E102 | Insights from PARED Leadership with Trent Thomas, Principal at Lysterfield Lake College

EdLeaders Australia

In this episode of the Ed Leaders podcast, Luke Callier and Matthew Irving are joined by Trent Thomas, the founding headmaster of Lysterfield Lake College, an all-boys school in Melbourne. Trent shares his unique transition from the corporate world to education, offering valuable insights into school leadership, strategy, and culture.

Discover the "apared" educational model that prioritizes strong partnerships between parents, teachers, and students, and how it shapes the school’s vibrant culture and enhances student outcomes. Trent also discusses the importance of clear communication, mission alignment, and mentorship in fostering an engaging educational environment.Tune innow!

Highlights:

• (01:30) Trent's journey from science and finance to education.

• (04:12) Comparison between corporate life and early teaching years.

• (05:56) Trent describes his journey from teaching to becoming a headmaster, including different school environments.

• (08:24) Trent compares the development stages of schools to human life stages.

• (13:46) Trent's approach to concise communication, influenced by his corporate background.

• (16:28) Establishing a clear vision and the value of one-on-one meetings with staff and their impact

• (19:07) Overview of Lysterfield Lake College’s unique model emphasizing parents first, then teachers, and finally students.

• (22:21) The "apared" model’s unique expectations for parents and staff, noting differences from average schools.

• (22:50) How the model involves significant parent-teacher collaboration and support, with adjustments to staff schedules to accommodate parent meetings.

• (24:42) Trent Thomas discusses mentoring roles for teachers and the value of different age perspectives in these interactions.

• (27:50) The importance of parent commitment and the school’s approach to parent involvement and well-being.

• (29:17) The origins of the "apared" model and its global presence, emphasizing the role of parental responsibility.

• (35:03) The follow-up process for non-attending parents and how the school maintains standards.

• (38:15) Trent's hands-on approach to family interviews to ensure alignment with the school’s values and expectations.

• (41:20) The shift from traditional marketing to leveraging positive word-of-mouth from satisfied families.

• (43:09) Importance of defining and delivering on the school’s brand promise.

• (43:51) Key criteria: being big-hearted, having a universal outlook, and commitment to self-improvement.

• (44:38) Repeating the school’s mantra helps align everyone with the mission.

• (45:02) Importance of questions like “What does it mean to be a good dad?” in guiding the school’s mission.

• (45:50) Challenges and rewards of starting a school from scratch.

• (46:45) Advice for New Schools

• (48:26) Difficulties with councils and logistics, such as moving students off-site.

• (50:56) Importance of a grassroots approach for scaling the school model.

• (57:17) Potential trends: more explicit teaching and better support for parents.

• (59:22) Quick insights on educational topics, books, and advice.

You can also connect with us personally at LinkedIn:

Luke Callier - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ljcallier/⁠

Mathew Irving - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathew-irving-b6b91430/

Trent Thomas Links:Website: https://www.lysterfieldlake.vic.edu.au/

Special thanks to our partners: Sign up to the Edleaders Newsletter: Head on over to edleaders.com.au to hear more about our journey. If you'd like to know more about being a guest or would like to sponsor our show - check out https://www.edleaders.com.au/collabs As always if you have questions, feedback, or a suggestion from a leader you'd like to hear from - send us a message! Please remember if you have a spare minute, please leave us a review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player which will help more like-minded school leaders discover us. Go Well.