First Time Principals Integrated Schools

1. First Time Principals Integrated Schools June 2014 Patrick Walsh

2. Integrated SchoolsAssessing Risk, Religious, Legal Personnel

3. S.W.O.T Analysis Strengths • High parental, public and political endorsement that Integrated Schools are a valuable, unique and necessary part of N.Z’s educational landscape • Integrated schools are a ‘beacon of success’ in relation to government goals – priority learners, NCEA, National Standards • Seen increasingly as ‘counter-cultural’ and provide push back to concerns about anti-social behaviour, diminishing respect for authority, drugs, sex and violence • Unity of purpose, vision and direction centred on their ‘special character’ • High achieving both academically and in extracurricular. Often achieve above schools of similar type/ decile • Fewer behavioural issues as reflected in fewer stand-downs and suspensions. Conversely have successful alternative behaviour resolution strategies e.g Restorative Justice, Family Group Conferences

4. Weaknesses • ‘Special Character’ seen as a veneer • Declining pool of suitable applicants for ‘tagged positions’ • Behaving like a ‘private school’ while receiving Crown money i.e school fees, facilities • Costs can be an educational barrier to those from disadvantaged, socio-economic backgrounds • Parental motivation for enrolling their child in Integrated Schools is misplaced • A certain level of independence is lost as a state integrated school

5. Opportunities • Capitalise on the growing interest in ‘spirituality’ and religious values • Collective marketing of the benefits of integrated schools • Lobbying the government for increased financial support for new schools on the back of demand, success, savings to the Crown

6. Threats • In tough economic times, greater scrutiny of Crown support for integrated schools • Financial viability/ property and infra-structure costs to Proprietors • Maintenance of ‘special character’, particularly in relations to staffing, professional development • Monitoring the risk of ‘special character’ becoming too broad in definition so as to lose its meaning i.e faith-based, cultural

7. The Risk To “Special Character’ The Heart Of The Matter

9. If the Great fact of our lives is that we are always in the presence of God, the Great Problem of our lives is that we are so often unaware of God’s presence. - William Shannon

10. Apart from God’s presence, nothing matters. In God’s presence, everything matters.

11. 5 Things We Can’t Change • Everything changes and ends • Things do not always go according to plan • Life is not always fair • Pain is part of life • People will not be loving or loyal all the time D. Richo

12. God as a rule overturns the plans of men and causes the opposite of what they proposed to happen, so that they may learn to have confidence in him and abandon themselves entirely to his Providence, not undertaking anything on their own, because they should only desire what God wants. - J.B De La Salle M 23.3

13. Lessons learned about principalship

14. 1. Principalship is about relationship

15. 2. Be prepared to admit mistakes and apologise – it takes the sting out of any criticism

16. 3. Although very few staff would be prepared to do your job, there will be no shortage of staff lining up telling you how to do your job – don’t get upset about it.

17. 4. You can’t walk on water. Surround yourself with people who have strengths you don’t have and delegate to them.

18. 5. Appointing staff is easy – getting rid of them is a painful and long drawn out process. Investing the time and effort in getting the right staff pays high dividends for all.

19. 6. Taking care of yourself is not an ‘optional extra’. You are a mother, father, wife, husband and friend first. Investing in those relationships is good for you and your school.

20. 7. Focus on being a leader of learning but remember it is the financial, legal, human resource and negative publicity that can put the skids under you. Pay attention to them.

21. 8. Principalship is a complex and risky business. Taking advice helps the decision making process and mitigates the risk.

22. 9. The quality of a school is not measured by what happens in the principal’s office, but in its classrooms. Get out of your office and visit them.

23. 10. Don’t take a stand too often but rather learn how to negotiate and compromise. This will reduce your stress and give you room to manoeuvre.

24. EMPLOYMENT LAW • Competency School E.R.A

25. EMPLOYMENT LAWcontinued • Procedural Fairness  Particularise Concerns  Communicate Concerns  Set out required standard  Reasonable Time (10 weeks)  Support and Guidance  Keep employee informed

26. EMPLOYMENT LAWcontinued  Distinguish Appraisal from Competency  Notify competency process in writing  Ask, has the employer contributed to the problem?  After 10 weeks don’t move automatically to dismissal. Seek submissions on report and penalty

27. EMPLOYMENT LAWcontinued • Rollercoaster Effect 10 weeks   •  • Has the employee substantively reached the required standard? • If not, could they with a further period of support and guidance? • If not, dismissal with notice.

28. Serious Misconduct  Don’t codify in policy, give examples but list not exhaustive  Distinguish between: * Initial Meeting = Non legal = No Rights * Disciplinary Meeting = Legal = Rights  Always put the charge and evidence  Right to representation  Delegated authority  State meeting is ‘Disciplinary’  Possible outcomes

29. Civil & Criminal Investigation • Criminal: Beyond Reasonable Doubt • Civil: On the Balance of Probabilities

30. Suspension On Pay  Primacy to health and safety of students and staff  Effect on career and reputation of employee  Whether other duties can be assigned  Contact M.O.E about reliever prior to suspension