Job Description and Person Specification Position Title: Principal Position Classification: Salary as negotiated with the Immanuel Primary School Council Tenure: Refer to Application Guidelines JOB DESCRIPTION 1. Summary of the broad purpose of the role of Principal, in relation to Immanuel Primary School s goals. The position involves providing spiritual, educational, operational, industrial and financial leadership within the Primary School. This comprises two key roles; Spiritual Leader and Chief Executive Officer. The Principal is the Spiritual Leader of the Primary School who; is an active communicant member of the Lutheran Church of Australia will maintain the specific Christian character of the Primary School, ensuring that both the formal and informal programs and activities of the Primary School and all relationships are informed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in harmony with the confessions of the Lutheran Church demonstrates spiritual courage in the face of complexity and is a respected source of Christian counsel and wisdom clearly articulates personal faith to the Primary School community and models their own life on that of Christ leads devotions, shows a love and knowledge of scripture and demonstrates an ongoing commitment to personal Christian learning creates effective relationships with local churches and Lutheran congregations leads in creating opportunities for students and staff to grow in faith and ensures that the teaching of the Christian faith is part of the formal Primary School curriculum ensures that Christian values are embedded in teaching and the daily interactions in the school is committed to the principles of Lutheran education and in particular, to the spiritual, physical, emotional and intellectual welfare of young people 1
The Principal, as Chief Executive Officer of the Council, is responsible for; the implementation of the Primary School s aims and purposes providing educational, operational, industrial and financial leadership in the Primary School leading a team of people, in both teaching and non-teaching roles, to work together to serve the Primary School s community by providing quality learning experiences for its students ensuring that the Primary School offers a quality International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) which is professionally delivered to enable all students to maximise their own individual learning attainment attending all meetings of the Council and where practical, committees and organisations connected with the Primary School, as well as appropriate Church and professional committees 2. Reporting and working relationships The Principal will be directly accountable to the Primary School Council, ensuring that recommendations, decisions and policies made by Council are implemented, while being; a professional educator, teacher and administrator who will demonstrate commitment to, and be responsible for implementing the policies of the Lutheran Church responsible for meeting the systemic requirements of Lutheran Education SA, NT and WA (LESNW) responsible for the conduct, management and discipline of the Primary School and the general supervision of all school activities responsible for development of educational policy responsible for the implementation of all Council decisions relating to the management program of the Primary School an advisor to the Council with regular recommendations on educational trends, and the physical and spiritual needs of the Primary School responsible for meeting the government regulations as required by the SA School Registration Board 3. Special conditions The Principal is employed under the conditions of a contract that will be negotiated with the successful applicant. 4. Extent of authority The Principal is responsible for all matters related to the Primary School under the oversight of the School Council. 5. Statement of key outcomes and associated activities The role of Principal encompasses activities in the following vocational practices as described in the Leadership and Formation Framework Growing Deep. 2
The five key outcomes are: 5.1 Strengthening Lutheran identity 5.2 Excellence in teaching and learning 5.3 Ongoing improvement and innovation 5.4 Community building 5.5 Leading effective organisation and management The responsibilities and expectations related to each key outcome are outlined on the following pages. Your application should address each of these key outcomes as well as the Person Specification. 5.1 - Strengthening Lutheran identity Demonstrate a commitment to provide opportunities for students to develop their relationship with Christ Provide a consistent and continuous school-wide focus on individual student achievements Provide and encourage regular worship opportunities for staff and students Demonstrate a commitment to the learning and growth of all students Incorporate faith as an integral part of decision making Continue to develop a culture of grace in the Primary School community Interact personally with external stakeholders to understand the needs of the wider community Encourage ongoing connections with the Church Work in partnership with the Pastor of the Immanuel Lutheran Church. 5.2 - Excellence in teaching and learning Building Capacity Build capacity through establishing effective mechanisms for ongoing formal and informal feedback for staff Maintain and monitor effective strategies and procedures for staff performance and professional development Observe, review and evaluate staff on an ongoing basis to improve educational delivery and practice Create and foster opportunities to support, coach and professionally develop others Provide a sound Christian Education program consistent with the policy of the Lutheran Church of Australia. Leading pedagogical practice Understand the practice and theory of contemporary leadership and apply that knowledge in Primary School improvement 3
