NEW Nowra Christian School principal David Marks says he has walked into a pretty special place.
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The staff, students and general ambience of the school all impressed him.
“I am over the moon by the love and care the staff have for the children,” he said.
“I was amazed when I came here by the school’s beautiful environment and all the wonderful facilities.”
His first impression of the school was that its staff and students took pride in the environment around them.
During a cricket match he discovered the student body was another special part of the school.
He was watching some year 8 boys play cricket and expected, in the name of fairness, that he would need to take control of the match.
“The boys made sure everyone got a fair go,” he said.
Mr Marks did not have to intervene make sure everyone got a bat and a bowl.
He thought the spirit of fair play demonstrated by the cricket boys summed up a philosophy that flowed within the entire school.
“The children are just brilliant,” he said.
He replaces the respected Dr Garry Gannell, who left last year to follow other pursuits.
“It’s up to me to continue Garry’s great work,” he said.
Just weeks into his appointment, Mr Marks said it was too early to talk about any challenges he wants to set himself.
The new principal does, however, want to take part in local community activities and has already taken part in a triathlon.
He competed in the recent Nowra triathlon and will sign up for this month’s Huskisson triathlon.
Mr Marks will also help the school continue its strong connection to the Shoalhaven Nowra Relay for Life.
This is his first appointment as a principal – in total he has 21 years’ experience as a teacher in the christian school network.
He started at the Heathdale Christian College and for the last nine years taught at Investor College, a christian, coeducational school in South Australia.
In 2000, Mr Marks won a scholarship to study Japanese at the Najoya College in Japan.
His wife Jodie now teaches Japanese at the school and his three children Naomi, Courtney and Hayley are enrolled.