Time to step away from the day-to-day, talk through a challenge and hear how another school leader might approach it can be valuable.
That was the focus as South Australian school leaders came together for the final day of SASPA’s LIFT Exec Program for 2026, and EWS was pleased to be part of it.
The three-day program brings South Australian assistant principals and deputy principals together to explore the challenges of their roles, drawing on the experience of colleagues and fellow leaders.
For the final day, facilitators Mari Omand, Assistant Principal at Seaview High School, and Mackella Jeffrey, Assistant Principal at Seaton High School, helped participants work through current challenges and explore practical solutions to take back to their schools.
EWS’s Michael Van Ho also presented, starting with a story about his iron. Yes, his iron! He tied it back to something schools can relate to: a school website can seem to be working perfectly well — until it isn’t. From keeping the website running smoothly to managing school photography and student image privacy, his message was about the value of ongoing care and support, rather than waiting for something to go wrong.
The afternoon included a presentation from Professor Martin Westwell, Chief Executive of the Department for Education, who spoke about the importance of school leaders and putting the department’s strategy into practice.
For us at EWS, being involved in days like this matters. Working alongside schools means understanding the wider responsibilities of the people we support: the decisions they’re making, the competing demands on their time and the communities they serve.
These opportunities to connect help keep that perspective at the centre of our work.
Thank you to SASPA, the facilitators and everyone involved in the LIFT Exec Program. It was lovely to be part of a day dedicated to supporting the people who lead our schools.
