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Optimism and positivity are great resilience factors that help us stay in the flourishing zone rather than to stay in the mind traps of negativity, overwhelmed by how much there is to do. I often tell colleagues they could work 24/7 and never finish the work! So how do you prioritise the work and prioritise how much effort you put into some of your work tasks?
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel.
An optimist sees light at the end of the tunnel.
A realist sees a freight train.
A train driver sees three idiots standing on the tracks.
https://positivepsychology.com/pessimism-vs-optimism/
Recently, I have attended many regional Principal Collaborative Days to connect with colleagues, learning about some of the amazing work that you lead in your schools. Congratulations on your strategic leadership and innovation to do whatever it takes to change the outcomes for your learners.
In preparation for additional funding in 2025, our school leaders will need to be very strategic and innovative on how we can utilise additional funding to improve learning, engagement, and wellbeing outcomes for our diverse learners.
Enrolment-based funding (still to be calculated) for 2025 School Resourcing provides schools the opportunity to do this, but it will require strategic thinking as we work within the constraints of staffing and housing shortages.
We have much to learn from our Central Australia colleagues who navigated this challenge with the additional $40 million funding to schools in 2024. To be clear, the additional money cannot be spent on infrastructure needs, even though this is a huge issue for many. Congratulations to Joanne Alford who recently hosted the Prime Minister on his visit to Alice Springs to witness firsthand what a difference additional funding can make.
At our recent NTPA Executive Board meeting, the CE reflected her understanding of the housing and workforce challenges schools are experiencing but wants principals to confidently spend their funds to avoid budget surpluses. This will be critical for 2025 when additional funds come into schools. The CE has requested the School Funding Reform team design a simplified funding model, to make it more transparent, and supports the implementation of the Secondary Review and Effective Enrolment Review recommendations.
Our department are currently negotiating the next Better and Fairer Schools Agreement (previously NRSA), or more specifically the Bilateral Agreement. This agreement informs our commitments as part of the 40/60% deal to fully fund every child 100% of the SRS by 2029.
NTPA recently met with the Education Minister, Mark Monaghan to discuss and advocate for measures to address principal health and wellbeing, improve principal salaries and conditions to attract and retain school leaders, and the funding model for 2025. The Minister has expressed some concern that the current 40/60% offer, may not be agreed to if there is a change in government at the August elections.
NTPA Executive have proudly welcomed Cindy Mclaren (Top End Chapter) and Penny Wiley (Central Australia Chapter) to the NTPA Executive. Chapter Chairs (elected by Chapter members) play a critical role in bringing your issues to our agenda so that the NTPA stays focused on the right work. This year NTPA elections will take place to elect a new executive including the President. Nominations for these roles will be called for in Term 3 and announced at the NTPA AGM in Term 4.
Thank you for your commitment and dedication as school leaders.
Take care
Robyn
Robyn Thorpe
Principal Salary and Conditions- NTPA met with the new OCPE Commissioner to discuss how we can retain and attract principals to the job and to address the diminishing gap between the AP and Principal level. The Commissioner agreed to review the Principal Classifications; however, we are aware that the Teacher EBA negotiations will need to be finalised first.
Attached are a few documents in regard to Ongoing (PLO) and Executive Contract Principal (ECP) levels. Please remember when a principal job is advertised it often does not compare salaries of the PLO and ECP level. The PLO is a salary and the ECP is a renumeration package (which includes employer paid superannuation and a fleet vehicle). Please reach out for a conversation if you want more information in regard to ‘Choice of Employment’.
Suspension Policy- Revised information
- The NTPA have been consulted on the updating of the Suspension from School guidelines.
- As part of the regular meetings with NTPA and their involvement in the review of the Suspension Guidelines, Department of Education representatives provided an update to the NTPA executive on 23 May.
- The Guidelines are in their final stage of approval, once approved the department has an implementation and communication plan to support all school leaders to engage with the new policy.
- At this stage we anticipate that the Suspension from School Guidelines will be a topic on the agenda for the Principal briefing on 13 June.
Be You Implementation: 20 schools are part of the Phase 1 implementation and are supported by both SWIPS and Be You. Each site has an allocated SWIPS professional and Be You consultant (early years sites are also supported by an additional consultant from Early Childhood Australia)
Student Wellbeing Officers are being trailed in 14 schools and will provide general support to students and support schools to strengthen their whole school wellbeing approaches. This initiative helps to address the workforce shortage of school counsellors. Student Wellbeing Officers are:
- Employed and line managed by schools
- Funded, trained and professionally supervised by SWIPS
- Full time school based.
SWIPS would like your voice on other creative solutions to expand and diversify their wellbeing and inclusion services:
- What programs and services do we currently have that we should be amplifying?
- Are there programs or services we currently don’t have that we should be thinking about at the system, regional or school level?
Please provide any feedback to ntpa.president@education.nt.gov.au
Education, Leadership, Culture and Care Team
The Recruitment and Attraction Team have developed a Recruitment and Attraction Strategy inclusive of national and global campaigns, a Relief Teacher Pool, end to end support for recruitment, a migration agent to support VISA applications and partnerships with a range of Universities in Australia.
As part of School Leader Wellbeing Action Plan, opt in wellbeing conversations will be offered to all principals in Semester 2, and a public campaign “Let’s Keep Schools Safe for Everyone’ will be released.
The Leaders Summit is being planned for early Term 4, 2024; currently procurement processes are being finalised.
