Leaders to get principal insight

SCHOOLS across Bendigo will welcome new leaders for two days next month.

On Monday, 2 May and Friday, 6 May, business and industry leaders from a range of sectors will take the reins at different primary and secondary schools as the Goldfields Local Learning and Employment Network holds its Principal for a Day program.

Executive officer at Goldfields LLEN, Dave Burton, said the response to the returning program has been phenomenal.

“We haven’t been able to run this program for a couple of years… we didn’t expect so many to get on board which is great,” he said. “It shows how resilient and willing both schools and industry are.

“The ideal outcome is an engaged conversation about what leadership means in education and in business between the two parties.

“A lot of the time through those engagements new opportunities and partnerships are born so there’s an art to pairing the principal with the leader to foster those dynamics.”

City of Greater Bendigo director of strategy and growth Steve Hamilton will lead Victory Christian College, while CEO of Be.Bendigo Rob Herbert will be principal of Kalianna School.

Other leaders to take part in the program include campus head at La Trobe University, Julie Rudner, State Member for Ripon, Louise Staley and director of local design company The KH Studio, Kira Hyde.

“We’ve got quite a good spread, both gender spread which is really important in the leadership space, but also across government at a local and state level,” Mr Burton said.

On the day, participants will partake in various principal duties, including yard work and meeting with student leadership teams, while also having an opportunity to work with specific programs like drama or sport.