Our Foundation Principal - Mr Grahame Ginn
On Australia Day in 2005 Mr Grahame Ginn was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to education, particularly through the promotion of educational opportunities in Hervey Bay. Graham served the College as Principal during our first 10 years (1994 to 2004) and a great part of the success of Fraser Coast Anglican College in the formative stages was due to Graham's leadership and unstinting motivation.
The school community came together over the last three weeks of Term 4 in 2004 to say farewell and good luck for the future to Grahame and Kathryn Ginn. The Celebration of Achievement on Wednesday, 17th November 2004 was a wonderful occasion that allowed the community to recognise the enormous commitment Grahame had made to the school during the first 10 years. The 2004 College Captains Kate Rutherford and Evan Manttari summed up how the students feel about the care and support that Grahame had shown to them over the years. Dr Ian Harvey, Chair of the College Council, expressed gratitude on behalf of the Council for Mr Ginn’s tireless efforts to ensure the college became a success. The school was honoured by the attendance of The Most Reverend Dr Phillip Aspinall, Archbishop of Brisbane who was the guest speaker for the evening. You can view a copy of the farewell address Grahame made at his final Celebration of Achievement as Principal.
On Friday, 26th November 2004 the students and staff bid Grahame a final goodbye at his last school assembly and the 2005 Prefects helped Grahame light the “Flame on the Rock”. The lighting of the flame symbolised that the spirit of the school was being passed on to next generation of students, staff and parents with the knowledge that all the work Grahame has done would survive and be enhanced in the coming years. The lighting of the Flame (Igniting the Spirit) is a significant tradition that Grahame established in the school.
Mr Ginn's Website Message
Below is the message Graham had on our website during his years as Principal. We feel this sums up his belief in the College and is part of the wonderful legacy Graham left us.
Confidence is Contagious
"The most noticeable characteristics of children seen attending and representing FCAC are that they are confident, responsible and generally well-balanced individuals." So reported a recent survey of parents and community members. With little doubt, the emphasis at FCAC is upon developing an approach to life that builds confidence in many fields of endeavour and professional/personal relationships.
So, what builds confidence? So many things – but they must include: a remarkably supportive, caring and capable staff; a program that focuses upon the individual; excellent support for academic development with a true International perspective; remarkably involving sporting and cultural programs that encourage both involvement and excellence from virtually every student in the College and our out-standing COPE program that develops Outdoor Education, leadership, service responsibility and personal development.
And where is the proof? Just take a walk with the Principal around our College and see how the children relate to their teachers and to each other. Just talk to one of the senior students. Not convinced? Just ask the Principal for a look at the College’s performance in the last two years Queensland OP figures, or the College’s excellent involvement and performance in regional and Statewide sport, or the College’s enviable and regionally leading music program, or the excellent drama and musical program, or the College’s consistent excellent performance in debating - the list goes on.
Still not convinced? Then, if it were possible, a sneak view at Valedictory Chapel service for our Year 12 students at the end of this year (although you will probably not find a spare seat) and you will probably leave with moist eyes and a much deeper understanding of what makes this a great school. Spirit, confidence and support are there for all to see.
The range of opportunities given our young people enables just about every student to find a niche and success. With so many confident and successful young men and women in one place – confidence just has to be contagious.
Grahame Ginn
Foundation Principal 1994 - 2004
A Brief Career History
Mr Grahame Ginn was born in Brisbane (September 1947) into an Army family not long after the finish of the 2nd World War. Living the somewhat typical life of an Army child (moving every 12 – 24 months) he completed his school education at Newington College in Sydney. He then attended the University of Sydney to graduate in a Science degree majoring in Physics and Chemistry.
After a brief time working in industry he decided to try teaching and gained his Diploma in Education at the University of New England, followed by a Master’s Degree of Education at the same University. His first school appointment was at the Cranbrook School (Sydney Anglican boys school) where he taught his major subjects, was an Assistant Boarding House Master, became an Army Officer of Cadets and coached Rugby and Cricket.
Two years later he moved to Scots College also in Sydney, taught his major subjects, coached his cricket and rugby teams, became more involved with the military life of the Army cadets (became a Captain) and was invited to co-lead a party of Army navy and Air Force Cadets across the Kokoda Track. He was also permitted to indulge his motor-racing passion, by becoming accredited as a driver trainer and then an advanced driver trainer that thereby allowed the school to train young men in advanced driving skills at Amaroo Park Raceway, west of Sydney.
Mr Ginn was, by then, married, with two children. He then moved to The Scots School, Albury (NSW) to become Head of Science, sports coach, Boarding House tutor, Officer in Charge of Cadets and, subsequently, Computer Coordinator (he initiated computers into that school’s curriculum and administration) and then Curriculum Coordinator. He was the Chairman of the Staff Room and served externally as Independent school representative on the Riverina Murray Board of Teacher In-service. A third daughter, Pennie, arrived. He was in Albury for 14 years and much of life developed at that time. He played cricket at reserve grade level and tennis at A grade level for most of his years in Albury. It was in Albury that, sadly, his first marriage finished, but also, some years later, that he married Kathryn and their children Cameron and Claire arrived.
He was then successful in gaining the position of Director of Studies at The Southport School (boys, P – 12) on the Gold Coast, commencing there in January 1986. Whilst at the School he was appointed as Commanding Officer (Lt.Col.) of what was then Australia’s largest Army Cadet Unit, he was appointed as independent school representative to the Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies Curriculum Committee, he was part of the Queensland Government’s Committee to Review Assessment and Moderation procedures and he completely re-established the curriculum at TSS and subsequently set in place a major ($1.5 million) Information Technology re-structuring of the school. Also. whilst at the School he also coached rugby, soccer, tennis and karate. He taught Chemistry and Information Processing and Technology to senior students. Mr Ginn has always enjoyed sport and devoted his fitness training, at that time, to the study of karate, in which he became an instructor.
In early 1994 he was appointed as Foundation Principal to Fraser Coast Anglican College. It is partly due to his unusually wide range of experiences in all manner of things (from building to computer programming, to financial management, to timetable development, to project management, to curriculum construction, to selecting staff, to managing military units and understanding so many aspects of schooling that the Diocese had confidence to appoint such a person to found a school in an area somewhat remote from mainstream interest. During his time at the College he has generally held the roles of Principal, Business Manager (or that role shared with Mrs Anne Patterson and Mr Russell Green) and teacher of Information Processing and Technology. He has also coached cricket. His major task, of course, was the strategic development of this school from nothing and to ensure its successful and viable future as one of the region’s (and Australia’s) finer schools. He purposefully introduced International education to broaden our students horizons (he travelled to other countries to set up sister school links and to market our school overseas), enabled the school to have a leading edge Information Technology position, enabled an excellent Outdoor Education and leadership challenge program, ensured a strong sporting and cultural climate and made sure of strong academic results – all this in an environment of strong pastoral care and Anglican ethos. He and Kathryn devoted themselves completely to the development of this College.
Mr Ginn was also Chairman of the
Queensland Anglican Schools System –
both Board and Council and Chairman of the Queensland Anglican Schools
Commission Marketing Committee. As well, Mr Ginn was the Founding
President of
Education Hervey Bay, which is an organisation developed
to enable links between all educational bodies, Council and Commerce bodies
for the overall development of education as an industry in Hervey Bay.
