New Head of Junior School
Townsville Grammar School has welcomed Martin Tait to the community this year, as the new Head of Junior School.
Moving from Sydney, Martin and his wife Monika have settled in quickly to the North Queensland lifestyle, describing the local community as very welcoming. “Everyone says hello here,” laughs Martin. “That was one of the first things we noticed, how openly friendly the people are in Townsville. When we walked The Strand for the first time, just about every person we passed said hello – that’s quite a difference to living in a big city.” Martin says the appeal of regional Queensland was one of the attractions of the position with Townsville Grammar School. “We saw the position advertised, and, with our sense of mid-life adventure, it seemed very appealing to move North,” laughs Martin. “On further investigation, we learned more about the School’s reputation and it’s values – which seemed very aligned to my own values as an educational leader. I love the School’s motto – Bonus Intra Melior Exi, which translates to ‘Come in good, go out better’. This really resonates with me, and I am already witnessing this in action across the School, with the underlying mantra, ‘personal best’ - something that all students hear regularly.” Martin comes to Townsville Grammar School with a wide breadth of experience, having worked at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School, Sydney Grammar School, and the Avondale Grammar School in Singapore.
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His most recent position was Principal of Masada College in Sydney. “Grammar schools offer a particular style of education, and I am very keen to further strengthen our Junior School offering,” said Martin. “A Grammar education is a broad and liberal education, and the Junior School sets the foundation. The early years have an intensive approach to numeracy and literacy, and from Year 3, students are introduced to specialist programs that lead into the Grammar secondary experience.
“Our Junior School education provides an incredible learning foundation for children. It works exceptionally well, with a continuity of teaching in line with the Grammar commitment to providing an exceptional education. “The dual-campus situation of the Junior School was also one of the appealing elements of this role. I spend time at both campuses, Annandale and North Shore, engaging with each community, whilst continuing to work on our one-school approach. “I am so pleased to see that the values of the School are so evident in daily life. Students are respectful, they are taught to value ‘personal best’, they are encouraged to develop a service-mindset and they are supported in discovering and considering the wider world community. These are the values that we need to fully develop in this generation of children who will become the community and business leaders of our future.”
