Sharing Our Stories at ReimaginED 26 Melbourne

Over recent years, several LESNW learning communities have been exploring a living systems approach to learning and change. While schools share a common foundation through Growing Deep, each community has engaged with the change process in ways shaped by its unique context, culture and challenges. 

It was a privilege to join Steve Jude (Immanuel Primary School, Novar Gardens), Andrew Jericho (Navigator College), Fiona McDonald (Immanuel Gawler) and Renae McDonald (Good Shepherd Lutheran School, Angaston) in presenting at the ReimaginED 2026 Conference in Melbourne, where we shared stories of leading change through a living systems lens. 

During the session, we: 

• Explored the context and rationale for adopting a living systems approach to change. 

• Shared leadership stories from a diverse range of schools, including:  
  • • Developing a shared vision that is collectively owned and provides clarity, purpose and direction for learning and community life in a small rural school. 
    • Growing the ‘inner’ leadership capabilities needed to lead effectively as a principal entering a new school context. 
    • Building the capacity of middle and senior leaders in a remote ELC–Year 12 school with limited resources and unique geographical challenges. 
    • Shifting the focus from outcomes alone to the wellbeing of staff and students, and recognising the importance of enabling structures in an ELC–Year 6 setting. 

• Identified the conditions that supported and challenged the change process. 

• Invited participants to connect with the stories, reflect on their own contexts and consider the conditions needed to support sustainable change. 

Participants valued the relevance, diversity and practical nature of the stories shared. The session also modelled the qualities we aspire to cultivate across our communities: being Purposeful, Adventurous, Relational and Compassionate.