St Luke's welcomes new leader

ST LUKE'S Anglican School is set to commission its new principal, Craig Merritt, on Friday, January 27, when school returns.

SCHOOL'S IN: St Luke's Anglican School's new principal Craig Merritt is looking forward to making connections in the community.

ST LUKE'S Anglican School is set to commission its new principal, Craig Merritt, on Friday, January 27, when school returns.

When his new role was announced mid-last year, Mr Merritt said he looked forward to the opportunity to live in Bundaberg and make strong connections with the community, along with his wife and young family.

Mr Merritt has held key leadership roles in Anglican schools for the past 23 years.

He was the head of senior school at Whitsunday Anglican School in Mackay and since then has held the position of deputy principal at Hillbrook Anglican School in Brisbane.

"I am continually impressed with the dedication and professionalism of the teachers I have worked with in both these schools," Mr Merritt said.

"They put their heart and soul into their work and the staff at St Luke's impress me with these same qualities."

Mr Merritt is eager to focus on the academic development of students, create ways to better monitor and provide feedback on their progress and offer meaningful opportunities for career planning in the senior school at StLuke's.

"This school has always held a significant reputation amongst the education sector as a school that 'walks the talk', so to speak," he said.

"It has a strong academic reputation, supported by a significant pastoral framework which is designed to instil Christian values and ethics amongst our students.

"All this is encapsulated by the wonderful phrase, 'The St Luke's Way'."

St Luke's Anglican School has catered to children's educational needs and journey since it opened in 1994.

The school offers education to students from Kindergarten to Year 12.

"Our teachers are the vital element in this picture," Mr Merritt said.

"We will continue to find ways to work collaboratively to enhance our skills and abilities to bring a strong consistency in the learning experiences for all our students across the school.

"That I am given the opportunity to take on the role of principal of such a vibrant and successful school community is an honour and a privilege."

St Luke's Anglican School's new leader holds a Masters of Education (leadership and management major) from the University of Southern Queensland, a Diploma of Education from the University of Queensland and Bachelor of Arts (history and economics majors) from the University of Queensland.

"My family and I are very excited about the opportunity to come and live in Bundaberg," Mr Merritt said.

"We look forward to making strong connections with the community.

"The facilities and lifestyle of the Bundaberg region are what we are looking forward to experiencing - it's an ideal place to bring up our family."

The 2017 school year starts next Monday, January 23.