Shine, March 2009, Vol. 02 - Department of Education and Early ...

Regional Network Leaders
Shine 27
Driven by a strong
moral purpose
Former Koonung Secondary College principal Rob Brookes was
more than happy to be dragged out of retirement to become the
Regional Network Leader for Whittlesea.
PHOTO BY JANINE BURROWS
Rob Brookes was principal at Koonung
Secondary College in Melbourne’s
eastern suburbs for 12 years before he
‘retired’ in January 2007. But rather than
lead a life of leisure, he turned his retirement
around to adopt a new career as Regional
Network Leader (RNL) for Whittlesea in the
Northern Metropolitan Region. “I was attracted
to the role because of its strong moral purpose
and because the work we do is challenging and
meaningful,” says Mr Brookes.
It’s a sentiment supported by Minister for
Education Bronwyn Pike, who feels that RNLs
will be the drivers for future excellence in
education in Victoria. “The Brumby Government
is committed to lifting up all schools to a standard
of excellence, so that every child has every
opportunity to suceed,” she said.
Mr Brookes says that the first six months in
the RNL role have been hectic but immensely
enjoyable. He went from overseeing one school
to working closely with a large team of RNLs
plus principals and teachers at 30 schools from
Thomastown to Whittlesea and it’s proved an
enlightening learning curve.
“As principals, we tend to focus more on our
own school community,” he says. “Networks
take a more systemic and collaborative approach.
The total focus of the RNLs is on school
improvement, raising school achievement, on
supporting teacher practice and principal
leadership. Schools are encouraged to share
data, resources and strategies with other
network members. “It reduces the competition
between schools and creates a more open
approach to teaching and to student learning.
I am very impressed with the good work that
the Whittlesea schools have achieved so far in
terms of their focus and school improvement.”
And the collaborative work Mr Brookes has
seen among RNLs is something he wants
to build on. Since commencing his new role
he has been busy developing relationships
with schools in the region, with an aim to
developing protocols for observing classroom
practice.
“The Northern Region is a fairly diverse
environment,” he says. “There are challenges –
very different to the challenges I have worked
with in the past – but they are also extremely
rewarding. We have children who are refugees,
many with English as their second language,
and literacy and numeracy are key issues.
We are monitoring student performance and
achievement because we want to close the gap for
those students.”
One strategy is the Northern Metropolitan
Region’s Achievement Improvement Zones,
which are charged with improving the literacy
and numeracy achievement levels in 55 schools in
the area by at least 15 per cent.
He would also like to see a collaborative approach
to observing practice in classrooms. “We are
hopefully developing a protocol for moving into
classrooms and watching teachers teach,” he
explains. “There is a learning focus and there
are particular aspects that we would look at,
such as the way in which teachers manage their
classrooms. It is another way of acknowledging
good teaching practice and learning from that.”
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