Principals hand reins to business, community leaders

Media Release

For immediate release: Monday 22 August 2011

Around 100 community and business leaders will take the reins at Victoria’s state schools tomorrow as part of the annual Principal for a Day program.

Principal for a Day is a partnership between the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD).

Now in its 11th year, 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 Victoria’s state schools every day.

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

“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.

A full list of participating schools and Principals for a Day is available from www.acer.edu.au/pfad

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