Dubbo College South Campus has secured a new head teacher of Teaching and Learning for 2020.
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Aaron Taylor moved to Dubbo from Newcastle, where he had been teaching for the last seven years, and said he hopes to stay in Dubbo for at least the next two years.
"I applied for the head teacher Teaching and Learning job at Dubbo, so I was excited to get it," Mr Taylor said.
"My experience so far has been only positive, my first day was great. The whole teaching staff had a group discussion about what skills are most important for today's young people and the uncertain future they face. Much of the discussion focused on important social and learning skills like communication, creativity, critical thinking and collaboration.
"It was great to know from the outset that the culture I was walking into aligned with my values about education. I feel like I'm at home already and I am happy to walk into work each day.
"I also know where to find the coffee now - that's a big help."
Mr Taylor said the people in Dubbo have been welcoming and the staff at the school have been nothing but "supporting of me."
"I feel like I've been here for years already," he said.
Mr Taylor said his decision to apply for the job in Dubbo was due to the "need for a change".
"I grew up and attended school in and around Newcastle and have lived in that area for most of my life. Newcastle is a wonderful area and I have a great group of friends there. It was time for a change, though.
"Personally and professionally, I knew I needed to experience something new. The job at Dubbo College was meant to be," he said.
"I hope that I have something to offer the school, students and teacher in Dubbo, and I know I will learn a lot from them, too."
Mr Taylor said he can pinpoint and name the teachers from his childhood who made a difference in his life by demonstrating respect and faith in his abilities.
"Now, I aim to do that for my students. My passion for teaching has evolved, the more experience I gain the more I learn that it's not about the delivery of lessons or teaching of content, but more about building opportunity for young people to engage with their world.
"Disengagement, I believe, is one of the biggest problems facing young people of today. Teachers and schools, despite the media and political focus on particular skills and measures, can help them find out what success means and to pursue excellence.
"Knowing you and your team get to be the stable rock in some students lives, gives you the motivation to keep showing up for work."