Over the past few month prompted by the news that our assistant principal was successfully appointed as principal to another school I have been working on a revised workforce plan. This plan is quite complex and covers role allocation, possible leadership models with financial models that identify risk areas and sustainability and the development of a competency framework for assistant principals, leading teachers and experienced teachers in leadership positions.
The plan has a consultative phase with the staff, is shared at school council for policy advice and finally enacted. I am fortunate to have a parent with extensive experience in this human resources area acting as a consultant during the process.
We are still in the consultative phase posed around the question of “What does support look like for classroom teachers?”
Its a great question to pose for it goes to the heart of some fundamental issues when you have some competing resource type decisions like:
- Is the best support for class teachers the lowest class size possible?
- Is the best support for class teacher a combination of time release and class size?
- Does support for class teachers vary depending upon the level and experience of the class teacher?
- Should support include a range of factors [all of the above] as well as coaching in classrooms?
- What support structures do you need to drive improvement and sustain some current practices that gain excellent results?
We on the consultative committee are currently reading an article on leadership support and drawing mind maps of the current support structures and trying to come to a shared view of this issue so that we can better shape the competencies needed for leadership positions,
Its a complex task but its the questions we ask at this stage that are important. So if you have nay more just reply and add them to our list?
