PUT HAND UP AND OFFER EXPLANATION
Times have changed and parents now need to hear far more from a school when a principal suddenly departs
IT is not the principal, it’s the principle.
Ten years ago, the resignation of St Hilda’s School headmaster Dr Julia Wilson Reynolds would make a message in the school newsletter, not front page headlines.
But times have changed. Through social media, parents and teachers are more connected than ever – yet the flow of information remains predominantly one-way. The school tells, the parents listen.
But looking at the traction of education stories in the media, it’s obvious that parents want to be more included in the conversation of their child’s schooling. Because they care.
Unfortunately, schools are not set up for democracy. Or perhaps it’s fortunate – progress would never be made if every parent had their say on the direction and decisions of any educational facility.
But the sudden departure of the St Hilda’s leader known as “Doc” highlights the fact that the traditional model of parent-teacher relations no longer works in this day and age.
Parents are invested in their child’s education – look at the skyrocketing rate of employment for tutors – and they deserve to know what is happening within the four walls of their child’s school.
Sometimes this parental involvement is for the worse – see the abuse of teachers and staff by angry adults. But mostly, it’s for the better – see parents volunteering in the classroom, helping with the homework, working alongside teachers to reinforce lessons and rules.
Private schools in particular owe parents a level of disclosure, given they are essentially clients of a business.
While Dr Wilson Reynolds is entitled to a degree of privacy, the silence over her sudden resignation is creating a vacuum that is rapidly being filled with rumours – which are surely far more detrimental to the school than whatever the truth may be.
Or maybe not. Nobody knows.
Or at least, nobody is telling.
Regardless, the abrupt abdication of her position is justifiably alarming for parents. I’m sure the students will roll with the changes – kids are resilient, but it’s the bigger picture that’s disturbing families.
Succession planning at schools is kind of a big deal. A principal can make or break a school.
In normal circumstances, a leader who is leaving of his or her own accord would spend months searching for a replacement and preparing staff, the school body and parents for the change.
Communication is key in reassuring all concerned that the ideals, ethics and educational standards held by the school will remain a priority. To abandon all this and resign overnight is a huge red flag.
If I was a parent at that school I would be furious to be cut out of the conversation. Not to mention concerned at what has caused such a sudden and unexpected decision. And then there’s the reputational damage occurring every day that satisfactory answers are withheld. The best schools are those that operate as communities, where parents and families are valued, included and invited to be a part of the discussion.
That doesn’t mean that parents should be consulted about a principal’s decisions or movements, but they should be informed. Because they care. And if you cut the
communication, you cut the care factor – and that’s when real failure occurs.
I can’t imagine many jobs more difficult than being a principal – balancing the needs and desires of employees, children and parents cannot be easy. It’s impossible to keep all of the people happy all of the time.
And when there is discontent, now there’s social media to blast that opinion to the world.
But when major changes occur, schools owe it to parents to inform them not just of the facts, but the reasons why. After all, it’s our children’s future that is at stake.
And that’s the principle of the matter.