School Structure and leadership
The school structure grows out of and is formed by the principle of “servant leadership”. This concept in its simplest form suggests that leaders work with authority that grows from relationship rather than power or rank and work to serve the needs of their employees and stakeholders. Servant Leaders and Leadership Groups in our school are required to be in service to the “Will” of the school which grows out of the collective (rather than individual) higher intentions and needs of the community. This requires interest, meditation and investment in the life of the community and requires discretion to recognise the difference between true needs to be served and the wants and desires of individuals or groups.
There are four key groups within our school structure in which explicit leadership responsibilities are invested: the teaching faculties, the College of Teachers, the Senior Leadership Team, and the Board.
The teachers lead the delivery of the educational, cultural and pastoral program to the children. They collectively and collaboratively work to determine shared agreements around how the principles of Steiner Education will practically manifest in our school on a daily basis. Within these agreed forms and shared practices the teachers are able to exercise the freedom to determine how best to meet and serve the particular group of children in their care.
The College of Teachers is a group of teachers and other staff members who have consciously made an active commitment to not only work on their specific individual tasks within the school, but to take an expanded interest in the health and development of the whole school organism. The College must have the intention and processes to ensure that their work is able to be carried into the working will of the teachers and community. This must be done largely through communication by leaders who are able to work collegially to develop a feeling of shared responsibility for fulfilling the pedagogical vision amongst the entire teaching body and parent community. This is the one of the key functions of the Senior Leadership Team.
The Senior Leadership Team is made up of 5 administrative roles: the School Director, the High School Director, the Primary School Director, the Early Childhood Director, the Economic Development Manager and the College Chair. Each member of the Senior Leadership Team gathers the pictures, questions and ideas that are living in the area of the school they represent. The group then undertakes a collaborative process of identifying and actioning what is needed to manifest these imaginations, solve the riddles or determine operational improvements. The School Director is the liaison between school operations and the fourth school leadership group: the Board.
The Board, is the governing body of the Rudolf Steiner Education Group Brisbane (RSEGB). The Board works at a governance level to ensure the school delivers a quality education to students in a financially sustainable, legal and ethical manner. All Board members are unpaid volunteers.
Read more about the current members of the School Board
The College of Teachers plays a central role in the management of the school. It carries responsibility for deepening and carrying the impulse arising out of the Anthroposophical understanding of the developing human being. This is done through participating in ongoing reflection on curriculum questions, engaging with broader educational issues as they arise, advising and supporting the School Director, working closely with the Senior Leadership Team and generally being available to support teachers (and parents) when called on.
All staff members are invited to be part of College. Through sharing study and taking up responsibility for the health of the school together, individual members have an opportunity to continually renew their understanding of the spiritual foundations upon which the school and Steiner education are built. We see this as an important commitment to ensuring that the education we offer remains vital and relevant.
The Senior Leadership Team of the school consists of the School Director, three Faculty Directors (Early Childhood, Primary and High School), the Economic Development Manager, and the Chair of College. They meet weekly to ensure the smooth operational functioning of the school.
The School Director is ultimately responsible for the day-to-day management and administration of the school and for implementing the quadrennial strategic plan, and annual operational plan and budget, and policies and procedures. The Leadership team also gives relevant advice to The Board on matters relating to finances and legalities.
The Education Administrators work collaboratively with each other and across the School to meet both the educational needs of students and the teaching and support needs of teachers, empowering the teachers individually and within their faculties to work creatively into areas of interest and need.
The Rudolf Steiner Education Group Brisbane Inc, (the Association) is the incorporated association, which established the Samford Valley Steiner School in 1987.
Membership of the Association is open to all current staff, parents and interested others. The annual general meeting of the Association is held in March each year. Members of the Association can nominate for positions on the Board.
The Board is responsible for overseeing the legal, financial and management functions of the school and is empowered to fulfil the tasks necessary to ensure the effective running of the Association. The Board comprises both executive members and non-executive members. In its approach the Board adheres strongly to a governance model of working which enables clear separation between Board governance matters and School management and administration. For more information please see the Final Constitution_18Jun23