Fresh faces for Mitchell State School

New principal and eleven new Prep students welcomed this year.

LEARNING THE ROPES: (Back from left) Linda Ware, Lola Alford, Matt Witt, Jed Mackay, Beau-Dan Wolff, (front from left) Lena Mansfield, Makenzie Cavanough, Quinn Kenafake, Payton Girdler, Ruby Baker and Torah Lewis. Picture: Molly Hancock

FRESH-faced and eager to learn, Mitchell State School Prep students are settling well into their second week of school.

Not only has Mitchell State School welcomed 11 new students to the classroom but they have also appointed a new principal, Cass Ahern.

After two years as Morven State School principal, Mrs Ahern made the move with her family to Mitchell.

"Coming from Morven as a teaching principal position to Mitchell as the principal, it is all about maintaining consistency, clarity, communicating with families, teachers and students,” she said.

"Originally from Charleville, I have a passion for regional and remote schools. It is where I want to be and it is about putting the bush first.

"The move to Mitchell has been great. It is a wonderful place and everyone has been very welcoming.”

This year also marks the beginning of a Prep/Year 1 class at the school.

"Eleven new Preps have started this year and we are extremely excited to have a Prep/Year 1 class and their teacher, Kate Stirling, is amazing and is doing a fantastic job,” Mrs Ahern said.

In Mrs Ahern's new role as principal she has a strong focus on building a community approach to behaviour within the school.

"Businesses have come on board, which is really good for us, and we are approaching all of our sporting clubs to let them know that good behaviour approach and the expectation of the Mitchell community and state school is the same,” she said.

"That is definitely something positive we are looking forward to working towards and changing the culture of our school and community.”

A new explicit improvement agenda has been implemented into the school, which focuses on oral literacies through improving students' reading, writing, spelling and speaking.