01 - Department of Education and Communities - NSW Government

EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNINGcopies of Survival Handbook forFirst Time Principals. Taking on aNew School and The Time HasCome to Leave.The Survival Handbook for FirstTime Principals is a comprehensivehandbook, written by practisingprincipals to meet the identifiedneeds of ‘first-time’ principals.Taking on a New School is abooklet designed as a guide to theincoming principal and The TimeHas Come to Leave is a bookletdesigned to ensure the smoothhand-over of a school to its nextleader.The Executive Induction Programwas implemented through schoolsand district offices during 1997.This program is multi-phasedand addresses issues of leadershipand culture, conflict resolution,teamwork and supervision,clarifying and negotiating roles,legal and industrial issues and selfmanagement.In 1997, 800 newly appointedschool executives participated in theprogram which improved transitioninto their new roles.Teachers in 1997 undertook theCertificate of School Leadershipand Management Program toenhance their understanding ofcontemporary school leadershipissues.Principals and school executivesalso accessed funding for doctoralsupport, professional associationsand international programs.The Department also trialled a seriesof initiatives including:• Executive Shadowing• Communications Strategiesfor School Leaders• Aboriginal School LeadershipSeminars• Rural Exchange and• Short Term Exchange.ManagementDevelopment Programsfor Senior ExecutivesDistrict Superintendentsparticipating in the HomestayExchange Program indicated thatthe opportunity for collegialmonitoring and dialogue affordedby this interstate, home-based,professional shadowing initiativewas outstanding, possibly themost successful professionaldevelopment which they hadundertaken in their careers.A focus group evaluation of theExecutive Interchange Programdemonstrated that this programcontinues to be well received byindividual participants and hostorganisations.Private and public sectororganisations have been impressedwith the contributions made byexecutives on interchange.Development activities whichprovided opportunities fornetworking with public sectorcolleagues from other agencieswere perceived as valuableby department staff.Examples of these opportunitiesincluded the ExecutiveDevelopment Program, the PublicSector Management Course andseminars and workshops providedby the Institute of PublicAdministration Australia.This networking provided insightsinto public sector issues andincreased understanding of thepublic sector context for education.Some Comments About the Principaland School Development Program(PSDP)}The value of the PSDP to principals liesin the time for networking and workingtogether. It gives principals control overtheir professional development. In thisprogram, principals use each other’sexpertise to work on issues of importancein their own school~Larissa Treskin, Vice-PresidentNSW Secondary Principals’ Council}It was a very practical course, whichemphasised the need for the executive totake a major role in lifting the morale ofthe staff. The small things are veryimportant~.Lynne Reid, Assistant PrincipalHolbrook Public SchoolDSE Annual Report 1997 47