Interview with Lea: Nominated for "Principal of the Year"

Lea Colner, principal at Vittra Rösjötorp International, has been nominated for Principal of the Year 2023. In this interview, she shares her passion for creating a safe and nurturing learning environment and talks about her unexpected journey from being a young teacher to leading one of the most prominent schools in Sweden.

Lea Colner

Congratulations on your nomination for Principal of the Year!

Thank you very much! It was a pleasant surprise for me, and I felt very happy and honored to receive this nomination.

What do you believe led to your nomination?

I'd like to think that I was nominated because my staff and the parents who choose our school appreciate that I have clear expectations and a distinct vision for our school and preschool. I also believe that I maintain open and effective communication and am receptive to suggestions and ideas, listening to what staff, children, and parents believe works well and what could be done differently. Running a school is a collaborative effort, and I feel immensely proud, inspired, and motivated to work alongside such a competent and child-focused team of teachers that I have here at Vittra Rösjötorp.

What is the most important and enjoyable aspect of your role as a principal?

It's a significant responsibility towards the children, their families, and the staff. They have all actively chosen to have their child educated in our preschool/school or to work at our school in Rösjötorp. The most important aspect is ensuring that we are a safe place for everyone, where children and staff can express themselves, learn according to their abilities, and continuously strive to challenge them to be active and reflective thinkers, maintaining high standards in academic and social development. We aim to equip our students with the skills and knowledge they need, including personal responsibility, creativity, collaboration, perseverance, and self-confidence, to name a few.

"I really love talking to the children"

One of the very important but also enjoyable parts of my role is definitely being available to the children. I love it when they come to me and exchange a few words. When I visit them in their classes or during their break time, I am immediately surrounded by so many children who want to share their experiences, daily events, plans, and suggestions. I truly love talking to the children, seeing the sparkle in their eyes when I call them by their names. It makes them feel valued and seen, which is very important.

Did you always want to become a principal, and how did you become one?

I am a certified elementary school teacher (grades F-6) and began my teaching career in 2009. In 2019, I was asked to take on the role of principal at Vittra Rösjötorp, where I had previously worked as a teacher and team leader. I had always dreamt of becoming a teacher, but I never actively thought that I would one day become the principal of a school. Interestingly, even as a child, I dreamed of having my own school, made sketches of the learning environment, and how my school would look. At the age of 13, I actually started my own summer school and later a weekend school for the children in the area where I grew up. So, it's fun, but I was already a principal, founder, and teacher for my own school in my hometown as a teenager.

How do you view your role and mission?

The world of education today is so complex, and with it comes the work that a principal needs to do and oversee. By visiting different schools worldwide over the years, leading conferences, and meeting practitioners and researchers in the field of education, I have gained a deep understanding of school development, its complexity, and challenges. My holistic and transformation-oriented school leadership plays a vital role in my endeavor to promote educational innovation, create a vision for the future, build a culture of collaboration, and provide opportunities for others to grow and develop. I have gained a deep understanding of school development, its complexity, and challenges.

Tell us more about Vittra Rösjötorp.

Vittra Rösjötorp International is a preschool and elementary school up to grade 6 located in the beautiful Rösjö Nature Reserve in Sollentuna. We are a school where conscious learning, bilingualism, and sustainability are at the forefront. Our bilingual focus, in Swedish and English, provides children and students with the opportunity to learn the English language, in addition to the Swedish curriculum, from an early age. We work closely with nature, our educators are present and get to know all the students, which makes the students feel safe and seen.

In 2021, our school was selected as one of the 100 exemplary schools in the world for our work on Agenda 2030. Additionally, we were recognized as one of the five most sustainable schools in Sweden in 2021 by Håll Sverige Rent, and in 2022, we received the Swedish National Agency for Education's award for "School for Sustainable Development."

What sets us apart are also very good results in national exams in all grade levels, and all our teaching staff in preschool and school are trained, and all our teachers in grades 1-6 also have Swedish teaching certification. Our teachers speak or understand both Swedish and English, and so do the students when they complete their education with us.

The Principal of the Year will be announced on October 19th; are you nervous about it?

No, I'm not nervous. I see both small and large successes in everything we've achieved over the years at our school, and I am very satisfied and happy with that. For me, this is the day when I, together with my leadership team, will enjoy and participate in some very interesting lectures organized by Skolledare21.

Thank you, Lea, for the interview!