Marnie’s passion for strengthening leadership in education

Marnie Hopkins, Acting Assistant Principal at Katherine South Primary School and participant in TFA’s 2024 Future Leaders Program

What motivated you to pursue a career in education?

I was raised with the belief that education meant opportunity and I was fortunate to be accepted into University in Wagga Wagga as part of an early entry program to study primary teaching.

I originally taught in a little two teacher school in a farming community for around 9 years where I learnt so much about teaching, made cherished memories and loved being part of such a close-knit community. I came to Katherine in 2002 with my husband and 18-month-old son and have been here ever since! I have had a variety of opportunities and experiences here in Katherine including teaching at various schools as a classroom teacher, special education teacher in a mainstream and a special school, as an advisor travelling around our beautiful Big Rivers Region have been a senior teacher and currently am acting Assistant Principal.

I have had the privilege of teaching now for about 30 years! My husband and I are now empty nesters and call Katherine and its region home. We love the lifestyle, the people and particularly the fishing and outdoors!

Why did you apply for the Future Leaders Program?

I have been in a senior teacher role for years and filled in as Assistant Principal when required. More recently, I have been acting Assistant Principal while the school underwent a lot of changes. Through that experience, I realised I have a passion for leadership, and I see the difference I can make with the students, staff and our families. I love working with our staff and building their capacity and providing them with opportunities to grow and develop as educators and leaders. I firmly believe relationships are the key to a quality education and I value the connections I’ve made with my students, staff and the community over the years. I had been completing some small workshops and sessions around building my leadership skills and knowledge, and when my principal spoke to me about the Future Leaders program, I felt this is exactly what I need now!

What impact do you hope to have in your school and community after participating in the FLP?

I expect to be much more informed and effective as a school leader to ensure the students are all engaged and working towards individual goals. That our staff are continually building their knowledge and capacity in a supportive environment while we work alongside the parent bodies and broader school community. I believe the FLP will be essential in achieving this through the innovative project I’ll be undertaking with support from my coach and fellows as well as the workshops and online support and components the program offers.

What’s your hope for the future of education equity?

I would love to see high quality explicit teaching of evidence-based programs and approaches which engage and motivate students, delivered by highly skilled educators utilising accessible and quality resources to improve the outcomes of all our students. This includes offering ways to promote attendance and engagement through flexible learning programs, wellbeing programs and school groups and activities which are based around students’ interests such as sports, dance, choir, arts etc. This also includes working in collaboration and consultation with families and community groups and having a welcoming school environment. Also, the acknowledgment and celebration of the positive relationships and partnerships alongside the students’ achievements.