. This is demonstrated by:
Leading the transformation of Hunters Hill Public School (HHPS) into a vibrant and
innovative school with high levels of community support and engagement. Through a
process of extensive consultation, using strategies of openness, humour and demonstrated
active listening, my first order of business upon my appointment as Principal in 2013 was
to build a foundation of trust with students, staff and parents. Having established this trust
and opened channels of communication, I was able to begin the work of establishing the
school community’s visions for HHPS, which are “Excellence in Learning for Success in Life”
and “Creating the Future Together”. I am well placed, through this experience, to lead
staff at Beecroft Public School in effectively communicating with parents and the
community to involve them in the education and wellbeing of their child.
Heading the self-evaluation committee and school planning committee responsible for
determining targets for the HHPS's future development, culminating in the School Plan for
2015-2017. The development of this plan under my leadership was the outcome of
extensive communication and consultation with students, staff and parents about the main
priorities for development, which we determined to be Creating Academic Excellence in a
Dynamic Environment, Strengthening Individual and Collective Physical and Emotional
Wellbeing and Strengthening Community Engagement and Participation Locally and
Globally.
Pursuing the development of a shared sense of community which allowed the core values
of the school to be established. Upon my arrival at HHPS I engaged in conversations with
teachers, students and parents regarding the established values of the school and found
that most were unable to name the five values that were stated as being those of the
school. Recognising that this meant that the values were not being authentically embraced
in the school culture, I led a dialogue with the school community which led to us being able
to refine the values of the school to core values – ‘Respect and Responsibility’. Through
using my own interpersonal and communication skills to allow the school to discover its
authentic values, I led the establishment of a shared language which allows the whole
school community to communicate and relate to each other.
Facilitating ongoing conversation and communication with students, establishing a culture
in which they feel comfortable talking and sharing ideas with me. Tools I have used have
included a student suggestion box, an open door policy and regular visits to classrooms for
planned and informal conversations. Upon my arrival at HHPS I found that the students
were unable to define, when I asked, what their purpose was for being at school. Through
ongoing discussion with students where we talked about what was important to them and
what they received out of being at school, the students decided that their purpose was to
learn, to develop themselves not only academically but socially, and to enhance their
interpersonal and communicative skills. The dialogue that I opened with students which led
to this statement being formulated has enabled our students to verbalise their common
purpose and has provided teachers and parents with a consistent language to set high
expectations. My success in this area will serve me well in leading Beecroft Public School in
furthering reciprocal and respectful communication between students, staff and parents.
Through leading and guiding school dialogue and using my own interpersonal and communication
skills to facilitate effective conversation among the students, staff and parents of Beecroft Public
School, I will create the development of a strong sense of shared values and school community
spirit. I this way I will lead the school towards achievement of its strategic goal of maximising the
opportunities for members of the school community to be fully engaged in all aspects of school
life.
Demonstrated ability to lead collegially and collaboratively to inspire staff in delivering quality
pedagogy and learning across the school
With a proven record of providing staff with opportunities to continue their learning journeys
through their careers, I demonstrate my commitment to inspiring ongoing development and high
quality teaching practice. As a leader I possess an open and collegiate style in which I highly value
the knowledge, experience and opinions of my staff. This is demonstrated through:
Promoting ongoing professional learning amongst my staff. As Deputy Principal at Lindfield
East Public School (LEPS), I collaboratively instigated the Quality Teaching Rounds as part of
the Killara Schools Partnership, focusing on sharing quality teaching practices.
Demonstration lessons were delivered across Mathematics in both high school and primary
school settings. Beginning and experienced teachers worked together to identify strategies
to support and extend learning for all students between primary and secondary schools,
encouraging teachers to engage in authentic, personal professional learning. I encourage
and support staff to seek professional knowledge beyond the classroom and engage in
professional dialogue centred on students' needs, using peer coaching and mentoring
guidelines to enhance this learning.
Promoting the use of available technologies as a tool to enhance and compliment teaching
practice and student learning. At HHPS I have driven the school involvement in the 'Google
Classroom' project, which we will participate in alongside Hunters Hill High School,
Greenwich PS, Boronia Park PS and Cammeraygal High School. The project that aims to
enhance student access to content and enables teachers to adopt new pedagogy. We are
also excited by this project as it will closely align with our newly developed E-learning hub,
now used effectively to differentiate learning for students. Opportunities such as this
ensure that students under my leadership are able to engage with quality programs and
become confident future focused learners, as Beecroft Public School hopes to achieve for
its students over coming years.
