Genesis Christian College in the Moreton Bay region of Queensland, will welcome new Principal Paul Sterling (pictured) in 2020, following the retirement of Brian Barker, who has led the College for the past 13 years.
Mr Sterling is passionate about Christian education, having worked in Christian schools for the past 24 years, including most recently as Principal of Bundaberg Christian College. He said he is excited to be joining the Genesis community. He described it as “a school that has a reputation for care and for excellence, a school with a strong reputation, a school that places priority om community and connection”.
During Mr Barker’s tenure, he has enthusiastically immersed himself in every aspect of life at Genesis.
He has been in the dunk tank at the school fete, gone tubing, played paintball and sloshed through the mud on school camps, had his legs shaved, played the parts of a grumpy barman and statue in the College’s annual musicals and lip-synched to One Direction and Celine Dion.
He’s also become adept at directing traffic – relishing the chance to connect with students and families during his twice-weekly stint on school crossing duty.
After 42 years in education, including 13 at the helm of Genesis, Mr Barker feels he’s accomplished many of the college’s long-term strategic goals. This includes seeing the final building in the school’s master plan constructed, creating an extensive co-curricular program, enhancing teaching and learning and developing a service mentality in students through local and overseas outreach projects.
It has also involved growing the Prep to Year 12 College from a three-stream Primary School to a five-stream Secondary School – the fifth stream enters Year 12 in 2020.
“I said in my letter to the school Board and community that I never wanted to be like the sportsman who played a season too long,” Mr Barker said.
“Schools are about teams and culture. As a principal, if you don’t have a good team, you don’t have a great school.”
Mr Barker shares a special bond with the College’s 2019 seniors who were just wide-eyed Prep students when he commenced his principalship in 2007.
To watch a short video about incoming Principal Paul Sterling, please click here.