Chris Shaw, Executive principal, Hillvue Public School

Located in Tamworth, NSW, Hillvue Public School is one of 15 Connected Communities across the state and has an enrolment of 300 students, of which 80% identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Shaw maintains a focus on creating environments that maximise student learning, with high expectations for both students and staff and an emphasis on achievement. At Hillvue, he has overseen a number of successes, including significantly improved literacy and numeracy results, increased classroom engagement, increased parent and community engagement and the development of a growth mindset among staff, students and the wider community.

This year, Shaw was invited by Mark Scott, the Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, to meet as one of 13 innovative leaders at a roundtable discussion focusing on a high-expectations culture. Over time, he’s received a number of accolades, including the ACEL William Walker Award for Excellence in Educational Leadership in 2015.