A-Z

A.

Alternative Settings
The VPA aspires for the most suitable learning environment for each student in a Victorian school.

Autism Spectrum Disorder
The Victorian Principals Association (VPA) is concerned about the increase in the number of students who exhibit autistic tendencies in government primary schools and the lack of appropriate support for these students to assist in their learning.

B.

Building the Education Revolution - Primary Schools for the 21st Century
The VPA is concerned with the process of distribution of Building the Education Revolution (BER) Funds. The short time frame has created undue pressure on PCO's to submit applications for consideration. In addition, the process currently in place relating to BER funds is not uniform and lacking in transparency.


C.

Consultation Process - Joint VASSP/VPA
The Victorian Principals Association (VPA) and the Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals (VASSP), in representing the interests of PCOs, seeks timely, thorough and transparent consultation processes with representatives of the DEECD.

D.

Confidentiality of School Data 
The VPA recognises that school performance data is a valuable tool for informing the development of school improvement initiatives. Equally, inappropriate use of school performance data can be damaging to school communities including principals and staff.

Data Use and Misuse (Joint VASSP / VPA)
The Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals (VASSP) and the Victorian Principals Association (VPA) note the Federal Government is mandating the publication of a variety of school performance data under its “transparency” agenda. This position paper addresses the balance between the community’s right to be informed about school performance and the presentation of school data in a meaningful and constructive way.


E.

Early Years Literacy Approach
The VPA is concerned with the range of early years' literacy models utilised in government schools, creating inconsistencies in pedagogy and learning outcomes.

Education Provision/Regeneration
As a professional organisation the VPA helps shape education policies and programs in government schools and plays a central role in developing the professional capacities of its members.

English Online Assessment Implementation
The VPA welcomes the development of a detailed assessment tool to monitor English across the early years P-2. The VPA believes that this tool requires careful implementation with adequate resources and consultation.


FGH.

I.

Instructional Rounds
The Victorian Principals Association (VPA), in representing the interests of PCOs, seeks clarity and consistency in developing the concepts and processes of Instructional Rounds.

Intergrated ICT Support
The VPA recognises the importance of ICT in government schools as essential for student learning in the 21st Century.


JKLM.

N.

Network Continuous Improvement Strategy (Joint VASSP / VPA)
The Victorian Principals Association (VPA) note that principal class officers (PCOs) are expected to make an increased contribution to school networks under direction of the regional network leader (RNL). This position paper addresses the balance of responsibilities between PCOs’ schools and the school network.

OPQ.

R.


Regional Network Leaders 
The Victorian Principals Association acknowledges the key role which is being developed by the regional network leaders. The VPA agrees that one of the key elements of this position is to create a culture of collaboration and cooperation within each network of schools.

Relocatable Provision in Schools 
The Victorian Principals Association (VPA) Members are seeking higher levels of service from the DEECD relocatable program across Victoria.

Rewarding Teacher Excellence
The Victorian Principals Association (VPA) supports research into the concept of rewarding teacher excellence with performance based pay. This paper provides the conditions that should be applied to the development of the concept.

S.

School Coaches
The Victorian Principals Association (VPA) encourages continual professional growth of school personnel to support the curriculum needs of the school. Principal class officers (PCOs) are best placed to determine the nature of professional development programs in each school.

School Improvement Intervention (Joint VASSP / VPA)
The Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals (VASSP) and the Victorian Principals Association (VPA) note that the Government through the Blueprint has indicated that the DEECD will be implementing programs to support and develop identified underperforming schools. This position paper addresses the balance between the needs of the system to improve systemic performance and the context of the individual school.

SSSO Network Restructure
The Victorian Principals Association (VPA) notes The Framework for Student Support Services in Victorian Government Schools outlines the principles, arrangements and the additional resources provided to strengthen student welfare and support services. The Framework also outlines the concepts of ‘continuity of care’ and ‘partnerships between the school and the community’ as the key to improving the services provided to students and their families.

Staff referral  
The VPA recognises the complexity of the state wide system, and the employment conditions existing across Victorian schools.

Student Engagement Guidelines 
The Victorian Principals Association (VPA) was approached to comment on the Draft Student Engagement Guidelines distributed for comment by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Department in December 2008.

Student Free Days 
The Victorian Principals Association is concerned with DEECD's decision to allocate the majority of student free days at the beginning of the school year and the schedulling of a reporting day at a time when primary schools would be preparing written reports for parents.


T.

Targeted Schools
The VPA recognises the complexity of the government school system, and the desire for improved school performance across Victoria. Targeting particular schools for intensive levels of systemic intervention is recognised as a potentially useful step in systemic improvement.

Teaching Qualifications
The Victorian Principals Association (VPA) aspires for the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) to take a more influential role in setting teacher training standards within teacher training institutes.


UVWX.

Y.

Your Job Your Say Survey Instrument
The Victorian Principals Association (VPA) is concerned about the DEECD’s apparent decision to discontinue implementation of the ‘Your Job, Your Say’ principal feedback tool.

Z.