ALMOST three years after taking on the role as principal of Canberra Girls Grammar School, Anna Owen has announced her resignation, with plans to leave at the end of this year.
Mrs Owen, the former deputy principal at Brisbane Girls Grammar School, moved to the ACT to take on the job as principal in January 2019 with a vision for the girls under her care to have the confidence, skills and education to have pathways into positions of power in society.
In announcing her resignation, the chair of the Canberra Girls Grammar School board, Sue Hart, said Mrs Owens is returning to Queensland to be with her family.
“As you would all appreciate, the last 18 months have been particularly onerous for Anna with her family living in Queensland,” Ms Hart said in a statement released by the board this afternoon (October 5).
In the statement, Ms Hart described Mrs Owens as an outstanding principal of the school, saying she has demonstrated a commitment to and promotion of girls’ education and in the CGGS context of a co-educational offering to Year 3 and a single sex offering from Years 4 to 12.
“Under her leadership we have seen the implementation of strategies to strengthen enrolments, as well as a number of bespoke initiatives including The House: Women in Politics and Government, the One-school project, including the Signature Programs, the Podium Program and the Dance Company, the implementation of the MYP — to enrich the existing PYP and IBDP program and reviews of the Boarding House, Sport, Philanthropy, and physical resources,” Ms Hart said.
“Anna has been an active participant in the wider educational sector, and has stewarded CGGS through celebration, crisis and tragedy.
“We acknowledge that this work has been undertaken under very challenging circumstances.
“Anna is held in high regard by our school’s families and the broader community. She will be deeply missed.”
At the direction of the board, Ms Hart said Julie Jorritsma has been appointed into the shadow principal/acting principal position and operationally Joanna Leaman will take up the position of acting deputy principal (head of senior school).
“We will shortly embark on a rigorous market search to select and appoint a principal to take us forward to our centenary and beyond,” Ms Hart said.
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