How former St Hilda’s principal Dr Julie Wilson Reynolds told Gold Coast Bulletin she was ‘addicted’ to education

In December 2017 Dr Julie Wilson Reynolds spoke to the Gold Coast Bulletin about her passion for the job. Here is what she had to say.

Dr Julie Wilson Reynolds has resigned as principal at St Hilda’s School. Photo: Supplied

Former St Hilda’s principal Dr Julie Wilson Reynolds previously spoke to the Gold Coast Bulletin about her passion for education.

In a piece first published in December 2017, Dr Wilson Reynolds said she was impressed by the school’s reputation as a place of excellence for girls to study science, technology, engineering and maths.

Below is the text of the original article.

Dr Julie Wilson Reynolds has resigned as principal at St Hilda’s.

“I grew up in the southern highlands of NSW in a beautiful town called Exeter. We lived on a large farm with sheep, cattle and horses.

There was a lovely all girls school and – it’s a long story – but at the end of my Year 6 it was shut down. My sister and I ended up at a convent in Bowral that was originally for boys but ended up going to co-ed.

When I first arrived there wasn’t even an option for girls to participate in sport. That really shaped my views on the education of girls because I could see that school, and in many ways the world as a whole, was set up to promote men. I don’t mean that aggressively, but that’s the way it was.

I was at a boys school that accommodated girls, which was so very different to being at a girls school that promoted women.

I had a teacher in primary school whose last name was also Wilson and I wanted to grow up to be just like her. So I studied education at Macquarie University, working as an assistant chaplain, then got my first teaching job in Wollongong.

I’ve been in education for more than 30 years and you could say I’m addicted to it.

I have a masters in English Literature and another in Educational Leadership and a doctorate in Philosophy.

Dr Julie Wilson Reynolds.

I did the PhD while I was a school principal in my “spare time” – it’s a bit crazy now when I think about it.

My most recent prior position was as deputy head at Abbotsleigh in Sydney.

When I came up to interview for the position of head teacher at St Hilda’s it was the girls who interviewed me. In all my years working in educational leadership I had never been interviewed by students before. I’m very grateful they chose me.

We arrived here in January and I said to my husband David, “I think we’ve landed in paradise”.

My predecessor really grew the school’s reputation as a place of excellence for girls to study science, technology, engineering and maths. I cannot accept that only seven per cent of engineers in Australia are female when we make up 50 per cent of the population.

I’m proud to lead a school where girls are challenged and encouraged to step up in these fields.

I have a daughter, Stephanie, and a son, John, who are grown up now so we are empty nesters.

My daughter would describe herself as a feminist. I know some people seek to use that word in a negative way but she’s such a positive woman who believes in her own abilities.

She works for the NSW government’s Department of Environment and Heritage travelling around and explaining policy to indigenous groups.

Let me boast about my son too for just a moment. He’s just been accepted in a PhD on digital policy exploring how metadata can be used in ways which compromise our privacy as citizens.

When people meet me they always ask, “Are you the new St Hilda’s principal?’ and I reply, ‘Well, yes I am’.

This year our girls won the Head of the River rowing competition. If you know anything about rowing you know that’s a very big deal.

Rowing is not an easy sport and I had watched the girls put themselves on the line to train.

When we won it was the first time St Hilda’s had taken the title in the 105 year history of the race.

As I watched them cross the finishing line it had been such a big day and there were tears rolling down my face. And then it occurred to me; I’m not so new here anymore.”

- As told to Emily MacDonald