I used to find the day would fly by so quickly and with such variety it was hard to remember what had been achieved at its end. Some of the most creative thinking times I had were at 10,500 meters in a plane flying somewhere. During my time there was so much flying. Part of my mantra was that we needed to break the bonds of isolation for the school, and I felt doing that was to ensure I and the school participated enthusiastically in the Territory, Australia and World scene. Of course, this had to be fitted into the responsible schedule of running the school.

During my first stint on the Board of Round Square International two board meetings were always held in London. It was the start of the year and I was to welcome new staff on the Wednesday before Australia Day 1997(?). I think it was January 22nd I flew to London on Thursday 16th the meeting was on Monday 20th at 9.00am. I caught the 10pm to Singapore that night then onto Australia, arrived in Darwin at about 4.30am Wednesday morning and then caught the 6.00am to Alice arriving ready for the meeting at 9.00. Hopefully I was bright and cheerful. The new staff were welcomed and had an introductory talk which to me was so important. These were two important events and if both could be achieved then that would be ideal.

Being involved in a dedicated way on the Round Square Board helped to quickly put St Philips on the global map and therefore continuing to break the bonds of isolation for our students. We all know that people outside the NT and particularly those overseas are really interested in our frontier Territory and are keen to engage in conversation about it. The Round Square Board consisted of a diverse range of interesting people. One of the members of the Board was Lord Darnley whose traditional family home was Cobham Hall in Kent. The family passed it on to become a school.

I have visited the school and it is a fascinating place. Over the years we have had exchanges with the school. During morning tea at the Board Meeting, Lord Adam Darnley came up to me. He excitedly told me his great grandmother was Australian and had been born in Beechworth. This was a wonderful link because I had started teaching in Wangaratta near Beechworth and used to play in a bush band in Tanswell’s Pub in that old gold mining town. His great grandmother was a music teacher at Rupertswood, a property out of Melbourne, where she met her future husband Ivor Bligh who later became Lord Darnley(Adam’s Great Grandfather) and was the English Cricket Captain of Ashes fam and here was little old me from Alice, a cricket enthusiast, engaging with history.

The members of Round Square were highly interested in Alice and offered us the hosting of the International Conference to be held in 2001. More international profile for the school and the NT. If we hadn’t set out on the journey to join Round Square none of this would have happened. We worked hard at being members with our catch cry being that “we didn’t have much money but we could do the people thing well”. Later we were honoured when King Constantine and Queen Anne - Marie of Greece sent their daughter to St Philips as a ‘gappie’. She was great. Prince Alexander of Schleswig Holstein, whose family established Louisenlund School in their castle near Schleswig sent his daughter to us for a year 10 exchange, then hosted one of our students in his house in Hamburg in the following year. She had a fantastic time. Our students have gone all over the world on exchange and International Service Projects and the school has hosted many, many students from faraway places. Our membership of Square Round which resulted from our commitment to look outward, form relationships think creatively about how membership would work, and earning our offer of membership. Membership was certainly not automatic. However it has indeed helped break the bonds of isolation and benefited our school greatly.

We became friendly with Starehe School in Kenya another member which provided first class education to so many students unable to access a good education. We had a long association with some of their senior Staff. I had a really interesting visit to a girls school in Soweto, admiring greatly the work of the Principal there. These relationships formed were so diverse and interesting. As a Principal it is valuable to forge strong networks and having forged them to continue to foster them and broaden them. I believe this must be a priority. Simply being introduced to someone and not following it up will not develop relationships and networks and your students won’t benefit. You must keep at it and do it creatively. One school in India, with whom we had a relationship, had an amazing outdoor ed program. They certainly had a culture of tackling a challenge and really giving it a go. One student from the school came on exchange to us in year 10. International exchange is a big enough experience but this student, with a school group, summited Mt Everest when he was in year 9! I’m not sure that I would want to fill out the risk assessment but their school have always done challenging experiences.

Engagement is such a good word. Meeting and engaging with people is so strong and can lead you into many exciting and creative opportunities for your school. Never waste an opportunity! Engagement can lead to an endless source of really good ideas. Not all will be possible to implement but they are also of great value if thought provoking. Being fully engaged with Round Square was perhaps my greatest long term enriching experience. The wonderful relationships I have formed across the world have pushed me in so many new and wonderful directions as an educator and have enhance so much my understanding of people and cultures. It has highlighted the value in looking outward, never being contented to simply look inwards and to wonder at the many ideas and points of view learning to listen to them, absorb them and think deeply about them. And when you form a relationship you will have no idea where it will take you.

At the Independent Schools Conference I attended as Chair of ISCA I met a fascinating Principal of a new innovative school in South Africa set on the edge of Kruger National Park. The school was about animals and conservation. Our relatively short but warm conversation resulted in a friendship and an offer to take a ‘gappie’ from our school. This came to pass and a student of ours, doing his gap year with us after finishing year 12, headed off to Africa for the most wonderful experience. The result was that he remained in Zimbabwe and South Africa for years, ending up as head of music at a noted Zimbabwean school. Wow - opportunity, opportunity, opportunity!

As a Principal, beware of the superficial in whatever form it takes. A Principal can’t do everything but they must understand important things in depth. Shallow interest will not cut the mustard. If you don’t understand a teacher’s passion call them in and ask them to tell you about it. Passionate teachers are so valuable but their passion must journey in the same direction as the school. As a Principal give your imagination the opportunity to roam free when you can and that might be at 10,500 meters. Keep your eye keenly on opportunities that will enrich your school. Be a big believer in “I can make it happen”, and then move to “Sure we can make it happen”.

Written by Chris Tudor