Cobram Secondary College principal Kimberley Tempest has been nominated for the School Principal of the Year award at the prestigious 2024 Australian Education Awards.
Ms Tempest is known not only as the principal of CSC but also for her leadership in advocating for regional and rural education.
This has seen Ms Tempest become a member of the committee of the Country Education Partnership group, a strong advocate for rural education, a state executive councillor of the Australian Principals Federation, and the Moira and Strathbogie principals’ network chair person.
Ms Tempest said she was nominated for the award by staff at her school, and she was proud but also nervous about what the outcome would be.
“It’s an Australia-wide award,” she said.
“I’m quite excited, and a little bit daunted.”
Ms Tempest will travel to Sydney in August to find out whether she has won, and will be accompanied by members of staff.
However, she emphasised that if she won, the award would be shared by the entire school.
“I can’t do what I do without a team behind me,” she said.
“I am so happy to be nominated ... But I rather think it’s an award that’s really for the school.”
Ms Tempest previously received the Australia Day Citizen of the Year Award and the Colin Simpson Outstanding Secondary Principal Award at the 2023 Victorian Education Excellence Awards.