After an extensive recruitment process, the Board of leading independent school Matthew Flinders Anglican College on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland has appointed Ms Michelle Carroll as the College’s new principal.
Ms Carroll will commence at Flinders in Term 1, 2024 as an outstanding leader with a passion for and academic interest in adolescent wellbeing.
She will be supported with a quality handover and transition by the College’s Principal Mr Stuart Meade and the College leadership team.
Mr Meade will retire from Flinders at the end of Term 4, 2023 after seven years of esteemed leadership of the College.
Ms Carroll is returning to Queensland following 10 years’ service as the principal of St Catherine’s School in Melbourne, one of Australia’s leading independent schools.
Previously, Ms Carroll worked in the senior leadership teams of St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School and Ipswich Girls Grammar School, in addition to teaching at Brisbane Girls Grammar and The Japanese International School in Singapore.
Board chair Ms Peta Grenfell announced Ms Carroll’s appointment to the Flinders community in a statement on 20 October.
“Ms Carroll, an experienced school leader in accomplished high-performing schools, possesses a deep understanding of classroom learning cultures and staff professional development programs,” Ms Grenfell said.
“With her strong commitment to student wellbeing initiatives and enjoyment of supporting students’ endeavours in co-curricular programs, we are confident she will provide Matthew Flinders Anglican College with the ongoing leadership required to continue our ambitious vision.”
Ms Carroll said she is looking forward to returning to Queensland with the opportunity to lead Matthew Flinders Anglican College.
“I am certainly honoured to be joining this wonderful school with its contemporary programs and wealth of talent,” she said.
“It will be a privilege to follow in the footsteps of Mr Stuart Meade and to work with all members of the College’s community to build upon Flinders’ strong culture of excellence and achievement.
“I am truly delighted to be taking up a role that will allow me to continue, in another school context, the work of empowering young people to reach their potential.”
Mr Meade will retire from Flinders at the end of Term 4, 2023 to spend more time with his family based in Perth, Western Australia.
Ms Grenfell acknowledged Mr Meade’s strong leadership over the past seven years.
“While Mr Meade and the College leadership team have ensured the ongoing delivery of our curricular and co-curricular programs at the highest standards, Mr Meade has been instrumental in the reinvigoration of our Flinders vision and our strategic plans,” she said.
“He has led our seamless ATAR transition, provided inspired leadership through the disruption of COVID and enabled the continued delivery of our aspirational Flinders Masterplan.
“As Mr Meade leaves Flinders in great stead, the Board is grateful for his unwavering commitment and stewardship of the College.”
Student enrolments have increased consistently during Mr Meade’s tenure, with the College now at 1,404 students and with robust waiting lists for all intake years across the Primary and Secondary Schools.
In 2023 Flinders was endorsed as Australia’s Primary School of the Year (Non-Government) at the Australian Education Awards.
Key projects delivered under Mr Meade’s leadership include the Flinders Masterplan, which has seen a suite of innovative facilities open across the Primary and Secondary School campuses from 2019 to 2024.
The new state-of-the-art two-storey Infinity Centre is set to open for learning in January 2024 for students to explore entrepreneurship, innovation, creativity and design thinking across a range of disciplines.
Mr Meade will be thanked for his achievements and farewelled by students, staff and parents of the College community through a range of special events in Term 4, 2023.
