New Principal for Bourke High School
A new Executive Principal has been appointed to the Bourke High School.
Ben Delanty, from Ashford Central School, has arrived in town, and has completed his first few weeks in the job. Mr Delanty said that he has had ten years’ experience as a principal, before moving to Bourke.
His most recent postings include five years at Ashford Central School, north of Inverell, five years at Yetman Public School on the Queensland border, and at Walhollow Public School, an all-Aboriginal school between Werris Creek and Quirindi.
And it seems isolation won’t pose a problem for Ben Delanty, having spent time at Oodnadatta in the South Australian desert.
Mr Delanty said he was thrilled and humbled to take on the new role at Bourke High, in which his primary focus is to provide a safe, supportive, and collaborative school.
“That is all we’re doing. Obviously, we’re teaching and have priority areas, but right now all I want our staff focusing on is their relationships with the students.
“Our plan is to leave the negative side of things to me and the executive team, and just let the teachers do their jobs, and get in there and teach.
“But it needs to be a safe place first, and that can be tricky, so we’re really hoping by being very firm and clear with what we’re expecting, that most students will be engaged and supported by the community.
Mr Delanty said that he is passionate about the Connected Communities schooling concept, and that connecting with the community and other agencies will be a high priority during his time in Bourke.
“I’m very task orientated, and I like to have things a certain way.
“I am a big believer that the standard you walk past is the standard you accept.
“The students and staff have heard that from me this week and I believe it has had a significant impact already.
“There’s no miracle involved, it’s just a team-oriented approach of being consistent and being very firm on what is acceptable and what is not.
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