A West Australian year 4 student has lived out a reality many students only dream of – running his school for a day by stepping into the shoes of the principal.
Andre attends the Australian Christian College Southlands in Albany and was one of many students who were keen on the job.
His entire cohort each wrote a letter discussing why they would like to be principal for the day, but Andre was chosen for his “frank honesty”.
The concept of allowing another person to take the reins of a school for a day is not new, with many business and community leaders taking on the task through the Principal for a Day Challenge.
The aim is for the community to gain insight into issues faced by school leaders.
But college principal David Ramsay said he believed they were the first school to flip the challenge on its head, by inviting a student to take part.
Ramsay said he had been hopeful Andre’s fresh eyes could help him better understand how the school operated, where he should be dedicating his time, and other ways to foster better connection and learning opportunities for his students.
Andre said it had been “like waking up on Christmas morning” before he went to school on Monday to take over Ramsay’s job.
“When submitting my application for this job I made sure he knew I was emotionally intelligent, trustworthy and organised enough to handle the role – after all, I am always honest with my mum when she asks if I ate my lunch, my uniform is always tucked in, and I always bring my homework in on time,” he said.
Andre gets to work as principal.
The pair spent the day meeting with the heads of school, conducting new parent interviews, visiting classrooms, and taking on carpark and lead playground duties.
Ramsay said Andre had reminded him of valuable but basic lessons that could easily be forgotten among a busy schedule.
“It was good to reflect on my own leadership style … He definitely changed the routine a bit, and it was a great reminder that in leadership we need to be flexible,” he said.
“Andre was eager to make sure everyone had the best day. His free coffee for staff and the extra long recess also reminded me that small things can make a difference in someone’s day.”
Ramsay said Andre had also sent out encouraging emails to staff members, which had reminded him how important it was to reach out to his colleagues more often, when he was appreciative of the work they did.
“A lot of other students have now asked me if they can be principal for the day, tomorrow, next week, or next year,” Ramsay said.
“Everyone likes a chance to be a leader, and students feel empowered and can achieve more and more when provided the opportunities.”
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