Mr. Brett Blaker is the new Principal for Barrenjoey high school.
Although Mr Blaker will officially start full-time at Barrenjoey in Term 3, students, parents and teachers will see him around this term as he attends various events.
Photo: Barrenjoey High School, Anzac Day 2024
Mr. Blaker grew up on the Central Coast, and has a passion for sport having played cricket in the summer and rugby league in the winter. He also was surfing through local clubs.
When 21 he finished an Exercise Science degree, and then completed a Teaching degree and taught in the UK for a few years.
After arriving back in Australia, Brett continued working as a teacher in PDHPE throughout Sydney while playing rugby simultaneously. He signed a contract with Souths and played premier league for in the NSW Cup level. He was training four nights a week and playing on the weekends while teaching.
He stopped playing league when 29 due to injury. This allowed him to focus on his other passion - teaching and education.
Brett completed a Master’s degree in Management and Leadership in Education.
Spending ten years at Sefton High School in Sydney’s south west, Brett was living in the Pittwater area and commuting three hours in total each day for work.
He was a PE teacher for two years, head teacher of admin for three years and did another five years as the deputy while at Sefton.
An opportunity presented itself for Brett to be closer to home at Pittwater High School as the deputy principal for two years. His next opportunity would lead him to Oranges' Canobolas Rural Technology HS as Principal for almost 3 years.
Now he has returned home to fulfil a role as Principal at Barrenjoey HS.
Welcome home sir!
Mark Robinson still working on the peninsula
Previous Barrenjoey HS Principal Mark Robinson resigned soon after Term 1 2024 commenced.
Sarah James and Jeff Brown undertook the role of Acting Principal for Barrenjoey High School in his stead.
'The news that after nearly 3.5 years, Mr Robinson had decided to move onto other exciting career opportunities has brought mixed emotions for all of us. Like all his Barrenjoey High School predecessors, Mr Robinson has left his educational mark (no pun intended) on this wonderful community school.
I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing him the very best for the next chapter in his career journey and thank him for his tenure at Barrenjoey and to public education.' - Andrew Stevenson, Director Educational Leadership, Pittwater Network, stated to the BHS school community in February 2024
At the same time the Catholic Schools Broken Bay (CSBB) announced it had recently appointed Mark Robinson as the Senior Executive overseeing the transformation of the delivery of Catholic education in the Northern Beaches Precinct.
''Most recently a State school Principal, Mark is recognised as a deeply experienced educational leader and innovator.'' CSBB stated
''Mark will play a pivotal role in advancing the establishment of the Precinct including transforming St Paul’s Catholic College into a co-educational institution.''
Bishop Anthony Randazzo said he was delighted that Mark is joining the CSBB team, “Mark is a remarkable educator and brings to CSBB deep experience and a proven track record of delivery within several leading State schools. He shares our passion for ensuring all children entrusted to our care come to know Christ, love learning and be the very best they can be”.
“This is only possible through the hard work of the CSBB team and Mark will add new expertise to help ensure the transformation of the Northern Beaches precinct proceeds rapidly over the coming months and years”.
Danny Casey, Director of Schools CSBB joined Bishop Anthony in welcoming Mark to the Senior Leadership team.
Danny Casey said, “We have been making terrific progress on our Towards 2025 journey and the appointment of Mark will help us further progress the exciting new initiatives we have planned for the Northern beaches. Mark’s background as both an educational leader and a financial management professional will help ensure the transformation becomes a reality, enhancing the options for Catholic education across the Precinct”.
Mark Robinson said he was very excited to be joining such an innovative and committed team of educational professionals. Mark said “As well as setting the standard for innovation and improving learning outcomes, CSBB clearly places students educational needs at the center of everything they do. That seeks a genuine partnership with parents and carers to develop the best outcomes for their children”.
Mark will be based at St Paul’s Catholic College, Manly, and will work closely with all CSBB schools in the Northern Beaches Precinct.
The Precinct of schools comprises St Paul’s Manly, St Mary’s Manly, St John the Baptist Freshwater, St Cecilia’s Balgowlah and St Kieran’s Manly Vale.