Business and community leaders build partnerships with schools 2010

MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release 23 August 2010
Business and community leaders build partnerships with schools

The Principal for a Day collaboration between Victorian Government schools and their communities will celebrate its 10th anniversary on 24 August when more than 100 business and community leaders take the reins of schools across the state.

The 2010 Principals for a Day include The Hon John Brumby, Premier of Victoria; The Hon Bronwyn Pike, Minister for Education;  The Hon Ted Baillieu, Leader of the Opposition; Susie Babani, Group Managing Director HR, ANZ Bank; Jodi Cryan, Head of Schools First at National Australia Bank; Patrick Coleman, Director Policy, Business Council of Australia; Steven Staikos, Mayor of the City of Kingston; Scott Rossetti, Mayor, Wellington Shire Council; Gabriel Gaté, International Chef and Author; Ian Allen, Trustee, the Pratt Foundation; and Jeannette Powell, State Member for Shepparton.

The Principal for a Day Program is a joint partnership between the Australian Council for Educational Research’s Leadership Centre and the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD). It has been running in Victoria since 2001.

“Principal for a Day provides a unique opportunity for business and community leaders to shadow a school principal and gain a first-hand, behind-the-scenes experience of the strengths and challenges facing schools every day,” ACER chief executive Professor Geoff Masters said.

“Research shows that there are benefits in forming partnerships between schools, business and the wider community,” Professor Masters said.

“The Principal for a Day program can help forge these partnerships.”

By becoming a ‘Principal for a Day’, business and community leaders take part in many aspects of a common school day, including in-depth management discussions with the principal, taking classes with students, talking with parents and staff, or even doing canteen or yard duty.

The Principal for a Day key event will be followed by forums on Tuesday 12 October 2010, in which guest panellists will discuss the issues arising from the Principal for a Day program, around the theme ‘Principal for a day 2010 – celebrating a decade of powerful partnerships’

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Media enquiries:Louise Reynolds
Corporate Communications Manager
Phone (03) 9277 5582 or 0419 340 058