ONLINE COACHING AND MENTORING

RICHARD ENGLISH

Richard’s career with the Department of Education and Training spanned 41 years and included senior roles as Executive Principal and Regional Director in Queensland State education. His career began in Charters Towers and, in progressing through the ranks, Richard worked in various parts of the State including Thursday Island. His successful leadership experience at senior system levels along with many years as a principal in large secondary schools have provided him with a depth of rich leadership and education expertise. Richard is an accredited professional coach and an experienced leadership workshop facilitator. He understands that leadership capabilities and developmental needs are very different for both individuals and teams. Richard is committed to developing and delivering focused programs to meet specific client needs.

Qualification

• Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) – DET scholarship representative for the ANZOG program in the EMPA course
• Bachelor of Education
• Graduate Diploma of Health Education
• Diploma of Teaching
• Justice of the Peace (Qualified)

Education Experience

Richard’s career with DET spanned 41 years and involved moving through the ranks from teacher to Executive Principal and Regional Director. He chose to finish his career in a school and left as Executive Principal at Narangba Valley SHS in 2018. Richard’s regency in Principalship, at a senior level, positions him well for coaching.

His extensive career also took him to various parts of the state in remote, rural and regional areas. From Thursday Island to Atherton, Townsville and the Gold Coast, the variety in Richard’s roles have allowed him to immerse in all levels of Queensland State schooling and afforded him a genuine insight into and appreciation of the challenges faced and the leadership support that is required.

PAM HALL

Pam Hall currently works as an education consultant with a particular skill set in coaching and mentoring school leaders, and in reviewing and enhancing teaching and learning in schools. From 2005 until December 2013 Pam served as the Head of Primary at St John’s Anglican College, Forest Lake, and a Kindergarten to Year Twelve Independent College in Brisbane’s western suburbs.  During her time as the Head of Primary, Hall was a key player in the process of enacting significant cultural change across the College and in addition led a full renewal of the curriculum. In 2010 The Primary Campus of St John’s was named as one of Independent Schools Queensland’s Centres of Excellence in supporting teacher education. In 2013 ACEL awarded Pam a Queensland Branch Fellowship. Hall has played many roles in the educational field that have contributed to her expertise in curriculum review and development, leading cultural change, building school community capacity, and mentoring.  She spent nine years teaching at a variety of age-levels and has also served as an Educational Adviser for Literacy & Numeracy across Central Queensland.  Hall also worked in Education Queensland’s Central Office assisting in the development and implementation of the English Syllabi, Year Two Diagnostic Net, and strategic planning and review. Hall spent two years lecturing at CQU Gladstone Campus while fulfilling a crucial role in the Performance Measurement Office for Gladstone District Office.  In addition, Hall was foundation deputy principal for at Forest Lake State High School and there oversaw the Middle School (Years 7 to 9) creating both a curriculum and operational structures reflecting research on best practice in middle schooling.

Qualifications

• Diploma of Teaching
• Bachelor of Education
• Masters of Education
• Fellowship by the Australian Council of Education Leaders Qld (ACEL) for outstanding leadership
• Trained Coach through Growth Coaching Australia.

Education Experience

Pam has school leadership experience in both the State and non-state sectors. She was a deputy and an acting principal in the state sector and then primary principal in the independent sector for the last nine years of her full time career.

GAIL SEAY

The art of teaching is becoming more and more sophisticated, with accountability for student success falling squarely on the shoulders of our teachers. It is up to educational leaders to provide these passionate professionals with the support and tools to inspire students to find their best pathway, ensuring they become active and productive citizens.

Gail Seay is a Queensland-trained educator with certification and degrees from both Australia and the United States. She has taught in both state and private schools. She also has extensive experience in teaching and leading in international schools, serving expatriate communities in the Middle East and Asia.

Gail has over 40 years of experience in education. Most recently she has served as a Director of Teaching and Learning in a large non-profit, private school. She has also held a leadership position with the Near East South Asian Council of Overseas Schools, serving as the Chairperson of the Professional Development Advisory Committee (www.nesacenter.org). Her experience in educational leadership is extensive. Gail is an experienced presenter and coach.

Gail has recently repatriated back to Queensland and is continuing her work in educational consulting. Her areas of focus are:

• building teacher leadership capacity,
• leading curriculum implementation and review,
• developing effective teams,
• supporting measurable goal setting,
• guiding program evaluation,
• providing leadership coaching,
• supporting unit development,
• developing a systemic and sustained professional learning model,
• sustaining standards-based learning systems,
• establishing a community of practice based on data,

Gail’s experience in international education has led her to be mentored and influenced by many of the current educational “thought leaders” and practitioners such as Jay McTighe, John Hattie, Thomas Guskey, Ken O’Connor, Michael Fullan, Douglas Reeves, Andy Hargreaves, Simon Breakspear, Robert Garmston, Bruce Wellman, and Joellen Killion just to name a few.

Qualifications

• Diploma of Teaching (Australia)
• Bachelor of Education (USA)
• Masters of Education (USA)
• Adaptive Schools Training

Education Experience

• Over 40 years of experience in teaching and leading in schools in Australia, USA and internationally
• Strategic Planning
• Teaching experience in primary, middle and high school
• 17 years in educational leadership
• Coaching and mentoring teacher leaders
• Coaching and mentoring school leaders
• Professional learning development and planning on the school level
•    Professional learning development and planning on the organizational level (Near East South Asian Council of Overseas Schools – NESA)
• Faculty member for AERO (teaching courses in Curriculum Mapping and Academic Leadership)

DANNY HYNDMAN

Danny Hyndman works as an education consultant in the Victorian, Queensland, New South Wales, Northern Territory and South Australian education systems. He works in a number of schools, and runs courses focused on literacy, numeracy, and leadership for both the Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership and the Queensland Education Leadership Institute.

