School leaders returning to region

 • Kath Smalldon back at Scottsdale High School, where she was a first year teacher, as assistant principal.

By Tony Scott
December 15, 2021

Scottsdale High School will return to the new academic year with a new teacher leadership group.

A former Winnaleah District High School teacher and one-time Branxholm resident from the early 1990s Libby Williams has been appointed principal.

“I am thrilled to be heading back to the beautiful North-East,” she said.

Her career already covers more than 30 years as an English and humanities teacher.

She has taught at Brooks and Exeter High Schools and has experience in the senior secondary sector at Newstead College and for eight years until last year as assistant principal at Launceston College.

This year she has been assistant principal, collective education, at George Town’s Port Dalrymple School .

That role was funded by the Beacon Foundation.

“I engaged with community, council, business and industry to foster strong relationships with the school, build students’ work readiness skills, provide work exposure and pathways in to work, including school-based apprenticeships and traineeships.

“My work has focused on years 10-12 and supporting students to successfully complete year 12, explore career pathways and gain meaningful employment in the region,” she said.

Mrs Williams is expected to base herself at Bridport, saying she had enjoyed summers at the seaside since here early childhood.

“I’ve continued that tradition with my children and I am looking forward to residing in the North-East and leading the High School.

A new assistant principal, Kath Smalldon, has also spent time teaching in the area as a first year phys ed teacher at Scottsdale High in the late 1980s  

“I have very fond memories of that time and whilst living in Scottsdale, I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know the families of the Scottsdale/Bridport communities and became involved in the numerous community sport and events on offer.

“As a young teacher, I particularly relished the chance to go on school camps, which ignited my passion for adventure and the outdoors.”

When she left Scottsdale Mrs Smalldon headed overseas and took up a counsellor job with the Camp America program.

Returning to Tasmania she has spent most of her 30-year career as a health and well being and maths teacher at high schools and other educational institutions, including the University, in the Launceston area.  

She was appointed assistant principal at Scottsdale high only in the final term this year.

“It has been great to re-connect with some of the teachers and families from the past and in particular working with some of the students that I used to teach.”

The school’s acting principal for the last half of this year Belinda Fletcher has also been appointed an assistant principal for next year.