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Business managers rewarded for flood recovery efforts

September 19 2012

Business managers rewarded for flood recovery efforts

The business... Pictured at the awards night are business managers, from left, Eva Foster, Narelle Searston, Christine Porter, Kerri-Anne Steadman and Kerri Wright.

Two business managers who played a vital role in their school communities' recovery from the 2011 floods have been recognised with industry awards.

Robyn Burnett from Bundamba State School and Jenny Shard from Ipswich State High School received the primary and secondary school awards at the recent School Business Managers' Association Queensland State Conference on the Gold Coast

The Ipswich double recognised the integral role played by business managers following the devastating floods, re-establishing schools and resources ready for students and rebuilding and reshaping their school communities.

In the normal course of their work business managers look after the enterprise side of schools, leaving educational leaders to focus on key learning and teaching priorities. They provide the business strategy behind innovative learning. Ipswich State High's training hair salon is one example, and at National Partnership school Bundamba human resources changes were business manager-led.

The biennial state conference of the School Business Managers' Association heard from Professor Karen Starr, author of Above and Beyond the Bottom Line - The Extraordinary Role of the Education Business Manager, whose research has revealed the position can reduce the workload of the principal by one-third.

Prof Starr told delegates: 'Business can no longer be seen as a dirty word in education, it is an imperative. If business is not well managed then education itself suffers.'

Association president Sharon Abbott spoke of the need to educate both school communities and other key stakeholders about how imperative the role is, ensuring the principal is free to focus on education outcomes.

Others to receive awards from the association were Christine Porter from Boondall State School and Gloria Pyne from Whitfield State School, recognised for significant achievement, and Kerri Wright of MacGregor State School and Eva Foster Heatley Secondary College who received life memberships.