The difficulty attracting and retaining staff was the impetus behind a leadership academy developed by the Buffalo Trail Public School division in eastern Alberta last year.
Principals Dave Brecht and Nick Radujko helped spearhead the Pathfinders program, offered to all staff including teachers, special education co-ordinators, superintendents and administrators.
“We wanted to provide an opportunity to show teachers that if you invest your time with us, we’ll invest time and resources in your journey as an educator,” said Brecht.
He was one of dozens of featured presenters at the annual congress on rural education in Saskatoon April 2-4.
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The two-year program was funded solely by the 24 schools in the Buffalo Trail division from existing budgets. It began last August and will offer participants a certificate upon completion in 2004.
Brecht, like Radujko, receives no remuneration for his work.
“We enjoy working with others, trying to build that capacity of others,” said Brecht.
He hopes the program can be offered again since there was strong interest in it. Although there were 30 applicants, organizers chose to work with half that number in its inaugural year.
Doug Coffin, division superintendent, explained Buffalo Trail loses about one percent of its staff annually, including five administrators who moved to other divisions. As well, vice-principals are scarce.
He was pleased with the program, customized for the specific needs of their district, saying it will build on leadership capabilities of staff within the division.
“We can sense that is going to happen,” said Coffin.
The division was looking for a local solution to the provincial problem of how to replace aging teachers and administrators. It also wanted to identify local talent and build teaching and leadership skills within the division, said Radujko, a principal at Paradise Valley, Alta.
“Our idea is to build for within, but we don’t hold people back,” he said.
Coffin hoped the program would also increase the number of female administrators from the three now in the division.
The program, which borrowed from current research and training models, is offered over five days scattered throughout its first year.
It includes much time for interaction between participants in problem solving and a sharing of personal stories and different approaches to the issues. Speakers examined conflict resolution, theories of leadership and management and interviewing techniques.
Nick noted the importance of exit interviews for departing staff.
“It helps you define what the problem is,” said Radujko. “If you don’t fix it, you will end up with a revolving door.”
In its second year, the program will explore mentoring, public relations and how to build learning communities.
