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FAREWELL TO OUR PRINCIPAL,
Kristen Sharpe
After announcing her retirement, Stuartholme’s Principal, Ms Kristen Sharpe was fondly farewelled by the extended school community on Thursday 16 June. Ms Sharpe was joined in the chapel by representatives from Sophia Education Ministries, School Board Members both past and present, previous staff members, sister school Principal, parents, friends, family and of course the current Stuartholme students and staff. After Mass, guests mingled on the school’s verandah while enjoying a High Tea.
In an address to the school, Board Chair Helen Spain said: “‘She demonstrated the ability to innovate, remain flexible, think globally, move quickly and take risks – She discovered new truths, explored new approaches and embraced new perspectives in a complex and changing world – Leadership happens when we step out of old life scripts and act with clarity of purpose, courage and compassion.’ Those words were used to describe the leadership of Madeleine Sophie Barat. Those words could also be used to describe the leadership of Kristen. Kristen’s time as Principal has been characterised by disruption. A significant organisational restructure, government funding policy changes and a global pandemic have interrupted the best of strategic plans. In the first three years as Principal, Kristen led a leadership restructure, responded to cuts in government funding and introduced the external ATAR curriculum and system. For the next two years, COVID 19 required navigation and some floods, destructive storms and droughts and fire risk were managed in between. Against the backdrop of these external events, Kristen led the usual business of the school and undertook a significant boarding house refurbishment, developed plans for the Freer property redevelopment and introduced a range of Stuartholme developed wellbeing Aps and management tools. There has been national recognition for some of these initiatives. Kristen, you led the school, students and staff with courage and conviction. Like Madeleine Sophie, you focused on the relationships, person to person with your staff and students and encouraged, empowered, nurtured, and led them to be the best they can be.
...Leadership happens when we step out of old life scripts and act with clarity of purpose, courage and compassion.
