After almost five years leading St Michael’s Grammar School, we are saddened to advise that our Head of the School, Mrs Terrie Jones, will be leaving the School at the end of Term 3 2022.
Mrs Jones has made the difficult decision to leave St Michael’s to be closer to her family and will take up the role of Principal at Canberra Girls Grammar School from the beginning of Term 4 2022.
She is looking forward to living with her husband in Canberra after two years of navigating the personal challenges posed by closed borders and long periods of separation from loved ones.
The School is disappointed by this development, as Mrs Jones is held in high esteem by the St Michael’s community, and she will be deeply missed. However, we wish her the very best both in her new role at Canberra Girls Grammar School and for her future.
There can be no doubt that Mrs Jones has made an outstanding contribution to St Michael’s, developing and implementing the “Towards 2030: Strategic Direction”, and successfully guiding the School through the COVID-19 pandemic. She will leave a significant legacy; in addition to the School’s current Strategic Direction, under her leadership the School has a new Teaching, Learning and Caring Framework, increased enrolments, improved academic and wellbeing outcomes for our students and a strengthened financial position.
We have also embarked on a major Campus redevelopment plan which includes the refurbishment of St George’s Church as a cutting-edge, contemporary performing arts facility, and the reimagining of St Agnes House as the Centre for Innovation and Inquiry for our Junior School.
The Board has formed a sub-committee for the purpose of undertaking a thorough selection process to appoint a Head of the School aligned with our values and educational vision.
In undertaking this process, the Board has reaffirmed its commitment to our “Towards 2030: Strategic Direction” and it is the Board’s intention that the successful candidate will take forward this important work.
Mrs Jones will continue to lead the School until the end of Term 3, with Deputy Head of the School, Mr Gerard Houlihan, then stepping into the acting role until the conclusion of the selection process. We are hopeful that the new Head of the School will commence at the beginning of the 2023 school year.
Terrie’s continuing presence will ensure a stable transition process. She will also return to the School to attend important school events such as Year 12 Valedictory Celebrations and Speech Night, and we are grateful to the Canberra Girls Grammar School community for enabling her to attend these events that are important to us as a community and to Terrie personally.
Please do not hesitate to contact the School should you have any questions.
