New Sunshine Coast Grammar School principal Anna Owen opens up on year ahead after tragic start

The Coast’s newest principal has spoken of the difficult start to her new role as head of Sunshine Coast Grammar School as the school mourns the death of a popular teen.

The new head of one of the Sunshine Coast’s most prestigious schools has opened up on the heartbreaking start to her tenure as the Sunshine Coast Grammar community mourns Buddina teen Balin Stewart.

Anna Owen has joined the school from Canberra Grammar School where she was principal, taking on the role of Sunshine Coast Grammar School principal vacated suddenly by Maria Woods last year.

A delayed start to the school year had thrown up plenty of challenges but she said it was all put into perspective after 16-year-old Balin’s alleged stabbing death outside his home on January 20.

The school had a record 1400 students enrolled for the February 7 start of term.

Supplied Editorial SCN220122GrammarNewPrincipal 1

Ms Owen said she understood the start of the school year will be marred with sadness as students and staff grieve Balin’s tragic death.

“Adolescents grieve in a different way, it’s very difficult to predict where they are at in that grieving process and some won’t grieve at all and will be worried that they don’t feel anything,” Ms Owen said.

“It’s a very complex thing and these next few weeks are going to be about drawing about that strength and community.

Students, staff and parents have been offered support by the school during this time.

“The experiences of those of us who have been through this before will help make sure all areas of our community are supported,” Ms Owen said.

“Often forgotten is parents and we will be supporting parents so they know how to support a grieving adolescent.”

Sunshine Coast Grammar School will support staff and students as they mourn the loss of popular Buddina teen Balin Stewart.

As the school comes to grips with the loss of one of its own, Ms Owen said there was still a lot to look forward to in 2022.

She said the school was in the process of creating its next strategic plan as the current structure ends this year.

Ms Owen said it was an exciting time to join the school and she was looking forward to working with staff, students and the community to create a new path forward.

“It’s about honouring the past and all the wonderful things we’re known for … but also moving forward, (we’re looking at) what’s the next big things in education we can be a part of,” she said.

Ms Owen said the new plan would focus on improving the school’s “green agenda” and have a “social justice” focus as well as providing a diverse space for everyone.

“Some of the most extraordinary ideas in co-creating things, like our strategic plan for Sunshine Coast Grammar, are from the students,” she said.

“Our sustainability agenda is already there but actually bringing it up and making it one of the principles we live by (is being driven by students).

“Their insights are extraordinary, if you just listen to young people.

“I think schools are increasingly being made aware and taking on the great privilege of reflecting the values and the needs of society at the time.”

Supplied Editorial SCN220122GrammarNewPrincipal 1

The school is in the middle of expanding its campus to accommodate the growing population, which Ms Owen said is a direct result of the influx of people moving to the Coast.

She said “deep conversations” between the school community will help shape the vision for the school in the next five years.

“There’s quite a few things going on externally in the form of the Sunshine Coast demographics and as a region things have really changed and therefore Sunshine Coast Grammar will change,” she said.

‘I think it’s a challenge … our buildings were built for a different size school but our support structures we have for our children are for the school size we have now.”

Ms Owen said families and teachers were applying to come to the school from as far as New South Wales and Victoria.

As for the pressures of the pandemic, Ms Owen said she feels she can bring her experiences of educating during Canberra lockdowns to her new role.

Supplied Editorial SCN220122GrammarNewPrincipal 1

“Delaying face-to-face learning is really unfortunate but I can see there has been a number of benefits,” she said.

“Of course we want the children back in the classroom (but we need) young children to start the year well in a dignified and well-planned way which can set them up for the rest of the year.

“Rushing in and working around that, often but not always, can for the younger years be quite tricky.

“We’ve already seen every other country has found ways to offer quality education, we can find opportunity later in the year.”

Ms Owen replaces former principal Maria Woods, who was at the helm for more than six years and has since moved to Brisbane to lead Brisbane’s Hillbrook Anglican College.