Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
Catholic Education Office

Appointment Renewal for Assistant Principals, Religious Education Coordinators & Coordinators

Related Policies:

Religious Education Teachers Accreditation
Employment of Teachers to Promotions Positions
Professional Development Program for Assistant Principals, Religious Education Coordinators & Coordinators
Developmental Staff Appraisal for Assistant Principals, Religious Education Coordinators & Coordinators
Selection Criteria and Duty Statements for Assistant Principals, Religious Education Coordinators & Coordinators

Purpose:

This policy outlines the review process for the renewal of contracts for Assistant Principals, Religious Education Coordinators & Coordinators.

Policy:

Consistent with the conditions for appointment contained in the relevant Teachers Certified Agreements, teachers appointed to the position of Assistant Principal, Religious Education Coordinator or Coordinator shall undertake a rigorous performance review prior to the conclusion of the first two year appointment period and each subsequent four year appointment periods in accordance with the procedures contained in this policy.

Definitions:

“Assistant Principal” means a teacher appointed as such in a school who assists the Principal in his or her responsibility for the conduct and organisation of the school.

“Religious Education Coordinator” means a teacher appointed as the leader of the team of Religious Education teachers, who share responsibility for the implementation of Religious Education.

“Coordinator” means a teacher appointed as such in a school who is responsible to the Principal for the co-ordination of the programme of work in an area of instruction or other activity as determined by the Principal.

The use of the term ‘Coordinator' in the policy refers to all Coordinators in Archdiocesan primary and secondary schools including the following:

• General Coordinator
• Middle School Coordinator
• Primary Coordinator
• Curriculum Coordinator
• Subject Coordinator
• Studies Coordinator
• Year Coordinator
• House Coordinator
• Pastoral Coordinator
• Pastoral Care Coordinator
• Teaching Coordinator
• Learning Technologies Coordinator

A Religious Education Coordinator (REC) is referred to separately.

Procedures:

1. Number and Timing of Reviews

1.1 Appointments to the position of Assistant Principal, Religious Education
Coordinator and Coordinator will be for periods of 2 + 4 + 4 years. At the
conclusion of a 2-year and first 4 year appointment, subject to availability of
position and a satisfactory performance review, the contract will be renewed for
a further 4 year period. In Term 2 of the fourth year of the second 4-year
appointment and subsequent 4 year appointments, there will be a performance
appraisal.

1.2 At the conclusion of the second 4-year appointment and subsequent 4 year
appointments, the Principal may recommend to the Director the readvertising of
the position.

1.3 In the event of significant change to school structure, projected school closure,
or the Assistant Principal’s / REC’s / Coordinator’s intentions regarding
retirement, special length appointments will be considered at the discretion of
the Director.

1.4 Appointment renewal reviews will take place no earlier than the second term
and no later than the end of third term of the final year of any appointment
period.

1.5 In cases where those scheduled to undergo review are unable to do so
because of absence from the position at the time of the review (Parental
[maternity, paternity, adoption] Leave, Long Service Leave, Leave Without Pay,
secondment to another position) then the review should be rescheduled to take
place:

1.5.1 where appropriate and practicable prior to the period of leave / secondment and in keeping with 1.4 above; or

1.5.2 as soon as is practicable after the period of leave and no later than during the following year.

In cases where the requirements of 1.5.1 and 1.5.2 are unable to be met, and in all other cases not dealt with above, then a determination regarding the timing of the review will be made by the Director of the CEO.

New appointment periods will commence from the date of return to the position for those on Parental Leave or Leave Without Pay, and for those on Long Service Leave or secondment from the date immediately following the completion of the appointment period just reviewed.

2. Appointment Review Process

2.1. The Principal has prime responsibility for ensuring that the review process for Assistant Principals, RECs and Coordinators is conducted according to the guidelines in this policy document.

2.2 The Principal should ensure that any areas of performance that need to be
addressed with the Assistant Principal / REC / Coordinator undergoing review
have been identified and resolved before the review process commences.

2.3 The Review Panel shall consist of:

2.3.1 Assistant Principal

• Principal
• Catholic Education Office Human Resources Officer

2.3.2 Religious Education Coordinator

• Principal
• CEO Religious Education/Curriculum Officer

2.3.3 Coordinator

• Principal
• One person nominated by the Principal. This person may be:
  • from within the school/college and holding a promotion position;
  • the school’s Catholic Education Office Human Resources Officer; or
  • from another Archdiocesan school and holding a promotion position.

Approval must be sought from the Head of Human Resources prior to a person
from another school being appointed to a panel or variations made to the
above panel structure.

