KATE Ferguson's desire to enter the teaching profession grew as she did.
"I really wanted to work with kids and their families and to help kids grow and develop," said Ms Ferguson, whose parents were both teachers.
"I loved primary school, I thought it was such a fun place to be, and learning new things and trying new things and that's where the idea started."
After a 20-year career that took her to the Diocese of Armidale and the Archdiocese of Brisbane, Ms Ferguson has returned home to the Hunter to take up her first principal position.
She will lead the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle's oldest school: St John the Baptist Primary at Maitland. It is at capacity and has 399 students.
"The responsibility is huge, there is a massive celebration of what this school has achieved," she said.
"It's extraordinary what's been there.
"That saying of standing on the shoulders of giants is so true.
"The previous principals have set up a beautiful culture here where everyone is welcome and included and you can feel that."
Ms Ferguson said she'd always wanted to both return to the Hunter - she attended Lambton High and studied teaching and arts at the University of Newcastle, graduating in 2003 - and be a principal.
Her most recent role was assistant principal religious education at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Coorparoo, in Brisbane.
She relocated with her husband and two sons on Christmas Eve.
She met with the previous principal last week for a handover and to go through the strategic plan and with the assistant principal and leadership team this week.
"Continuing to see our students achieve and grow academically, spiritually and emotionally is the main priority," she said.
"I also am setting my sights on building that community and continuing to be a part of that Maitland community as a whole, working with the high schools and preschools as well to continue that growth and development of students the whole way through."
Ms Ferguson said while she had some nerves, "the excitement of the new adventure takes over".
"I can't wait to meet the new people and meet the new friends and meet the new colleagues and start the new journey. We're all in it together.
"I feel a lot of companionship with the new kindy kids."
Meanwhile, Jeanette Fowles is the new principal of the diocese's youngest primary school, St Aloysius Primary at Chisholm, which had 595 students last year.
"I feel a little bit [nervous] most years where it's the excitement of the new year and I know the night before I always have a sleepless night thinking about a million things," she said.
"I do love to know people and I do love to know families and making those connections, so for me that first day is getting out there into the playground, into the staff room and making those connections so they know me and I'm a familiar face and I get to know them as well.
"For Christmas Santa brought me a new briefcase."
Ms Fowles completed her teaching degree and two masters degrees in special education and educational leadership as well as lectured at the University of Newcastle.
She started her career in Armidale, worked in public and private schools and for the past 22 years in the Diocese of Broken Bay. This is her third principal role.
Her last role was principal at Holy Cross Primary at Kincumber.
She and her husband - who have three adult children and have just welcomed their first grandchild - relocated mid last year to Maryville.
"I love a challenge," she said.
"It's a bigger school and I've worked in flexible learning spaces but I've never worked in a school that actually has had the facilities created from the onset to cater for that... I love being innovative."
She said education was about relationships.
"I think if you can get that right and make those connections and build that sense of trust and openness things seem to go a lot better that way."
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