Andrew Kelly has been appointed principal of Living Faith Lutheran Primary School, commencing 1 January 2023, the school’s board has announced.
Kelly has served Lutheran schools in South Australia and Western Australia for the last 27 years, including 11 years as a principal, and is currently the principal of Redeemer Lutheran School in the Barossa Valley.
Council chair, Ray Ebert, said Kelly has led the transformation of the school’s curriculum design and, along with his leadership team, developed “student-centred learning with personalised pathways designed to meet every child at their point of need.”
“Using a design thinking model, Andrew has courageously adopted a moral imperative to create an environment that is responsive to the ever-changing global landscape,” Ebert said.
“An essential consideration for the recruitment panel was the ability for our next principal to maintain the strength of our existing staff culture.”
Ebert said Kelly is “a synergetic leader” who thrives on “empowering staff to use their God-given gifts to serve the mission of the school.”
“Andrew’s leadership style is brave and authentic, he’s a collaborative and loyal team player, and he’s a coach and mentor to colleagues. Andrew is a devoted husband, a doting father of five and an avid community-oriented sportsperson. He’s a wide reader and researcher, and he’s humble, curious, honest and kind.”
The School Council thanked the school’s outgoing principal, Jane Mueller, for her outstanding service as Principal of Living Faith Lutheran Primary School for the past nine years, and to Peter Weier for serving as the school’s Interim Principal during the recruitment phase.
“I look forward to the coming months with excitement and confidence, and hope you will join me in supporting the transition of leadership during this time, and welcoming Andrew when he arrives in 2023.”
Mueller said she endorsed Kelly’s appointment in an email to Living Faith staff, stating, ‘I'm excited that Living Faith’s School Council had the discernment and foresight to appoint such an amazing principal to lead Living Faith into its next season. Living Faith is blessed, and you are blessed, too.’
Well before they were aware that Mueller would be passing the baton to Kelly, Mueller interviewed her him for a podcast episode titled 'Brave Leadership', which explored Kelly’s approach to collaborative and innovative leadership. The two engaged in hearty laughs about dreams to compete at the Commonwealth Games, whilst also exploring the courage required to lead schools with empathy and quiet strength.
Incidentally, Living Faith Lutheran Primary School and Redeemer Lutheran School [the school Kelly is departing] are going head-to-head in the 2022 Australian Education Awards, both being recipients of The Educator’s Innovation in Learning Environment Design Excellence Award.
The original version of this story was a media release by Living Faith Lutheran Primary School.