Apply current knowledge and understanding of research into teaching, learning and child development to meet student needs Apply knowledge and understanding of current developments in education policy, schooling, social and emotional trends and developments to improve student educational opportunities Promote pedagogical practice that goes beyond covering content to develop character and learning dispositions Promote pedagogical practice that goes beyond disciplines to transdisciplinary learning and goes beyond local to global competence. Creating a learning culture Provide a positive supportive learning culture for students and staff Set high expectations for every learner including students, staff and self Celebrate and promote success Ensure that there is a diverse and flexible IB PYP curriculum Encourage creative, responsive approaches to teaching and learning Develop educational strategies to secure equity of educational outcomes Develop a shared understanding and common goals around what quality teaching and learning looks like. 5.3 Ongoing improvement and innovation Inspiring and motivating others Communicate the vision, mission and values of the Primary School Build commitment, confidence, shared understanding and enthusiasm about the vision, mission and values Ensure the vision for the Primary School is acted upon Seek feedback from parents, students and staff Recognise and celebrate the achievements of individuals and teams. Understanding and leading change Develop an understanding of the local context to inform change Using information about current educational developments, theories and performance to inform Primary School improvements Leading and supporting processes to implement change Partner with a variety of internal and external stakeholders (including IB) to promote and sustain Primary School improvement Articulate to the Primary School community the reasons why any identified change is required and acting to lead change with clear purpose and intent. 5.4 Community building Creating a culture of inclusion Recognise and appreciate the diverse cultures represented in the Primary School community and Australian society Foster an understanding, appreciation and reconciliation with Indigenous cultures Develop strategies to ensure educational opportunity including counteracting discrimination and the impact of disadvantage 4
Recognise and support the needs of students, families and carers Deal effectively with conflict and maintain positive relationships. Engaging with the community Understand the diverse interests of the Primary School community Know, understand and consider the social, political and local circumstances of the community Develop and maintain positive partnerships with students, families, carers and the wider community Invite and facilitate community participation in student learning Actively seek feedback from the Primary School community Cooperate with staff from other schools and Lutheran Education Australia. 5.6 Leading effective organisation and management Managing resources Effective management of the school s human, physical and financial resources Delegate management of resources to members of staff where appropriate Comprehensive understanding of government funding models Understand relevant legal requirements, government accountability and compliance measures Utilise a range of technologies to manage the Primary School effectively Monitor and align people, budgets and resources with learning priorities and the strategic plan Continue to evaluate the use, range and quality of resources to improve the quality of teaching and learning Apply knowledge and understanding of leadership and management concepts and delivery of effective strategic leadership and operational management Prioritise effectively to achieve agreed outcomes. Managing quality standards and accountability Ensure that individual and team expectations and accountabilities are clearly defined, understood and agreed Monitor accountabilities and act to ensure accountabilities are met Work with staff to develop and monitor their performance goals based on the Primary School s shared view of effective teaching and learning Implement an effective learning and assessment framework that uses data, bench-marking and observation to monitor progress of every student s learning Take appropriate action when the performance of others is unsatisfactory Observe and evaluate teacher practice and highlight areas for improvement. 6. Performance standards and review The Vocational practices described in the Leadership and Formation Framework Growing Deep inform the performance standards and review process. A review process will be conducted on an annual basis with the Primary School Council and Chair. 5
