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MATTHEW HANNAN
As a learner, both as a student and educator, I have remained dedicated to prioritising the values of care, dignity, and respect. Initially, as a graduate of Brisbane State High School (BSHS), I was privileged to be School Vice-Captain and to receive an Overall Position 3, before embarking on the path to becoming a secondary high school teacher, specialising in Physical Education and Geography. My first experience involved teaching at St Laurence’s College in South Brisbane, where I coordinated Primary Cricket and shared Director of Rugby responsibilities. I also had opportunities to be Acting Assistant Head of Years 9 and 12 and Acting Head of Year 9. Afterwards, I attained the opportunity to coordinate Boys’ Sport at BSHS, in the Greater Public Schools competition. I relished the opportunity to give back to a school that had shaped my educational, social and leadership experiences. Since 2021, my wife and I have called the southern Gold Coast home. In this time, I’ve been honoured to take on pastoral leadership roles, including Head of Year for Years 9 to 10 and Year 7, as well as serving as Dean of Students in Middle Years, from 2023 to present.
In my role as Dean of Students, I aim to promote opportunities to support the overall growth of each Middle Years student. In this multifaceted role, I pursue chances to actively contribute to the development, implementation and review of key College frameworks and processes. Accordingly, I get to collaborate with Middle Years educators, where students benefit from ongoing pastoral support based off learning, safety and respect. Accordingly, relevant staff and I design action plans that proactively support students, fellow teachers, and parents; creating a cohesive and supportive learning environment. Our staff are committed towards mentoring all Middle Years students; especially with respect to demonstrating reliably high standards of attendance, uniform, respect and punctuality, whilst contributing to the greater good of the entire College Community. I appreciate the opportunity to affirm students’ growth and excellence across the College, including for both academic and co-curricular pursuits. A key initiative that has facilitated the recognition of such student efforts has been through the recent implementation of the Core Value Awards, highlighting students’ commitment to the values of Community, Respect, Service, and Personal Excellence.
BENJAMIN POTTER
My Trinity journey began in January 2022 when I moved to the Gold Coast after completing a three-year stint in the United Kingdom working as a Head of Lower School in a Boys Secondary School. I joined Trinity as the new Head of Year 11 and within a day of meeting the students and staff already felt at home and knew that this was the place for me. I was appointed the Dean of Senior Years for the 2023 school year, as well as continuing with my current Head of Year role and had the immense privilege of watching the Class of 2023 Graduate. Trinity has been an amazing home over the last two years, and I have immensely enjoyed getting to know the entire community of parents, students and staff through my role.
As we begin 2024, I will be undertaking the Dean role separate from any Head of Year responsibility and I am excited about what that will entail for the upcoming academic year. The School Years of 10 – 12 can be some of the most anxiety inducing years as our young people navigate the final years of school and are really confronted with the big question of ‘what next?’. My role is to help all our learners along that journey so that they can all learn, thrive and succeed. To offer them support and guidance as they wrestle with the big questions in their lives as they approach the cusp of adulthood. It is not just about supporting their academic ventures, which are extremely important, but also assisting them in discovering who they are, how they see the world and their place in it. My commitment to the Year 10 – 12 students and their families is unwavering and in 2024 I am looking forward to continuing our mission as a school to support each and every student to achieve their best and become discerning, compassionate, creative, balanced and resilient young people.
