1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,279 Speaker 1: I'm not sure about you, but when I went to school, 2 00:00:02,279 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 1: I was probably a little bit scared of the school principal. 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 1: But the school principal at Stuart Park Primary School, he 4 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,040 Speaker 1: walks through the school yard and he is treated. 5 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:15,319 Speaker 2: Like an absolute rock star by the kids there. 6 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:19,799 Speaker 1: And that principal, mister Bernie Bree joins me on the 7 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: line right now. 8 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, Bernie. 9 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 3: Good morning Katie. How are you ver well? 10 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 2: Well, look, I've never seen anything like it. 11 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: The kids sort of flock to you at Stuart Park 12 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 1: Primary School, mister Bray. 13 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, I guess it's Katie. I don't think it's just me, 14 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 3: but it's a part of the culture of the school. 15 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 3: But you know, we we like and respect each other, 16 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 3: you know, and that happens pretty quickly. Kids get to 17 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:51,840 Speaker 3: know that this is a safe place to be and yeah, 18 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 3: we all like you and we'll all work together. So yeah, 19 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 3: but I do like the rock star. 20 00:00:57,800 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 2: I agree. 21 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: Well, I know lots a kids who think you're a 22 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 1: bit of a rock star, mister Bray, and plenty of 23 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 1: them are going to be feeling pretty sad, I reckon 24 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: by the end of this year, because you are set 25 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:09,040 Speaker 1: for retirement. 26 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 3: I am I am, I think four weeks ago, Cadie. Yeah, 27 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:17,040 Speaker 3: I'll finish up at the end of the year. 28 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 2: Now, how long have you been teaching? Firstly at Stuart 29 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 2: Park Primary School. 30 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 3: So I arrived in April two thousand and three, and yeah, 31 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 3: I never expected I be here in December twenty twenty. 32 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 3: But it's just been a beautiful journey, you know. And 33 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 3: I think pretty early in my time here, I realized 34 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,320 Speaker 3: that this was just a lovely community, a great place 35 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 3: to be, and you know, the challenges have kept me, 36 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,919 Speaker 3: kept me going and I love working with the people. 37 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 3: That's the people in the community and the teachers and 38 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 3: the kids. And I thought, well, why would I move 39 00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 3: on when I still have a lot to do here. Yeah, 40 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 3: I think I see a lot of young leaders in education, 41 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 3: and I think it's time to hand over. And I 42 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 3: hand over with a lot of joy because you know, 43 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 3: the principal meetings that I look around at now and 44 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 3: i'd see some really great people coming through. So Stuart 45 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 3: Park is in for the next step up. 46 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 2: I think, well, I'll tell you what. 47 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: I think that's the real sign of a leader, is 48 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: it somebody who you know who sort of helps to 49 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: foster the next generation through and you do that in 50 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: so many ways, not only as you speak about now 51 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: with the next generation of teachers going and stepping up 52 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: into those principal roles, but with the kids as well. 53 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 1: And and you spoke about the culture obviously at Stuart Park. 54 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,359 Speaker 1: It's something that you place a real emphasis on, isn't 55 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: it as the principal. 56 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 3: Yes, Katie, that's that's the sure. And you know when 57 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 3: we talk to oh, we're going to have some music 58 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 3: in the background here, that's all right. When I talk 59 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 3: to new parents, I let them know that, you know, 60 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 3: our major focus is on building good, strong relationships throughout 61 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 3: the school, and that includes not just helping the children 62 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 3: to build relationships with their friends in the class, but 63 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 3: the teachers are all involved in this as well. And 64 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 3: you know, kids in the class will know what their 65 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 3: teacher does on the weekend if they go fishing, or 66 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:27,639 Speaker 3: you know, if they play sports, or you know, when 67 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 3: they turn up at school with her. We've got the 68 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 3: one with a broken arm right now, they know that 69 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 3: that's because they play AFL. And you know, we have 70 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 3: good relationships and we probably all know that it's easier 71 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 3: to put in a big day's work for someone you 72 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 3: like than someone you don't like. And so the academics 73 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 3: comes because of the way we have built the culture 74 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 3: and the safe environment and the relationships within the school, 75 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 3: and that's why I think we achieve well. 76 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: Now, mister Brae, obviously you've been you've been at Stuart 77 00:03:57,480 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: Park since two thousand and three. 