From Complexity to Clarity: The Bower Place Model™ for Schools

bower(note)™ is a transformational protocol for the conduct of any meeting or significant exchange between interested parties about a human problem or symptom, a dilemma, or a difference or dispute. It provides structure and process for meetings that maximises the quality of information produced in a meeting, the documentation of that information, and the prevention of that information from being lost, protecting all parties in the process.

This workshop provides a protocol and structured framework for school leaders, addressing multi-system challenges, with a focus on inclusion, participation, collaboration, and the management of inequality.

Learn the practice and theory of bower(note)™ in a full-day, face-to-face workshop. Participants will have the opportunity to analyse a case study that directly relates to their school context through the bower(method)™ framework for thinking through complexity.

• Provides powerful contractual management and is best embedded in policy and procedure.

• Cost effective and administratively efficient, removing duplication.

• Remediates the fundamental inequalities that constrain problem resolution.

• Aligns responsibility for problems with the authority to produce solutions.

• Outcome driven with an eye to change

• Ameliorates the misunderstandings and differences central to complaints.

• Aligns the boundary between health, education and human services providers and promotes broad collaboration.

• Manages student, parent, and school disputes and staff / leadership issues.

• Deals directly with dysregulation, violence, abuse, and self-harm.

• Transparent, inclusive, contemporaneous and legally protective.

• A communication, recording and intervention process.

Includes:

Professional Development: 6-hours (face-to-face OR live online available)

$500 + GST p/person (including catering)

Licence: authorizing participants to use the bower(note) protocol for complexity and crisis (includes 1 year subscription to bower(knowledge) for schools – a knowledge and resource repository, quarterly collaboration forums, monthly online Q&A coaching opportunities, annual conference, monthly articles, & fast-tracked paediatric psychology and family therapy referrals).

$100 + GST p/person p/year (whole school licences are available)

Licence fee not applicable for bower(schools) Partner Schools who are already licenced (contact us for direct invoicing: info@bowerplace.com.au)

Package Cost: $600+ GST p/person

When: Friday, 31 July 2026

Time: 9:00am-4:30pm

Presenters: Lisa Wolff and Paula Skinner

Where: Riverland, SA (Venue to be confirmed)

About the presenters

Lisa Wolff

Lisa is the Director of bower(schools). She is a qualified Teacher and Counsellor with 25 years of experience in Independent and State schools in Australia and the UK; as a Classroom Teacher, Special Education Teacher, Aboriginal Education Teacher, Wellbeing Coordinator, Pastoral Care Coordinator, and Student Counsellor. Lisa is seasoned in working with children and adults with high and complex needs, complex trauma, grief, loss, neurodivergence, learning difficulties and disabilities, addictions, poverty, and interpersonal difficulties. Lisa is passionate about social justice, fairness, equality, inclusion and creating spaces where collaboration is key in successful outcomes. As director of bower(schools), Lisa works to equip school staff to transform their practices and reframe student behaviour, leading to a flourishing school culture.

Paula Skinner

Paula is the Director of Engagement at bower(schools). She is a qualified Educator with 15 years’ experience as a school principal and a total of 35 years’ experience across public and private, primary, and secondary education systems in both urban and rural communities. Her roles have spanned classroom teaching, learning support, expressive arts, mentoring, and leadership. Paula holds postgraduate qualifications in Educational Leadership, Gifted Education, and a Master’s in Special Education. She brings expert knowledge from all areas of teaching, curriculum, wellbeing, administration, finance, human resources, and management.