Changes welcomed by principal

Press, 4 April 1989, Page 6

Changes welcomed by principal

The new principal of Mairehau High School, Miss Jill Ussher, says now is an exciting time to be working in schools, with the plans for sharing of decisionmaking between staff, pupils and parents. “We’ll be working together to find the type of communications, and the types of programmes that are wanted in schools.”

Miss Ussher has been deputy principal at Rangiora High School for the last two years, and had previously been senior mistress.

Trained as a chemistry and science teacher, she began her career at Kaikorai Valley High School in Dunedin, and has also taught at Westland High School, Hokitika, and at Pleasant Point. Miss Ussher said she had always favoured “collegiate” deci-sion-making in schools, and was delighted to find that recommen-

dation in “Tomorrow’s Schools.” Pupils could play a full part, including helping to make some curriculum, school environment or building decisions, she said. Pupils were part of the system through the school council which was already functioning. Miss Ussher said she had no fears about the introduction of “Tomorrow’s Schools.” “Everybody I have spoken with has a real willingness to be involved, and quality people are wanting to stand for election.” On the industrial relations issues in “Tomorrow’s Schools,” Miss Ussher said the fight by the teachers’ union to retain principals within the award was significant and important. “Principals are not frightened of contracts, as they are presented in “Tomorrow’s Schools.” "But who knows what the State Services Commission (the Gov-

emment’s negotiators) are going to come through with?” she said. Miss Ussher said New Zealand’s education system was among the best in the world, and making principals into managers, on a business model, would ruin the co-operative spirit which existed in schools.

One goal which Miss Ussher feels schools must continue to foster is the promotion of women and girls, and the idea that they can succeed in non-traditional areas.

Miss Ussher said that she never met career barriers as a woman, but she had seen it happen to others. In schools, boards of trustees would be bound by the charter when making appointments. It was the principal’s job to ensure that the board met the equity requirements (for women, and minority groups, such as Maoris),

which were built in the charter. People also had to remember that the traditional image of the man as the breadwinner was no longer the case since there were so many single-parent families. “It’s important that appointing boards recognise that the best person for the job is the one who must be appointed. "People bring their own personalities to a job, and mine must be influenced by the fact that I am a woman. “I have certanly been made very welcome at Mairehau." Miss Ussher said she had enjoyed her Maori welcome to the school. At Mairehau, she wants to continue the traditions of sports achievements and academic strengths. The special nature of the school, with its work experience and physically disabled unit was also important, she said.