Principal retires after 30 years of service

Kingaroy's St John's Lutheran Christian School is saying goodbye to their principal.

MOVING ON: St John's principal Helen Folker is saying goodbye after 30 wonderful years of service. Picture: Elaelah Harley

KINGAROY'S St John's Lutheran Christian School is saying goodbye to one of their founding teachers.

Principal Helen Folker was one of the original two founding teachers back when the school first opened in 1989.

She has been serving as the principal since 2000.

Mrs Folker will be leaving her position at the end of this term, and officially retiring at the end of 2019.

She said after 30 years of teaching and leadership it was time for someone new to take the reins.

"Being principal of this school has been a wonderful privilege and an amazing opportunity,” Mrs Folker said.

"I am very grateful to God for the experience and will miss the students, staff and families very much.”

The retiring principal said she would always cherish memories from her time at St John's.

"This town looked very different back in 1989. This entire side of town was developed much later on. So when I was teaching my very first grade one and two class all that was here was a sorghum paddock which just meant so many bull-heads,” Mrs Folker said.

"I would spend a lot of time doing what I called bull-head duty and pulling the prickles out of the kids and their shoes before we went into class.

Mrs Folker said it was within the first two years of her founding the school when their side of town started to grow.

"I remember quite vividly the first house that was built on this side of town. There was so much excitement,” she said.

"I took my grade one and two class up there on a little excursion. We then counted all the rectangles, triangles, and other shapes in the building frame.

"It was such a fun and exciting way to teach back then. The kids loved it.”

While reminiscing on her past 30 years with the school, Mrs Folker reflected on how many of her prayers had been answered.

"It was always just a matter of us finding the right person for the right job when we were really in need,” she said.

"We also received a lot of funding for building projects that we never thought we would get.

"We've always dreamt big, and lo and behold God has always provided. It's been such a blessing seeing him at work here.”

Mrs Folker said when the school was first founded in 1989 there were only 26 children enrolled.

"Our first school house and classrooms were purchased for the grand sum of $1500 and transported on the back of a truck from the other side of Kumbia,” she said.

"We now have classrooms to accommodate nearly 430 primary and secondary students, a purpose built library, office and fully equipped school hall and sports facilities.”

After 30 years of serving at St John's Luther School Mrs Folker has big plans for her first year of retirement.

"I'm so excited to have the flexibility to do more travelling. A lot of travel in Europe is on the cards for next year,” she said.

"Also I have five grandchildren and I'm very much looking forward to being a bigger part of their lives.

Chairman of the St John's Lutheran School Council Warren Layt said the council was grateful to Helen for her tireless effort, passion and commitment.

"We wish Helen well in her future endeavours and pray God will continue to bless her,” he said.

"She will be greatly missed.”

From the beginning of Term 2 the principal assistants will share the role of acting principal.

The position will also be advertised in Term 2 term, and then the newly appointed principal will begin in 2020.