AddressArmstrong Creek School is a new government school which opened in January 2018 for students in Grades Prep- 6 in Term 1, 2018. In 2019, the Secondary Special School component opened its doors for the first time for students in Years 7-9 with year 10 commencing in 2020, year 11 in 2021 and year 12 in 2022.
Our school combines both mainstream Prep to Year 6 and Special Education provision from Prep to year 12 under a single governance model. Our school's inclusive model and flexible approach curriculum provision, allows each learner to access the educational support and experiences they require based on identified need, individual student ability and assessed benefit. It enables a customised approach to education rather than a `one size fits all.
Armstrong Creek School has been designed with state of the art learning and community facilities. These includes a range of adaptable and multi-purpose learning spaces as well as conference, therapy and interview rooms.
The school also has a Community Hub which is managed by the YMCA out of school hours to provide before/ after school care, holiday programs and other community programs that can be accessed by local families and residents. The school also features an indoor gymnasium built to Netball Victoria standards, outdoor hardcourts and sporting fields.
Purpose Statement
At Armstrong Creek School we embrace challenge and celebrate diversity while pursuing an individual journey to personal excellence. Innovative learning and teaching is placed at the centre of all we do.
We design opportunities for students to achieve their personal best in a positive environment where they are inspired to learn, grow and thrive while demonstrating our school values of: Care, Collaboration and Commitment.
1. Educational leadership
(i) Outstanding capacity for visionary and exemplary educational leadership of a school or college.
(ii) Highly developed skills in leading and managing change including the leadership of others in the process of change.
2. Financial, managerial and administrative ability
(i) Outstanding financial, organisational and resource management skills.
3. Planning, policy and program development and review
(i) Exemplary values appropriate to the development of student learning with a demonstrated capacity to achieve high quality student outcomes.
(ii) Demonstrated ability to implement Department policies to a high level.
(iii) An understanding of, and a commitment to, the use of learning technologies to improve teaching and learning.
4. Leadership of staff and students
(i) A highly developed capacity to motivate staff, develop their talents and build an effective team.
(ii) A clear capacity to foster a learning environment that takes account of the individual needs of students and helps students to develop their special abilities and talents.
5. Interpersonal and communication skills
(i) Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills in individual, small group and community contexts.
(ii) Exemplary values pertaining to personal qualities of objectivity, sensitivity and integrity.
(iii) An ability to work with parents and the community to develop a strong learning environment.
6. School Specific Criteria
Demonstrated capacity to lead the successful implementation of a whole school initiative including a demonstrated capacity for enhancing inclusive practices to improve the learning outcomes for students with mild intellectual disabilities.
The Assistant Principal reports directly to the principal.
Assistant principals have a primary responsibility for the management of significant areas or functions within the school to ensure the effective development, provision and evaluation of the school's education program. In exercising the responsibility, Assistant Principals will have the authority to make all significant decisions relating to the program, budget and staff relating to their area of designated responsibility within the framework of the school's strategic plan, policies and budget. Assistant principals will contribute to the overall management of the school through involvement in policy formulation and decision making.
The management of significant school program or functional areas in schools involve Assistant Principals in the analysis of the needs of students and the translation of state educational policy and frameworks into appropriate education programs to meet the needs of all students.
Typically Assistant Principals will be responsible for the effective use of the teaching staff and program budget of a defined area of the school's operation and for the oversight and leadership of the educational programs provided utilising these resources.
DomainCore AccountabilitiesPractical Application1 Leading teaching, learning and wellbeing
Improve teacher quality to have the greatest impact on student outcomes
Create and lead a positive culture of challenge and support which emphasises high expectations of all staff Develop and promote a culture of collaborative data based problem solving to help plan for effective and targeted teaching Set high expectations for student learning, behaviour and attendance and continuously monitor progress towards these goals StrategicResponsible for a whole school strategic priority
School level strategic planning and implementation development and leadership of elements within the AIP and SSP relevant to role
Maximising student learning achievement and growth through contemporary practices which promote academic emphasis for all
School-wide consistency and fidelity in the implementation of differentiated Tier 1 practices together with systems for supporting students with additional learning needs RelationalCollaborating with the Principal Class Team to support whole school strategic, relational and operational function
Implementation of and delivery of professional learning to build staff capacity
Work closely with other leaders in the school to ensure consistency across initiatives
Lead a team of teachers and educational support staff in a sub school, supporting their professional growth, wellbeing and achievement of school wide priorities OperationalOperational management of the Secondary and Specialist teams, including supporting daily school functions and systems, processes and communication
Operational leadership of school and DET processes, policies and guidelines relating to workplace and student management
Operational leadership of systems and processes relating to aspects of inclusive practice in education, including SSGs, IEPs etc2 Developing self, others and teams
Develop self - Commitment to own ongoing professional development, personal health and wellbeing and constant reflection on own leadership and impact
Set high standards for all staff - Lead and manage staff performance and development, including direct accountability to the daily and ongoing performance and development of individuals in team Build staff capacity - Improve the skill, knowledge and performance of individuals, teams or whole school by leading, managing or supporting the provision of relevant professional learning Develop and nurture teams - Build a professional learning community which is focused on continuous improvement of teaching and learning3 Leading improvement, innovation and change
Implement, innovate or change - use an implementation cycle to plan for and implement any new initiative or change
Plan for improvement - work with others to produce and implement clear, evidence-based improvement plans and policies for the development of the school and its facilities
Monitor and review - continually use evidence to review school wide practices and initiatives and measure for impact
Maintain school wide direction - supporting individuals or teams of teachers and education support staff to achieve school based strategic targets and remain focused on school wide improvement plans4 Leading the management of the school
Collective leadership responsibility - contribute to the overall leadership and daily management of the whole school Create and lead the development of policy or processes to help support school wide, year level of content area initiatives
Appropriate delegation of tasks to members of the staff and the monitoring of accountabilities and ensure these accountabilities are met
Coordinate and manage the allocation of resources, both physical and human, to maximise student learning opportunities and outcomes5 Engaging and working with the community
Build relationships - develop and maintain effective positive partnerships with students, staff, families and promote effective collaboration with key stakeholders within and beyond the school to achieve positive student outcomes
Respond to the needs of community - remain engaged with the community, seek feedback and respond to diversity by embedding a culture of inclusion and high expectations for all
Positive environments - create positive learning communities and high expectations for collaboration, emphasising a culture of learning for all
Engagement - foster effective channels of communication to inform and engage key stakeholders within the community and promote an inclusive and positive outward facing organisation
Typically, Assistant Principals perform one or more of the following functions:
- supervision and coordination of the work of senior curriculum or level coordinators;
- allocation of budgets, positions of responsibility and other resources within the area of responsibility;
- supervision of the delivery of teaching programs;
- management of programs to improve the knowledge and experience of staff;
- responsibility for general discipline matters beyond the management of classroom teachers and year level coordinators;
- contribute to the overall management of the school;
Appropriately qualified individuals currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
The Department values diversity and is committed to workforce diversity and equal opportunity in schools and all education workplaces. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces.
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the Department’s exemplar available at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/protect/Pages/childsafestandards.aspx
The Department’s employees commit to upholding DET’s Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. DET’s Values complement each school’s own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the DET values is available at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/workm/Pages/Public-Sector-Values.aspx
- All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
- Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
- A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
- Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx
Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to attend a school tour, which can be arranged by phoning the school.
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements. This condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.