Taking steps to develop individual staff members’ and the whole school’s future leadership
capacity. At HHPS and LEPS I have developed an executive mentoring program. This
enables aspiring executive to join the executive team or lead the strategic direction team
and learn firsthand about the role of a school executive. Through regular formal and
informal professional development meetings with me, the aspiring executives are then
able to address their future goals and assess where their professional learning plans need
to be developed within the leadership framework. Each staff request for development and
resources is given due consideration and I ensure that all professional learning and support
caters for their needs. Through regular meetings with formal records of progress, I support
staff to work towards the AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership)
and the BOSTES Professional Teaching Standards. Through the use of the Teacher Toolkit
and Self-Assessment Tool, staff and I are able to gain a reliable indication of their practice
and career stage against the standards.
Introducing new methods and ideas and evaluating feedback from teachers as to their
value and success. As leader of the technology team at LEPS, I led and implemented the
trial of integrating mobile technology in the classroom in 2011 and 2012. I engaged Dr
Kristy Goodwin from Every Chance to Learn to support executives and classroom teachers
in evaluating the effectiveness of tablet technology to engage and support student
learning. While I had a strong belief that this integration of technology was a worthwhile
investment, as a collaborative leader, it was important to me to hear the teachers’
opinions of the value of this program before a decision was made to continue it. In the
evaluation following the first stage of the trial, staff expressed their willingness to be
further involved in such trials by engaging Dr Goodwin as a professional mentor in 2013,
resulting in an extension of the mobile technology program. Classroom teachers reported a
higher level of student engagement and improved flexibility in the delivery and
accommodation of learning needs, and overall the exercise has increased the ability of
teachers to integrate technology confidently into teaching and learning programs. This is
one example of the experience I bring which will enable me to lead Beecroft Public School’s
students in active engagement with quality programs which set them up to be confident
future focused leaders, facilitating progress towards the school’s strategic goal of
Innovation.
As a school leader I am passionate about providing staff with the opportunity to develop and
improve their teaching practice in order to consistently deliver quality pedagogy across the school.
Through facilitating new opportunities and collaborating with staff to seek their views on the value
of new teaching tools I will provide collegial leadership and high quality learning across Beecroft
Public School. In this way I will ensure the promotion of practices which allow staff to be involved
in the decision making processes of the school.
Demonstrated ability to enhance and promote positive relationships with both the parent and
local communities
Through engaging in consultative and collaborative leadership and making it a priority to respond
to the concerns of parents and the local community, I am able to build and maintain strong
positive relationships for the benefit of the school and its students. This has been demonstrated
thought:
Repairing and strengthening parent-school and community-school relationships at HHPS
following my appointment. Upon my arrival at HHPS I was confronted with a number of
unresolved complaints about previous handling of parent complaints and a prevalent
attitude that the school was not responsive to community input. Immediately setting out
to rebuild trust and mutual understanding in these relationships, I commenced a process of
ongoing consultation and conversation with individual parents and the P&C. Making it
known that I was available for discussion and welcomed feedback, I sought information
about what it was that parents wanted their children to experience and gain while at HHPS.
From this feedback I was able to begin building the three year management plan for the
school, genuinely reflecting the concerns and priorities of parents.
• Introducing and strengthening programs that are valued by parents and enhance their
sense of connection with the school. For example, the band program is highly valued by
the community at HHPS. Under my leadership we have restructured our band program,
leading to a significant increase in the number of students involved. Instances of this
include that the strings program increased from five members to 16 members and the
training band increased from 29 to 40 students. Parents are comfortable enough and feel
valued enough under my leadership to approach me to discuss the introduction of new
programs, such as 'Girl Power' which was introduced to support the development of
communication and leadership skills in girls. HHPS parents have indicated via the Quality of
School Life survey under my recent leadership that the school is connected to its
community (95%) and that parents are encouraged to contact the school to discuss
concerns relating to their child (100%). As Principal at HHPS I have ensured that parents
have a knowledge and understanding of school processes and practices, which for Beecroft
Public School will signify progress towards its strategic goal of Innovation.
