David Burns starts as principal at Aldridge State High School

A former Fraser Coast student, musician and sportsman has taken over as the head of the high school he attended years ago. Read his story:

A Fraser Coast principal has travelled full circle, returning to the high school he attended as a student.

David Burns is settling into his new role as principal at Aldridge State High School, taking the reins from the school’s former principal Ross Higgins, who retired in July 2022 after 13 years.

Mr Burns has transferred from Tinana State School where he was the principal for 14 years, and deputy principal for three years.

“I feel very proud to have come full circle and be the principal of Aldridge State High School and to be working with such an amazing group of people,” he said.

Mr Burns, who was born in Maryborough, knew he wanted to pursue a career in teaching after completing the work experience program at Aldridge State High School when he was in Year 12.

Aldridge State High School welcomes its new principal David Burns.

After graduating, Mr Burns went on to study teaching at the University of Southern Queensland.

It was only through pure serendipity that he then completed his work experience at Tinana State School.

For the first half of his career, he taught in small three-to-five-teacher schools in the Southern Downs.

He said that experience “set him up” for his future career in teaching.

Mr Burns also did a stint in regional consultancy work around 1998, and travelled to many schools which “fuelled” his passion for school improvement and student achievement.

He then took some time off to raise a family with his wife and two children, who went on to be students at Tinana State School and Aldridge State High School.

Mr Burns said his 17 years at Tinana State School were “tremendous” and was “excited” for what the future held at Aldridge.

“I’ve just been absolutely blown away with the welcome, but more significantly the opportunities that our staff are invested in offering our students...” he said.

“When you leave a school you always worry about what’s the next experience going to be like, but it’s very affirming and very exciting to know that there’s a team here that’s just as engaged, just as passionate, and just as capable as the team that I’ve left.”

As Mr Burns transitions from the primary to secondary sector, he said he was looking forward to seeing young people approach their adult lives.

“I’ve seen a lot of students at the very beginning and that early pathway, but it’s lovely now to see where that pathway gets to and how that pathway spreads out for students,” he said.

“It’s been great to see how that flows through from primary.”

Mr Burns said his background also aligned with the “strength areas” at the school, which include agriculture, music and sport.

“In my personal life, I have a small farm so the agriculture aspect of the school resonates with me, and that’s been a passion in my life,” he said.

Mr Burns was also a sportsman, and went through the school’s instrumental music program as a drummer.

He was even part of a rock band in university.

Mr Burns said it excited him “every day” to know that the school was enabling the same opportunities he experienced as a student.

“Students are changing over time... school’s very different today to the way it was when I attended here, but what hasn’t changed is the quality of what we offer and the quality of experience I think for students,” he said.

“I’m really excited about looking at how do we refine that even further and connect that with every single student that comes through the gate.”