78 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 2: How many years have you been teaching? 79 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 3: Oh gosh, yeah, the first year in the territory. Well, 80 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 3: first year teaching was seventy nine. So I came to 81 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 3: the territory soon after the cyclone, but not as a teacher. 82 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 3: Teaching was what I'd always planned to do, but I 83 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 3: did my economics to Ury at Queensland Union. I came 84 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 3: up here and I actually worked as a town plan 85 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 3: I believe it or not. What was what was I 86 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 3: think called the Darwin East Acquisition Area, beautiful name, but 87 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 3: actually became Palmerston And it was just a marvelous probably 88 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:43,160 Speaker 3: eighteen months working in town planning on such a project. 89 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 3: But you know, when that project was over, the I 90 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 3: just wanted to go back and do my teaching and 91 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 3: so I did, and I started off at Nightlift Primary 92 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 3: in seventy nine. 93 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 2: Wow, so nineteen seventy nine, goodness, me It's been a 94 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,040 Speaker 2: long and a Austria's career for you. By the sounds 95 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 2: of it, that's. 96 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 3: The like ancient history, and so much has changed, you know, 97 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 3: in education, but so much has remained the same as well. 98 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,719 Speaker 3: And you know we talked about relationships and back then 99 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:18,279 Speaker 3: that's what it was all about. You know, we didn't 100 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 3: have computers or smart you know, smart boards or any 101 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 3: of those things, but we still you know, the basic 102 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 3: premise of teaching was still there. That's never changed. 103 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 2: Mister Brie. Would have been the biggest highlights for you. 104 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 3: I've been nice this so many times, Katie, over the 105 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 3: last the last few months. And big highlights, I don't. 106 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:44,919 Speaker 3: I think certainly the highlight of my career was getting 107 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 3: Stuart Parker's principal. That wasn't at all expected. And I 108 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 3: knew the man Rod Best, who was the principal here 109 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 3: before me, and he was a bit of a legend 110 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,599 Speaker 3: and a lovely man, and I sort of thought I 111 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:00,839 Speaker 3: was a bit out of out of my depth even 112 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 3: applying for it. So I'm so grateful that I got 113 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 3: a job that I've loved for so long. So it's 114 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 3: pretty hard to beat that highlight. But I think the 115 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 3: highlight happens every morning, you know I do. I walk 116 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 3: most mornings, Cody, and I put this plan in my 117 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 3: head when I'm walking about what I'm going to do 118 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 3: through the day, and one day I might actually get 119 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 3: to follow through on that plan. But you know, I 120 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 3: arrived at school and something happens, and you know, you 121 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:31,839 Speaker 3: go off on a different tangent, and you get to 122 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 3: late afternoon and all the kids have gone home, and 123 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 3: you think I can start on that plan now, And 124 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 3: I've just enjoyed that that every day is different. Every 125 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 3: day's got challenges and joys, but it's every day is different. 126 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:50,279 Speaker 1: So, mister Bree, final day of work? Is it the 127 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: Is it going to be the last day of the 128 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: school year? 129 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 3: I better come back and clean up the week after 130 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:01,160 Speaker 3: because you know, the next principle probably work the same 131 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 3: way as I do with it looks like some sort 132 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 3: of chaos, but a better you know, clear the desk 133 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 3: and make the place livable. But yeah, basically that that's 134 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 3: the seventeenth. I really should know that should the seventeenth 135 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 3: of December. 136 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 2: I don't know either that I should probably. 137 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 3: Find out Katie, if you send your children on the. 138 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:29,679 Speaker 1: Friday, that's exactly right, mister Bree. Is there much planned 139 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: to celebrate your final day? I know that the whole 140 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: whole school community is going to miss you so much. 141 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 3: You know, my plan it was simple, but that wasn't 142 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 3: the plan of the community. So yeah, there seems to 143 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 3: be celebrations going on every week right now. It's been 144 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 3: pretty bizarre at this school, and I think the children 145 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 3: have got into the swing of it, and every week 146 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 3: has had a theme. We're on Irish Week right now. 147 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 3: That's the music may have been heard in the background. 