SSO SOS

Principal administrative workload - Policy and Procedure
How are you managing?

When the core business is education, school policy and procedures are often moved to the important but not urgent pile, resurfacing when the Principal or Leadership Team have spare time 🙃. What many public schools don't realise is that the amount of policies schools need is minimal - 3 or less for most. What schools need are local procedures that support government policy, and maintaining these is simple when you have the right system.

SSO SOS remove this work from your to do list.
For $2200* we will:
Identify the policies that should have their own procedures at your site.
Provide procedure templates to simplify your work.
Assess your current policies/ procedures and highlight gaps.
Establish your management plan so that you can easily manage into the future.

Contact [email protected] for more information or to make a booking.

*price includes gst

As I move into the last week of the school year, I am both amazed and grateful that SSO SOS has experienced the success it has in first year of operation. SSO SOS has been embraced by schools, and I sincerely thank you all for your support.

This year SSO SOS has:
Supported 6 schools to keep operating financially in staff absence.

Provided PD to 29 SSO leaders with positive feedback received.

Hosted 88 people from 65 schools in our online Edsmart information sessions, with a few schools following up with individual sessions and we even attended a school for a student free day.

The first year in small business can be challenging and I have had to overcome challenges in 2025, some that have led me to consider whether to keep going. I spent many hours reflecting on the reason that I started SSO SOS, to provide quality professional development, mentoring and consulting to school business managers. My experience this year has confirmed to me that this is still needed.

I decided that SSO SOS deserves another year, because SSOs deserve tailored professional development, new SSOs deserve mentoring and coaching, and schools deserve quality trained SSOs. I believe in the work of SSO’s and the ability to reduce Teacher and Principal workloads through employment of quality trained SSO’s.

I am planning my PD opportunities for 2026, starting with a 12-month program for new school business managers, providing a year of training and support in their new roles.

Please reach out at [email protected] for further information.

Happy end of Term 4, 2025. I look forward to supporting you again in 2026.

Important Update: SSO SOS no longer offers relief and backfill. Please contact your HR consultant to organise.

Thank you and happy term 4.

Send a message to learn more

Do you have a new School Business Manager?

We believe that it takes a year of working within the school environment to train a new Business Manager to a level of competence, where they can confidently manage all aspects of the role.

We know that schools tend to need to replace a Business Manager tomorrow.

At SSO SOS we understand the complexities of the School Business Manager role. Through our 12 month mentoring program new business managers are provided with ongoing support to learn and manage their role.

An information brochure will be emailed to your info address or contact us for more information [email protected].

Send a message to learn more

Due to a late cancellation I have a space available for Inspire and support people for high performance on Tuesday 16th September. If you would like to join please email me. [email protected].

Introducing my new PD - Simplified Leadership that works.

Leadership is challenging. Great leaders are skilled at pulling the pieces together, creating successful workplace cultures and achieving valuable outcomes. There is an abundance of training for leaders but how do you know what works, what is right for you and how to put your vision into place.

Registration for Session 1 - Inspire and support people for high performance is open now.

In the first session of the series we will explore how to motivate the people you lead using leadership theory and practical strategies.

For further information email [email protected].

NOTE- you must register through email only.

The idea for SSOSOS was formed over 20 years ago when I was working in a small/medium primary school and realised how hard it was to take leave. In smaller schools Business Managers are often the only people who know finance - the only people who know how to pay the bills (and other staff) - essential in keeping the school functioning.

In 2025 this holds true. I have had a busy term supporting smaller schools to keep running without their BMs, providing functional support and mentoring and the requests keep coming. I am enjoying returning to the small schools. The complexity, the positive energy of little feet and knowing that my work is making a difference.

I haven’t forgotten my passion for contextualised Professional Development for School Business Managers and have been planning the Term 3 PD calendar.

This term I plan to offer sessions on:
Using Edsmart efficiently.
Inspire and support people to be high performers
Create and implement continuous improvement practice

Dates are being finalised. I will email final information to schools dl.finance addresses when available.

See you all soon.

Danette

In my career I have been fortunate to have a couple of amazing mentors - someone to sit beside me, work through ideas and take me on a developmental pathway. Having another person invested in my success, especially someone willing to share their wisdom, is a gift of immense value. I would not be who I am without my mentors.

I have recently had the privilege of mentoring a brand new Business Manager - the same way my mentors did for me - sitting alongside, sharing my knowledge and experience and supporting their growth. Working through challenges and cheering their victories.

Stepping into a School Business Manager position is no easy task. Learning the systems, making the connection between the school and the corporate systems, knowing what needs to be done, when it needs to be done and how. Only other School Business Managers know.

If you are a new School Business Manager or have been in the job for a while but not sure if you are on the right track I can help.

Send me an email, or give me a call - together we will assess where you are, what you need to know and male a plan to get you there.

Staffing
I have been reflecting on staffing.

My core belief is that SSOs are one of our most under-utilised resources in reducing teacher workload I- let’s not forget the Principals too with studies showing that School Principals regularly work 80 hours a week on average to keep up with the demands of their job.

I believe that a highly skilled SSO workforce to take on the operational aspects of schools results in decreased educator workload , releasing them to do what they are trained to do - educate students.

This can only happen when funding is allocated for SSOs - hours and training with properly designed jobs.

When I first started in DfE the rule of thumb was that at least 90% (ideally 95%) of your base RES should go on staffing. The difference in schools who do this and those who don’t is noticeable in terms of staff wellbeing.

I wonder how many schools are still using the formula?

Today is the last day to register for Create and Implement Continuous Improvement Practice for Thursday 24th April.

To be held at Glenunga International High School.

Email [email protected] for the registration link or more information.

😊