Assistant Principal Range 2 - Positive Climate For Learning - Mini School

Location Profile

Elevation Secondary College is an evidence-based school in Melbourne's booming Northern growth corridor. Situated approximately 23 kilometers from Melbourne, we service the rapidly growing and aspirational communities of the Aston and Highlands Estates in Craigieburn, Greenvale and further North to Mickleham.

We first opened our doors in 2020, to a purpose built, state of the art educational facility with a Science, Technology and Arts building, as well as a general-purpose Learning Community building, Administration Centre and Library. In 2026 our school has grown to over 1300 students from Year 7-12 and we celebrated our inaugural graduating class in December 2025.

In 2022, Elevation Secondary College was named #1 best place to work in Australia/New Zealand in the Government, Education and Non for Profit sector by the Australian Financial Review and Inventium!

School Vision

Elevation Secondary College is an outward facing school that values improving student learning, social emotional outcomes and educational attainment for all students.  The school is known for its academic excellence, orderly learning environments, inclusiveness and the outstanding opportunities it provides its students.

Elevation Secondary College teaches a broad and rigorous academic program that allows students to build skills in the context of a knowledge rich curriculum. Teachers engage students in lessons that challenge their thinking and promote academic effort and rigour. All students are supported in their wellbeing and engagement through a complementary system of high expectations, school wide positive behaviours and trauma informed classroom practices utilising the Berry Street Education Model. The school provides students with a range of extra-curricular programs that enhance learning in the classroom and the ability to engage the wider community, academic and corporate world.

Professional Learning Culture

Elevation Secondary College has a powerful professional learning culture, based on the idea that: ¿if we create a culture where every teacher believes they need to improve, not because they are not good enough but because they can be even better, there is no limit to what we can achieve¿  Dylan Wiliam University of London.  Staff at the school maintain a professional approach to teaching and learning.  The school has developed a culture of professional learning where observations, walkthroughs, coaching, data and academic research are commonly used to improve practice. Consistent with the schools behavioural expectations of Aim High, Work Hard, Be Good, staff will be expected to be aspirational, improvement focused and maintain positive and professional relationships with all members of the community at all times.

Staff will be expected to balance the need for high expectations of all learners with a positive educational and trauma informed approach to engagement, wellbeing and inclusion.

Selection Criteria

SC1 Educational leadership
- Outstanding capacity for visionary and exemplary educational leadership of a school or college.
- Highly developed skills in leading and managing change, including the leadership of others in the process of change.
 

SC2 Financial, managerial and administrative ability
- Outstanding financial, organisational and resource management skills.
 

SC3 Planning, policy and program development and review
- Exemplary values appropriate to the development of student learning with a demonstrated capacity to achieve high quality student outcomes.
- Demonstrated ability to implement Department policies to a high level.
- An understanding of, and a commitment to, the use of learning technologies to improve teaching and learning.
 

SC4 Leadership of staff and students
- A highly developed capacity to motivate staff, develop their talents and build an effective team.
- A clear capacity to foster a learning environment that takes account of the individual needs of students and helps students to develop their special abilities and talents.
 

SC5 Interpersonal and communication skills
- Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills in individual, small group and community contexts.
- Exemplary values pertaining to personal qualities of objectivity, sensitivity and integrity.
- An ability to work with parents and the community to develop a strong learning environment.
 

SC6 Local criteria
- Outstanding professional and personal attributes, including perseverance, humility, collaboration and an improvement focus. The ability to balance high expectations of all learners with inclusivity and positive education practices.

Role

Assistant Principal - Positive Climate For Learning - Mini School
 

The focus of the role will be maintaining and developing a Positive Climate for Learning. The Assistant Principal, Positive Climate for Learning will work under the direction of the Principal and collaboratively with two other Assistant Principals and the Executive Team to maintain an orderly learning environment and improve student learning outcomes.
 

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Maintaining and leading the development of an orderly classroom environment within the school
- Leading an effective team of Year level leaders and Year level Coordinators within a Mini School Team
- Monitoring and improving attendance at in a Mini School and generally maximising school participation in those year levels
- Leading and Managing groups of teachers including classroom teachers and Mentor Group Teachers
- Liaising with external agencies, networks and providers to support student learning
- Working with the careers team and year level teams to build an effective pathways program
- Supporting IEP development and the SSG process for students with additional needs and significant behavioural needs.
- Support the implementation of subject selection of other Mini School related programs, such as transition, subject selection, proactive programs etc.
- Contributing to the overall leadership and management of the whole school as part of the Executive Team.
 
This responsibility list is not exhaustive. Once the preferred candidate has been appointed the exact role description will be finalised taking into account the successful candidate's skills, experience and expertise, as well as existing portfolios of other substantive Assistant Principals.

Responsibilities

Typically, assistant principals perform one or more of the following functions:

•    supervision and coordination of the work of senior curriculum or level coordinators;
•    allocation of budgets, positions of responsibility and other resources within the area of responsibility;
•    supervision of the delivery of teaching programs;
•    management of programs to improve the knowledge and experience of staff;
•    responsibility for general discipline matters beyond the management of classroom teachers and year level coordinators;
•    contribute to the overall management of the school;

Who May Apply

Appropriately qualified individuals currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via marrung@education.vic.gov.au

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

DE Values

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:

 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview

Other Information

Please ensure that your application includes:

• Full name, mobile phone number and email address of at least three referees.
• A resume including relevant experience as well as personal details, (name, address, contact number)
• A section addressing the selection criteria and the requirement for application under the Who May Apply Section.

Interested parties that wish to find out more about the position, are welcome to contact Principal, Colin Burke via email or on 8339 8000. 
 

To find out more about Elevation Secondary College, applicants can view our website at https://www.elevationsc.vic.edu.au, view our Careers page at https://www.elevationsc.vic.edu.au/our-school/careers/.

General Enquiries can be directed to 8339 8000 or elevation.sc@education.vic.gov.au.

Conditions of Employment

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

Qualification Requirements

To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:

• The person must have provisional or full registration approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching; and
• if the person completed an Australian postgraduate level initial teaching program or course of study on or after 1 January 2024, they must demonstrate that they have satisfactorily completed a postgraduate level accredited initial teacher education program that has been accredited by an Australian State or Territory Teacher Regulatory Authority as satisfying the requirements of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 'Accreditation of initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures'; and
• a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program after 1 July 2016 must also demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements (this condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian ITE program completed by the person).

Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found at Recruitment in Schools.