Leadership in New Zealand schools doesn’t rest solely with the principal.   By distributing leadership throughout a team, you clarify accountabilities, efficiently delegate workload, and give all of your people the opportunity to thrive. Typically, this distributed leadership begins with your senior leaders – DPs and APs and the like. But as recent research shows, teacher leadership is just as – if not more – critical for student success.   What is teacher leadership? Broadly speaking, teacher leadership is what it says it is – active teachers taking on more leadership roles within their school. As Charlotte Danielson explains, this is typically exhibited through a teacher’s sphere of influence expanding outside the classroom, as well as motivating and mobilising other individuals. It remains focused on the school’s ultimate vision and goals.   Additionally, Leblanc and Shelton (2012) found that collaboration is fundamental for teacher leaders, while time is the most important resource to make it happen.   This can mean that teacher leadership is a difficult concept to put into practice. With already long hours and staffing challenges for schools across New Zealand, a formalised programme to develop teachers into strong educational leaders can fall down the priority list.   But for those who can implement such a strategy, it can pay dividends in the long-term.  Distributing leadership all the way down  When school leadership is distributed, it can have a significant positive influence on student outcomes. However, some methods of spreading leadership throughout a school are more effective than others.   The above research – Seven Strong Claims Revisited - summarises a few key elements of successful distributed leadership:   Basing responsibilities on expertise, rather than role   Creation of new teams   Focus on interactions over actions Strong levels of leadership team cooperation and full participation in decision making  Of course, the degree to which schools can do this will vary in each case. Some may be able to flip the system, as Kneyber and Evers put it, resulting in a completely teacher-driven model for how the school is run. Others may simply use their strategic plan as a blueprint, and begin assigning initiatives and actions to teachers with the relevant expertise – giving them control and the opportunity to develop their own leadership skills.   The key is finding the balance between available resources, your teachers’ expertise, and the degree of change that your school can take on.  Why teacher leadership matters  If you don’t focus on developing teacher leadership, you may miss out on significant impact for students.   At Springboard Trust, we focus on school leadership - especially in our foundational courses like the Strategic Leadership for Principals Programme. As principals continue their learning journey through our Alumni Services and School Innovation Services, we focus more and more on the leadership team and empower them with tools and frameworks to lead on their own. It is vital that school leaders then impart this learning on their teachers. As Seven Strong Claims notes, in terms of in-school variables, educational leadership is second only to classroom teaching in impact on learners.   And while teachers must be given the resources and time to continue effective practice, developing teacher leadership brings a new dimension of growth into the fold. Harris and Jones (2019) note that teachers who play an active role in creating change yield much more positive results in their school than ones who are “passive tools of policy delivery”.   In the end, the message here is one of paying it forward. Teacher leadership will look different in every school context – but by empowering them to influence, collaborate and take responsibility, you can only deepen the pool of leadership in education and help learners succeed.

This International Women’s Day, it’s time to shout out your principal!   New Zealand has 1,291 female principals – for the first time, there are more women than men in this role. Coupled with female teachers outnumbering men by nearly 3:1, it is clear that New Zealand’s women hold a massive collective responsibility for young people’s learning. At Springboard Trust, we work closely with principals right across New Zealand to improve their leadership for the good of all students. But unfortunately, we can’t work with every single principal – so we’re enlisting you all to help. Let’s be better together and shout out our principals!   But of course, teachers and principals are busy people. Shouting out someone without much time on their hands might be intrusive if you do it the wrong way.   Thankfully, we have 15 ways for you to shout out a principal for #IWD – we hope you find something that works for your local leader! Shout-outs that keep it personal  For many people, the concept of a public shout-out is absolutely mortifying. If you want to acknowledge the hard work of a principal for International Women’s Day in a more private setting, any of the below should do just fine!    1. A greeting card  The traditional. The stalwart. The classic. Cards are minimalist, non-intrusive, and let you say something personal and meaningful that a principal can appreciate in their own time!   2. An email  Much the same as above, only this time – it's digital. Words of thanks, appreciation or just a simple ‘keep up the great work’ can go a long way to making someone’s day.   3. Phone call or face-to-face greeting  For those comfortable with it (on both sides of the interaction), saying how a principal has made a difference over the phone or in person can be supremely rewarding. However, be mindful of the principal – they might be busy during the day, or not want to be disturbed during their free time. Use your discretion and knowledge of the person you want to thank!   4. A gift  Now, we don’t mean over-the-top gift baskets sent to the school in plain view of everyone – this could be just as mortifying as shouting from the rooftops. But if you have an existing relationship with the principal and know their tastes, sending them a gift can mean the world.   