• By taking action to address issues that are noted as being of concern to parents and the
community. For example, road safety around HHPS had on several occasions been
identified by the School Council as a potential problem. To this end I pursued finding to
address road safety in the school vicinity. By securing a $2,500 grant from the NRMA in
2013) we developed units of work to promote pedestrian safety. As a result of the success
of this partnership with our community, the school gained a further grant of $10,000 in
2015 to expand the program to the wider Northern Sydney community of schools. This
sharing of resources will empower other schools to develop programs that are suitable to
their context.
• By collaborating and engaging with the community to establish a shared sense of purpose
to best promote student wellbeing. Recognising the opportunity to introduce more
relevant guiding principles to HHPS upon my appointment, I consulted the students, staff
and parents and formulated a plan for the future to shape the values, expectations and
beliefs for our school. The plan is based around our vision for the school, ‘Excellence in
Learning for Success in Life’. With the assistance of Margaret Corbett Wilkins (former
Itinerant Support Behaviour Consultant), we undertook a process of consultation with all
stakeholders which focused on understanding the purpose of student wellbeing programs.
My strategy includes ensuring that as we work towards achieving these goals, as a
community we will consistently evaluate them, and as they are achieved we will be able to
visually see our future direction.
With a demonstrated record of rebuilding and strengthening parent and community ties with my
schools, I am able to take effective action to address concerns and focus efforts on issues that
matter to them. Bringing this ability to Beecroft Public School will see me foster positive
relationships with the school’s parents and with its local community, which in turn maximises
opportunities for members of the community to be fully engaged in all aspects of school life..
Proven ability to lead continuous improvement with sound change management practice in the
current and future climate of educational change
Encompassing qualities of vison and drive for excellence, my leadership demonstrates a passion
for professional improvement and an ability to manage positive change through establishing
frameworks which support transition. In every aspect of 'Creating the Future Together', I act as a
strong advocate for our community, while promoting openness to change and building a positive
school culture which welcomes the opportunity for continuous improvement. This had been
demonstrated by:
Providing staff with the opportunity to grow and improve their professional capacity
through professional development activities. As a leader who values continuous
improvement on a personal and an organisational level, I promote the importance of
ongoing responsiveness to changing educational environments through ongoing learning.
In 2014, all HHPS teachers, School Administrative Staff and Support Learning Officers’ were
provided with professional learning opportunities, including Best Start Training and PLAN,
Leadership development, Stepping Out Program, New Syllabus Professional Learning,
Planning Days, Numeracy with Anita Chin, merit selection training, conferences, and School
Administrative Staff and School Administration Manager training opportunities. The
opportunities such as these that I ensure are provided to staff will ensure that under my
leadership, staff understand what constitutes a challenging learning environment and are
able to deliver a quality curriculum and assessment.
Communicating regularly with stakeholders to provide reassurance and information during
times of transition and change. As a 229 pilot school of the Learning Management Business
Review model, HHPS have been on a journey to improve the way we do business as a
school. Significant interruptions during the trial have made it essential that I communicate
clearly with parents and staff, ensuring that trust in me as a change leader is maintained
and support for the process does not falter.
Maintaining continuity and stability of business during the change process. During the 229
school journey, HHPS had been able to continue to deliver quality programs such the
Science Enrichment Program, Environmental Garden, E-Learning Space and City Country
Alliance (CCA). Ion pursuit of continuous improvement, staff and the community are able
to take advantage of the transition occurring around us to conduct projects that promote
academic excellence while ensuring that practices to achieve strategic targets are
unaffected.
Establishing networks and creating resources which provide support during a time of
change. To assist School Administrative Managers (SAMs) and Principals participating in the
229 school pilot, I instigated the establishment of the Northern Sydney 229 Support
Network, providing opportunities for SAMs and Principals to collaboratively support and
learn from each other. This network has been an invaluable resource for schools as we
move into the Business As Usual model. With strong recognition from DEC, we will look to
support other Principals and SAMs during this transition.
Recognising and seizing opportunities to lead continuous improvement and create
networks that support this improvement. I have been a key instigator of the innovative
Principal Professional Learning Fine Tuning Protocol, a part of the Principal Professional
Development Program which received a grant to further develop our professional skills.
