Elevate: Experienced Principals
Cultivate adaptive and collaborative leadership capabilities to navigate complexity and drive meaningful impact. This flexible, responsive program is designed specifically for the unique needs of experienced principals.
Elevate offers flexible learning pathways
The Elevate program has been designed as a complete program, covering 3 distinct themes; Systems; Self; and Teams. Experienced principals are encouraged to participate in all 4 modules to benefit from the thematic links between modules and topics.
If you are unable to attend all 4 modules, you can tailor your engagement to suit your individual priorities and select individual modules that align with your current professional goals.
Audience
Roles
Open to principals with:
- 5 or more years in the role
- Executive Class Principals (either school-based or Intensive School Support)
- responsibility to lead a complex or challenging school, such as a turnaround or transformation school.
School sectors
This program is available to the following school sectors:
- Victorian government
- Catholic
- independent.
Some content may contain information aligned with Department of Education priorities or initiatives.
Facilitators
Peter DeWitt
Module 1: Collaborative improvement for system impactPeter DeWitt (Ed.D) was a K-5 teacher for 11 years and a principal for 8 years. For the last 10 years, he has been facilitating professional learning nationally, and internationally, based on the content of many of his best-selling educational books.
Peter’s professional learning relationships include both coaching and the facilitating workshops on instructional leadership and collective efficacy.
Peter’s work has been adopted at the state and university level, and he works with numerous school districts, school boards, regional networks, and ministries of education around North America, Australia, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the U.K.
Michael Nelson
Module 1: Collaborative improvement for system impactMichael has served in roles of principal, district instructional leader, superintendent, and currently as assistant executive director developing programs and initiatives for superintendents and district leaders in the state of Washington.
Michael has received many state and national awards during his time as a principal and superintendent.
Heather De Blasio
Module 2, Option A: Resilient leadershipHeather De Blasio is a leadership author, speaker, facilitator and coach. As the 2025 recipient of the ACEL Fellowship Award for South Australia, she was recognised for her sustained contribution to the improvement of student and organisational outcomes in education, both nationally and internationally.
She supports, coaches and facilitates senior and middle leaders, executive teams and emerging leaders across diverse educational settings, including schools, networks, systems, and tertiary institutions. Her approach integrates evidence-based frameworks, strategic thinking, and a deeply human-centred ethos.
Frank Handy
Module 2, Option B: Power and conflictFrank Handy is the current Chairperson for the Independent Office of School Dispute Resolution. He has more than 25 years’ experience in helping people resolve disputes, particularly in education, industry associations and workplaces.
Nick Conigrave
Module 3: Teams thriving through changeNick Conigrave is passionate about working with leaders, individually and collectively, to help build their capability to create organisational environments where people can flourish and do their best work. He integrates theory and practice to help leaders lead organisation transformation to adapt to rapidly changing contexts.
He was a founding member of the Global Education Leaders’ Program and continues to work with education system leaders in various settings to put in place the conditions that enable high-quality teaching and learning.
Simon Breakspear
Module 4: Trust in actionDr Simon Breakspear began his work in education as a high school teacher. Today he is a researcher, advisor and speaker on educational leadership, policy and change. Simon develops frameworks and tools that make evidence-based ideas actionable and easy to understand. Over the last decade his capability building work has given him the opportunity to work with over 100,000 educators across more than 10 countries.
Structure
Whilst we encourage participants to attend all 4 modules, you can structure your own learning experience to suite your needs by selecting only preferred modules.
All workshops will be delivered in-person in Melbourne, unless otherwise stated
| Module | Focus | Facilitators | Duration | Registration closing date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Module 1 | Systems: Collaborative Improvement | Peter DeWitt & Michael Nelson | 1 full day workshop | Friday 20 February |
| Module 2 (Option A) | Self: Resilient Leadership | Heather De Blasio | 2 full day workshops over 1 month + coaching (1hr online) | Friday 20 March |
OR
Please note: you may choose either 2A or 2B, but not both.
| Module 2 (Option B) | Self: Power & Conflict | Frank Handy | 2 full day workshops + a 2-hour workshop (online) over 1 month + coaching (online) | Friday 20 March |
| Module 3 | Teams: Thriving Through Change | Nick Conigrave | 2 full day workshops, approximately 1 month apart | Friday 17 July |
| Module 4 | Systems: Trust in Action | Simon Breakspear | 1 full day workshop | Monday 5 October |
Modules
Module 1: Systems – Collaborative improvement
Facilitators: Peter Dewitt and Michael Nelson
Duration: 1 Day
Focus: Strengthen collective efficacy for system-wide improvement and measure leadership impact using existing evidence and explore sustainable ways to embed this work into current routines to drive ongoing improvement.
Module 2: Self – choose option A or B
Select one of the options below. Note, both options include a 360-degree assessment and 1:1 coaching prior to the first workshop.
Module 2, Option A: Resilient Leadership
Facilitator: Heather De Blasio
Duration: 2 Days + coaching.
Focus: Lead through pressure with clarity. Uses the Resilient Leaders Elements 360 assessment to help you rebalance and refocus during uncertainty.
OR
Module 2, Option B: Power and Conflict
Facilitator: Frank Handy
Duration: 2.5 Days (incl. 2 hours online) + coaching.
Focus: Explore a comprehensive framework to manage complex problems of conflict. Uses the Diamond Power Index 360 assessment.
(Note: This is a repeat of the Elevate 2025 module, "Leading Through Conflict”. If you have already participated in this workshop, we encourage you to select Option A with Heather De Blasio).
Module 3: Teams – Thriving Through Change
Facilitator: Nick Conigrave
Duration: 2 Days
Focus: Build and lead high-performing, resilient teams that thrive through change and complexity. Use practical tools and strategies to strengthen collaboration, accountability and psychological safety, to create growth-oriented team cultures.
Module 4: Systems – Trust in Action
Facilitator: Dr. Simon Breakspear
Duration: 1 Day
Focus: Harness the power of trust and collaboration. Through reflective dialogue, evidence-informed input and peer learning, you will examine how trust is a catalyst for sustainable and meaningful change.
Learning outcomes
Through completing all four modules, you will:
- build deeper personal insight and self-awareness through 360-degree feedback, coaching, and targeted development in resilience, conflict resolution and trust building
- build capability and confidence to lead high-performing teams that adapt to change and complexity
- learn to apply practical, evidence-informed tools and strategies to lead with clarity and purpose in dynamic educational environments with competing priorities
- cultivate adaptive and collaborative leadership capabilities to navigate complexity and drive meaningful impact beyond the school level
- contribute to greater system-wide coherence and collaboration by engaging in shared leadership development opportunities across roles and networks.
Attendance requirements
To successfully complete this program, you must attend and complete the modules you select (full program or individual modules aligned with your current professional goals).
Fees and financial support
| Government school | Non-government school | |
| Module 1 | $150 (excl GST) | $300 (excl. GST) |
| Module 2 – Option A | $400 (excl GST) | $1,000 (excl GST) |
| Module 2 – Option B | $400 (excl GST) | $1,000 (excl GST) |
| Module 3 | $400 (excl GST) | $1,000 (excl GST) |
| Module 4 | $150 (excl GST) | $300 (excl GST) |
Additional financial support for government schools
Government school participants can claim CRT funding for up to 20 days across the program.
Travel and accommodation subsidies are available for eligible schools.
