Assistant Principal - Teaching & Learning

Mernda Central P-12 School operates under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project. Under the PPP model, the college has been financed, designed and constructed by the private sector to high contractual standards over 25 years, allowing Principals and teachers to focus on student learning, rather than asset management.

The College is located on 70 Breadalbane Avenue, Mernda in the City of Whittlesea. Programs cater for students in Prep to Year 12.

Our state of the art facility provide the very best in contemporary educational design and promote active student-centred learning through the creation of adaptable, functional spaces.

Our College provides access to an education that is seamless from Prep right through to Year 12 and is divided in to four sub-schools,

• Junior School for Prep to Year 4 students,
• Middle School for Year 5 to Year 7 Students
• Aspire for Year 8 to Year 9 Students and
• Senior School for Year 9 to Year 12 students.

The College provides access to an education of the highest quality for the young people of Mernda. The students are at the centre of all that we do. They are engaged through stimulating, relevant and inspiring educational experiences that ignite a life-long passion for learning and a strong community connectedness. The College upholds high expectations of all.

Inspirational teaching and quality learning is the cornerstones of our school, and we have an outstanding team who support and challenge students to achieve their full potential. Staff provide a safe and stimulating learning environment for all students.

Teachers and students work in Learning Communities to create flexible teaching options and to better cater for the individual needs of all students. All teachers adopt a shared responsibility for all students within the Learning Community. All teachers and support staff work hard to provide a teaching pedagogy reflective of 21st Century designs, including ICT rich environments and Personalised Learning for all students.

Mernda Central College has exemplary programs and is seen as a prominent school in the areas of STEM, sport, literacy and numeracy, together with Japanese language, visual arts, performing arts and music performance. The aquatic centre is operated by Kings Swim and they provide an outstanding facility for the students to participate in an extensive swimming program. The curriculum and teaching strategies at the college, encourage our students to have high expectations of themselves and their work, and to produce their best.

The School's Student Leadership system at Mernda Central College provides students from all year levels with leadership training and skill development, and there are many opportunities to experience positions of responsibility. Our students relish the opportunity to make decisions, take on responsibility and have an input into the direction of the college.

The college has been designed as a community hub and we encourage community use and additional community facilities and programs through a partnership with the YMCA, CERES and Spotless. The relationships between the staff, students, parents and the community is a fundamental strength of Mernda Central College.

Parent involvement and participation in a variety of college activities is a significant feature of our college life. There is a common community interest to work towards the provision of quality education for students at Mernda Central Community.

Our Vision

Mernda Central College empowers all members of the college community to aim high, show respect, behave safely and value our community.

Our Mission

• provide opportunities for all members to work collaboratively to access a seamless, personalised and innovative education.
•  build a safe and supportive learning environment wherein all members are motivated and challenged to pursue interests and pathways to achieve their full potential.  
• operate as a community hub to promote the development of connected, curious and tolerant global citizens.

SC 1: Educational Leadership

• Outstanding capacity for visionary and exemplary educational leadership of a school or college.
• Highly developed skills in leading and managing change including the leadership of others in the process of change.

SC 2: Financial, Managerial and Administrative Ability

• Outstanding financial, organisational and resource management skills.

SC 3: Planning, Policy and Program Development and Review

• Exemplary values appropriate to the development of student learning with a demonstrated capacity to achieve high quality student outcomes.
• An understanding of, and a commitment to, the use of learning technologies to improve teaching and learning.
• Demonstrated ability to implement Department policies to a high level.

SC 4: Leadership of Staff and Students

• A highly developed capacity to motivate staff, develop their talents and build an effective team.
• 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.

SC 5: Interpersonal and Communication Skills

• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills in individual, small group and community contexts.
• Exemplary values pertaining to personal qualities of objectivity, sensitivity and integrity.
• An ability to work with parents and the community to develop a strong learning environment.

SC 6: Teaching and Learning

• Demonstrated ability to manage the quality of teaching and create a positive culture of challenge, support and collaboration.

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.

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.

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. 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. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via *******@education.vic.gov.au

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:

 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department'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 department values is available at:

 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview

• 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

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.