This protocol allows us to discuss relevant issues each school may be facing and to offer
support and guidance in finding reasonable and practical solutions. This partnership has
cemented a relationship between Hunters Hill PS and Wentworth PS as part of the City
Country Alliance with Lindfield East, Narraweena, Beaumont Road, Buronga, Gol Gol, and
Menindee Central Schools. With our partnership, we have shared information, participated
in visits and allowed staff from the schools to teach in different contexts. This practice has
also led to students experiencing different environments and cultures and being able to
share these experiences with their peers and our community.
My capacity to effectively govern and manage changing environments provides much-needed
stability to all of the stakeholders who make up the school community in what could otherwise be
uncertain times. I am well placed through my experience to lead Beecroft Public School in a
manner which promotes engagement and collaboration. As Principal of Beecroft Public School I
would contribute not only my ability to lead and manage transitions, but also the benefit of strong
established networks which support and promote continuous improvement for myself and my
school’s staff.
High level educational leadership with the skills to lead and manage a complex public school
focused on the delivery of high quality education
With an inclusive leadership style which facilitates creation of a cohesive school environment, I
possess a proven ability to manage and lead in a way that delivers high quality educational
outcomes. With experience in providing successful leadership in a complex environment, I utilise
my highly developed management, organisational and interpersonal skills to implement an
innovative and progressive curriculum and lead staff and parents in improving outcomes for all
students. This capacity has been demonstrated by:
Recognising and responding to the diverse needs of different cohorts within the complex
school environment, and instilling the ability in my executive and teaching staff to do the
same. For example, at HHPS I have worked with the executive to address the relevance of
key programs to support Gifted and Talented students. As a team, we considered the
relevance and value of our products and practices and as a result programs such as
robotics, drama and Science Enrichment Programs have been restructured. In determining
the effectiveness of programs at HHPS, I guide my staff to ask two questions: 'Is there
quality professional learning for staff?' and 'Through what aspects of the Quality Teaching
Framework does it provide improved outcomes for students?'. In this way I assist my staff
to navigate the complexity of programming in a school with diverse needs and maintain a
focus on quality outcomes, ensuring that programs and teaching practices effectively
develop the knowledge, understanding and skill of all students..
Developing effective programs based on quantitative analysis. With a thorough knowledge
and understanding of the processes and practices which generate success and promote
school improvement, I utilise analysis of NAPLAN data to direct school priorities. At HHPS I
guided the English team to develop a scope and sequence for the NSW English syllabus for
the Australian Curriculum, with a specific focus on conceptual programming. I initiated the
engagement of Michael Murray, a former DEC curriculum advisor and current presenter for
PETAA, to present to our English team and teachers from other schools on conceptual
programming and planning for a new scope and sequence. His practical assistance and
advice has led to the refinement of our processes, placing HHPS in the forefront of
curriculum development.
Creating an environment which supports delivery of quality teaching practice. I have led
the HHPS executive team in planning quality Teacher Professional Learning, ensuring our
teachers have effective classroom pedagogy and embrace the elements of the Quality
Teaching framework. I encourage staff involvement and ownership of professional learning
to support the planned strategic direction of the school. This has led to a culture of
teachers who will try new initiatives, work collaboratively, network with colleagues, reflect
on their own practice and embrace leadership opportunities to stimulate their own
learning.
Listening to, acknowledging and responding to the concerns of staff and providing support
to ensure that high performance is maintained. At HHPS there are a number of teaching
and non-teaching staff who had been disconcerted by a high volume of staff changes,
including changes in the executive leadership, over recent years. Through hearing and
managing the concerns of my highly diverse staff group, I have been able to cultivate
feelings of support and enthusiasm for future developments arising out of the Local
Schools, Local Decisions reforms.
Through recognising and embracing the diversity and complexity of my school environment, I am
able to navigate effectively through competing demands and maintain a focus on delivery of
educational outcomes. Bringing these skills to Beecroft Public School will enable me to lead a
school which is responsive to the needs of its students and delivers quality education in an
environment which values each member of its community and inspires the pursuit of excellence..
