Farewell after 48 years as teacher
THE excited chatter of children, their curious questions and gap- toothed grins are what principal Karen Pearce will miss most when she walks out of the Marian School for the last time.
The Marian Catholic School principal is set to hand over the reins of the school after 15 years in the top job.
Mrs Pearce, who has been a teacher for 48 years and principal for 22, says she feels privileged to have dedicated her life to being an educator.
“When I walk out the door for the last time at the end of term I know my heart will break,” she said. “But there are so many fingerprints on my heart from those kids who have influenced me to the best person I can be.”
Mrs Pearce, 65, said it would be the “simple things” she would miss the most.
“The students have brought me so much joy each day with their smiles, their probing questions, their inno- cence and their enthusiasm for life,” she said. “I will certainly miss waking up each morning wanting to come to work, to come to the school knowing the children are waiting for me, for a smile, a hello, knowing I’m making a difference in their lives.”
Mrs Pearce said she felt blessed to start her career as a principal in the outback.
“I started my principalship when I went to Winton 22 years ago,” she said. “Those three years made me the principal I am today. I would encourage young teachers to go west as I did and find out that there is a wonderful life to be had on the other side of the Great Divide.”
Mrs Pearce said when she first started working as a principal, she spent much of her time in the classroom, meeting parents and engaging with the children.
“The big thing that has happened to the role of a principal is the paperwork … the seemingly non- stop emails, the demand of your time in the office,” she said.
“A principal should be taking time to go out and be in the classrooms, to walk around to meet the children and the families, not be stuck in the office.”
Mrs Pearce worked up to 60 hours a week to meet the demands of her role.
“But I don’t want principals, or would- be principals, to be frightened of that because there are so many joyful moments,” she said.
“Yes there are stresses and strains but it’s how you take the joy and move with it.”
When asked how parents had changed in her nearly five decades in schools, Mrs Pearce said: “One of the wonderful things … is that parents have become more engaged in their children’s learning and are more knowledgeable about schools and what they can do for their child.”
Mrs Pearce will retire on December 1, but plans to step down “gradually”.
Mike Colahan has been appointed the new principal of Marian Catholic School.
He is currently serving as principal at St Joseph’s Mundingburra.