2.4 Should a Coordinator desire the participation of a third person on the review panel then this person will be the school’s CEO Human Resources Officer or someone else appointed by the Director of the CEO.

2.5 During Terms 1 and 2 prior to the review period, the Assistant Principal / REC / Coordinator undergoing the review will complete a Critical Self Reflection Report. The Critical Self Reflection Report will address:

• how any recommendations contained in the previous review have been addressed (for Assistant Principal / REC / Coordinator undertaking a second or subsequent review);
• all areas contained in his/her duty statement as transposed into the agreed questionnaire and provide concrete examples to justify any claims made in the Report; and
• an outline of the goals/contribution to be made during the new four-year appointment period.

A report outline may be developed through conversation between the Principal and the Assistant Principal/REC/Coordinator to assist with the development of the Critical Self Reflection Report. This report will be provided to panel members before the scheduled date for the review.

2.6 During the review period a questionnaire will be submitted to three (3) to eight (8) persons, depending upon the size of school, from personnel within the school community. Respondents must be persons who are competent to comment on the majority of the aspects of the duty statement. In secondary schools, respondents should primarily be from the faculty or area of responsibility and from the personnel in promotions positions to whom the person is responsible . In Primary schools the Parish Priest must be invited to complete a questionnaire for the review of an Assistant Principal and Religious Education Coordinator. In Secondary schools the Chaplain must be invited to complete a questionnaire for an Assistant Principal and Religious Education Coordinator.

2.7 The questionnaire based on the Duty Statement of the Assistant Principal / REC / Coordinator will be agreed by the Principal and the person to be reviewed.

2.8  Returned questionnaires will be available to Panel Members only. Persons completing questionnaires will be advised that they may be contacted for interview for clarification and further comment. Completed questionnaires will be returned to the Principal.

2.9 Respondents will be told that the Assistant Principal / REC / Coordinator undertaking the review will not see the returned questionnaires but will receive a compilation of all responses.

2.10 Only signed questionnaires will be processed.

2.10.1 Upon receipt of completed questionnaires, Panel Members:

• may seek clarification from respondents re the questionnaire
• will collate the statement of responses based on the questionnaire and review the Critical Self Reflection Report
• with the Assistant Principal / REC / Coordinator will review the compiled responses and the Critical Self Reflection Report and discuss the findings.

2.11 In addition to coordinating the Review and writing the Review Report, the Principal will include comments about the performance of the person under review against the agreed duty statement. The Principal's comments should be clearly identified as such.

2.12 The Principal will submit a copy of the Review Report; a copy of the Critical Self Reflection Report; a copy of the questionnaire and a recommendation to the Director of the CEO. A copy of the Review Report will go to the person being reviewed.

2.13 On the basis of this review the Principal will recommend to the Director:

• reappointment for a further period of four years; or
• a provisional appointment for a further period of one year. The provisional appointment should not exceed one year. If a provisional appointment is made, the review process outlined in clause 2.0 of this Policy must be followed. The subsequent review may address the areas highlighted for development in the initial review. This provisional period forms part of the on-going four-year period should the employee successfully complete the provisional period; or
• non reappointment to the position and the readvertising of the position.

When making the recommendation to the Director, the Principal will provide the rationale supporting the recommendation .

3. Report

3.1 A signed Review Report will be presented to the Director of the Catholic Education Office and to the Assistant Principal / REC / Coordinator by the end of August or an otherwise agreed date.

3.2 The Director will action the report by the end of Term 3.

3.3 Following a recommendation for non-reappointment and the advertising of the position, an appointment will remain valid until the end of the current appointment period.

3.4 Continuing employment status as a teacher is maintained.

3.5 Where the Principal does not recommend reappointment and the Director makes the decision not to renew the contract, then the Assistant Principal / REC / Coordinator may wish to appeal this decision. Appeals may be against either the process or the decision and must be lodged in writing stating the reason(s) for the appeal within two (2) weeks of receiving the Director's decision.

3.6 The Head of Human Resources will process any appeals.

• In the case of an appeal against the process, the Head of Human Resources will review the process followed. If the Head of Human Resources finds the Review Process was inadequate, a second review will be conducted. The Panel will consist of the Principal and a Director's nominee.
• In the case of an appeal against the decision, the Head of Human Resources will arrange in consultation with the Independent Education Union for an independent person to review the documentation, including questionnaire responses, to ascertain that the recommendation is consistent with the information provided during the process. If the independent person finds the recommendation to be inconsistent with the information provided during the review process, the independent person will recommend appointment for a further year. The independent person's recommendation will be accepted.

References:

Nil

Forms:

Nil