Sandra Harrison

Background

About Sandra Harrison

As a leader in Catholic education, I have a responsibility to the parents who have entrusted their child in my care to ensure that the ethos of Catholic education is supported in every classroom, whilst initiating faith-based practices. Humility and service to all others truly encapsulates a thriving and well-respected school community and are qualities that I imbue through my leadership practices. I am excited to lead exceptional educators in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme that is underpinned by a student-centred inquiry and project-based approach. The Middle Years Programme is contemporary, meaningful, flexible, innovative and challenging which supports the reputation of Santa Maria College, offering a progressive and compelling learning community. The IB MYP is strongly aligned to the School’s long-term commitment to developing the independence and creativity of our students in a way which respects their individuality; their goals, interests and capacities. The IB MYP allows for a more holistic and collaborative learning culture, reward individual research, community participation, creativity and global citizenship. The modern era has showcased the importance for educational data-informed practices aligning to both the learning and wellbeing of students. My passion is data analytics delving into the narrative of the learning journey. Thus, I am an advocate for providing blended and flexible learning environments, reflective of multiple educational platforms for all students. Furthermore, I have extensive experience, knowledge and research pertaining to Leadership Coaching and Instructional Coaching that adopts the GROWTH model framework and the principles from Growth Coaching International. I have successfully lead the GROWTH coaching framework with proven success in the areas of teacher capacity and student learning outcomes. The art of brilliant learning and teaching experiences is at the core of my vocation and as a leader and educator I model and endorse the wisdom that Professor Dylan Wiliam passionately shares,"If we create a culture where every teacher believes they need to improve, not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better, there is no limit to what we can achieve".