10 April 2024

President’s Report

Dear Members and Supporters of our Association,

We trust that our final newsletter before the term break finds you well. Make sure you all take time to enjoy what brings you joy and to relax over the coming holidays - and importantly allows you to disconnect.

National Secondary Education Summit

It was a privilege to spend time with Vicki Mackrill (Launceston College) over two days with national colleagues, system leaders and educational researchers and stakeholders discussing key themes in secondary education. The Summit was the first of its kind in recent times, recognising the key stage we are at in the broader education landscape with the development of the National School Reform Agreement (NSRA), advocacy for the full funding of public schools through the School Resourcing Standard (SRS), the teacher shortages across the profession and principal wellbeing issues highlighted in the recent release of the National Principal Health and Wellbeing Survey.

Vicki and I attended a pre-summit launch of ‘Unbeaching the Whale – Can Australia’s Schooling be Reformed?’ a text by Dean Ashenden, with comments and thoughts from Pasi Sahlberg.

The summit was a reminder of the similar and shared experiences across states and territories, the shared commitment to public education and the power of having voices of the profession in one room, with Ministers and system leaders at a state and federal level. Most importantly, the impact is already being felt with the Federal Minister making commitments to agenda items from the summit with all state and territory ministers at their upcoming meeting. 

Australian Principals’ Occupational Health and Wellbeing Survey 

Understandably, Tasmanians have been dealing with the distraction of a state election across the past few weeks, of which will likely continue to occupy the public’s thinking across the short term until an outcome is finalised. The timing has unfortunately coincided with the Australian Catholic Universities' (ACU) release of their report in to the annual survey on Principal Occupational Health and Wellbeing.

I hold major concerns that the media and public interest in this national survey has been ‘lost’, as a result the public haven’t had the opportunity to hear from the profession and understand the trends faced by school leaders in our system and nationwide.

This years findings paint a stark picture of the challenges confronting principals across public and non-government sectors, in each state and territory and these challenges extend well beyond the duration of an election cycle, with the 12 years of consecutive national research pointing to a profession that is increasingly stretched.

One of the most concerning revelations from this years survey is the alarming increase in red flag emails triggered by Tasmanian principals. Our state was the only one to report an increase in red flag emails, with 39.7% Tasmanian participants receiving an alert. These emails, indicative of heightened stress levels and overwhelming workload pressures, serve as a poignant reminder of the toll that the demands of school leadership can take on individuals. Behind each red flag email is a principal grappling with the weight of the responsibilities and demands of the role, often at the expense of their own wellbeing.

Equally troubling is the significant percentage of principals considering resignation from the profession, with more than 56% of the more than 2300 participants nationwide in this space. This exodus of experienced educational leaders not only threatens the stability of our schools but also undermines the continuity and effectiveness of educational leadership. The potential loss of these experienced colleagues would see the departure of significant contextual knowledge, professional and social capital from the principalship.

It is imperative that we recognize the urgency of addressing these challenges and take decisive action to support our school leaders. Initiatives such as tailored support programs focusing on proactive supervision and resilience-building are steps towards safeguarding the mental and emotional wellbeing of Tasmanian principals. Additionally, enhanced access to counselling services and peer support networks within school communities can provide invaluable resources for those in need. Furthermore, systemic reforms are essential to alleviate administrative burdens and streamline workload pressures on Tasmanian principals, as seen in our joint TSAA/TPA Survey.  By advocating for changes that promote a healthier work-life balance and reduce the bureaucratic hurdles faced by educational leaders, we can create environments that nurture their professional growth and fulfillment.

As a state, we must rally behind our school leaders and demonstrate our unwavering support for their wellbeing. The challenges they face are not insurmountable, but they require a concerted effort from all stakeholders to address effectively. By investing in the resilience and sustainability of our educational leadership, we are investing in the future of our schools and the prosperity of our communities.

The Association will be making a conscious effort to coincide the timing of term 2 with some media activity around the state so we can raise the public awareness of the commitments needed to create systems and environments where principals (just as students and staff) can thrive and flourish.

Dicke, T., Kidson, P., Marsh, H., (2024). The Australian Principal Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey (IPPE Report). Sydney: Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University.

Member Visits

Our executive has been conscious of scheduling member visits where possible for the first half of the year. It is always a highlight to learn about the fabulous journeys that schools and their communities are on under the guidance of our school leaders around the state. Thank you to Port Sorell Primary, Sassafras Primary, Sheffield School, Reece High, Montello Primary, Boat Harbour Primary and the North West Support School for providing us with this opportunity.

New TPA Members

A warm welcome to our new members who have joined our association in recent weeks-

• Candice Burnett – Longford Primary School
• Shannon Wolarczuk – Montello Primary School
• Kathryn Leo – Strahan Primary
  

Warm regards
Mat

Professional Learning Opportunities

B kinder day – 21 June

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