PresentersHilary CarruthersJody Harrington

Keia HaddenLiz Ritchie

Derby District High SchoolPaul Bridge, Principal

School Leadership Opportunities

and Challenges in a Kimberley

school context

Wednesday 30th September 2015

#OurMobTeach

Kimberley School Locations

Derby School Context

Established school 105 years old

K-12 District High School

600 students

Students come from Derby Town site, Mowanjum & Pandanus Community

Diverse Clientele

80% Aboriginal student population

45 teaching, and 45 non teaching staff

1 Principal 5 Deputy Principals

Functioning School Council & P&C

Creating Positive School Culture

At Derby District High School we-

• Embraced the Stronger Smarter Philosophy• Create a positive environment where students, staff and

parents feel valued. Greetings and positive conversations

• Strengths based conversations across the school.• People have to enjoy coming to School.• Student’s identity is recognised and celebrated.• Provide a welcoming environment to parents & visitors. • Staff have high expectations of students and set a

consistent approach across the whole school - All students can succeed

• Students learn the culture of both school and home.

S

T

R

O

N

G

Students achieve

great things!

Teachers

have high

expectations

Derby District High School

Diligence, courage &

strength

SMART

Our Staff – “Our Greatest Resource”“Relationships underpin every aspect of success at Derby DHS”

“Derby District High School understands and is placing greater emphasis on recruiting, inducting, retaining and building the capacity of our staff. Human resource management and professional learning support and mentoring are the core resources that this school must continue to develop to ensure that we have the capacity to deliver a quality education product to our school community.”

“Strong vibrant relationships underpin every aspect of a staff members work and for this reason everyone from the Principal down needs to have explicit strategies in place to build relationships between student/teacher, caregiver/teacher, school leadership/staff, teaching staff/non teaching staff.”

Our Staff –Our Greatest Resource“Relationships underpin every aspect of success at Derby DHS”

Structured Induction

1.University Links – Practice

2. Merit Selection Process – School Leadership Team

3. Staff Selection

4. On Appointment to Derby DHS –Staff Induction booklet

5. Mentor Staff

6. Cross Cultural Induction

7. Ongoing Professional Learning

Teacher Student Relationships

• Relationship ship Bank Account• Get to know your students• Show them through your actions that you care about them• Maintain high expectations that students can succeed.• Take the time with people, especially concerned parents.

“The more you develop relationship between yourself and caregivers and students the more you will be able call on the relationship bank account with the students and parents in resolving issues that arise.”

Ultimately students want to know that their teacher cares about them!

Parents and teacher Relationships

• Staff being proactive in meeting parents through beginning of year informal parents nights.

• Mandated 5 positive home visits per term each teacher.

• Recognising that Aboriginal students come with child different rearing practices.

• Understanding the child’s family circumstances.• Initial perceptions are important – good impressions can give

you months of the ‘Honeymoon’.

• Bad impressions in some cases may never be changed.

Traditions, Culture and Rituals

Build on the traditions of the school community• Sporting Events• Community Cultural Events• Concerts- “Theatre Restaurant”• Assemblies• Camps

If you are going to change anything:• consult, consult, consult

Valuing the knowledge and expertise of Aboriginal staff

• Building the skills and knowledge and capacity of Aboriginal staff and non Aboriginal staff in providing with the degree of support to build sustainable programs

Aspirational Leadership Opportunities to date

• 15 teachers promoted into Level 3, 4 & 5 leadership positions in other schools across Kimberley and WA

• Aboriginal staff

• 1 Aboriginal teacher, taken up Principalship in 2015

• 1 AIEO graduating from teaching in 2015, another in second year of teaching.

• 5 AIEOs and 2 EAs completing Cert 3