[On-screen text: Introducing your new principal]
[Upbeat music plays throughout]
A smiling man comes gradually into focus as he walks towards us.
Paul Schwartz (in voice over): Hi, I'm Paul Schwartz, and I'm excited to be the principal of your new school.
We see Paul walking up a stairway.
[On-screen text: Paul Schwartz]
[On-screen text: Tarneit North Primary School (interim name)]
Paul enters a room and we see him speaking to someone off screen.
[On-screen text: What was your education journey?]
Paul: So, my journey started from having really inspiring school teachers, both in primary and secondary school. I’m going into my 20th year of teaching, I think this is my 10th year of being a principal. I still say I’m a teacher, even though I'm a principal.
Being able to form relationships with students, to actually see them learn something new and take it all the way through with them. And what was really powerful was seeing a child's smile when they had that moment of picking up a new skill, whether it was reading, writing or something to do with maths. I love seeing the growth in students, when they come up and knock on the door and say, Hey, can I show you something, Mr. Schwartz? Or can I show you something we've learned in class today?
And that's probably why you do this job.
[On-screen text: What is your vision for the school?]
Paul: I think what's really important for me is, is that when they leave the school that I'm a principal at, is that they not only have literacy and numeracy skills to do anything they want, but also to be good citizens. They can contribute to the community they live in, but also the society that we are growing up in.
The most important connection that any school can have is that connection between home and school, where parents feel comfortable to come and talk to their teacher daily in regards to their child's learning.
[On-screen text: What type of leader are you?]
Paul: I'm a leader who listens. I aim to be the lead learner in a school, supporting brand new teachers or teachers in their 30th year, of becoming the best they can be every day.
I make sure I work hand in hand with all the staff to make sure we have the best outcomes for students.
[On-screen text: Where will we find you in the school?]
Paul: So you’d find me at the start of the day playing down ball or having a, playing basketball with the kids, or just talking to the students in the grounds and asking about their favourite book, what they've been reading at the moment.
You’ll see me in classrooms supporting teachers, or supporting students, asking them what they're learning about, what they need to do – if they're not learning, who can they go and get help from. But also, after school in the school grounds, talking to parents.
[On-screen text: What environment will this school promote?]
Paul: The environment I want to create is an environment of high quality teaching and learning, which is supported by research.
As a new school, we're actually going to be the centre of the community, so we want that to be a safe place and a place where we achieve success, and also a place of excellence. The spaces are inviting and warm and I'm really looking forward to seeing the learning spaces for the specialist teachers, digital technology, science and art being a focus of the school.
I want to give students opportunity to have literacy and numeracy skills, to go to high school and choose anything they want to do, and in the future to be anything they want to be.
[On-screen text: What are you looking forward to on day 1, Term 1?]
Paul: I’m looking forward to seeing all our new families, and looking forward to seeing our wonderful school uniforms. But most importantly, looking forward to seeing all these wonderful smiles of students ready to start their journey at a new school.
A white background appears with the VSBA and Victoria State Government logos.
[On-screen text: www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au]
A black background appears and white text appears.
[On-screen text: Authorised by The Victorian School Building Authority, 33 St Andrews Place, East Melbourne]
[Transcript ends]
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