Ability to lead and manage rigorous and inclusive whole school teaching and learning programs
With the capacity to assess performance and identify areas for improvement, I am able to
develop, lead and manage programs focused on whole-school learning outcomes. Providing
resources and support for staff, I ensure that they are equipped to deliver the programs I have
identified. This has been demonstrated by:
Developing school plans to achieve improved student growth. In 2013 I led my staff in
developing a school plan to facilitate student growth in the area of literacy, as measured
on the Literacy Continuum. I was able to communicate to my staff the importance for
growth in this area while creating an environment that supported their ability to provide
this. This was a delicate situation in which I was mindful of not making staff feel blamed for
the current unsatisfactory standard while eliciting their support of the plan for growth and
improvement. Under my leadership the English committee and relevant stage executives
have supported the school numeracy plan and data received through school wide
assessments has seen 76.3% of students meeting our growth targets in Writing and 73.1%
achieving growth targets in Spelling.
Identifying areas for whole-school improvement and developing targeted programs to elicit
this improvement. To this end, at HHPS I led the numeracy team in the evaluation of
number and mathematical skills across the school. As a result of our analysis of our
NAPLAN data, we identified a lack of student performance in numeracy. In response to this
I developed whole school Numeracy targets and used John Hattie's effect size research to
shape the delivery of our numeracy program. The plan centred on providing effective
feedback to students, teacher clarity and providing formative evaluation. This focus on
numeracy has already yielded significant improvements in NAPLAN results in the area of
numeracy, and is anticipated to continue to do so in coming years.
Leading staff in developing strategies in response to targets. At HHPS our high performance
directorate has introduced the 5P planning tool, covering Purpose, People, Process,
Practices and Products, in support of the School Excellence Framework. Following my
facilitation of collaboration between our staff, students and community, we have set new
targets ensuring that Professional Learning is a major part of the 5P planning process and
teachers (People) have ownership of their own development. I take pride in the strong
professional learning culture that is supported at HHPS. This success can be demonstrated
through two of our teachers dedicating themselves to be trainers in two major projects;
the 'Focus on Reading' initiative to improve comprehension K-6, and the 'Taking Off With
Numeracy' (TOWN) project. Both projects have the strong support of staff and parents.
Providing tools and support for staff to extend and improve their teaching practice and
develop learning programs. With the introduction of the ‘Great Teaching, Inspired
Learning' blueprint which aims to improve the quality of teaching and learning in our
schools, ensuring I ensured that all staff at HHPS are able to deliver high standards of
teaching practice is imperative. In collaboration with Greenwich PS, Gladesville PS, Lane
Cove PS and Boronia Park PS, I led collaboration on the effective implementation of the
new NSW Mathematics Curriculum via a joint Professional Learning session. The network
secured expert guidance to provide an effective professional learning plan which will
ensure staff are able to meet and extend beyond the requirements of the new syllabus.
The engaging and practical strategies learnt are currently being implemented to support
numeracy programs K-6.
Providing staff development opportunities to increase capacity to measure and report on
learning. At HHPS I lead the implementation of Consistent Teacher Judgement (CTJ)
principles focused on K-2 Reading. Staff development sessions utilising district personnel
were successfully organised to increase staff understanding of reading assessment and CTJ
principles and how they might improve reading results in Year 3. Stage groups developed a
common assessment task and rubrics to facilitate effective assessment and reporting
practices. The success of these sessions is evidenced through 65% of students in Year 3
achieving the top band in Reading in 2011 compared to 29% of the state.
As Principal I conduct ongoing assessment of my school’s performance on a wide range of
benchmarks and form a clear picture of the areas in which improved performance is possible.
This awareness is then extended to identifying the particular strategy or method which is most
likely to elicit improvement. Rather than be the sole driver of continuous improvement, I
empower the members of my school community to become creative problem solvers through
providing staff and students with the tools and confidence to develop solutions. As Principal of
Beecroft Public School I would have the capacity to improve learning outcomes for students by
guiding the vision for the school, leading a committed staff through effective curriculum
implementation and maintaining high academic standards.
High level communication and interpersonal skills with the capacity to build positive
relationships and engage all levels of the school and educational community
With a high degree of emotional intelligence and well-developed communication skills, I possess a
demonstrated record of using these capacities as a leader to manage the complexities of school
life through building and maintaining strong, positive stakeholder relationships. My ability to
engage with and relate to all levels of the school community has been demonstrated through:
Seeking and listening to the views of stakeholders in the school community. At HHPS this
has included responding to the stated desire of individual parents and the P&C that HHPS
build and promote more global and local interaction and connection in its communities.
