
On behalf of the Directors of Halcyon Lakes College Board, I invite applications for the position of Principal of Halcyon Lakes College from January 2021.
We are a leading Kindergarten to Year 12 coeducational school in the south Brisbane region. It is our vision that a HLC graduate is a person who achieves their academic potential and is equipped with the strength of character, the values framework and the skills to become a socially responsible leader in a global community. Strong governance for the past 25 years has enabled Halcyon Lakes College to establish itself in a highly competitive market place. The board, in consultation with the college leadership and key members of the community, have determined a strategy for increasing our market share.
Our next principal will lead this strategy with a modern educational perspective combined with an acute awareness of brand value and an ability to engage the marketplace effectively through multiple channels of communication.
I encourage you to consider joining our contemporary school and to contact Jeremy Jones for a confidential conversation.
Stephen Scott
Chair – Halcyon Lakes College Board
The College was founded in 1994 on Christian values and is a member school of a prominent Christian Church Association in Australia. Here at the College our mission is to develop socially responsible global citizens with the knowledge and discipline to think independently and innovate solutions to overcome the challenges of the future. Our flagship program or key point of difference has always been Performing Arts and has focused heavily on attracting students to the school with high achieving staff and extraordinary performances for the local community. In more recent years the school has focused on improving its overall sporting profile to make it a more ‘rounded’ school that attracts students from a broader sector of the community.

- Faith
- Innovation
- Compassion
- Leadership
- Community
- Fairness
The College currently has 945 students. The school welcomes students of any religion, race and any social origin. The College is currently a member of Independent Schools Queensland and the Principal will be expected to become a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia
The College has a clear academic focus, for which it is renowned in the local community. In addition to this the College provides a well-rounded education with co-curricular opportunities for its students.
Halcyon Lakes College engages quarterly in strategic thinking activities to ensure we have a dynamic and robust strategy that ensures our human, material and financial resources are deployed effectively. The College strives towards providing;
- World’s best education programs for our students
- World’s best learning facilities for our teachers and students
- A strong competitive posturing within our catchment / market place
Our current midterm strategic objectives (to be achieved within the next four years) are;
- To establish a 100% online learning curriculum with commensurate teaching support that attracts a global community to procure our services from beyond the school’s physical boundaries
- To mature our college foundation so the school has a comprehensive business network comprising of alumni and others who can sustainably raise financial capital to support our college masterplan
- To build a sporting program that earns our college the status of ‘sporting excellence’ and complements our existing performing arts programs
- To build and occupy a 750-seat performing arts auditorium with classrooms.
We believe the key to the school’s success is its exceptional teaching staff. Providing our staff with opportunities to develop and broaden their experiences in turn enriches the experiences of our pupils.

Mr. Stephen Scott – Chair of Board of Directors
Mr. Mark Newham – Deputy Chair, Nominations Subcommittee
Mrs. Karen Wiseman – Director, Governance Working Group
Mr. Kyle Chen – Director, Chair Nominations Subcommittee
Mr. Simon Covey – Director, Finance, Audit and Risk Subcommittee
Ms. Laura Francis – Director, Chair Finance, Audit and Risk Subcommittee
Mr. Brian Cooper – Director, Governance Working Group

Under the Constitution, the Directors have the authority to appoint and dismiss Principals and have responsibility for the management and control of affairs, concerns and property of the school.
The Business Manager reports directly to the Principal, and is responsible for the management and maintenance of school properties and for the business and financial affairs of the school.

Halcyon Lakes College Alumni
As a young school, the College alumni is still in its infancy. Past students have informal reunions of their own and annually, Halcyon Lakes College hosts its Reunion Weekend to invite all past students to return to the school and celebrate. We expect the Principal to build this network over the coming decade.
Parents and Friends Association
The College’s Parents and Friends Association is led by a committee of dedicated and passionate parents and community members who engage in the life of the school. The Principal attends their meetings, held twice a term, to update them on what has been happening at the school and support their efforts to enrich the lives of the students through fundraising and supporting events at the school. The Parents and Friends Association operates under a constitution and reports directly to the Principal.
Foundation Board
The College’s Foundation Board is newly formed and operates under a constitution for the purposes of major fundraising, in support of major projects and capital works projects. The Foundation Board meets quarterly with the Principal and sets its fundraising initiatives in consultation with the Principal.

