Pimpama State Primary College principal Dave Hartley reveals reason for his departure

The much-loved principal of a Gold Coast state school has penned a letter to parents to tell them he’s leaving – citing an extraordinary reason for his departure.

We all know the Gold Coast is rapidly changing.

Roads are clogged with traffic in a way barely imaginable before Covid. The tents and cars of people experiencing homelessness are scattered through our suburbs. Hardworking police, ambos and hospital staff are dealing with extraordinary levels of demand.

These are the obvious and tangible signs of population growth and a housing crisis that was turbocharged during Covid.

What’s less obvious, and less often remarked on, is that the shifting sands of the last five years have not just taken our population higher, but changed its nature.

That change has been exposed in an extraordinary resignation letter from the principal of a northern Gold Coast school,

Dave Hartley, the principal of Pimpama State Primary College, wrote to the community to announce that Friday August 16th would be his last at his “beloved school”.

“With the cost of living and rental crisis forcing families out of the area, the last two years has seen a decline in enrolments, resulting in the Department of Education reclassifying our school through the School Threshold Annual Review (STAR) process,” he wrote.

“Based on enrolments, our school has moved from a level 6 to a level 5 school.”

Mr Hartley explained that the change meant if he chose to stay he would, by the end of next year, “face a significant pay cut” as a result.

“For this reason I have put myself and my family first and made the difficult decision to apply for a relocation,” he said.

Pimpama State Primary College principal Dave Hartley.

Mr Hartley will soon take up a new position of principal at Caningeraba State School in Burleigh Waters.

It’s important to stress that the fall in numbers at Pimpama State Primary College is no reflection on the school or its staff, and certainly not on Mr Hartley – one of the most highly regarded principals in the city.

This column well remembers meeting him at the school two years ago. He knew every single student by name.

His impact was also very clear in messages from parents on social media.

“So sad to see you go Mr Hartley,” one wrote, in a comment typical of what was said. “You have been the heart and soul of PSPC since your arrival. You’ve made so many changes and implemented so many beautiful initiatives that has instilled so much pride in not only our school, but in so many individuals who’ve gone on to thrive in everything they do.

“ … PSPC has become an amazing environment because of you.”

A letter to parents from Pimpama State Primary College principal Dave Hartley announcing he is leaving the school.

What this sad story actually highlights is an issue first reported by the Bulletin in August 2022 – that while the city’s population was increasing, enrolment numbers at state schools were in steep decline.

There were 729 students at Pimpama State Primary College as of February this year. That’s an almost 10 per cent decrease in just two and a half years, from the 805 enrolled in August 2021.

It’s a similar story throughout the Gold Coast. At Burleigh Heads State School, numbers are down 17 per cent in the same period, from 569 to 474. At Merrimac State School, they’re down almost 20 per cent, from 782 to 629.

These are good schools. What we are witnessing is a demographic shift.

The rise in property prices, and most especially the drying up of affordable rentals, is driving families on regular incomes out of the city.

This column has heard multiple stories of families with young children, born and bred Gold Coasters, who have ended up in places such as Logan, Flagstone, even Warwick, because this city had become unaffordable for them.

One family spoken to by this columnist even decided to give Canada a go after despairing of ever finding a decent rental.

This is what Mr Hartley was referring to when he spoke of the cost of living and rental crisis “forcing families out of the area”.

That the Gold Coast, even in areas like Pimpama, is no longer a welcoming city for families of young children whose parents earn regular incomes is shocking turnaround for a place renowned as a place of fun and opportunity for young people.

And let’s be clear, when we say it’s people on regular incomes who find this place unaffordable, regular incomes can include ambos, truck drivers, nurses – the sort of hardworking people none of us can get through our days without.

The fact that such people are struggling to raise their families here is a sad indictment of years of planning failures, of an inability to get housing built.

There were global factors at play in this, but many local ones too.

Mr Hartley’s letter to the Pimpama State College Community is a wake-up call.

What has led us to this point is something we all need to reflect upon.

Follow @keithjwoods