Similarly, I have supported teachers in their promotion of school community engagement,
including two teachers who were recognised with the Honourable Joe Hockey's North
Sydney Community Awards for their contributions to the local community in 2014.
Facilitating the engagement and involvement of the P&C in school activities and
improvements. At HHPS in 2014, this included supporting the library refurbishment, our
new sustainability area, science room and adding additional air conditioning to school
facilities. P&C feedback and parental involvement in school activities are important
measures of my success in leading engagement at HHPS, reflecting Beecroft Public School’s
emphasis on these measures in relation to its strategic goal of Innovation.
Promoting and facilitating involvement of students in their own learning. At HHPS I have
led strategically led the involvement of students in planning personal learning goals,
monitoring their success and working towards developing skills which help them to
succeed at school and in their local, national and global community. Research in 2014
showed positive improvement in annual student wellbeing indicator data and a culture of
celebrations of success when students achieve their learning goals.
Leadership of a support network established to implement Learning Management and
Business Reform. This network consist of 6 primary schools, with an objective to support
SAMs and Principals to discuss strategies and to share experiences. As Finance and
Administration Northern Sydney Representative I will be able to support other Principals
when the time arises to implement this reform across the wider region. As the instigator of
this network in 2015, I will be finalising the planning process for our network which will
support School Administrative Officers as schools face changes to their administrative staff.
Utilising my ability to communicate, negotiate, collaborate and advocate effectively and
relate well to the entire school community. At HHPS I have used these skills to build
positive partnerships by implementing a cohesive and collegial team mentality amongst all
staff using the ‘Fish Philosophy’ technique to make individuals alert and active in the
workplace. This ensures that strong, visible and collaborative leadership teams are
effectively managed. I model and promote productive, professional relationships between
staff, students and the community and establish a culture of mutual respect where
individuals are recognised for their contributions to improving the school experience for
students. Conflicts amongst staff are dealt with sensitively and with procedural fairness.
This approach ensures that staff, students and parents feel valued and respected at all
times.
Leading a school culture in which students have a positive relationship with their school
and school community. 2014 surveying of HHPS students revealed that 96% of HHPS
students really like coming to school each day, 100% of students learnt to get along with
other people and they feel that they are successful students, 96% of HHPS students felt
that the work is a good preparation for their future and that the things they learn are
important to them, with 96% finding learning fun and engaging, and 92% percent of our
students are proud of themselves and do not feel worried about being at HHPS.
As a leader who establishes and nurtures strong and productive relationships, I am able to elicit
best efforts from my students and my staff, leading to high quality educational outcomes. As a
builder of networks and resources, I will as Principal of Beecroft Public School utilise my strong
established relationships and my capacity to identify opportunities for new partnerships for the
benefit of the school.
Ability to lead and manage the development and performance of staff to improve teaching and
learning
As a Principal I use my effective leadership and management capabilities to support my staff and
build their professional capacity in order to allow delivery of high quality teaching and learning
outcomes. Through incentivising strong performance and identifying opportunities for further
development, I ensure that each staff member is provide with the opportunity to perform at their
highest potential, which has been demonstrated by:
Creating leadership for the future. Through establishing processes for identifying aspiring
staff with future leadership capacity, I create a culture that recognises and promotes the
value of empowering members of the school community. At HHPS I have instigated a
system of surveying teachers to allow them to self-identify as future leadership aspirants.
For those who indicate an interest in professional development in order to prepare them
for future leadership roles, I have implemented a mentorship program which provides a
resource to allow them to develop and improve their practice and capitalise on potential
for improvement. This has resulted in a number of aspiring executives gaining promotions
through merit selection processes.
Building teams established on a culture of trust, respect, cooperation and support. I have a
demonstrated ability to develop confident and successful teams and schools where
expertise and capacity of staff for maximising achievement is fostered, encouraged and
celebrated. In my leadership I value and utilise the diverse range of skills and talents within
my teams by providing support, resources, guidance and praise to nurture growth and
success. At HHPS I support and foster initiatives that facilitate and enhance staff wellbeing,
resulting in a harmonious and caring school team.
