In our 20th year, Foundation Principal and current Council member, Sue Simon reflects on her time as Principal, establishing the College and ongoing involvement as a Council member.

FAVOURITE MEMORIES FROM YOUR TIME?

Favourite memories? It is extremely hard to choose as there are so many. Having the privilege of leading the College in the early days has been the honour of my career, and my time in this role was filled to the brim with happy memories and proud moments. Now, as a member of Council, I remain proud both of what the College has been and what it has become. What it is yet to become fills my heart with anticipatory interest and, no doubt, an abundance of further pride.

I offer a few examples of that very special time, which for me began twenty one years ago. I was appointed mid-2002 to recruit staff, enrol students and do anything that needed to be done to help the College Council establish this brand new College in the six months leading up to its opening.

The College motto and logo
The lightbulb moment came at a Development Meeting (comprised of Council members plus prospective parents) held in the year before the school opened – when, after much brainstorming by everyone in the group, Council Chairman, Father Richard Gowty, said ‘Vision’, and I said ‘Spirit’. That was it…… Vision and Spirit was going to be the way forward for our new College. It just felt right. After that, Amanda Thompson’s amazing design for the logo also felt just right. We were all very proud.

Staff pioneers
Every one of the early staff members was an absolute trojan. For example, I can still picture them helping to unpack the school desks and other furniture on the morning that students were coming in to meet the teachers. Talk about a tight deadline which had been caused by delays in the building program! The staff formed a formidable bucket brigade / human chain handing chairs from one to another from the delivery truck right up to the classroom doors.

Also, we all shared a staff room the size of half a classroom and got to know each other really well during that time! The first end of year staff ‘thank you’ lunch organised by the parents was a lavish affair despite our humble accommodation – and really reflected the deep appreciation of the parents for the sterling efforts of our foundation staff.

Amazing parental involvement
The first Parents and Friends’ meeting early in the first school term was held outdoors on the only available venue large enough – the car park next to the temporary admin building – under floodlights specially hired for the event. I’m sure that all present hoped there would be better days ahead! The very first St Andrew’s Ball at the Bli Bli castle, complete with Scottish traditions of sword dancing, kilts, haggis and “Oh aye, the noo” type of conversations over dinner, heralded future social events that would bring the parents together during these early days of the College. The Mela Festival in 2006 was another chance for the parents to work with students and staff for our first multi-cultural arts festival.

Getting to know students
With the smaller numbers of students in the first few years, it was relatively easy to find ways to get to know everyone. I loved the morning teas that I invited students to in my office. I always got them to tell me something interesting or unusual about themselves that would help me remember them. I heard about spiders the size of saucepans, strange names of pets… you name it… I was also the art teacher across the years in 2003, and brought my Labrador puppy, Rupert, to class for students to draw. As the first four years in the life of St Andrew’s rolled on, our student numbers grew at twice the speed at which our projections and business case scenarios had indicated, which was a testament to the reputation that had been established by the College’s academic progress and its enviable school culture. However, in 2006, I still had to find ways of engaging with 750 students rather than the 161 we had commenced with. Book Week was always a mighty hit for everyone – teachers and students alike… I have some crazy photos that show Princess Smartypants arriving at Assembly on the back of one of the Dad’s Harley Davidson, very colourful swimming carnival outfits, and one as a sweet Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz (along with countless little girls all dressed exactly like me). Dress ups were always a bonding time – so important in our developing College.

Growing community spirit
The first year, Mr Robson suggested that we all – staff, students, parents and families - enter the Noosa Fun Run… We all did and won the prize for the largest school group entrant, even though we were probably the smallest in enrolment size. That was the beginning of a great tradition that helped to grow community spirit. Our first Foundation Day was another milestone for the College community and that was the year that the Diamond Dash was inaugurated. But in those days, it was simply a dash around our two Primary buildings. A lot of spirit and fun though.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT ST ANDREW’S?

I love that its strong and positive individual and community areas of focus have been there right from the start and continue today. There is a consistent message that it is good to strive for the very best that we can be – both individually and collectively – and to recognise and celebrate achievement in inclusive ways that in themselves act as inspiration to others. It remains a friendly and happy place to be a part of, and is a-buzz with ideas, new possibilities and encourages change in good ways.