PERSON SPECIFICATION 1. Personal qualities, social and interpersonal skills The Principal will demonstrate high emotional intelligence, empathy, resilience and personal wellbeing in relation to the leadership and management of the Primary School and its community. The Principal will regularly review their practice and implement change in leadership and management approaches as appropriate. The Principal will manage themselves well and use ethical practices and social skills to deal with conflict effectively. They will build trust across the Primary School community and create a positive learning atmosphere for students and staff, and in the Primary School community. 2. Educational/vocational qualifications The Principal will; hold academic qualifications in keeping with the level of responsibility and preferably including post-graduate administration or management studies be a registered teacher in South Australia with demonstrated competence in the leadership and management of teaching and learning in the classroom hold accreditation as a teacher and leader in Lutheran schools. 3. Personal skills, abilities and aptitude The Principal will: be an active communicant member of the Lutheran Church of Australia make a personal commitment to the Primary School vision, mission and values underpinning the delivery of a Christian-based education. The Principal will display the following skills, abilities, aptitude, characteristics and experience. Skills A sound understanding of the principles of Lutheran education Demonstrated high level skills in establishing effective working relationships with staff, students and parents. Demonstrated effective leadership skills in administration, interpersonal relations, planning and programming Conversant with and experienced in using information technology relevant to the management of a school Effective oral and written communication skills Demonstrated ability to work with a team initiating and managing change Demonstrated ability to provide feedback to team members against agreed goals Demonstrated ability to work with a team in developing, establishing, implementing and monitoring curriculum Demonstrated ability to successfully apply for grant funding, in particular for capital works Demonstrated ability to delegate authority to others for the completion of agreed tasks. 6
Abilities Commitment to the Christian Faith in word and deed Commitment to the principles of Lutheran education that make Lutheran schools distinctive, particularly in relation to the spiritual, physical, emotional and intellectual wellbeing of young people Ability to effectively communicate a realistic and shared organisational vision and lead towards achieving it The ability to communicate with a variety of audiences a personal vision of excellence in education and identify methods to achieve it The ability to relate the Gospel message to his/her role and encourage a spirit of Christian care amongst staff, students and the Primary School community To demonstrate Christian integrity in all things Demonstrated ability to document, implement and monitor administrative procedures. Aptitude and characteristics Experience Demonstrated competence in leadership and management Demonstrated ability to inspire and enthuse others, and to accept feedback from others Demonstrated leadership ability and commitment to establishing positive supportive working relationships with students, staff and parents and ability to build community Be genuinely enthusiastic and passionate about learning Value and support the IB PYP Be global in outlook Be collaborative in approach with a strong and supportive team approach Empower, motivate and encourage others Be approachable, a good listener and open to the views of others Be innovative, flexible and highly motivated Engender trust Have a sense of humour Recognise and respect the expertise, skills and knowledge of others Facilitate decision making Visible to the community Calm and caring. Proven ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with diverse audiences in a variety of contexts Demonstrated ability to manage organisational strategic, annual and long-term planning Demonstrated ability to make effective use of resources to achieve educational goals Demonstrated ability to motivate and lead the Primary School in the pursuit of educational excellence in a changing educational environment Demonstrated ability to effectively manage and deploy resources (human, physical and financial) to best serve the interests and purposes of the Primary School Demonstrated skills in managing interpersonal relationships, with sensitivity and empathy and successful experience in conflict resolution 7
Knowledge Demonstrated ability to analyse complex issues and manage resolution Demonstrated ability to effectively initiate and manage change Demonstrated ability to delegate effectively and to hold persons accountable for the delivery of stated outcomes Demonstrated organisational and educational leadership and a record of success in achieving agreed goals in collaboration with others Demonstrated success in developing and implementing curriculum enhancements and achieving objectives through structured planning processes Demonstrated success in modelling and promoting effective teaching, learning and assessment practices Demonstrated success in the appropriate application of learning technologies. A thorough understanding of current and emerging educational directions and their implications for schools An understanding of data use for informing and improving school performance An understanding of relevant learning technologies and their applications An understanding of current organisational, WHS and management practices An understanding of the role of Lutheran education in the mission of the Church Demonstrated awareness of contemporary practices in curriculum design and educational methodology A comprehensive understanding of current organisational and personnel management practices A demonstrated working knowledge of good business practices and financial control Outstanding record of success in teaching and in educational leadership. 8