NTPA continue to advocate for an improved Communication Strategy to ensure all principals are aware of the wider programs, initiatives and actions being undertaken by our system to support schools.
Congratulations to Wendy Jordan on her 39 years of service to Education NT.
Wendy is a long-term educator, principal and school leader who has played key roles in the Top End Chapter for many years. We thank Wendy for her contributions to the profession and wish her all the best for the next chapter of her life.
Assistant, New and Aspiring principal day- June 4th Michael Long Centre. Darwin -the focus of this day is to build capacity in the areas of leading the management of a school: infrastructure, finance, workforce performance and management and taking care of your wellbeing. This will be online but we now that members value the face to face opportunity as networking and connecting with colleagues is essential.
EC- Go 1- professional learning platform- all members have access to this platform as part of their NTPA membership until 31 August. This provides you an opportunity to explore as a possible whole school approach to providing PL to all staff. If you have any queries or have not received your log on access please reach out to Jo on Ntpa.admin@education.nt.gov.au.
Dive into this months curated playlist:
The University of Melbourne – featured playlist “Shaping minds, shaping the world”.
Harvard Principal Program- Scholarships available now and closes 30 June. A great one week intensive school leadership program held in January, Sydney 2025
Flourish Foundation- if you have been invited to this program please consider joining. It has been targeted to mid-career principals in the 5-10 years principalship. Details are below. NTPA have been advocates for this program in the NT. This course is part of the NT Education Leadership Strategy.
Education, Leadership, Culture and Care- next term every principal will be provided an opportunity for opt in Wellbeing Conversations (more information to come)
NTPA in conjunction with BTS Spark are hosting a Focus on your Personal Resilience online program. This consists of 4 x 90 minute online sessions . The first session was run on 27 May however a summary catch up has been recorded for those who were unable to make the event. There are still positions available of you would like to join this program. Details attached or registrations can be made here: https://forms.office.com/r/k4EVcqa2GD
Dr Polly Mc Gee will be coming to Alice Springs on Friday 12th July to run a Leading a trauma informed organisation masterclass. This has been a very successful workshop in Darwin and we look forward to offering this in Central Australia. Flyer attached, register here: https://forms.office.com/r/JJ8dXPSa7T
Australian schools are currently experiencing a crisis in principal recruitment and retention, driven by stress, burnout, and increased workloads. An under recognised but crucial aspect of demands on principals is the key role they play as school leaders in fostering safe and socially connected school communities amongst increasingly diverse student populations. How can principals be better supported to carry out this crucial role?
Emotional labour, which involves managing one's own emotions and those of others, is a crucial aspect of principals' work that demands various 'invisible' skills.
This research study aims to shed light on the emotional labour of government school principals, promote public understanding of their complex role, and initiate conversations for meaningful changes and improvements.
‘I am often reminded of the privilege and price of leadership in the role of a principal. You are working with colleagues to improve the teaching and learning outcomes for the students in your school. However, most of your time is spent dealing with intense critical matters. You are always navigating difficult relationships and very complex matters. All of it takes a toll. There is help available but you are intrinsically responsible and you’re often left exhausted at the end of each year,” said Pitsa Binnion PSM, retired school principal of 15 years.
Take the short survey via this link:
Invisible labour: School principals’ emotional labour in volatile times - Monash Education
Our very own Walungurru School recently received nearly $50,000 worth of brand new goods. Read their story impact here.
See the flyer below for more information on how this proram could beneift your school community.
Grant applications open until 30 June 2024
For more information please see the flyer below:
If you have an upcoming communications challenge – the strategic communications team at Bentley McGuinness Media, can help! Director, Wendy McGuinness is a former journalist, media advisor and communications trainer, who takes a sensitive and practical approach to helping you fine-tune your communications style. Can be booked for one-on-one and group sessions.
Wendy is in Darwin in June so reach out if you need any coaching. See the below flyer for suggested workshops but Wendy is flexible and designs all training to client needs – so please feel free to ask her for other options
The Festival, now in its 11th screening year, aims to inspire the creative and purposeful use of digital media by young people for social good and to build their skills and confidence.
Here are some key details:
- Submission Deadline: 7 July 2024.
- Competition Theme: “Choices”. This year’s theme is designed to encourage storytelling about the impact of choices on our lives and the world around us.
- Film Length: 5 minutes (including credits).
- Screening Date and Venue: 17 August 2024 at Ritz Cinemas, Randwick (and livestreamed for an Australian viewing audience).
- Eligibility: Youth 12 to 24 years.
- Prizes: Prize categories are Best Film in Junior, Intermediate and Senior Age Divisions; People’s Choice; REEL Change (Best Film exploring a need for social change), “Spirit of REELise” (Best Film reflecting teamwork, community heart, personal growth, resilience or courage) and “Best Pocket Film”. Cash prizes are awarded to winning filmmakers.
- Competition Entry Fee: NIL. The Festival competition is free to enter. Finalists (and their crews) are treated to a VIP red carpet experience, cinema screening and After Party but must make their own travel arrangements.
The Festival offers students the opportunity to showcase their work to a wider audience, gain recognition for their talents and potentially win awards. Additionally, it allows them to engage with important societal issues through the medium of film, fostering meaningful conversations and promoting social change.
For more information about the Festival, including submission guidelines and entry requirements, please visit the website at: https://www.reelise.org.au/create-and-influence/. REELise is a registered Australian charity formed to safeguard youth mental health and wellbeing, advance education and advance culture.
Remember memberships are for a calendar year so now is is the time to renew or join for 2024. Click on this link to complete the form.