MANAGING one school is hard enough. Imagine overseeing three with a combined total of 3000 students – that is the reality of King’s Christian College principal Rees Davis.
KCC, a non-denominational Christian prep to year 12 school is spread across three campuses from Reedy Creek to Logan and Pimpama, making it Queensland’s biggest private school.
Despite the separate learning spaces, the long-time college leader describes the community as “tight knit and supportive,” with aspirations to expand into a fourth campus within five years.
Soft-spoken and clearly passionate about the growing community, Mr Davis sees the school as a positive influence on each community it resides in, as well as the staff.
“We wanted to give our high quality staff an opportunity to advance, expand and try new ideas without having to leave the school,” he said.
“We believe very strongly in the role of private and Christian schools.
“With our school the aim is to build them in areas where there are no schools and for them to be a major contributor to the wellbeing of their community.”
“We want to be a force for good in that community.”
A former geologist, Mr Davis has been at the school since 1992 after a move to the Gold Coast following the birth of his son.
“I wasn’t really planning this career path, it kind of happened. But my parent’s philosophy is whatever job you are in you do it the best you can and always how you improved.
“At that time a lot of geologists duel trained in education because the nature of geology was work would be there and then it wouldn't be.”
“Geology is not a job for a family man and when my son was born, he had a lot of medical problems, he was very premature 26 weeks which meant we could not longer live in the small country towns.
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“So we had to move to a big city with hospitals that could cope with him.”
Despite the sudden move from north Queensland Mr Davis said he soon found his home on the Gold Coast working at Emmanuel College, then moving to KCC where he became principal in 2001.
“We were something like 300 students to 1200 and now almost 3000. What we have now is a school built around faith that has a real focus on entrepreneurial goals.
“I believe if you have a school of kids who are optimistic, love to learn and have a go and treat other people well. Everything else will follow.”
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