The Executive Team is responsible for directing and implementing the broad narrative of Shenton College. The Team ensures that students and staff are provided with the best, most responsive learning environment possible, and makes sure that Shenton’s values are clearly articulated to community members, and that they inform all our actions both internally and in the wider community.
With a humanities background and a passion for teaching, Christopher has worked at Shenton in a range of positions and portfolios since its inception and is looking forward to further developing Shenton’s leading approach to education.
I’ve worked for many years at Shenton College and prior to that at one of our foundation schools, Hollywood Senior High School, starting way back in 1986. My leadership is founded on many years’ experience as a teacher of Humanities (in particular, Politics and Law) and also working within Gifted Education.
For the last 10 years I’ve been an Associate Principal, with responsibility for Student Support and Wellbeing, and while Michael Morgan was seconded into the Department I was honoured to be able to lead the College as Principal during the time he was away. We’re always striving to be the best school we can be – we aspire to be a magnificent inclusive public school. These words mean a lot to me – to translate them into a school experience for our students, parents and staff, is the very reason I work in education.
The word ‘magnificent’ is usually reserved for describing a beautiful building, but we strive for it every day at Shenton and I think this is manifest to anyone who visits. I also believe the quality of inclusion is fundamental to our difference. Shenton is such an accepting and welcoming culture, from the front office staff to the gardener to the Principal, everyone, we’re all about making our community feel they have a place at the College. We also firmly believe in public values – every child in our district, boy or girl, can expect to come and receive an excellent education that values and develops their interests, from Physics to Photography, from Dance to Food Science. I love the place.
Nicole joined the College in 2015 and holds the position of Associate Principal – Pathways. She works with students across the College, ensuring that they have the highest quality support structures and pathways in place to enable them to achieve the success they deserve in their years at Shenton.
I began my teaching career as a Mathematics teacher in the Cook Islands working for Australian Volunteers International, and on return to Australia, I gained a teaching position at Derby District High School in Western Australia’s northwest. In my work I strive to model and teach strong leadership skills, and I’m very focused on providing excellent pastoral care because I’ve seen firsthand how successful this approach is in responding to the needs of a diverse school community.
My ability to build flexible timetables that satisfy the varying demands of different learners was recognised in my progression into Deputy Principal roles – first acting at Derby District High School and then substantively at Newman Senior High. Before joining Shenton I was Deputy Principal at Ellenbrook Secondary College where I enjoyed leading the school’s response to its rapid student growth as its founding year group in 2007 moved through the school.
In my time at Shenton I’ve been struck by the focus and maturity of the students, as well as the supportive nature of our teachers. There’s a real sense that everyone is in it together –with that kind of attitude I feel that anything is possible. For me, there’s nothing better than seeing a student fulfil their potential, whatever it is, and however it’s been enabled. As a teacher and school leader, I’ll always see this as the most important part of my job.
Adam has been a teacher at Shenton College since he arrived in Australia from the UK in 2005. At Shenton he has held various leadership and coordinator roles in a wide range of areas.
During my time at Shenton I’ve worked as an English and Literature teacher, Year 10 Leader, GATE coordinator, Head of Lemnos Community, Acting Head of Middle School, Head of Lower Senior, and Acting Principal for a period of time on 2021 when Mike and Chris were seconded to another school. More recently I have taken on a strategic role, putting supports in place to ensure the culture of the school is maintained as we continue to grow. I remain passionate about the opportunity to support the creative and critical thinking of our students as they develop their understandings of themselves as learners, and as they begin to imagine the things they would like to achieve out in the world beyond schooling.
I believe the ‘Shenton Difference’ is the ‘can-do’ attitude of the staff, students and leaders, and the trust implicit in the relationships that the school is built upon. There is always a palpable sense of optimism at this College – that ideas will lead to fruitful outcomes, that intellectual risks will pay off, that a setback will only lead to a more rewarding future success. That optimism is borne of experience, and thrives because people in our community feel supported by one another.
Quite simply, Shenton is a remarkable school, and I feel very fortunate to work in an environment so focused on the happiness of pursuit, rather than the pursuit of happiness.
Jane is the current acting Head of School for Upper Senior School, having stepped into the role in 2022 from her substantive position as a Head of Learning Community in the Middle School. Despite her most recent role being focused on students in the earlier years of school, Jane brings a wealth of experience from a Vocational Training and Pathways background and has acted in this position previously.
Gary joined Shenton in 2015 having worked in both Government and Independent schools, and for the International Baccalaureate as one of the Lead Educators in the Asia Pacific region. At Shenton, Gary has been a Head of Community and taught HASS to mainstream, HPL and GATE students.
Gary has been instrumental in leading service-based learning at the College. His focus has been on providing opportunities for students to pursue passion projects, leading them to take principled action in developing a shared humanity and guardianship for the planet.
I believe that establishing trusting, supportive relationships are the cornerstone for all good learning. My focus in the Year 9/10 space is to foster the College’s values of care, curiosity and collaboration to enable students to be more independent, resilient and reflective in terms of their decisions and interactions with others.
Chantal Simpson heads up the Shenton College Middle School, working with the Year 7 and 8 students and staff. She strives to ensure outstanding academic and social outcomes as students transition into a secondary learning environment.
Chantal holds a degree in Middle Schooling, and has worked at Shenton, in the Middle School, for over ten years. In her time, she has held a variety of roles, including GATE Coordinator, Science Curriculum Leader, and Head of Learning Community. She has now taken on the role as Head of Middle School and endeavours to further our culture of Care, Curiosity and Collaboration.
I know this College to be a highly inclusive and nurturing learning environment; one that challenges students effectively, where they are cared for, and encouraged to be critical thinkers and curious in their approach to their education.
One of my biggest joys is working to support students to become independent, life-long learners, empowering them to become passionate global citizens of our future world.