There may also be some last-minute resignations which are always inconvenient. I recall a resignation on Christmas Day - great Christmas Present! Sadly, he was a longer-term pioneer of the school and would be greatly missed. But there was a need to move his family interstate, and the opportunity came when it did. Not his fault, just remote circumstances and we still keep in contact.

Over the years I seldom had a January when I wasn’t appointing staff. However,ever all was often not lost. I managed to appoint some wonderful staff who stayed for years and made a terrific contribution to the school. Yes, the glass can easily be half full rather than half empty, a good saying for any Principal to keep on hand. 

Though appointing staff in January is not easy, it is still important not to take a second-rate rate candidate in desperation. That feeling of desperation can undermine a good decision and can bring grief in the new year and obviously high standards must be maintained. In January referees are often hard to find - you just have to be persistent. I would have to often break my holiday to interview, which would sometimes be by telephone, not ideal, or by flying the candidate near to where I was on holiday. Face to face is always best though Zoom is much better than telephone. However, referees are absolutely key in this process. I did have some “doozies” and in spite of all care this can happen, so a probationary appointment may be appropriate. One appointment I made in January was very disappointing. He officially accepted but then “pulled the pin” two days before school started - very inconvenient and unprofessional! 

Though a very busy few weeks of the year, it is also an important time for reflection - what went well, what could be better etc. Time spent doing this is definitely time well spent, remembering that it is really important to mentally celebrate some of those successes and also share them with the staff before they leave. It is important that they go on holidays feeling positive about the school. In the same vein, don’t let the students go without good positive messages to them. Christmas holidays morale is invaluable. 

This is also a time of year to celebrate how important teaching is as a profession. Society relies on it as they entrust their children to teachers who walk some part of their life’s young journey with them and in doing so make a difference to their present and their future. I’m sure all of us as adults will recall teachers who made a difference to us. There is no question that it is a hard profession, exhausting, but rewarding and one to be proud of belonging to. 

Teaching is also a creative profession. Good teachers are always thinking about how they might tackle their craft better, though they may come to the conclusion that what they are doing is tried true and the best. It is always good for teachers to acknowledge what really does work well.

As the year wears on the school staff become tired. I was always grateful when the ten ten-week term came in. It seemed to have a better teaching rhythm than that of the old three term year. Three terms resulted in three 13 13-week terms which to me was too long and time in the last two or three weeks was often unproductive and wasted. I found that in the ten-week week term week 7 was always a week of pressure when both staff and students were obviously tiring. I can’t remember which part of the 13 weeker were pressured but I’m sure it was well and truly there. 

As the staff become tired Principals should show their positive support to everyone in whatever creative way they can. Part of a Principal’s important role is to promote the school to both the staff and students. 

Choosing a number of examples of why the school is a good school or why as a community we like the school. It is also good to ask students what they like about the school and the same with the staff. Staff and students want to be proud of the school and the principalipal can take a big part in promoting this. As people tire it helps to be reminded about why the school is a good one at which to work. Promote and promote!

Don’t only promote what the school has done but, if possible, what the school is going to do. Too often we forget to do this and yet such expectations can be really powerful. The Histories of our schools and how they have developed is also interesting and important. This should not sit as a dusty file or manuscript on the bookshelf in the principal’s office or in the school archives. These stories are really worth telling and re-telling.

Back to teachers and the essence of the Art. I have written this story in an early Principal’s Thoughts but there are so many Principals who are new. The piece is called “Fine Words of Wisdom” and celebrates the great value of teaching. 

The Custodian of Timeless Wisdom sat quietly on the Stone Of Endless Wonder, listening to the tales of those sculptors of the Ancient Art of teaching before him: of stories delivered under countless trees of knowledge; of scientific experiments conducted with the Archimedean bath tubs of time ; of the endless sea of eyes moving across oceans of books, washed by the tides of years and eager minds; of lessons before the masts of ships and in farms where ploughing churns the soil of knowledge and understanding with hope year after year, decade after decade and century after century.

And he listened to the tales of the modern world of classrooms found in shipping containers or schools in huts with little more than a blackboard, to modern schools with air-conditioning and parquetry flooring, digital tools and exciting devices. The ageless art of teaching was indeed diverse.

The Custodian’s warm grey eyes starred kindly at the group before him. He appreciated the effort they had made, to come from thousands of years of teaching, to share with him.

“Teaching,” he said, “is the pivotal task of life.”

“Teaching is indeed the oldest art and it is without question the oldest profession. Aspects of teaching have definitely changed through the ages, but clearly what hasn’t changed is that first and foremost, teaching is built on relationship. Teaches from all the ages, remember if you build a relationship, then you build a person; if you build a person, you help build a community.

And as they headed back to their ages and communities he smiled knowingly the smile of ultimate satisfaction for he had said what was of greatest importance to him.

Written by Chris Tudor