The Executive Team is responsible for directing and implementing the broad narrative of Shenton College. The Team ensures that students and staff are provided with the best, most responsive learning environment possible, and makes sure that Shenton’s values are clearly articulated to community members, and that they inform all our actions both internally and in the wider community.
Michael Morgan took up his appointment at Shenton College as Principal in 2008. Prior to joining Shenton College, Michael was Principal Consultant and Principal in the Goldfields region of Western Australia and the Pilbara region. Michael has extensive educational experience and a strong record of significant and successful leadership in secondary school education. Michael has established strong international and domestic education partnerships and strategic alliances. In 2013 Michael was announced as Secondary Principal of the Year and Shenton College was also announced as Secondary School of the Year.
I believe in a school that is much more than marks. The College’s motto established in 2010 “Much More Than Marks – Learning for Life” embodies my belief that a child’s schooling experience is more than an outstanding academic result. Educators and schools should strive to develop their students’ knowledge of the world and to foster the emotional and social intelligence they need to be active participants and leaders, now and in the future.
In 2014 Michael was awarded a State and National Australian Council of Education Leadership (ACEL ) Fellowship and a Churchill Fellowship. He focussed his Churchill Fellowship research in the USA around efficient ways to measure effective teaching and empowering teachers to improve their practice. In 2016 Michael took up a position as Executive Principal to the Director General in the Department of Education (WA). Michael was seconded for 2016 and 2017 by the Director General to support her in facilitating the Department’s Comprehensive School Leadership Strategy and Principal Performance Improvement Tool. Having seen these projects through to fruition, Michael returned to the College as our Principal in 2018.
More recently, Michael has undertaken other system leadership roles. In 2023 Michael was part of a Ministerial Taskforce – Expert Review team, to provide the Minister of Education with recommendations that could enhance pathways to success for all senior secondary students across the state of WA.
He is delighted to be able to return to the school to lead our community again this year.
Nicole joined the College in 2015 and holds the position of Associate Principal – Pathways. She works with students across the College, ensuring that they have the highest quality support structures and pathways in place to enable them to achieve the success they deserve in their years at Shenton.
I began my teaching career as a Mathematics teacher in the Cook Islands working for Australian Volunteers International, and on return to Australia, I gained a teaching position at Derby District High School in Western Australia’s northwest. In my work I strive to model and teach strong leadership skills, and I’m very focused on providing excellent pastoral care because I’ve seen firsthand how successful this approach is in responding to the needs of a diverse school community.
My ability to build flexible timetables that satisfy the varying demands of different learners was recognised in my progression into Deputy Principal roles – first acting at Derby District High School and then substantively at Newman Senior High. Before joining Shenton I was Deputy Principal at Ellenbrook Secondary College where I enjoyed leading the school’s response to its rapid student growth as its founding year group in 2007 moved through the school.
In my time at Shenton I’ve been struck by the focus and maturity of the students, as well as the supportive nature of our teachers. There’s a real sense that everyone is in it together –with that kind of attitude I feel that anything is possible. For me, there’s nothing better than seeing a student fulfil their potential, whatever it is, and however it’s been enabled. As a teacher and school leader, I’ll always see this as the most important part of my job.
Adam has been a teacher at Shenton College since he arrived in Australia from the UK in 2005. At Shenton, he has held various leadership and coordinator roles in a wide range of areas.
During my time at Shenton I’ve worked as an English and Literature teacher, Year 10 Leader, GATE coordinator, Head of Lemnos Community, Acting Head of Middle School, Head of Lower Senior, and Acting Principal for a period of time on 2021 when Mike and Chris were seconded to another school. More recently I have taken on a strategic role, putting supports in place to ensure the culture of the school is maintained as we continue to grow. I remain passionate about the opportunity to support the creative and critical thinking of our students as they develop their understandings of themselves as learners, and as they begin to imagine the things they would like to achieve out in the world beyond schooling.
I believe the ‘Shenton Difference’ is the ‘can-do’ attitude of the staff, students and leaders, and the trust implicit in the relationships that the school is built upon. There is always a palpable sense of optimism at this College – that ideas will lead to fruitful outcomes, that intellectual risks will pay off, that a setback will only lead to a more rewarding future success. That optimism is borne of experience, and thrives because people in our community feel supported by one another.
Quite simply, Shenton is a remarkable school, and I feel very fortunate to work in an environment so focused on the happiness of pursuit, rather than the pursuit of happiness.
In 2024 Chantal Simpson steps into an Associate Principal role having successfully led the Shenton College Middle School for many years.
Chantal holds a degree in Middle Schooling, and has worked at Shenton for more than a decade. In her time, she has held a variety of roles, including GATE Coordinator, Science Curriculum Leader, and Head of Learning Community, as well as Head of School, always seeking to further our culture of Care, Curiosity and Collaboration.
I know this College to be a highly inclusive and nurturing learning environment; one that challenges students effectively, where they are cared for, and encouraged to be critical thinkers and curious in their approach to their education.
One of my biggest joys is working to support students to become independent, life-long learners, empowering them to become passionate global citizens of our future world.
Gary joined Shenton in 2015 having worked in both Government and Independent schools, and for the International Baccalaureate as one of the Lead Educators in the Asia Pacific region. At Shenton, Gary has been a Head of Community and taught HASS to mainstream, HPL and GATE students.
Gary has been instrumental in leading service-based learning at the College. His focus has been on providing opportunities for students to pursue passion projects, leading them to take principled action in developing a shared humanity and guardianship for the planet.
I believe that establishing trusting, supportive relationships are the cornerstone for all good learning. My focus is to foster the College’s values of care, curiosity and collaboration to enable students to be more independent, resilient and reflective in terms of their decisions and interactions with others.
Jane is the current Head of School for Upper Senior School, having stepped into the role in 2022 from her previous position as a Head of Learning Community in the Middle School. Despite her most recent role being focused on students in the earlier years of school, Jane brings a wealth of experience from a Vocational Training and Pathways background and has acted in this position previously.
Chloe Britton is the Head of Shenton’s Middle School, working with the Year 7 and 8 leaders, staff and students.
She has worked at Shenton College in a variety of roles for over 15 years. With a background in gifted and talented education, Chloe has been Head of Academic Programs and Partnerships and has worked within Teacher Development at Shenton to support the Quality Teaching Strategy in WA. Sustaining a culture that promotes the Shenton College values of Care, Curiosity and Collaboration, Chloe aims to create a positive and enriching experience for young people during their first years of secondary school.