Welcome back Mrs Natalie Houston

Mrs Houston with 2022 Springfield College Captains

MAI THATCHER | Springfield Marketing & Events Officer

At the beginning of this year, St Peters Springfield was delighted to welcome Mrs Natalie Houston as its newly appointed Principal. As a Founding Staff member here at the College when it opened its gates back in 2008, Mrs Houston is well known in the St Peters Springfield community and has a strong connection to the College’s mission and values.

Mrs Houston can still remember the day the College opened; there were 14 passionate and driven Founding Staff members who came together to grow a new Lutheran school and create a place that developed children to be the best they could be. Since returning as Principal, Mrs Houston can see that this vision is still held by all the current staff at the College.

While the College has grown, the deep sense of community and the empathy for one another has also grown with it. For Mrs Houston, these strong bonds that everyone in the community build with one another is extremely important.

“We need to know that each person is unique and a child of God, that people as unique beings will have different ideas and perspectives to bring to the table, and we need to make a commitment to listen to and work with each other to find the most positive and creative ways forward. In doing so, we will make this school the very best it can be.”

One of Mrs Houston’s visions for the College is to uphold and grow the tight-knit community feel experience for anyone who enters the grounds. It is something you cannot find at just any school.

“It is probably the reason why years later, I see there are still fellow foundation and early years staff members here; their light is still as bright as it was in those first exhilarating years. That friendly and nurturing feeling is also why around four of our staff members are past students of St Peters Springfield. Clearly, this is a place that people remain in or come back to.”

Similar to four of our St Peters Old Scholars who are currently working at St Peters Springfield within our Outside School Hours Care service, Mrs Houston felt an enduring connection to the College that could not keep her away. The lasting impression and life-changing experiences St Peters Springfield leave on staff and students will continue under Mrs Houston’s leadership.

“St Peters Springfield inspires so many of joy-filled, human-centred moments. Moments of impact. I look forward to leading this school so that we can awaken and develop each person’s God-given gifts and talents so that they can make a positive and lasting impact in our world.”

Mrs Houston brings with her a wealth of knowledge and pedagogical expertise having held senior leadership roles within Lutheran Education Queensland schools. Along with her vast experience, she also has a diverse list of qualifications which includes a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education from University of Queensland, Graduate Certificate in Religious Education and Master of Education from Australian Lutheran College and Master of Educational Leadership from Australian Catholic University.

We wish Mrs Houston many blessings on her leadership journey here at the College and we are sure that under her guidance and leadership, the College will continue to flourish and grow.