School leader update
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 126 No 3, 9 April 2021, page no.21
School leader forums
QTU General Secretary Kate Ruttiman and the Assistant Secretary – Education Leaders Paige Bousen will be holding a series of school leader forums across the state in Terms 2 and 3. The purpose of these forums is to provide QTU school leader members with the opportunity to express their views on the current issues impacting upon them.
We would be particularly interested to hear from school leaders in relation to:
- the workload of school leaders
- the impact of regional initiatives on school leaders
- occupational violence
- the role and function of Union Reps in schools
- the role and function of the LCC in schools.
This list is not exhaustive but touches on themes that have been raised with the QTU in recent years.
We are currently in the process of organising a schedule for these forums.
QTEC courses
The QTU is running a series of training courses through the Queensland Teachers’ Education Centre (QTEC) in 2021. Two of the courses are specifically aimed at school leaders – “Promotion Panel Training” and “Navigating the Industrial Landscape for School Leaders”.
These courses will occur online and face-to-face across the state. Look out for an invitation from QTEC or from your Regional Organiser.
School leader involvement in the QTU
There are many ways in which QTU members in leadership positions can be involved in Union decision-making, and in fact there are school leaders on the QTU Executive, State Council and Area Councils.
While school leaders can attend their local branch meeting (and we actively encourage this), the QTU also has a standing committee titled the Education Leaders’ Committee (ELC), which is comprised of 15 principals, deputy principals and members in other promotional positions. The committee is chaired by Jenny Swadling (QTU Honorary Vice-President, principal and long-term QTU Executive member).
The Education Leaders’ Committee:
- monitors developments and provides advice to Executive regarding:
- relevant issues arising from state and federal government initiatives
- the implementation of departmental initiatives which directly impact on education leaders
- other issues that may emerge which impact on education leaders
- monitors, influences and advocates on issues that impact on education leaders, such as the issues stated in the QTU’s Principal Support and Involvement Strategy (https://www.qtu.asn.au/publications-media/publications/qtu-principal-support-and-involvement-strategy)
- monitors, influences and advocates on issues that impact on education leaders’ health and wellbeing
- contributes to and influences national education leaders’ policy through the Australian Education Union’s National Principals’ Committee
- reviews and develops appropriate proposals for new and amended Union policy in accordance with the Committee’s terms of reference.
Remaining Education Leaders’ Committee meeting dates for 2021:
- Thursday 13 May - extended
- Thursday 15 July
- Thursday 26 August - extended
- Friday 29 October – Saturday 30 October – uLead Queensland Conference
- Thursday 25 November.
Any members wishing the ELC to address a specific issue should outline the issue and send it to: services@qtu.asn.au (mark it “Attention: Education Leaders Committee”). Current standing items on the agenda for ELC meetings include school leader health and wellbeing, workload, and EB10.
Between meetings, the QTU regularly seeks feedback and information from the Committee (and Principal Union Representatives) around departmental initiatives and emerging issues for school leaders.
The QTU also has approximately 100 Principal Union Representatives across the state. The role includes assisting the QTU Organiser and the Union by providing a school leader perspective on education and industrial issues (including local school issues), in delegations to regional offices and parliamentarians supporting union campaigns, and in providing a role model, QTU support and information for other school leaders and QTU members.
The criteria for nomination as a Principal Union Representative are:
- an understanding of the operations of the department and the Union and experience as a school leader
- a history of strong support for QTU campaigns and decisions
- the respect of QTU members in their workplace, Union activists and fellow school leaders
- the capacity to undertake the role in collaboration with the Organiser and independently
- the geography of the Organiser’s region.
Paige Bousen
Assistant Secretary – Education Leaders