5. Be specific This is more generalised advice for the above. When you’re giving a principal a shout-out, don’t just say “for all the hard work you do”. Take the time to acknowledge something specific they have done – it might be a strategic initiative that’s worked wonders, innovative decisions in the school, or simply taking the time to go the extra mile for you or your children.  Shout-outs in the public arena  Many people thrive on public acknowledgement of their work. If you know a principal for whom this is the case, then International Women’s Day could be the perfect opportunity to give a shout-out in one of the following ways!   6. Social media posts  The Instagram shout-out is a tried and true way to acknowledge people on a social media forum, broadcasting your thanks and appreciation to all your followers.   You could also do it on your school’s Facebook page, tweet up a storm or go for an inspiring LinkedIn post. Tag them if it’s appropriate and shout out to your heart’s content!   7. Assemblies or meetings   Public appreciation in assembly can be an amazing thing. Thunderous applause, heartfelt thanks and a forum that brings it all back to why principals work so hard – the students. School assembly can be the perfect place for the perfect shout-out.  For something a little more informal, team (or board, or PTA) meetings are also a great setting for collective thanks and caring – consider the classic workplace morning tea!   8. News and newsletters  Most schools have a publication of some kind – and even if they don’t, there is always the local paper. Submit an opinion piece, or – if you’re feeling extravagant – even take out some ad space for a loud and proud thank you.   9. Public gift or gesture Remember above, where we suggested that some principals might not like getting a gift in public? This could be where it’s appropriate!   If you work with a principal who loves public acknowledgement, it’s time to get that hamper, bouquet or otherwise highly visible gift together. Who knows – maybe even a barbershop quartet to sing a song?   10. Being mindful with public shout-outs  While these gestures can be amazing to receive, it’s important to be very mindful of the recipient’s needs. Be thankful, be sincere – but try not to be intrusive if it’s going to have a negative impact!  Shout-outs: Wild cards  These gestures are the wild ones. The ones you might not immediately think of, but if they are appropriate (and executed well), can have magnificent results. As always – use your discretion!   11. Unfurl a gigantic banner  The principal’s face. A message of thanks. The lyrics to Tina Turner’s iconic ‘Simply the Best’. You can put whatever you like on a banner, and unfurl it at the right moment for maximum impact!   12. Create a flash mob  These aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but can you imagine anything more adorable than an entire school coming together to perform a song and dance in honour of their principal?   An alternate and more up-to-date version of this is, of course, a TikTok.   13. Buy them some art  Finding a piece of art that reflects someone’s work and personality can be tricky. But if you’re confident in choosing the right piece, this can be a massive statement – and a lifelong gift.   Another way to say thanks with art is to work with the school’s students. Pieces created by the people the principals works so hard for can be some of the most meaningful gifts of all.   14. Send them away What better way to shout out someone in one of the busiest professions in the world than by giving them a break from it?   While principals may not have much free time, banding together to gift them a holiday when they do get time off could be just what they need.   15. Refer them to us!   You didn’t think we’d let the article slip by without mentioning our programmes, did you?   Year after year, principals tells us that the Strategic Leadership for Principals Programme is the best professional learning and development they have ever done. A free 10-month course that partners principals with business experts, it’s a vital piece of learning for any principal of any tenure.   If your principal hasn’t worked with us before, perhaps you want to give them the gift of knowledge – put them in touch with us!  

What’s the best way to recycle a laptop?   E-waste collections, selling on TradeMe, gifting to a friend – there are many opportunities for passing on your tech when you upgrade to something new.   But for Whangarei-based Fonterra Area Manager Neil Crowson, the option was something a little different – donating laptops to schools in need.   Relationships and resources  In 2019, Neil was a Capacity Partner in Springboard Trust’s Strategic Leadership for Principals Programme (SLPP). Working with Okaihau Primary’s principal Tim Couling, they spent 10 months of the year working together to build Tim’s strategic leadership in a schooling context.   As the programme went on, conversations turned to issues specific to those rural and remote Northland schools. Issues like funding access, families’ digital resources, and improving the tech literacy of students in the regions.   “The tech space can be a big challenge, as Northland isn’t as well-resourced a region as some other parts of the country,” Neil notes.  “It meant that when the laptop situation arose, working with these schools was the organic and clear thing to do.” A timely donation delivery Towards the end of 2019, a refresh of Fonterra’s hardware presented Neil with a fantastic opportunity.   “We had 40 laptops that we wanted to recycle, and we suggested getting them out into schools instead.”   “During the last workshop and celebration with the SLPP group, I put it to the cohort – and it went down really well.”   From there, it was a simple case of logistics. Neil asked the principals to give him some direction on how to split the laptops, and together they decided to share the devices evenly between each school in the cohort.   Carol Ashton (one of Springboard’s Programme Managers in Northland) and Neil then delivered the laptops to the schools, and work was done – as simple as that!   “It was a pretty good feeling,” Neil adds, “especially at the end of the year – it feels great to be Santa Claus.”  “And on a professional level, it’s also nice to identify an opportunity and get those devices out. It’s having an impact in schools and communities who need it, without costing anyone anything.”  How the laptops impacted Northland schools Schools often operate on very fine margins – and while the gift of laptops may have been low effort and cost, Neil found the impact it has on the ground is profound.   “The comments from principals were that this will have a big impact, particularly for struggling families who don’t have access to or the means to buy these laptops. Kids had been sharing laptops, and with roll increases that scarcity would only grow worse.”   “It really filled the gap for low decile schools that needed more resources.”  Additionally, the laptop gifting has led to more projects outside the realm of the principals’ and Capacity Partners’ interactions during SLPP.   “I had conversations with some principals who suggested assigning the laptops to senior students at their school. From there, they could partner with people from Fonterra – bring that Springboard framework into the school and foster some great coaching sessions.”  While those conversations to set up the programme are ongoing, it is a testament to the power of connection that programmes like SLPP can develop.   “You have a 10-month programme with these principals, but the benefits are far longer-lasting.”   With six schools equipped with refurbished and recycled laptops and more work in the pipeline, Neil is thrilled with the way things have turned out – and what he’s learned in return.   “When you work as a Capacity Partner, there’s an impression that you’re teaching the principal – but it’s a two-way street.”  “I took a lot of learning out of my experience, things outside my industry that taught me new theories and ways of working. It’s a great thing to be a part of, and I can’t wait to come back for my third year!”  

Welcome to 15 Questions! Each month, we will ask a different member of the Springboard Team or wider community about their work, heroes, education and secret hobbies. We hope you enjoy it! Dale Bailey: Springboard Trust CEO On February 24, Springboard Trust welcomes Dale Bailey as its new CEO. With a storied history across education, evaluation and GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives and museums), he brings a wealth of experience and insight to our work. To get ourselves (and you all) acquainted with Dale, we got his answers on hard-hitting questions about his hobbies and heroes. 1. Hello Dale! Where are you right now? I'm on the beach in the Coromandel, at Pauanui! My partner's sister has a beach house here, so I am taking a few days off before I start at Springboard. 2. What are you looking forward to most next week? Learning about Springboard – meeting the people, getting to know the team and understanding what drives you all. That’s the most important thing I think. 3. How did you first hear about Springboard Trust? I’ve got some friends who have intersected with SBT before. Some worked here, some have been on the corporate side of things and worked with the team.   They were very positive about Springboard and what it was doing and recommended it highly – which leads us here! 4. What's the most exciting thing about working at Springboard? Coming back to work in education. As a part of that, the idea of connecting the corporate world with education – it's pretty unique, that cross-fertilisation of ideas is really exciting.   5. And the most daunting?   I think it’s getting back into full time work after a few months off! And having such a distributed team across the country, getting to know them over a distance. I want to work quite hard at that.  6. Before Springboard, what was the most interesting thing you did for work?   That would have to be working at Te Papa, where I oversaw national collections. It was a pretty awesome responsibility, and one of the highlights was negotiating with the Chinese for the Terracotta Warrior exhibition to come to NZ. I got to travel to China six times, meet so many people and understand their systems a lot better. I loved it there, and loved working through how to create such a large scale exhibition.   7. Who is someone you look up to?  I am a great, long-time fan of Ernest Shackleton the Antarctic explorer.  8. Why?  He saved everybody in his party when it went to custard on an expedition, camping on ice and leading men on a 700 nautical mile journey through hurricane conditions to save them. The sense of personal leadership that he brings is so inspiring.  9. What's a piece of history you want more people to know about?   The Treaty of Waitangi. I have worked over the last year with the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, and am always surprised by how little people know about these complex relationships, and how amazing the treaty is as a modern guiding document.   10. Best piece of advice you've ever received?   One of my bosses once said “where you smell smoke, go towards the fire”.  Don’t try and ignore things, it's important to take them on.  11. How would you describe your leadership style?   Very collaborative and outcome focused. I like empowering people to get on with their job and making their job easier.   12. Favourite thing about NZ education?   The strength of public education in New Zealand. The fact that we have one of the world’s best systems, and that it started very early on in NZ’s history with a great level of investment in it, which has continued to this day – it’s a real standout strength.   13. What's your secret hobby?   I'm a great collector of Crown Lynn, usually through TradeMe and secondhand shops. Any time I travel, I’m looking out for more. I really like NZ-made things, and Crown Lynn is just incredible.   14. Favourite news source?   I am actually quite a fan of the Daily Mail online app – it's hysterical.   15. What is the question we should have asked you?  “Can you tell me about your grandsons?”