​Principal Kiri Pearce is providing a different type of learning for students and parents with the creation of the Enkindle Village School in Townsville.  With enrolments of students from Prep to Year 3, it is the first democratic primary school in North Queensland.
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“Students are moving, hands-on, outdoors regularly and engaged with community members and groups. Learning is often based around a real-life problem or context and allows students to learn in their own style at their own pace. Kiri creates learning that is challenging and encourages students to aim high and use creative, innovative thinking,” the school’s Business Development Manager Kerrie Hinschen says.  

Students work on tasks they helped design with multi-age learning and multiple learning styles catered for. Many students who have struggled in more traditional classroom settings are achieving positive results at the new school.

As a new school using an emerging curriculum, Kiri has worked hard to build community relationships, connect with other schools and establish strong ties to the James Cook University Education Department which is located on the same campus as Enkindle.

A strong advocate of professional development for staff, she has also continued to present at national and international conferences. As a new Principal she has undertaken a Principal development program and enlisted a Principal mentor.

She has worked to get in touch with democratic schools around the world hoping to undergo a fact-finding mission in the future to Finland, America and New Zealand.
Kiri hopes to expand Enkindle to teach all the way up to Year 12 and remain at the forefront of developments in education.
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Congratulations Kiri on your nomination.