I love that the College, under Rev Chris Ivey’s much longer leadership and example, has perpetuated many of the ideals that were foundational to the College from its inception. However, it has also appointed many more incredible staff who have all contributed so many unique gifts, and it has grown, blossomed, and changed as it has had to. It has graciously moved from Pioneer, to Settler, to Flourishing stages of existence.

WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING THING ABOUT STARTING A NEW SCHOOL?

I was actually very nervous that the buildings were not going to be ready in time for the start of that first term in 2003, and that all the lovely new staff I had appointed and excited students I had enrolled would think that this new school they had put their trust in, was going to be something of a fizzler….. We had been holding Pre-opening Sausage Sizzle Mornings (complete with jumping castle) on the grass verge next to Peregian Springs Drive on the first Saturday of each month in the lead up to January. We had Father Richard (Council Chairman), other Council members, John Slater (Architect), some of the new staff and myself all in attendance to answer questions. Plus, there was a poster of the Master Plan on display, so every prospective parent could see what was envisaged in the ‘as yet un-tamed’ scrubland before us. We had experienced delays in the building program due to bad weather, and Glen Rohrig, the builder, had reassured me that all would be alright…. But when anyone asked, ‘Are you sure it will all be ready in time for the opening in January?’ I must admit, took a deep breath, hoped I wasn’t lying and tried to sound as enthusiastic as possible when I answered in the affirmative. What a relief it was when we could eventually move from our temporary office in Peregian Beach, onto the College site with a few weeks to spare.

PROUDEST MOMENT AS PRINCIPAL?

At the assembly at the start of that very first morning, I outlined to students what was going to be happening at the Official Opening of the School that very afternoon. Archbishop Phillip Aspinall was coming, as were other Anglican Church representatives, many local and state dignitaries and politicians, their families and friends, and, of course, the media, including Channel Ten News and the press. Picture me, with 161 students that I did not know very well yet, and who didn’t know each other at all, hoping that they were going to embrace this high-stakes opportunity to show the world what a great College St Andrew’s was going to be. Or were they going to sit there, mute and as suspicious as recent arrivals to a new institutional phenomenon can be? Well, I plucked up courage, took yet another deep breath and asked them if they were going to help me and the staff make this a wonderful start to our College. I was extremely proud when they not only put up their hands in agreement but cheered and whooped a resounding echo around the undercover area.  And I was even prouder when the Official Opening went off so well, with students and staff participating as if this had been their school for many a long year.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF ST ANDREW’S?

As a member of the College Council now, I share my fellow Council members’ – and the staff’s – deep interest in blue sky thinking about what is possible in the future. Changes to how we learn and teach are forever in our minds along with ensuring that we encourage developments that enhance the learning experience in ways that are protective of established effective approaches but are perhaps more relevant to students today. This is the continual juggling act of good educationalists.

My hope for St Andrew’s is that its academic mission flourishes, its spiritual and cultural legacy is preserved and built on, and that the nurturing of student wellbeing and a positive mindset continue to be motivations for all who teach, learn and have the privilege of being associated with the special place that is St Andrew’s.

ANY OTHER SPECIAL STORIES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?

In the lead up to the start of the College, we had a temporary school office above a surf shop in Peregian Beach - a idyllic location in the popular Peregian Square, although there wasn’t a lot of time to skip off to the beach to eat my sandwiches for lunch! It proved to be a hectic time, but an essential one in that we – myself and the first staff of the College - Robyn Stainkey, my PA, Toni Williams, the Business Manager, and Kathy Wone, our Admin Officer – had a chance to get to know the local community. Baked Poetry was our go-to café when we did have the chance to enjoy lunch - and it is still pleasing that I can order the same goat’s cheese and roast vegie dish when I take a walk down memory lane these days! The highlight of those days, however, was interviewing students for enrolment, and I came up with the brainwave of making a very ordinary small office look more ‘school-like’, by displaying the drawings of the children who had come in for interview. I asked them to draw a picture of what they wanted their new school to be like. Soon enough, the garish yellow walls of our cramped conditions came alive with the creativity of my future students, and I could start to be excited for them – and for us all.