Tim Knowles, Principal, Cire Community School
As principal of Cire Community School, Tim Knowles takes the rough diamonds of his local community and gives them every opportunity to shine. The multi-campus school works with youth at risk of disengaging from education, many of whom come from families where parents have had poor school experiences. Twice a year, the school conducts compulsory engagement interviews for every student, along with a significant adult in their lives, to activate their personal learning plan for the next six months. This process has resulted in close to 100% engagement. The significant increase in school attendance for some of the school’s most vulnerable young people is a marked difference from their experience in a mainstream school environment.