Elevate: Navigating complex change and transforming schools

Elevate: Experienced and Executive Class Principals is designed to equip school leaders with the advanced skills, knowledge and dispositions required to make sustained change and lead highly complex schools or schools, such as those undergoing turnaround or transformation. 

Experienced and Executive Class Principals will be supported to: 

• gain a deeper understanding of the key drivers and dispositions required to successfully lead school turnaround or transformation 
• build and lead a school-wide culture of collective efficacy 
• prevent, manage and resolve complex problems of conflict
• implement strategies to respond to passive and active resistance in complex school settings.

Audience

Open to principals with: 

• 5 years in the role, or 
• an Executive Class Principal role (either school-based or Intensive School Support), or 
• responsibility to lead a complex or challenging school, such as a turnaround or transformation school.

Facilitators

• Module 1: Leading change and transformation in schools, Dr. Sonia Sharp, EY 
• Module 2: Leading through conflict and complexity, Frank Handy, Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution 
• Module 3: Using behavioural science to overcome resistance to change, Dr. Simon Breakspear

Structure

Over 9 months, participants will engage in and contribute to: 

• up to 5 full-day face-to-face workshops 
• up to 2 hours of online discussion 
• pre and post-workshop activities, including self-directed learning (at least 4 hours total).

Modules

• Module 1: Leading change and transformation in schools, Dr. Sonia Sharp, EY
  Develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions to successfully lead complex change in school environments by exploring and applying the six key levers for successful transformation.
• Module 2: Leading through conflict and complexity, Frank Handy, Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution
  Develop the advanced skills required to lead and coach your own school teams to prevent, resolve or manage complex problems of conflict within psychologically safe environments.
• Module 3: Using behavioural science to overcome resistance to change, Dr Simon Breakspear
  Explore adult behavioural science principles and implement practical strategies to best respond to the passive and active resistance that emerges during a school’s turnaround or transformation journey.
   

Attendance requirements

To successfully complete this program, participants are required to attend 2 out of the 3 modules (i.e. 4 out of the 6 workshops) including all relevant pre and post-workshop activities.

Learning outcomes

You will consolidate the skills and knowledge to: 

• implement key strategies that respond to change and reduce complexity during a school’s turnaround or transformation journey
• lead school teams to successfully manage and resolve conflict within psychologically safe environments.

You will develop: 

• leadership capabilities and self-awareness to build collective efficacy and engage authentically with staff and students 
• strategies to respond to passive and active resistance during times of change and challenge and make sustained change.

Fees and financial support

Fully subsidised by the Department of Education for eligible Victorian government school participants.