Danny Hyndman was principal of Woori Yallock Primary School, in Victoria from 2011-2016. Prior to joining Woori Yallock, he was a teaching and learning coach in a secondary setting and an English and maths teacher prior to becoming a coach. Under Danny’s leadership Woori Yallock Primary School was acknowledged in 2015 in the top 59 schools in Victoria and in the top 300 in the country for learning growth.

Early in 2016 he was selected in the Educator Rising Stars list for 2016, which recognises Australia’s brightest talent in education under 40. As well as this he was a finalist in the Victorian Education Excellence Awards in the categories of Primary School Principal of the Year and School Advancement Award.

Danny completed his Master of Instructional Leadership through the University of Melbourne in 2014 and his particular passions in education include instructional leadership and making a difference in disadvantaged communities.

Qualification

• Master of Instructional Leadership

Education Experience

This is Danny’s fourth year as a consultant, and before that he was a school principal for six years. Danny has experience in both primary and secondary sectors.

DAWN LANG

Dawn Lang has been an educator for over 35 years with experience as a teacher, middle leader, deputy principal and 18 years as principal and CEO of a P-12 independent school and Early Learning Centre.  While in schools, she held leadership positions on a number of State educational bodies, presented at conferences on Change Management and Leadership and travelled internationally researching outstanding educational practice.

Dawn currently provides executive coaching, team and individual coaching and develops targeted courses for schools on change management, leadership and conflict resolution.  She has also facilitated governance and strategic planning forums, conducted independent school reviews and writes and facilitates programs for the Queensland Education Leadership Institute (QELi).

Dawn is Board Chair of the Queensland Independent Schools Block Grant Authority and serves on the Board of an Anglican P-12 College.  She is a passionate educator and life-long learner.

Qualification

• A., Dip Teach., M.Ed.
• Fellow Australian College of Educators
• Fellow Australian Institute of Management
• Accredited Leadership Coach
• Accredited Emotional Intelligence Assessor
• Life Member Association of Heads of Independent Schools (AHISA)

COLIN BUTTERS

Colin Butters has over thirty-five years of experience as a school educator and leader in public, private and Catholic sectors. As a leader, Colin led a sustained learning agenda with a relentless focus on effective learning and teaching based on current research and data. He is a highly skilled leader who is able to lead change, develop positive team relationships and build teacher capacity to ensure the improvement of student outcomes. Under Colin’s direction, his last school (considered rural and remote) was continuously listed in the top 150 schools in the HSC and consistently achieved above state average results in NAPLAN.

Most recently, Colin has held the position of Performance and Development Officer at the Armidale Catholic Schools Office. In this role he developed the capacity of leaders and mentored highly accomplished and lead teachers. This role also had a strong focus on developing the skills of early career teachers.

Qualifications

• Graduate Certificate in Religious Education (2003-2005 Part time)
• Curriculum in Action (Curriculum Reviewers Course – 2002 Part time) Australian Catholic University, Signadou Campus Canberra
• Bachelor of Education (Technology & Industrial Arts) – Adelaide College of the Arts and Education, Underdale (1981 Full time)
• Diploma in Teaching (Industrial Arts) – Goulburn College of Advanced Education (1977-80 Full time)

Education Experience

Colin has been actively involved in K-12 Education for thirty five years, holding leadership positions that have included subject coordinator, welfare coordinator, curriculum coordinator, assistant principal and principal.

Most recently Colin held the position of Performance and Development Officer in the Diocese of Armidale. He regularly facilitates workshops in the areas of Early Career Teachers (including supervisors and mentors), Highly Accomplished and Lead Teachers, development of role descriptions for Leaders of Learning – Curriculum, and Leaders of Learning – Pastoral Care. A secondary aspect of the role included membership of a panel responsible for the registration and accreditation of schools (Primary and Secondary) in the Diocese. The position also included the development and implementation of the Teacher Performance and Development Framework (TPDF) in the Armidale Diocese. This involved the development of resources including Professional Learning Plans for teachers, lesson observation templates, professional conversation templates and the requirements of cyclic feedback to all teachers. I facilitated professional learning to principals and schools on the TPDF.

Colin was a member of the steering committee for the Performance Growth and Development Framework for Principals and Assistant Principals. He was then responsible for the development and implementation of the framework used to review Principals and Assistant Principals. This position also included the responsibility of the Prime Delegate for the Armidale Diocese Teacher Accreditation Authority (TAA). In this space he assessed teachers for accreditation and maintenance of accreditation. Colin has developed policies and procedures that meet the requirements of NESA.

ANDREW OBERTHUR

Andrew has been teaching for over 30 years including the last 18 as principal across two schools in SEQ. He is married to Lisa and they have two teenage children.

Andrew is the author of the book “Are You Ready for Primary School This Year?” – a book about building a culture of Trust, Collaboration and Enquiry between parents and teachers. It is about the importance of parents and teachers being on the same page with all the elements of school life (except the curriculum).

1. Trust between parents and teachers is critical for a student’s success.
2. Collaboration is about people working together
3. Enquiry is about asking the right questions at the right time in the right context

Since publishing his book Andrew has been a regular on ABC radio Brisbane, written blogs for a variety of forums, done a couple of podcasts and a webinar and can be seen on ParentTV.

Qualifications

• Masters Edst; Grad Cert in Negotiation
• Registered to become a trained Coach through Growth Coaching Australia in 2020

Education Experience

33 years in education industry the last 19 as principal in two schools in SEQ.