Responding appropriately to identify shortcomings in teaching practice. With my strong
engagement with the school community, as a Principal I quickly become aware of
community opinion about the staff under my leadership. This allows me to be at the
forefront of identifying and addressing any potential concerns in an appropriate manner
before situations escalate. For example in my leadership I have been made aware of
parental dissatisfaction with the way in which one of my teaching staff communicated with
male students. Recognising a resource that I had at my disposal to address this issue, I
paired this teacher for mentoring with another teacher who was particularly noted for her
ability to relate well to, and elicit best performance from, her male students. This strategy
allowed for development and improved skills of the teacher, resulting in increased parental
satisfaction with their performance in relation to male students.
Application of effective methods to elicit performance improvement. When I identify a
need or opportunity for development in a staff member, I apply a method of pressure and
support. This means that I set standards or targets for required measurable improvements,
while at the same time providing the appropriate level of support in the form of resources,
mentoring, time, training or guidance to realistically enable these targets to be achieved. In
this way I increase the likelihood that improved teaching and learning outcomes will be
delivered. In past instances, utilising the Teacher Assessment and Review Schedule I have
identified the need for, and implemented, informal programs for teachers experiencing
difficulty. With support from the Employee Performance and Conduct unit, I delivered a
targeted support structure and ensured each staff member had a full understanding of the
process and that the goals we jointly set. This support and accompanying management
strategies have had a direct and positive influence on the students and staff, adding to the
quality and vibrancy of our teaching staff.
Through maintain an ongoing awareness of what is happening in my school community, I am able
to quickly identify both high and low standards of teaching practice and respond appropriately. At
Beecroft Public School I will use my capabilities in staff performance assessment and management
to identify and nurture high performers and provide support and guidance to those requiring
improvement, resulting in improved teaching and learning outcomes for the school.
Ability to plan systems and manage resources effectively and equitably to enhance teaching and
learning
With the proven ability to effectively allocate finite resources for most effective outcomes, I am
able to assess and prioritise competing needs and desires to determine the most appropriate use
of assets. Through effective and transparent planning and successful collaboration, I have
enhanced teaching and learning by means of effective management of resources. This has been
demonstrated by:
Managing available resources as Principal to support effective learning and teaching by
developing a clear Strategic Plan for the school. At HHPS I have achieved this within the
framework established by the DEC at the start of the trial of the new 5P planning tool in
2013. Having convened and led Annual School Report writing committees in gathering
triangulated data, measuring the achievement of targets and establishing future directions
I have formulated achievable strategies according to set milestones. Having these clear
targets enshrined in a strategic plan allows for appropriate decision-making around
allocation of resources because the outcomes which are valued by the school have been
clearly defined.
Managing human resources effectively to achieve the school’s educational goals and
priorities. As a Principal I attract, develop, retain and deploy staff appropriately and
manage their workload to achieve the vision and aims of the school. At HHPS my effective
and creative use of the staffing formulae to form classes resulted in the ability to employ
specialist Science, PE and STLA teachers. I embed EEO policies in all practices relating to
human resourcing and ensure, through adoption and enforcement of appropriate
procedures that the school is compliant with its Workplace Health and Safety obligations,
resulting in a safe environment for staff, students and parents. Demonstrating my ability to
plan and manage complex staffing allocations, at Lindfield East Public School as Deputy
Principal I effectively managed 30+ classes, while at HHPS I have managed 15 classes as
well as a large number of part-time and specialist teachers and learning support staff. I
have a proven capacity to deliver a strategic staffing arrangement that maximises staff
potential and provides all students and the community with high quality education utilising
finite resources.
Leading and successfully communicating to the school community the school’s annual and
strategic plans. Through effective communication, I have been able to maintain financial
support for Literacy, Numeracy, Learning Technologies and student welfare initiatives. In
conjunction with the Principal and parent community at LEPS, we maintained over
$200,000 funding for a range of school and P&C funded resources including computer,
sport and Support Teacher Learning Assistance (STLA) teachers and a range of specialist
programs. Securing this funding directly assisted the improvement of the school’s NAPLAN
results. My strong communication and strategic planning skills were also used effectively to
secure over $300,000 of funding for a P&C funded French, Music, Specialist PE, Support
Teachers and an Enrichment Teacher K-6 at HHPS. At the end of 2014, 95% of the HHPS'
community supported the strategy to employ an STLA teacher and 97% for an Enrichment
teacher, demonstrating my success in clearly communicating to parents the value of these
resources.
