In a career spanning 25 years, mostly within a rural and remote setting in the Pilbara, Narelle has focussed on leading improvement, innovation and change in education, and has developed a culture of high expectations, enthusiastic teaching, and learning at both Cassia and South Hedland Primary Schools and as Network Principal within the Hedland Network of Schools.
Narelle Ward
Principal
Cassia Primary School
Narelle believes effective leadership is imperative for schools in which a culture of shared beliefs, understandings and future direction exist, and are further developed within a healthy and productive school ethos. Narelle’s leadership philosophy guides her principle that an effective leader will demonstrate the ability and capacity to build skills and knowledge, will continually reflect on current practice to meet desired outcomes, and provide support through the use of highly effective interpersonal skills.
Narelle feels very fortunate in her career to have fantastic mentors who lead her in areas of strength, who offer direction, and who support her development as principal of Cassia Primary School in the Pilbara Region. Narelle is particularly passionate about a collective impact model forging strong interagency relationships to elevate social, emotional and academic outcomes for all students within and across schools in the network. She also believes in teaching and learning system reform, with an emphasis on Aboriginal education focusing on closing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students.
In her change management project, Kate researched Using Risk Management to Enable School Success. The purpose of this project was to review, refine and align risk management practices in Western Australian public schools and identifies the key tools for principals and leadership teams in schools to plan for, support, mitigate and respond to risk in a practical approach.