148 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 3: But we've had some amazing weeks and it's been fantastic. 149 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 3: And you know, I think I meet with the ex community, 150 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 3: the people who are past parents, on this Friday, and 151 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 3: then there is a special assembly on the Tuesday of 152 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 3: the last week. And you know the thing I said 153 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 3: to my senior staff when I let them know I 154 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 3: was retiring, I said, can I just go out quietly? 155 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 1: No? 156 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 3: I think the answer is no. Yeah, there's a lot 157 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 3: of planned. 158 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 2: I bet there is. I've heard some of it. 159 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: I've heard I've heard the kids talking about some of 160 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: the excitement. 161 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:44,199 Speaker 2: Well, mister Bree, you've been a You've. 162 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: Been a phenomenal principle I know that there'd be so 163 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: many people out there listening at the moment who have 164 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:54,319 Speaker 1: been involved with the Stuart Park School in various ways, 165 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 1: whether as students or or you know, whether it's parents, 166 00:08:57,640 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 1: and they would all. 167 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 2: Echo the sentiment that you've done a phenomenal job. 168 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: And you know, there is a saying that the greatest 169 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: gift that a man can give is his time and 170 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: belief in other people. And I think that that saying 171 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: really hits the nail on the head with you because 172 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 1: it is something that you have done for so many 173 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 1: of the Northern Territory community. 174 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 2: So a big thank you. 175 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:24,040 Speaker 3: Oh thank you, Katie. It's been a joy. As I said, 176 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:28,440 Speaker 3: it's never it's never felt like a real job, you know, 177 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 3: coming to school and doing what you love with people 178 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 3: you love working with and then someone pays you what 179 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 3: a bonus? It has been a joy? 180 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: Well, you know what, you know, you you don't find 181 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: school teachers every day that sort of feel like that. 182 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: I know there's a lot in the community that do 183 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 1: feel that way, but I think it just goes to 184 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 1: show you why you've been such a wonderful teacher and 185 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: why you've been such a wonderful principle, because that's exactly 186 00:09:57,760 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: how you approach school each and every day. 187 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 3: Thanks Katie, thank you so much, and you know, thank 188 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 3: you to the community who always made me welcome and 189 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 3: you know right to now. We had our final school 190 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 3: council meeting last Monday, and you know, I said to 191 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 3: the councilor I've just felt so supported from the very 192 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 3: first council meeting, which was in April two thousand and three, 193 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,840 Speaker 3: that the people the community were here for for the 194 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:28,680 Speaker 3: right reasons and you know, to support their children through 195 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 3: their education and whatever it took, they were always there 196 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 3: to help out. So I'd like to say a big 197 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 3: thank you to the community. What a wonderful place. And 198 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 3: some lucky person is going to be sitting in this 199 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 3: chair the next January. 200 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 2: Well they've got it's a hard act to follow. I've 201 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:46,199 Speaker 2: got to. 202 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 3: Say, as I said before, Katie, you know that's that's 203 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 3: lovely that people are saying such beautiful things in December. 204 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 3: But then some great person will arrive in January and 205 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:04,199 Speaker 3: they'll say, now, who was the fellow? He was, good fellow. 206 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:06,959 Speaker 3: I'm going to have to write my name around the 207 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 3: place though that people remember. 208 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: I'm sure they'll remember well, mister Bree, lovely to talk 209 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 1: to you this morning. I'm sure i'll see you around 210 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: the place before you finish up. But a big congratulations 211 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: on such a long and wonderful career. 212 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 3: Thank you so much, Katie, thank you. 213 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 2: I'll tell you what I know. 214 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:27,320 Speaker 1: There'll be plenty of people listening this morning who know 215 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:32,559 Speaker 1: mister Bree, who've either been school students in his school 216 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: or been parents obviously to kids that go to Stuart Park. 217 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 1: But wow, nineteen seventy nine is when he started as 218 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:41,680 Speaker 1: a school teacher. 219 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 2: That is certainly a long and wonderful career.