Halcyon Lakes College is a moderate fee school when compared to similar schools across Australia. The school’s finances are in a stable condition, however a higher than acceptable student to debt ratio creates continuous pressure on a positive cash position.
Total school funding is currently derived from fees, Commonwealth and State government recurrent grants and fundraising from the Parents and Friends Association and Foundation Board. The Board of Directors have been focusing on a debt recovery strategy for the past seven years and intend to maintain this for the foreseeable future.

The Board looks to the Principal to provide high quality leadership, in all aspects of College life.
In particular, the Principal is;
- The educational leader and sets the educational philosophy and aspirational teaching and learning standards.
- The leader of personnel and sets the aspirational tone of student conduct and behaviour, compliance standards and personal best expectations.
- The organisational leader and sets the tone of the school in terms of strategic thinking and day to day management of the organisation.
- The primary risk manager of the school and sets the tone of the organisation in terms of safe practices and prudent risk management.
- The executive voice of the school and sets the tone of the organisation by the quality of her/his communication and personal interactions.

The successful candidate will demonstrate an ability in three key areas as follows:
- An understanding of contemporary school governance, including the relationships between the Principal and the Board as well as the Principal and the Chair
- An understanding of the business dimensions of an independent school, including the financial responsibility of the College, the proactive management of risk and compliance, and ensuring the reputational position of the College
- A proven ability to successfully operate within the existing economic environment and a competitive school market.

The successful candidate will demonstrate an ability in three key areas as follows:
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A proven ability to successfully implement strategic objectives of the College to optimise human, material and financial resources
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A proven ability to be a creative and innovative problem solver in order to increase the value proposition of the College
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Data-focused demographic analysis to ensure financial sustainability.

The successful candidate will demonstrate an ability in four key areas as follows:
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A proven ability to remain at the forefront of educational thinking to identify appropriate strategies that further enhance student outcomes
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Experience in leading an exceptional K-12 learning environment for both domestic and international students
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Develop the professional and leadership capacity of individual staff and teams at all levels through a culture of empowerment, innovation, collaboration, and accountability
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Expertise to action data-driven improvement plans.

The successful candidate will demonstrate an ability in four key areas as follows:
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Demonstrate an ability to foster positive partnerships with students, families, and staff
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The communication skills necessary to express the vision of the College to all stakeholders and to inspire them to work towards this
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Be a visible and approachable leader, modelling high standards of personal and professional integrity within the College and broader College community
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A proven ability to forge business, alumni and community partnerships, and promote philanthropy.

A brief covering letter to the Chair of the Board, to introduce yourself and establish a connection between yourself and Halcyon Lakes College.
- Full name, home address, confidential email address, mobile and phone contact details
- Nationality and citizenship
- Positions held, dates, scope of responsibilities and key achievements
- Details of education, qualifications and teacher registration
- Any other relevant information, such as involvement in professional and community activities
Please respond to the Selection Criteria above, considering your experience, past roles and expertise (no more than four pages total).
Full contact details of three referees whom the consultant may contact. Referees will be contacted only after prior consultation with you.
The successful applicant will be expected to satisfy child protection screening and adhere to the School’s Child Protection Policy. Halcyon Lakes College reserves the right to appoint by invitation. Your application should be emailed in Microsoft Word format to samantha@the15disciplines.com.au no later than close of business on Monday 14th September 2020.
Your application (this assignment) will be held in the strictest of confidence and managed professionally by The 15 Disciplines and Independent Schools Queensland.
For more information please view the Annual Report.


PO Box 555
Halcyon Lakes QLD 4999
Phone: (07) 3848 0519
Email: reception@hlc.qld.edu
ABN: 44 005 746 552
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