The Friends’ School comprises three distinct schools: Morris - Friends’ Primary Years (12 weeks to Year 6), The High School (Years 7 - 10), and Clemes (Years 11 - 12).
These three sections of the School are served by administration and maintenance staff under the general supervision of the Director of Business Affairs. The broad community engagement locally, interstate and internationally is managed by the Director of Community Engagement.
Teaching staff for each section of the School are supervised by their Head of Faculty, who are in turn managed by a Head of School. The Director of Teaching and Learning oversees the curriculum throughout the School.
The main School office is open between 8.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. throughout the year except during the Christmas/New Year period and public holidays.
Senior Leadership Roles
Nelson File
BA (Johns Hopkins), MAT (Brown)
Nelson File has been Principal of The Friends’ School since 2013.
He is assisted by his full-time Executive Assistant, Sarah Ogilvie.
Shaun O’Rourke
BSc(Hons), MEdPsych, DipEd, DipHR, EdD
Shaun assists the Principal with staff matters and day-to-day administration of the School. He is Acting Principal when the Principal is absent.
Shaun Sargent
JP BCom GCertEBL FCA FAICD FIML FTI GIA (Affiliated)
Shaun oversees the financial, facilities and administrative aspects of the School. This includes taking responsibility for the School’s various commercial operations. He also oversees the risk, compliance and governance functions of the School and acts as Secretary to the Board of Governors.
Phil Rogers
BComm, Grad Dip Education
Phil is responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership throughout the entire school in the development of a cohesive curriculum and best practice in pedagogy.
Bill Avery
GradCertBus, MBus
Bill is responsible for leading and managing the School’s communication, brand management, enrolments and community engagement practices and activities.
Adam Chambers
BA(Hons), BEd
Adam oversees the Clemes Campus which offers students a choice of studying for the International Baccalaureate Diploma, the Tasmanian Certificate of Education, or Vocational Education and Training programs.
Joe Cairns (Head of Mather House)
BA, DipEd
Lindy Gannon (Head of Hodgkin House)
BSc, DipEd
Louise Giudici (Head of Ransome House)
BA(Hons), DipEd, GradCertCouns
Kim Rowlands (Head of Unwin House)
BA, DipEd
The High School is home to more than 550 students in four houses from Year 7 to 10. The Houses are each led by a Co-Head of High School, who also oversees a Year Group – Joe Cairns (Mather House), Louise Giudici (Ransome House), Lindy Gannon (Acting – Hodgkin House) and Kim Rowlands (Unwin House).
Mark Febey
BEd, BA(Hons)
The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) is the curriculum framework in which we incorporate the Australian Curriculum outcomes for early childhood and primary years. Mark Febey oversees our educational programs and care for students from 12 weeks to Year 6.
Faculties (Years 7 - 12)
All High School and Clemes teaching staff are members of one of eight Faculties – The Arts, English, Health and Physical Education, Humanities, Languages, Mathematics, Science and Technology. The Heads of Faculty are responsible for the development and delivery of the program in their learning area.
The Heads of Faculty are:
The Arts – Tammy Giblin
English – Karina Churchill
Health & Physical Education – Trish Menadue
Languages – Christine Wittlinger
Mathematics – Joe Boyer
Science – Nicola Anderson
Humanities – Mark Allen
Technology – Jane Smith
Specific Programs
Director of Information Services – Duncan Gillespie
Director of Learning Support – Catherine Gray
Head of Music – Paul Kershna
Head of Drama – Tammy Giblin
Enrolments Office
Jennifer Scharkie is the Enrolments Manager and manages all matters to do with enrolments including waiting lists, fees assistance, scholarship and bursary administration and overseas/exchange students.
Libraries
There are three libraries in the School: one in the Primary Years (Morris), one in the High School and one in Years 11 & 12 (Clemes).
Archives & History
The School also has an archival and historical collection housed in Hobartville. The Archivist, Melinda Clarke, is in charge of the collection and is always willing to assist with providing materials for historical projects or teaching about Friends’.
Committees
The Friends’ School strives to create a diverse and inclusive community of learners and families, as well as faculty and staff. At their core, Quaker schools are built on the foundation that every child has an inner Light, meaning that each member’s unique voice contributes to and strengthens the overall community.
Along with our diverse community, leaders and staff, school committees bear responsibility for tending to the needs of students through input into the policy development and management of the School.
School Committees make take the form of a Committee, Management Group, Reference Group or Working Group. Each Group or Committee has a specific purpose and key areas for consideration and consultation. There are currently 23 Committees or Groups at Friends’ which include staff, students, parents, alumni, past staff and past parents.
The Principal and Deputy Principal are ex officio members of all School management committees and working groups. All committees report to Principal’s Committee.
Parameters around a Quaker Meeting for Business at Friends’
‘We agree to consider difficult questions with an informed mind as well as a generous and loving spirit. We are prepared to let our insights and personal wishes take their place alongside those of others or be set aside as the meeting seeks the right way forward. We accept that our decision-making process is a process of discovery and that we are open to new truth.’
If you would like to know more about the School Committees, please contact our Director of Community Engagement, Bill Avery