Thursday, 26 February 2026
Description
Attend and earn 1 CPD hour
* This interactive online recording includes questions and quizzes requiring critical thinking about the topics, so you have no annual limits to the number of points/hours you can claim with this format of learning. Please verify with your CPD rules
Chair
Simon Kenny, Principal, Fergusson Intermediate School
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the core components of an effective school strategic plan and how they align to drive long-term direction
- Apply practical approaches to develop a meaningful, school-specific strategy that supports leadership decision-making and positive change
Strategic Planning: Empowering Schools to Design and Own Their Strategic Direction
Too many schools engage in unnecessary expenditure to develop a strategic plan that could essentially be used in any school.
- Delve into each of the core elements that make up a strategic plan from the mission and values to the annual plan with the view to make your strategic plan a document that drives the direction of the school.
- During this process you will also touch on some of the mindsets that Principals and leaders can carry, and how they influence our ability to make positive change within our schools
Present by Bruce Kearney, Principal, Rangiora High School
Presenters
Simon Kenny, Principal, Fergusson Intermediate SchoolSimon has been in education for over 25 years now after leaving his career in graphic design and photolithography at the age of 26. He has taught in many schools in Wellington and has been the Principal of a small contributing School (Birchville School) before winning the Principal position at Fergusson Intermediate where he has been for the past 7 years. Leading the school community through the COVID years has been a challenge, but also a huge privilege and opportunity to learn and grow. Simon’s wife is also a Principal and they have a 16 year old son who went to both of their schools as a young student before escaping to college. Simon is passionate about education and empowering all of our amazing young people. He works in a high energy environment and absolutely loves his school, his team and his community.
Bruce Kearney, Principal, Rangiora High School
Bruce is currently in his second principalship of a secondary school in Canterbury. Previous to taking up the role at Rangiora High School in 2022 he held the position of Principal at Kaiapoi High School since 2011. He started out as a teacher of Commerce at multiple schools both in Canterbury and in Hamilton. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Canterbury, a Diploma of Teaching and a Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership also from Canterbury, and a Certificate in School Leadership from Harvard’s Postgraduate School of Education. He has presented at a number of conferences on two key areas of leadership: strategic planning and change management through changing mindsets.