Managing capital works and maintenance to school grounds with limited disruption to
school learning and activities. As Relieving Principal at Lindfield East Public School, I
managed and coordinated maintenance and capital works in a school with restricted play
areas and a large population of 750 students. I worked with DEC management to ensure
the smooth installation of our Building the Education Revolution project and its subsequent
rectification works. At HHPS I have led the minor capital works including targeted
classroom renovations and realignment of spaces to form new classrooms in response to
growing student numbers. This work alleviated the need for demountable classrooms
which would reduce play space, demonstrating my ability to think and act strategically
about the efficient use of resources in the face of competing priorities.
My past experience has seen me successfully manage a range of human, financial, capital and
physical resources in a strategic way in the face of competing priorities. This expertise will see me
enhance teaching and learning at Beecroft Public School through the effective management and
allocation of finite resources, in accordance with its stated vision underpinning the 2015-2017
Strategic Plan..
Capacity to lead staff in implementing the Department's Aboriginal education policies and to
ensure quality outcomes for Aboriginal people
As a school leader I display a commitment to ensuring that my school community is provided with
and can demonstrate an understanding of the culture, histories and experience of Aboriginal
people. I act to develop and promote programs and activities which ensure quality outcomes for
Aboriginal people in my school community and the wider Australian community. This has been
demonstrated by:
Developing and implementing strategies to counter discrimination against Aboriginal
people and foster an understanding of Aboriginal culture. In conjunction with my fellow
Principal and the school communities, I fostered a cultural exchange between LEPS and
Menindee Central School (MCS) in 2010. MECS, located near Broken Hill, has a student
population of which 70% identify as Indigenous. In this cultural exchange LEPS students
from various cultural backgrounds toured Menindee, and performed and shared aspects of
their culture with the local community. I further worked with LEPS Senior Executive to
develop a professional learning exchange of teachers, which included the mentoring of
beginning teachers by an experienced Assistant Principal from LEPS. The transition to
Principal at HHPS expanded this model by developing a partnership with Wentworth Public
School which has 25% of students from Aboriginal heritage. This partnership has led to our
students attending the Mungo Youth Leadership Camp in 2014 with other school leaders
and teachers, with further cultural exchange activities planned for the future. This year
under the auspice of the City Country Alliance, city student leaders were immersed in
authentic learning experiences at Mungo National Park. The students were able to engage
with elders, national park rangers and participate in traditional indigenous cooking and
games.
Forming supportive partnerships which enhance the teaching practice of staff and facilitate
the sharing of knowledge. At LEPS I worked in partnership with MCS to enhance the
professional practice of our teachers through introducing video conferencing between the
staff of the two schools, focusing on the ‘8 Ways to Learn’ Aboriginal pedagogy. This video
conferencing was also used to foster connections between LEPS and MCS students in
celebration of Harmony Day, allowing students the opportunity to share personal
experiences and learn from each other. Interactions such as this have allowed the staff
under my leadership to ensure that Aboriginal perspectives are woven into all educational
programs and practices, as is the case at Beecroft Public School.
Promoting the recognition of Aboriginal custodianship of country and Aboriginal culture.
HHPS is active in its promotion of this recognition and our practices under my leadership
are seen as an example to be followed. My team and I have been asked to share our
school’s experiences and journey through the cultural exchange program with Principals’
network meetings and at Sydney University’s Aboriginal Studies Association’s conference.
As a result of the success of the cultural exchange program which I have developed, I am
currently working closely with Hunters Hill High School to replicate the program through
the development of a partnership with Coomealla High School.
Working to implement the Department's Aboriginal education policies within my school
environment. As part of the Senior Executive team and Deputy Principal at LEPS, I
implemented a deliberate and targeted approach to Aboriginal Education. As an action
team, we implemented the Aboriginal Education policy and engaged Aboriginal Education
Support Officer David Lardner to raise awareness of the policy and its requirements
amongst staff. As a result, I and two teachers were recognised with a ‘Teaching Award’ by
the DEC and Northern Sydney Aboriginal Education Consultative Group.
Through establishing the understanding of Aboriginal culture and custom as a priority in my
school leadership, I enhance the learning of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students alike. My
commitment as Principal at HHPS has mirrored that of Beecroft Public School to enhance the
knowledge and understanding of all students about Aboriginal Australia. I will bring to Beecroft
Public School the value of strong cultural exchange networks and proven experience in
facilitating quality outcomes for Aboriginal people.
